Report by Bianca Niederberger

Bayswater City have been crowned the inaugural National Premier Leagues WA winners and will go on to represent the state in the National NPL Finals Series next month, after an intense battle with Sorrento resulted in a 1-1 draw at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday.

Perth failed to defeat Cockburn City to snatch the top spot, leaving Bayswater to finish two points clear on the ladder.

A goal from Paul McCarthy late in the second half levelled the score after Reece Vittiglia had given the hosts an early advantage.

Bayswater Coach Chris Coyne felt the tension and expected his side to have to survive a Sorrento onslaught after the strains of the mid-week Westfield FFA Cup match against Melbourne Victory.

“When that first goal went in, we were thinking - what do we need to do? As we could have had two or three of our own before that,” Coyne said.

“Sorrento always, always throw stuff at you and that was one of the reasons I rested players during the week and had players coming off the bench because I knew it would be a tough battle today.

“But to finally get these lads over the line it was tremendous and I’m ridiculously proud of them because they’ve worked so hard all year.”

Although the final score was indicative of a fairly evenly matched game, Bayswater dominated possession but squandered goal scoring chances.

Sorrento did well to resist the unrelenting pressure from the visitors and managed to convert from limited opportunities.

With so much at stake it was destined to be an entertaining ninety minutes. Sorrento’s defence was organised and disciplined despite pressure from Bayswater’s David Headney and Steve Burton.

The visitors failed to take advantage of possession and were caught offside trying to get in behind the Sorrento defence. Gustavo Marulanda missed his chance in the 28th minute with a shot from outside the box that grazed the wrong side of the cross bar.

Sorrento’s Vittiglia broke through in the 53rd minute, slotting past goalkeeper Devon Spence. On the restart, Vittiglia was on the attack again after being played in by Niccolo Sabatini but the brace eluded him.

Bayswater responded and had numerous chances to equalise but neither Burton, Heagney nor Declan Hargreaves could find the target despite some close calls. Their more convincing attempts were denied by goalkeeper Curtis Aspden.

In the 86th minute McCarthy finally found reprieve for his side after a header from Todd Howarth was stopped by Aspden but the deflection landed at McCarthy’s feet. With Aspden still recovering, McCarthy equalised. 

It was a relentless display from the Bayswater side that justified their position on the NPL WA league ladder.

Reflecting on the season, Coyne felt his side should have wrapped up the league a lot sooner.

“I think sometimes, in some of our games, we let our complacency get the better of us," he said. "I think, at times we could’ve grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and we shouldn’t of lost some of the games we lost this year."

“Overall, I think with the ability that this group has we could have been a little bit more professional and clinical with the way we went about things, and that’s what we’ll need to do moving forward.”

With the final play offs to come in the following weeks, Coyne said they will give it everything they have to be crowned grand final winners but said the traditionalist in him already believed they had achieved the title.

“I really enjoyed winning the top four last year, but I remember saying to Doug Hesketh (Stirling) the first past the post really deserves the kudos because its twenty-two games and you should be crowned as champions,” Coyne said.

“Play offs are like a three game cup final and although we’re immensely proud of winning it last year, I still think of the first past the post out of the twenty-two games are the true champions.”

Sorrento 1 (Reece VITTIGLIA 53’)
Bayswater 1 (Paul McCARTHY 86’)
Saturday, 23rd August 2014
Percy Doyle Reserve
Attendance: approx. 250
Kick Off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant Referees: Tom Dowle, Oliver Allen

SORRENTO: 1. Curtis ASPDEN, 2. Ryan PEARSON, 4. Shaun KILKELLY, 6. Daryl PLATTEN, 7. James MORGAN, 8. Brodie MARTIN, 16. Niccolo SABATINI (15. Razack GELOO 90+2), 17. Reece VITTIGLIA, 10. Jason MIRCO, 13. Steve MCDONALD, 11. Scott BULLOCH (44. Zak EDWARDS 64’)
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 61. Jesse WAGENER, 9. Todd HARNWELL, 14. Chris REID
Yellow Cards: Reece VITTIGLIA 78’
Red Cards: Nil

BAYSWATER CITY: 1. Devon SPENCE, 23. Chris SALDARIS, 13. Trent KAY, 3. Adam BACHILLER (20. Sam MITCHINSON 59’), 2. Declan HARGREAVES (5. Andy REALE 74’), 6. Todd HOWARTH, 8. Paul MCCARTHY, 16. Jamie COYNE, 9. Gustavo MARALUNDA (15. Brian FARRELL 59’), 12. Steve BURTON, 21. David HEAGNEY
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 14. Aaron DELANEY, 19. Harry BISSETT
Yellow Cards: Chris SALDARIS 57’, David HEAGNEY 88’
Red Cards: Nil