The Wolves produced a top-notch performance that set a frigid Crehan Park ablaze and drew them level alongside competition leaders Sutherland Sharks (40 points) with two rounds left in the league season.

If Wollongong can stay within two competition points of Sutherland after round 21 next week, they will play the Sharks in a title-deciding tussle in round 22 at Seymour Shaw Park.

Ilija Prenzovski and Balla Conde scored first-half goals for Wollongong before Matt Bailey sealed the win on the hour.

Coach John Turner summed up Wollongong's performance with one word - "great".

"Once we got that first goal we seemed to settle - in the second half I thought there was only one team on the park," Turner said.

"We're not going to sit back and hope things go our way, we're going to try and make things happen.

"To beat Sydney United three zip is a great performance and it could have been more.

"Our defence was outstanding, (midfielder) Steve Hayes was outstanding, (striker) Ilija Prenzovski was good up front, there wasn't a bad player on the field."

Michael Turnbull replaced Justin Pasfield in goals and anchored a Wollongong defence that kept its 12th clean sheet of the season.

Turner said Pasfield would resume his place in the starting side for Sunday's match against Marconi before deciding which of the two shot-stoppers would play in the showdown with Sutherland.

"I'll be going with Justin next week - I'll make my decision before the Sutherland game, with my head, not my heart," Turner said.

"I've seen Michael now for three games, I've seen Justin last week and I'll see him next week and then I'll make my decision.

"They both know that, they know that's the plan."

The Wolves started nervously but warmed to their task in front of a healthy crowd - Conde and Bailey had good chances in the first 20 minutes, before United's best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute, when Luka Glavas' shot from an acute angle was saved by Turnbull.

Wollongong led one minute later when Prenzovski chipped United keeper Vedran Janjetovic from outside the box after winning the race to a long ball from midfielder Steve Hayes.

Conde rifled a shot just wide five minutes later, but got his goal with a 44th-minute tap-in that finished a move started by Dez Giraldi.

The score remained 2-0 at half-time before Bailey rifled in a shot from outside the box on the hour to make it 3-0 to Wollongong.

Turnbull saved a Glavas volley in the 68th minute.

He also turned away a pair of shots by Sydney United's Mitchell Thompson in the 80th and 85th minutes to cap a fine performance between the sticks.