Report by Jayden Lihou

Sorrento’s top four finals hopes are still alive after defeating Subiaco 2-1 at Rosalie Park on Sunday.

The win means Sorrento join Bayswater City and Floreat Athena on 35 points with all three teams vying for a top four finish, with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Subiaco have finished at the foot of the table and could face relegation depending on the All Flags State League Division One and is subject to criteria.

Subiaco coach Michael Brazil said that he was disappointed with the result but thought his side gave it their all.

“I thought at one stage we were good for a point,” he said. “And then word was coming from the side when we equalised that Armadale had scored another one.

“So then we threw caution to the wind and threw players forward and we let ourselves wide open at the back.  At the end of the day it’s over 22 rounds and we have been chasing all year but if we go down we will regroup and rebuild.”

Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell thought his side dominated.

“I think we controlled the majority of the game and moved the ball well on a difficult pitch,” he said.

“When we went 1-0 up they threw players forward and got a scrappy goal but we showed character to come back and score the winner.

“This win keeps our season alive for another game. Now we have to win two more cup finals and then we will finish in the top four.”

Sorrento came close in the 21st minute when a free-kick from Niccolo Sabatini found Daryl Platten whose header was cleared off the line by a Subiaco defender.

Sabatini was involved again 10 minutes later when he made a diagonal run inside the box but his effort was denied by a diving save from keeper Ryan Montgomery.

The away side continued to dominate the first half and they were denied a goal before the break by Subiaco’s Ross Jarman.

Alex Morgan found Brad McDonald in a good position but Jarman was on the goal line to ensure his side kept a clean sheet in the first period.

Subiaco had a chance to take the lead early in the second half when they were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the box.

Ian McMurray laid the ball off to Michael Lawson who hit it with power but his effort was duly blocked.

The home side began to rue the missed opportunity with Sorrento hitting the front a mere two minutes later.

Sean Canham squared the ball to Reece Vittiglia who squeezed his shot past Montgomery.

Subiaco equalised on 82 minutes after a period of sustained culminated in a first-time shot from Jonas Dorling which crashed into the back of the net.

Sorrento were quick to respond, however, as they promptly regained the lead just two minutes later.

The goal came after a mazy run into the box from substitute Billy Quinncroft, which resulted in a near-post effort to beat Montgomery and send the Gulls fighting for a top four finish.

Subiaco 1 (Dorling 82min)
Sorrento 2 (Vittiglia 58min, Quinncroft 84)
Saturday August 20, 2016
Rosalie Park
Local kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Matthew Southern
Assistants: Peter Kaiser, Callum Haddow

Subiaco: GK. Ryan MONTGOMERY (C), 2. Ross JARMAN (8. Kevin CASTLE 80’), 4. Jackson DONGRAY, 5. James CASSERLY, 6. Michael LAWSON, 9. Ian MCMURRAY, 10. Rory FEELY (7. Asher NELSON 87’), 11. Owen COATES (3. Ger FITZGERALD 80’), 12. Jonas DORLING, 13. Dylan ANDREWS, 14. Stefan HILL
Substitutes not used: 15. MacAuley BLAIR, 20. Hamish ST GEORGE
Yellow cards: Lawson 51’, McMurray 53’, Fitzgerald 90+4’
Red cards: Nil

Sorrento: GK. James MORGAN, 6. Daryl PLATTEN (C), 7. Alex MORGAN, 9. Sean CANHAM, 11. Tim HILL (8. Ryan PEARSON 66’), 13. Steven MCDONALD, 14. Matthew SPARROW, 16. Niccolo SABATINI (27. Brody KENNEDY 88’), 17. Reece VITTIGLIA (5. Billy QUINNCROFT 77’), 20. Brad MCDONALD, 25. Joshua TUCKER
Substitutes not used: 18. Jordan BROWN, 60. Sam HERBISON
Yellow cards: McDonald 56’, Quinncroft 84’
Red cards: Nil