Report by Jonathan Cook

Photos: Football West News

Champions Bayswater City preserved their unbeaten league record in 2015 but only after surviving a scare in their 2-2 draw against fired-up Floreat Athena at E&D Litis Stadium today.

City have now won 18 and drawn two of their 20 games after goals from Gustavo Giron Marulanda and David Heagney earned a point against the second-placed side.

Athena had threatened to spoil the party when Jon Stynes cancelled out Marulanda’s opening goal and Lewis McMahon scored a penalty but Heagney had the final say two minutes before half-time.

City coach Chris Coyne was unhappy with the first-half performance used his half-time talk to remind his players of their opportunity to achieve a rare feat.

“I said ‘you can have a real serious crack here at going a whole season undefeated, so don’t throw it away when you are so close to the finish line,’” he said.

“I’m pleased with the response and the fact that they dug in because it was a tough game.”

Just a week after Bayswater had wrapped up their third successive championship and Floreat were resigned to missing out on the coveted trophy, neither side took a backward step in a match packed with incident.

A see-sawing affair had started well for Bayswater when Marulanda benefitted from Heagney’s break down the right to fire home from close range after 17 minutes.

But rather than wilt, Floreat came firing back and Stynes drew the home side level before referee Josh Mannella awarded Athena a penalty after Phil Arnold had gone to ground in the box.

Bayswater protested the decision but McMahon held his nerve to score from the spot with 41 minutes gone.

Floreat’s new electronic scoreboard showed the home side leading for just two minutes before Danny Dixon set up Heagney.

Athena coach Glen Grostate, whose team recognised the champions with a pre-game guard of honour, praised his side for taking the game to Bayswater.

“The boys accepted that Bayswater were the champions but it was all about the reaction after that,” he said.

“I thought we performed really well. It wasn’t a one-off. The boys are second on the ladder for a reason. We showed them we can compete with the best team in the league.”

The match had threatened to boil over in the second half when Marulanda was booked for simulation and then, after he had been substituted, was sent from the bench.

Marulanda’s anger served as a prelude to more fireworks when former Bayswater striker Steve Burton was booked for clattering into Dixon as he surged towards goal.

“That niggle and that fire is why they are up at the top of the league as well,” Coyne said of a feisty second half. “They’ve got winners and they’re not used to getting beaten too often either.”

Ludo Boi went close to breaking the deadlock late in the second half but his shot fizzed just over.

Floreat Athena 2 (Stynes 30min, McMahon 41 pen)
Bayswater City 2 (Giron Marulanda 17, Heagney 43)
E&D Litis Stadium
Sunday, August 23
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Josh Mannella

Floreat: 1. Fraser GREENWOOD; 2. Blair GOVAN; 3. Jack ALLEN; 4. Aryn WILLIAMS; 6. Clayton ARNEZ; 11. Dennis GALAN; 12. Jon STYNES; 14. Ludo BOI; 18. Phil ARNOLD; 19. Steve BURTON (8. Robbie GASPAR 76min); 20. Lewis MCMAHON.
Substitutes not used: 15. Andrew SCALDAFERRO; 17. Callum FRANSZ; 16. Brian GWATIRINGA; 23. Dejan ALEKSIC.
Yellow cards: Burton 68min, Boi 81
Red cards: none

Bayswater: 1. Pasquale GIOFFRE; 2. Declan HARGREAVES; 6. Todd HOWARTH; 9. Gustavo GIRON MARULANDA (15. Brian FARRELL 50min); 12. Adam TONG; 13. Trent KAY (23. Chris SALDARIS 78min); 14. Danny DIXON (8. Paul MCCARTHY 85min); 16. Jamie COYNE; 17. Borbor SAM; 20. Sam MITCHINSON; 21. David HEAGNEY.
Substitutes not used: 3. Aaron DELANEY; 11. Corey BARCLAY.
Yellow cards: Hargreaves 37min, Kay 40, Marulanda 48
Red cards: Marulanda 53