Report by Peter Simcox

Bayswater City and ECU Joondalup fought out an entertaining 2-2 in round nine of the PS4 National Premier League WA at Finance 365 Arena on Saturday afternoon.
 
After dominating early the home side found themselves two goals down, with Daryl Nicol and Tommy Amphlett on target.
 
Borbor Sam pulled one back before half time before a strike from Devon Gibson five minutes from time, gave both sides a share of the spoils.
 
Bayswater assistant Coach Stewart Moses said they started on fire without reward, but was pleased the way they fought back from 2-0 down.
 
“It was a good game, but I felt we should have been three up in the first fifteen minutes, we didn’t take our chances, then we gifted them two goals, but credit to the boys they got back into the game,” he said.
 
“At the end of the day a draw was probably a fare result especially after coming back from two down.”
 
ECU Joondalup coach Dale McCulloch said conceding late was disappointing but they are happy to keep their unbeaten run going.
 
“It’s a tough place to come and not many teams will leave here with a point this season, so I’m happy with the point but not conceding so late,” he said.

“We’ve had a tough week on the track with a number of players carrying injuries into this one and it showed late.
 
“But the attitude and determination to grind out a point was great from the boys, but they (Bayswater) are a good side and they kept coming at us and you have to give them credit too.”
 
Bayswater had the visitors on the back foot early. Jason Mirco’s free kick was saved by Fraser Greenwood, before Gustavo Giron-Marulanda first time shot flashed wide of the target.
 
Sam was causing havoc down the flanks and his shot drifted wide on 18 minutes and moments later David Heagney’s curling shot flicked off the crossbar.
 
ECU hit the front with their first attack of the match when the ball fell to Nicol and the winger’s 20 meter curling shot gave Devon Spence no chance.  
 
They doubled the score line one minute later winning possession in the middle of the park, Gordon Smith feeding Amphlett into the penalty area as the former Perth Glory midfielder finished clinically.
 
Bayswater were shell-shocked but were back in the game sixty seconds later. A long clearance from Spence wasn’t dealt with and Sam finished from the edge of the penalty area.
 
ECU were through on goal again, Pollard robbed David Stokoe and sent Smith in one-on-one with Spence, but the Bayswater custodian stood tall to deny him.
 
Both sides had late chances in an entertaining end to the half. First a superb through ball from ECU defender Ross Millard sent Smith in again, but Spence again denied the Scottish striker.
 
Then in stoppage time a Mirco corner picked out Brent Griffiths, but the Bayswater midfielder’s shot was saved by Greenwood.
 
ECU went close to a third in the opening minute of the second half, Smith slipping Amphlett in on goal, but his shot on the run was superbly saved by Spence.
 
Sam then waltzed past four ECU players, before cutting inside the box, his powerful shot was parried by Greenwood, and Shane Pickering was alert to clear the danger.
 
Bayswater were well on top, but ECU were dangerous on the counter-attack and Kevin Moon’s snap shot whistled inches past the post.
 
Time was running out for the home side and Moon got back at the other end on 84 minutes to clear Stokoe’s header off the line.
 
Their pressure was rewarded the following minute, Gibson finding a pocket of space in the penalty area to fire home.
 
Smith wriggled past two defenders on the right and headed goal-wards, but with James Owen’s free in the box for a tap in, the striker went for goal and hit the side netting.
    
Bayswater City 2 (Sam 23min, Gibson 85)
ECU Joondalup 2 (Nicol 21min, Amphlett 22)
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Finance 365 Arena
Kick-off: 3.00pm
Referee: Tom Dowle
Assistant Referees: Darren Quinlan, Robert Read
 
Bayswater City: GK. Devon SPENCE, 8 Paul MCCARTHY (19 Luka NINKOVIC 61), 9 Gustavo GIRON-MARULANDA, 10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (C), 17 BorBor SAM, 18 Brent GRIFFITHS (23 Andrija JUKIC 83), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (3 Jack ALLEN 61)
Substitutes not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 2 Declan HARGREAVES
Yellow Cards: Griffiths 33, Giron-Marulanda 57, Allen 72, Sam 94
Red Cards: nil

ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC, 7 Kevin MOON (8 Danny MILNE 92), 9 Daryl NICOL (15 James OWEN 52), 10 Gordon SMITH (C), 11 Sam POLLARD, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT, 14 Steven MCGARRY, 18 Cian HIRRELL
Substitutes not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 2 Ben JOHNS, 12 Declan HUGHES
Yellow Cards: McGarry 84
Red Cards: nil