Report by Tommy Doleman

Top scorer Gustavo Giron Marulanda bagged a brace as Bayswater beat Balcatta 4-1 in a testy contest that saw both coaches sent to the stands.

The Colombian forward took his season tally to 17 with a goal in each half, either side of Cameron Teece’s equaliser, before Danny Dixon and Bor Bor Sam added late strikes.

Bayswater maintain their eight point lead at the summit of the PS4 National Premier Leagues WA and coach Chris Coyne praised his team’s professionalism.

“You can have the best players and demand they work hard, but they have to drive that themselves, so the players have to take a lot of credit,” he said.

“We try to add to their self-belief and desire but they demand that off each other anyway, so we don’t have to tell them.

“I sign good people and good players who want to win every week and it becomes a habit.

“I know it’s a cliché but it’s all about playing 90 minutes at a time. We respect all of our opponents and don’t look too far ahead.

The win maintains Bayswater’s unbeaten stretch to 17 games this season as they close in on the title with five games remaining.

In a season with no finals, Coyne admitted he enjoyed the usual season ending top four, but had mixed feelings on the current format.

“I’m a traditionalist; I think first past the post deserves the title,” he said.

“But the top four is great for the fans and for the neutrals with that little bit of extra spice and edge in that cut-throat football.

“I can understand the methods, but it doesn’t mean that we’re not disappointed that we don’t get to play in those games.”

Bayswater dominated the early stages and led inside seven minutes as Marulanda struck left-footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

But Balcatta bagged a surprise leveller almost immediately, as youngster Cameron Teece beat Devon Spence to a long ball, rounded him, and finished nicely into an empty net.

David Heagney had two good chances to give the hosts the lead, but Balcatta held firm until conceding a contentious penalty minutes after the interval.

Marulanda stepped up to send Clint Davies the wrong way as Bayswater turned the screw the longer the second half went.

They did suffer a scare, though, as Steve Sokol fired just over the bar on 72 minutes, before Danny Dixon raced clear immediately after to fire past Davies into the bottom corner.

And number 17 struck again in stoppage time as Sam cut in from the right and scored superbly into the roof of the net late on.

Balcatta coach Ramon Falzon was proud of his side’s effort, despite the heavy nature of the defeat.

“I was happy with 1-1 at halftime and we went out to try and win the game,” he said.

“We had a good chance at 2-1 from Steve (Sokol) and if we had taken that maybe it would have been different.

Bayswater SC 4 (Marulanda 7mins, 48pen, Dixon 70, Sam 90+3)
Balcatta SC 1 (Teece 10mins)
Saturday 1 August 2015
Frank Drago Reserve
Local kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce

Bayswater SC: GK: Devon SPENCE, 2. Declan HARGREAVES, 8. Paul MCCARTHY (6. Todd HOWARTH 55’), 9. Gustavo Giron MARULANDA (19. Jordan BROWN 90’), 12. Adam TONG, 13. Trent KAY, 14. Danny DIXON, 15. Brian FARRELL (17. Bor Bor SAM 65’), 16. Jamie COYNE, 20. Sam MITCHINSON, 21. David HEAGNEY
Substitutes not used: 4. Patiente Ilahagaye, 25. Pasquale GIOFFRE
Yellow Cards: McCarthy 46’, Coyne 51’, Hargreaves 75’
Red Cards: Nil 

Balcatta SC: 1. Clint DAVIES, 2. Hanafi GHEZALI, 3. Kieron STALLARD, 4. Alexsander SULESKI, 6. Ross DIAMOND, 9. Hasan EL YASSIRI, 10. Adrian CACERES (14. Steve SOKOL 63’), 16. Cameron TEECE, 20. Patrick QUINN, 23. Marc ZAGAMI, 50. Blamo Quaqua (18. Shazalee RAMLEE)
Substitutes not used: 8. Jackson AMOSA, 21. Daniel PASSARELLI, 41. Slade RULE
Yellow Cards: Quaqua 47, Davies 70, Teece 75
Red Cards: Teece 90