Report by Max Hayden-Evans

A four-goal haul from Floreat striker Phil Arnold ensured that Joondalup United’s horror start to the season continues as Athena ran out 7-2 winners on Saturday night at E&D Litis Stadium.

The win was Floreat’s second for the season and sees them kickstart their NPL WA campaign. In contrast, Joondalup slumped to their fifth defeat from five games this season.

Despite a bright start from United, with Greg Pellow and Alex Wild going close, Athena scored first on 22 minutes when Arnold headed home captain Dean Evans’ corner.

United equalised in the 33rd minute after Pellow was fouled in the boxand Johnny Chalmers squeezed the penalty past Floreat keeper Jason Saldaris. But minutes later Floreat regained the lead after a mix-up in the Joondalup defence allowed Andrew Scaldaferro to slip in behind the keeper and slot the ball into an empty net.

Another Joondalup penalty in the second half saw Chalmers again convert from the spot to make it 2-2 and it could have been even better for United minutes later when they hit the crossbar. From that moment, however, it was all downhill for the league’s bottom club as Floreat added five second-half goals.

Arnold grabbed his second on 55 minutes with a simple tap-in following good play by Marco Santa Lucia on the right-wing. Then he completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute when he turned in the box before firing past United goalkeeper James Bosdet.

Jonathan Stynes came off the bench to make it five before Arnold’s fourth goal on 82 minutes after Floreat had worked the ball well down the wings.

Bad became worse for United with substitute Adam Buckley shown a red card for a heavy challenge five minutes from the end, before Floreat midfielder Evans capped an impressive performance with a stoppage-time goal from close range.

Despite the big win Floreat coach Howard Tweats played down the performance.

“If I’m being honest, I’m disappointed. Our first-half performance wasn’t good enough, we allowed Joondalup to boss us in a way,” he said, adding that Arnold had been “rewarded for his toil”.

More understandably Joondalup boss Nick Jennings also expressed his disappointment with his side’s display.

“Same old, same old. Yet again, I thought in the first half we were the better team. We missed opportunities,” he said.

“We play good football but only in spells. Individual errors, from everyone, is what’s killing us. But I’ve got to be positive. I’m a glass half-full person. I believe we can get three points next Saturday.”

Floreat Athena 7 (Arnold 22 mins, 55, 73, 82, Scaldaferro 39, Stynes 76, Evans 90)
Joondalup United 2 (Chalmers 33, 50)
Saturday, March 24, 2018
E&D Litis Stadium
Kick-off: 7pm
Referee: Steven Gregory
Assistant referees: Andre Ferreira, Sime Lozic

Floreat Athena: 1. Jason SALDARIS (GK), 2. Marco SANTA LUCIA (16. Ryan MALTON 88.), 4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO (13. Hamza HINA 79.), 5. Jamie STREET, 6. Jesse FULLER, 10. Calvin WHITNEY, 11. Dennis GALAN, 15. Chris SALDARIS, 17. Dean EVANS (C), 18. Phillip ARNOLD, 21. Keylun POLLARD (8. Jonathan STYNES 56.)
Substitutes not used: 12. Ethan KERRIDGE, 23. Jordan BARBAS
Yellow cards: Santa Lucia 43, Whitney 49, Pollard 53, Galan 75
Red cards: Nil

Joondalup United: 1. James BOSDET (GK), 2. Johnny Chalmers, 5. Joel LEDSHAM, 6. Sam WYNNE (19. Adam BUCKLEY 77.), 7. Matthew SPARROW (C), 8. Jay MARSDEN, 9. Alex WILD, 10. Elliot TATTERSALL, 11. Anthony TAYLOR (4. Danny O’SHEA 83.), 15. Callum STOCKS (22. Parviz SHIZARDI 64.), 25. Greg PELLOW
Substitutes not used: 21. Luke GREEN, 23. Harley CURRAN
Yellow cards: Chalmers 78
Red cards: Buckley 85