The 16th round of the WA Men’s National Premier League brought us an array of thrilling matches, ranging from closely contested battles to dominant wins.
Check out our complete review of the weekend’s matches below.
Floreat Athena vs Balcatta
Floreat Athena ended their streak of three consecutive league losses by earning a valuable point in a 1-1 draw with Balcatta.
Floreat Athena gained an early advantage in this closely contested match when Jesse Fuller found the back of the net with a leaping header, capitalising on Phil Arnold’s well-delivered wide free-kick.
The second goal of the match didn’t come until the 80th minute. In the wet and rainy conditions, the Floreat Athena goalkeeper and defender collided in the air, resulting in the ball inadvertently finding its way into their own net.
Next up for Floreat is Sorrento; Balcatta, meanwhile, faces Perth SC.
Bayswater City vs Olympic Kingsway
A 0-0 draw is all Olympic Kingsway and Bayswater City could muster in a tight affair at Frank Drago Reserve.
The match lacked notable quality in the final third, as both teams struggled to create significant scoring opportunities; each side managed only one shot on target throughout the game.
The only significant moment of the match occurred just before halftime. Hirrell seemed to tap in the game’s opening goal at the back post, courtesy of Mitchell Oxborrow’s delivery into the box. However, the goal was rightfully disallowed due to an offside ruling.
Kingsway’s attention now shifts to their upcoming match against Glory, while Inter prepares to travel to Armadale for Round 17.
Inglewood United vs Perth SC
Inglewood United bounced back from their Round 15 loss, beating Perth SC in Round 15 action.
The hosts had a promising start to the game, with goals from White and Nsegetse within the first half-hour. But, just before halftime, Max Blackshaw reduced the deficit with a looping header.
Shortly after the break, a mix-up in the Azzuri box, coupled with impressive striker play from Michael Domfeh, eased the tension for Inglewood supporters.
Domfeh then went on to score another goal, sneaking in and converting effectively at the front post, firmly securing the victory for Inglewood.
In their upcoming matches, Inglewood United will travel north to face a formidable Perth Redstar team, while Perth will hit the road to take on Balcatta.
Stirling Macedonia vs Armadale
Stirling Macedonia showcased their dominance over Armadale, securing a convincing 2-0 victory on home turf.
The breakthrough for Stirling came when Asher Nelson, unmarked at the back stick, unleashed a powerful left-footed strike, leaving Joel Discroll unable to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net.
After a fiercely contested sixty minutes of play, Ian Furguson’s team finally found their second goal in the 91st minute. It was Daniel Faichney who capitalized on a quick counterattack while Armadale desperately sought an equalizer.
Looking ahead, Stirling will head down to Dalmatanic Park to take on a jittery Cockburn City team. Simultaneously, Armadale will look to maintain their top-four status as they go head-to-head against Bayswater City.
Perth Glory vs Sorrento
Perth Glory and Sorrento delivered a goal-filled spectacle at SafeRad Stadium, with the home team emerging victorious and claiming all three points.
Half an hour into the game, Dean Cummings broke the deadlock, scoring his seventh of the season after capitalising on a misplaced pass on the edge of Glory’s box.
But this early lead was short-lived, as Perth Glory quickly turned the tide with two goals in a span of five minutes. Daniel Bennie displayed some skillful footwork inside the box to first find the back of the net, followed by Matthew George, who tapped home the easiest of finishes.
Shortly after the halftime break, Daniel Bennie added to his goal tally, scoring his second of the day and putting Perth Glory in a favorable position for the rest of the half.
Despite Sorrento managing to score two goals, both courtesy of Shay Natalotto, their efforts would ultimately be in vain as, in the midst of the youngster’s brace, Bennie once again found the back of the net, completing a hat-trick.
Sorrento’s next match will be an away fixture against Floreat, while Perth Glory will face Kingsway, who have gone unbeaten in their last four.
Cockburn City vs Perth Redstar
Perth RedStar’s status as table-toppers remains intact after overcoming Cockburn City 3-2 in a hard-fought victory.
Redstar wasted no time asserting their dominance in the game and imposing pressure on City.
As a result, early on, Chok Dau secured his tenth goal of the campaign with an impressive volley, propelling his team to a 1-0 lead.
After the interval, Cockburn City came out strong and quickly equalised, with Ivan Skorich’s low drive finding the back of the net beyond Liam Reddy.
However, as is characteristic of Darryl Nicol, the Scotsman quickly regained control for Redstar. First, he rounded the Cockburn custodian and then cleverly snuck in at the front post to get his brace.
Despite Jesse Lazzaro’s late penalty goal, the away side claimed all three points and returned to Joondalup victorious.
Next up for Steve McDonald’s team is a home fixture against the in-form Stirling Macedonia, while Redstar will be hosting Inglewood.
Floreat Athena 1-1 Balcatta
Bayswater City 0-0 Olympic Kingsway
Inglewood United 4-2 Perth SC
Stirling Macedonia 2-0 Armadale
Perth Glory 4-3 Sorrento
Cockburn City 2-3 Perth Redstar
