Report by Peter Simcox

Pictured: Captains and match officials with pennants commemorating 120 yeas since WA's first organised football matches. Photo: Peter Simcox

Cockburn City have continued their good form with a comfortable 4-0 win against ECU Joondalup at Dalmatinac Park.

A first half strike from Ruben Tristao gave the hosts the lead at the break, and further second half goals to Aden Da Luz, Harry O’Brien and Angel Andres wrapped up the win, City’s fourth game without defeat.  

Cockburn coach Scott Miller said they played some good football and had carried on where they left off last week at Perth.

“I thought we played really well today, we knocked the ball around, which is the way we want to play our football,” he said.

“We haven’t been taking our chances, like the one last week at Perth late on, but we did today and I was really pleased with the way the lads went about it.”

The clean sheet, only their second of the season, also pleased the coach.

“A great save from Luke (Radonich) from the penalty late on to make sure of the clean sheet,” he said.

“They had small patches of pressure, just before and after half time, but I thought we defended well as a team, and put our bodies on the line. All in all a good performance from the players today.”

City captain Euen Grant said they are getting better each week, and are now getting a settled side on the park.

“Training this week has been brilliant, after the draw against Perth, which we were a little disappointed in not winning, and I thought we dominated from start to finish today and thoroughly deserved the three points,” he said.  

“Everything is coming together nicely for us at the moment. I thought Harry (O’Brien) was outstanding and Angel (Andres) worked hard up front and deserved his goal late on.

“We are now gelling well as a team and we look ahead to next week’s important game at Floreat Athena to keep this run going.”

ECU Joondalup went into the game without influential pair Gordon Smith and Steven McGarry due to suspension, but it was the home side who were on the front foot early.

O’Brien shot was saved low by Lewis Italiano on ten minutes, before the ECU custodian stood tall to deny Da Luz moments later.

Cockburn were hurting ECU down the flanks, with O’Brien and Da Luz causing havoc, and Italiano had to be alert again to deny O’Brien on the quarter hour.

This time saving low at his near post after Cockburn had ripped the ECU defence apart with some fantastic lead up play.

Midway through the half ECU awoke from their slumber and Bayley Brown-Montgomery’s shot was deflected wide, and Cockburn keeper Luke Radonich produced a good low save to thwart Brown-Montgomery again on the half hour.

But Cockburn’s first half dominance was rewarded with the lead on 38 minutes. Tristao raced clear, held off his marker and finished with aplomb past Italiano.

Both sidse had late chances. Joseph Jones headed just wide for the visitors, before O’Brien burst into the area, but Jones got back with a superbly timed late tackle to deny the former Perth Glory Youth midfielder.

The visitors opened the second half well, and Radonich was at full stretch to push over Brown-Montgomery’s cross shot, before Paddy Doyle’s snap shot flashed over the top.

It was the best period of the game for the visitors and they went close to the equaliser on 58 minutes. Tommy Amphlett’s cross picked out Bayley-Montgomery at the back post, his header was superbly saved by Radonich.

But five minutes later Cockburn doubled their advantage. Da Luz finding space on the right hand side of the penalty area and firing home from a tight angle.

The home side then put their foot on the accelerator and it was 3-0 six minutes later. A long ball sent O’Brien racing clear, he outpaced his marker before finishing clinically past Italiano.

ECU had a chance to get back in the game on 80 minutes when keeper Radonich brought down Brown-Montgomery and referee Alex Novatsis pointed to the spot.

Doyle stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but Radonich went the right way and saved superbly, it summed up the day Dale McCulloch’s side were having.  

Salt was rubbed in the wounds two minutes from time when Cockburn added a fourth.

Andres was brought down in the box by Roland Rixer and the Spaniard picked himself up and sent Italiano the wrong way from the penalty to give Cockburn a comprehensive win.       

Cockburn City 4 (Tristao 37mins, Da Luz 63, O’Brien 69, Andres 88)
ECU Joondalup 0
Saturday May 28 2016
Venue: Dalmatinac Park
Referee: Alex Novatsis
Assistants: Josh Nixon, Oliver Allen
 
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 3 Josh KUSAR (7 Ali GHOLAMI 35), 4 Euen GRANT (2 Nathan DE ABREU 88), 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Angel ANDRES, 10 David ARAYA, 11 Harry O’BRIEN (14 Liam MURRAY 80), 13 Blake ADAMS, 16 Daniel DOLS, 18 Aden DA LUZ
Subs not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 17 Jesse LAZZARO
Yellow cards:  Dols 67, Radonich 80  

ECU Joondalup: GK Lewis ITALIANO, 2 Ryan LOWRY, 3 Joseph JONES, 5 Andy HIGGINS, 6 Paddy DOYLE, 7 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY, 8 Josh TUCKER (16 Ollie ANNIS 65), 11 Keylun POLLARD (9 Johnny HULME 77), 13 Tommy AMPHLETT, 15 Cian HIRRELL (12 Roland RIXER 80), 18 Henry DURR
Subs not used: RGK Scott WALLIS, 4 Coire MCGUIGAN
Yellow cards: Amphlett 28, Rixer 87