Report by Peter Simcox

A goal deep into stoppage time from veteran striker Ian McMurray gave Subiaco a come-from-behind 3-2 win against Floreat Athena at the WA Athletics Stadium.

The 37-year-old came off the bench after 71 minutes, moments after Floreat striker Lewis McMahon had been sent off, and the big Scotsman latched onto a through ball from Alex Randell to fire home the winner.

Pictured: Subiaco's Josh Booysen holds off Floreat Athena skipper Ludovic Boi. Photo: Peter Simcox

“They weren’t keen on the high balls coming into the area and when I came on the lads put long balls up to me and we got back into the game, which is pleasing,” McMurray said.

“It’s getting harder every week for me. I’m not getting any younger but I’m happy to come on help the side out. And it’s always nice to score and I was lucky enough today to score the winner.”

The visitors had raced to a 2-0 lead with goals to Aryn Williams and Lewis McMahon but Jordan Rhodes pulled one back for Subiaco two minutes later, before Ger Fitzgerald and McMurray gave the home side a dramatic victory.

English midfielder Alex Randell believed Subiaco were playing with confidence and were getting their rewards.

“We gave two sloppy goals away to today but we really showed a great deal of fight to hit back and take the points,” he said. “Macca coming on and scoring the winner,  not bad for a 37-year-old hey.

“We struggled in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half and they made us pay. But the lads never gave up and again we showed character, which we have all season, but haven’t had the rub of the green in earlier games... that makes it four games unbeaten and the confidence is high.”

The first half was a tight affair with chances few and far between as both sides looked to extend their unbeaten runs. The best chance for the visitors came on eight minutes when John Thornley was sent clear by McMahon but Jack Howard was out quick to save.

Subiaco went within inches of the lead seven minutes later. Rowdy Yates was given far too much room on the edge of the penalty area, and his low shot beat Tom Dixon, but flicked the base of the far post and away to safety.

It was getting heated on the park and referee Steven Gregory had to speak to McMahon and Subiaco defender George Tchami after the pair squared up just before the break.

Floreat dominated after the break and McMahon’s clever lob from the edge of the box bounced off the crossbar and back into the grateful arms of Howard.

But on the hour the visitors’ dominance was rewarded with the lead. Ludovic Boi found space on the left and pulled the ball back to Williams, who fired home from 8m.

The visitors doubled their lead five minutes later. Jamie Eames found McMahon wide on the right, and the English striker volleyed home superbly, beating Howard at his near post.

It looked like there would only be one winner but Subiaco pulled one back immediately. Rory Feely’s ball into the box found Rhodes, who made no mistake from close-range.  

The game took another twist on 71 minutes when McMahon was sent off after an off the ball incident.

Subiaco lifted and McMurray’s header crashed off the post moments later and their pressure finally paid off in the 90th minute. Rhodes sent McMurray racing clear down the left hand channel, his ball into the area picked out Fitzgerald at the back post, and he made no mistake from close-range.

Both sides pressed for the winner and Floreat almost got it. Boi crossed to Eames, who was in on goal, but a great last ditch block from Nathan Diaz saved the day for Subiaco.

With the clock ticking into the fourth minute of stoppage time, a long ball over the top from Feely sent McMurray in on goal, the striker raced clear and finished clinically past Dixon, to seal the win and set off wild celebrations. 

“We didn’t deserve to be 2-0 down but that’s football - we gave away a couple of soft goals,” Subiaco coach Gerry McEwan said.

“When they had the lad sent off we put an extra player up front and we created a number of chances from then on, and thankfully we took two of them to win the match.”

Subiaco AFC 3 (Rhodes 67’, Fitzgerald 90’, McMurray 90+4’)
Floreat Athena 2 (Williams 60’, McMahon 65’)
Saturday 5th July 2014
WA Athletics Stadium, Mt Claremont
Referee: Steven Gregory
Assistants: Brendan Skinner and Adrian Leicht
Attendance: 100 (Approx)

Subiaco AFC: GK Jack HOWARD, 2 Nathan DIAZ, 3 Rowdy YATES, 4 Alex RANDELL, 6 Brad McDONALD (9 Ian MCMURRAY 71’), 8 Jordan RHODES, 10 Guy McDONALD, 14 Josh BOOYSEN (7 Ger FITZGERALD 64’), 15 Jack RYCROFT (5 Michael JOHNSON 64’), 16 George TCHAMI, 17 Rory FEELY
Subs not used: RGK Henry DAVIES, 11 Ross JARMAN
Yellow cards: Nil

Floreat Athena: GK Tom DIXON, 2 Blair GOVAN, 8 Bobby WILSON (4 Ryan PRETORIUS 58’),  9 Jamie EAMES, 10 Aryn WILLIAMS, 12 John THORNLEY (16 Ashley CORKER 68’), 14 Ludovic BOI, 17 Callum FRANSZ, 15 Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 20 Lewis MCMAHON, 33 Mark WALSH
Subs not used: RGK Michael WOOLCOTT, 13 Nicholas PSANOUDAKIS, 18 Kye DOUGLAS
Yellow cards: Govan 43’
Red cards: McMahon 71’