Football West News

ECU Joondalup will be aiming to notch their first PS4 National Premier Leagues Rivalry Round victory when they take on Sorrento in the northern derby at Percy Doyle Reserve on Friday night.

The Rivalry Round concept, which was created to acknowledge traditional derbies and encourage the creation of new rivalries, was started with the NPLWA launch last year.

Since then, Joondalup have lost and drawn against their northern rivals.

After Sorrento won 3-1 in the first Rivalry Round match last year, the teams played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at Percy Doyle Reserve when Steve McDonald’s own goal cancelled out Todd Harnwell’s opener.

Joondalup go into the latest derby match on a high after Tommy Amphlett’s double earned them a 2-2 draw against Balcatta last weekend.

Sorrento also have a spring in their step after a controversial 2-1 win over Subiaco last weekend.

Inglewood United will be searching for their first Rivalry Round victory after losing 4-1 and 2-0 to Balcatta last season. Michael Garcia’s side will go into Saturday’s match at Inglewood Stadium in confident mood after last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Perth.

Cockburn City scored the biggest win in the short history of the Rivalry Round when Devon Gibson scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 southern derby victory over Armadale. The injured Gibson will miss Saturday’s match at Alfred Skeet Reserve, which kicks off at 5pm.

Last season, honours were shared between Floreat Athena, which has historic links to the Greek community, and Stirling Lions, whose traditions lie with the Macedonian community, with the Lions’ 2-0 win followed by a 2-1 Floreat victory. The teams will go head-to-head at Macedonia Park at 3pm on Saturday.

Subiaco will play a first PS4 NPLWA match at Rosalie Park on Saturday at 3pm when they will hope to score a second successive win over Perth Glory.

After losing 2-1 in the first Rivalry Round match, Gerry McEwan’s side scored a morale-boosting 4-1 win.

A top-of-the-table clash between Perth and Bayswater City completes Rivalry Round with a 7pm kick-off at Dorrien Gardens.

Perth were indebted to Mark Doninger’s goal in their 1-1 draw last year. Despite his departure, they have strengthened with the arrival of the likes of Reece Vittiglia, Dean Evans, Carlo Coelho and Callum O’Connell.

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