Report by Samuel Hays

A Daryl Nicol hat-trick gave ECU Joondalup a 3-1 derby victory over Joondalup United at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday night.

The result ensured ECU got back to winning ways following last week’s first loss of the season to Armadale and moved them to just one point off the NPL WA summit.

Match-winner Nicol was thrilled with the way his team recovered from last week’s setback and got the result despite early pressure from the league's bottom club.

“We’re delighted to get the three points and to bounce back,” said the Scot, who now heads the league’s scoring charts with nine goals.

“We knew this was going to be a big test, a derby match and a big game, we knew they’d be up for it and obviously delighted to get the three points.”

The referee halted play after only 20 minutes due to escape the storm that hit the northern suburbs and that seemed to give ECU a chance to sort out their early problems after United had made a very strong start.

“I think that was a little bit of fortune for us because we were under the cosh at that point and were struggling a little bit to get to grips with the game,” Nicol said.

“We came into the changing room and had it out with each other and there were a few things said and we got a few things straight.

“We needed to lift. It wasn’t good enough and so we came out after that and then went in 1-0 at the break which was a bonus because we still hadn’t really got going.

“But I thought in the second half we came out and dominated the game, showed the type of team we are and were worthy winners in the end.”

United dominated the first 15 minutes and saw one effort cleared off the line and another blasted over.

But once play resumed ECU began to show their class and Nicol bagged his first in style on 39 minutes. He collected the ball near the halfway line and used his pace to run to the edge of the box without any pressure, before placing his shot perfectly into the bottom left-hand corner past keeper James Bosdet.

The goal settled ECU down and they went 2-0 up in the 48th minute when Nicol sent a free-kick around the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of Bosdet’s goal.

And Nicol completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute from another free-kick that he placed into the top right-hand corner.

Elliot Tattersall smashed an injury-time consolation past ECU keeper Johnny Perkins from outside the box but by the end ECU were comfortable winners.

United assistant coach Rudy Proctor said their inability to cash in on their early pressure proved crucial.

“I thought the first 10-15 minutes we absolutely battered them, to be honest. We had three really good chances and just didn’t take them and that’s been the story of our season,” he said.

“They had one half chance and just showed how clinical they were, 25 yards out and he absolutely buried it. We’ve got three or four very good chances and just not hit the target.

“In practice we’ve played really well and every single game we’ve been in the game we just can’t seem to put 90 minutes together. But we’ve not disgraced ourselves tonight. I think that the neutral out there would’ve thought we deserved something out of the game but sometimes it just doesn’t work like that.

“If we can’t take half chances or good half chances then we don’t deserve to win football games.”

Joondalup United 1 (Tattersall 92min)
ECU Joondalup 3 (Nicol 39, 48, 76)
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Percy Doyle Reserve
Kick-off: 6.30pm
Referee: Joshua Nixon
Assistant referees: Jatin Lodhia, Albert Muyembe

Joondalup United: 19. Adam Buckley, 9. Alex Wild, 11. Anthony Taylor (C), 15. Callum Stocks, (4. Danny O’Shea 86), 10. Elliot Tattersall, 3. Fraser Garnaut, 25. Greg Pellow, 1. James Bosdet (GK), 8. Jay Marsden, 5. Joel Ledsham, 2. Johnny Chalmers, (14. Liam Mooney 46), (23. Harley Curran 68)
Unused substitutes: 21. Luke Green (RGK)
Yellow cards: Garnaut 31, Chalmers 47, Wild 55, Pellow 57, Mooney 61
Red cards: Nil

ECU Joondalup: 9. Daryl Nicol (C), 15. Declan Hughes, 10. Gordon Smith, 1. Johnny Perkins (GK), 8. Josh Whitmore, 6. Lukas De Lima, 3. Ross Millard, 5. Shane Cassidy, 4. Steven McGarry, 2. Tom Hough, 13. Tommy Amphlett, (7. Cameeon Murray 54), (11. Liam Murray 80), (12. Ethan Brooks 86)
Unused substitutes: 14. Ciaran Salinger, 20. Jack Nunn (RGK)
Yellow cards: McGarry 57, Hughes 70
Red cards: Nil