Report by Daryn McCleave

Pictured: Harry O'Brien. Photo: Football West News

Marc Anthony endured a miserable immediate return to Dalmatinac Park as Balcatta were comfortably seen off by a Harry O'Brien inspired Cockburn City, who celebrated coach Scott Miller's return with a 3-1 win.

O'Brien struck a first-half brace to give City a commanding lead but Hassan El Yassiri halved the deficit on the stroke of half time for the visitors.

However, Cameron Edwards, making his Cockburn National Premier Leagues WA debut, pounced on a keeper error shortly after the break to restore the two goal lead which the hosts comfortably held on to.

Miller, taking charge of the Cockerels for the third spell, declared himself very happy with his side despite a "scrappy first half and giving a silly goal away."

"I was really impressed with the boys’ second half performance," Miller said.

"We started off very jittery - it was a bit concerning. But once Harry got that lovely goal it seemed to relax us a bit.”

Balcatta did apply early pressure, Connor Kavanagh - one of three visiting players starting the game to follow Anthony, who joined Balcatta’s coaching staff, across the Swan River – wasted an early chance.

But O'Brien didn't waste his and City's first opportunity, drilling a right footed shot from 18m into the bottom corner following a half-cleared cross.

The visitors looked dangerous down the flanks but it was Cockburn who created the better chances.

Angel Andres was denied by a block after beating keeper Clint Davies and Edwards volleyed wide from Daniel Dols’ cross before the second goal they had been threatening arrived on 37 minutes.

Andres showed a neat turn in the box to find space for a shot, which crashed back into play off the post nicely into the path of O'Brien who made no mistake from close range.

Balcatta though hauled themselves back into it when El Yassiri latched onto a delightful through ball which split the defence, his first time finish giving Luke Radonich no chance.

Cockburn struck again seven minutes into the second, Edwards reacting first to Davies' inability to hold onto Ali Gholami's low shot from outside the box.

Cockburn controlled the rest of the game with ease, only threatened when skipper Euen Grant almost put a wicked cross into his own net, but in reality it was the hosts who looked likely to add to the winning margin.

Marc Anthony pulled no punches with his post-match review.

"I'm not going to make excuses, we were beaten by the better side,” he said. “We had five or six players missing but the performance is more disappointing than the result.”

Cockburn City 3 (O'Brien 7min, 37, Edwards 52)
Balcatta 1 (El Yassiri 45)
Saturday 19 March, 2016
Dalmatinac Park
Referee: Tom GLAVOVIC

Cockburn City: 1. Luke RADONICH, 15. Daniel DOLS (2. Nathan DE ABREU 58), 4. Euen GRANT, 6. Reuben TRISTAO, 13. Blake ADAMS, 11. Harry O'BRIEN, 7. Ali GHOLAMI, 8. Cameron EDWARDS, 10. David ARAYA, 9. Angel ANDRES (14. Julian TELES 64), 18. Kernal MOUITHYS (17. Jesse LAZZARO 88).
Substitute not used: 22. Ryan BARKER
Yellow cards: O'Brien 90+1, Adams 90+2

Balcatta: 1. Clint DAVIES, 15. Anthony BAFOBOUSHA (2. Hanafi GHAZALI 53), 6. Jon CORNESS, 17. Keiran COLWELL, 12. Eamon McNELIS, 14. Parvis SHIRZADI, 5. Connor KAVANAGH, 10. Zelphy NAZARY, 8. Patrick SARA, 13. Cameron TEECE, 9. Hassan EL YASSIRI.
Substitutes not used: 11. Bojan STEFOSKI, 18. Debaba MTWALE, 21. Damien STANOEVSKI
Yellow cards: Teece 33, Nazary 58