Report by Colin Outhwaite

Subiaco scored with their only attack of the second half to seal a 3-2 win over Sorrento and extend to five games their NPL WA unbeaten streak.

The visitors to Percy Doyle Reserve were ahead at half-time thanks to a brace from Josh Booysen, although Scott Bulloch’s goal ensured the Gulls remained in the hunt.

And after the break Bulloch scored again to draw Sorrento level but Subiaco substitute Ger Fitzgerald clinched the winner in the dying moments.

Scottish striker Ian McMurray, who came off the bench to help subdue Sorrento’s aerial threat, felt his side had worked hard for the three points.

“Not many teams come up here and get a result,” he said.

“We knew they were going to come at us in the second half but we stuck at it and got a bit of luck in the end to steal the winner.”

Subiaco have now won four of their most recent five matches with a draw against Cockburn City the only blemish on what would be a perfect record.

“It was a tough start to the season but we were always aware of what we were capable of once things started going our way,” McMurray said.

Booysen put Subiaco in front in the 17th minute with a controlled volley from Jordan Rhodes' chip across goal.

Rhodes almost made it 2-0 in the 25th minute when he dashed towards the by-line and looked to cross but shot instead, forcing keeper Curtis Aspden into a fingertip save.

The resulting corner was the beginning of a menacing Sorrento counter which led to their equaliser.

Winger Jason Mirco crossed the ball to Sean Canham, whose header was parried by keeper Henry Davies into the feet of Bulloch, who knocked it in.

Nine minutes later, Booysen put the visitors ahead again with a simple header from Brad McDonald’s deflected cross.

In the second half, Subiaco sat deep and did not even look to counter, surviving waves of crosses aimed towards Canham.

When some desperate defending led to a miscommunication at the back, Bulloch neatly lobbed home after Davies had rushed off his line.

Sorrento pressed hard for the winner but Subiaco were clinical with their only convincing counter attack four minutes from time - McDonald again crossing for Fitzgerald to tap home.

Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell said the poor start had been their downfall.

“Maybe we underestimated them a little, we were sluggish and we didn’t move the ball around as quickly as we should have done,” he said.

“There was only one team who wanted to play in the second half and that was us but we gave away three sloppy goals and credit to them they took their chances.”

SORRENTO: 2 (BULLOCH 26' 79’)
SUBIACO AFC: 3 (BOOYSEN 17' 35', FITZGERALD 86’)
Saturday 12th July 2014
Kick off: 3.00pm
Venue: Percy Doyle Reserve
Referee: Matt SOUTHERN
Assistant Referees: Brendan SKINNER, Wayne MUTIKIWA
Attendance: 200 (Approx)

Sorrento: 1. Curtis ASPDEN (gk), 4. Shaun KILKELLY, 6. Daryl PLATTEN (c), 9. Todd HARNWELL, 10. Jason MIRCO, 11. Scott BULLOCH, 13. Steve McDONALD, 14. Chris REID (16. Niccolo SABATINI 79’), 17. Reece VITTIGLIA, 18. Sean CANHAM, 22. Ryan PEARSON.
Substitutes not used: 25. Wes PADLEY, 15. Razack GELOO, 44. Zak EDWARDS, 60. James MORGAN,
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil

Subiaco: 1. Henry DAVIES (gk) , 2. Nathan DIAZ, 3. Rowdy YATES, 4. Alex RANDELL, 6. Brad McDONALD, 8. Jordan RHODES, 10. Guy McDONALD (c), 14. Josh BOOYSEN (9. Ian MCMURRAY 80’), 15. Jack RYCROFT (5. Michael JOHNSON 63’), 16. George TCHAMI, 17. Rory FEELY (7. Ger FITZGERALD 67’)
Substitutes not used: 11. Nick BENNETS-SHORTER, 21. Sam STONE
Yellow cards: 16. George TCHAMI 20’, 4. Alex RANDELL 42', 10. Guy McDONALD 44', 1. Henry DAVIES 90+2’
Red cards: nil