After six exhilarating showdowns over the weekend, the National Premier Leagues WA Men’s competition has a new league leader.
Olympic Kingsway SC vs Armadale SC
David Tough’s Green Machine secured their first win of the season, moving them up from last place on goal difference.
Joe Hobson’s early goal for Kingsway set the tone for the game, with in-form Ciaran Byrne extending the hosts’ lead from the spot in the 54th minute.
Though only nine minutes later, Armadale responded with a thumping header from Pieter Jacobsz, resulting in a tense finish. But amidst the late onslaught, Kingsway managed to pick up three much-needed points.
Inglewood United vs Bayswater City
Bayswater also earned their first win of the season, capitalising on the men in yellow’s dismal defensive display.
Sam Dweh was first to score, as he tapped the ball into a vacated goal.
Declan Hargreaves’ careless shove went unpunished soon after, as Harry Evans failed to capitalize from the penalty spot.
Instead, it was Dweh who scored, as a mishit cross in the 54th minute handed Gareth Naven’s team a two-goal lead.
Harry Evans’ back-post tap-in kept the home team in the game, somewhat making up for his penalty miss. But, in a goal that summed up Inglewood’s performance perfectly, a sequence of half-clearances allowed striker Nbumba Makeche to slip in at the front post and score Bayswater’s third.
Perth SC vs Perth Glory
Late drama at Dorrien Gardens saw Glory’s unbeaten run come to an end and Perth SC jump to fourth place.
It’s no surprise that Corey Sutherland scored again, as his low-driven shot found its way through two pairs of legs and gave his side the lead after a goalless first half.
Only five minutes later, a clumsy lunge handed the Azzurri a penalty, which Samuel Cook calmly dispatched.
To make things worse, Sutherland was dismissed from the game after what was deemed a mistimed last-man tackle.
Following the red card, Perth SC had all the momentum, but it wasn’t until the 89th minute that they found their winner. It was Mba’s low, vicious strike through the legs of Robert Cook that meant Marc Wingell’s side took all three points.
Cockburn City vs Sorrento
Following their humiliating defeat at the hands of Perth Redstar last Saturday, Sorrento secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Cockburn City at Dalmatinac Park.
Star of the show Gustavo Marulanda opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, pouncing on Breckan Baker’s blunder.
Marulanda came back for a second after the break, taking the lead to two in the 51st minute before Alexander Morgan’s whipped finish put them three to the good in the 56th minute.
Perth Redstar vs Floreat Athena
Floreat Athena earned their fourth win of the season after thoroughly dominating Perth Redstar at the ECU Joondalup Stadium.
It only took fifteen minutes for the visitors to take the lead, with Phil Arnold the scorer.
Floreat doubled their lead just minutes later through Jesse Fuller, whose powerful header left goalkeeper Joseph Pollard with no chance.
Heading into the final twenty minutes, refereeing controversy arose as both Riley Warland and Bayley Brown-Montgomery were shown red for highly debatable reasons within the context of the match, but nevertheless Vas Vujacic’s side still ran out comfortable winners.
Stirling Macedonia vs Balcatta Etna
Balcatta reigns supreme in a hard-fought battle, thanks to the dead-ball expertise of veteran Adam Tong.
Tong’s quick movement in the box from a corner allowed him to head Etna into the lead just before the twenty-minute mark.
Tong doubled his tally twenty minutes later, curling in a spectacular free-kick from a difficult angle to say the least.
Only with a few minutes left, substitute Daniel Zivkovic cut the deficit to one, but it was too little, too late for Ian Ferguson’s team.
Results
Olympic Kingsway 2-1 Armadale
Inglewood 1-3 Bayswater City
Perth SC 2-1 Perth Glory U21
Cockburn City 0-3 Sorrento
Perth RedStar 0-2 Floreat Athena
Stirling Macedonia 1-2 Balcatta
