Tuggeranong United moved into the Hahn Australia Cup Qualifying Round 5, the local Federation Cup Quarter Finals, with an emphatic 3-0 win over Canberra Olympic at Kambah 2, thanks in no small part to a majestically taken hat-trick from talented striker Steve Nealon.

The teenage prodigy had been the scourge of Olympic in the 2024 National Premier League scoring four times against the team that was relegated to the Capital Premier League, including a hat-trick in their last meeting, and repeated the trick in front of a noisy and large home attendance.

Nealon had barely had a kick-off the ball when he showed his predatory instincts midway through the first-half. Luke Stevens brilliantly dropped a shoulder to shift away from his marker and fed a well-weighted pass into the path of Nealon. The Boy Wonder did the rest, flicking a composed first-time finish over the advancing Jacob Quinn.

With new US recruit Cole Falco impressing with his range of distribution from the back, and his Exocet of a long throw causing problems, United were in control but were kept on their toes as Antoni Timotheou twice hit the home crossbar with devilishly delivered corners.

Tuggeranong needed a second and got it with seventeen minutes remaining of the cup tie. Unsurprisingly, it was that man Nealon again. Having had a couple of sighters with long-range shots, Nealon was then afforded too much time and space on the angle of the area and drove a precise, low, shot across Quinn and into the far corner.

There was to be the crowning moment as Nealon claimed the match ball with nine minutes to play. Collecting a pass on the edge of the box, he shimmied inside and curled an effort towards the top corner that Quinn did well to reach but was unable to get enough on the ball which dropped into the corner sealing United’s progress.

RESULT

AUSTRALIA CUP QUALIFYING ROUND 4

Tuggeranong United 3 (Nealon 21’, 73’, 81’) Canberra Olympic 0