Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

Forrestfield United produced their best performance of the season to thrash ECU Joondalup 6-1 at the ECU Football Stadium in Week 10 of the NPL WA.

Teenage striker Kristian Despotovski was the hero for the visitors by bagging four goals, with Rhys Loxley and a penalty from Hasani Sinclair completing the rout.

Daryl Nicol scored the home side's consolation goal.

Despotovski hailed a great team performance and now hopes they can kick on for the rest of the season.

“We played well today, we stuck to our game plan and deserved the win,” he said.

“They have some great players going forward but our defensive structure was great today. We are a young squad and we’re only going to get better.

“Obviously I'm happy with the performance, four goals to myself is great confidence boost for me. But more important is the three points for the team.”

Forrestfield coach Rod Banjac described his side as clinical and said it showed they deserve to be in the NPL.

“I'm really happy with the performance today. We were playing a quality opponent but we created and took our chances well, and the young lad (Despotovski) was on fire,” he said.

“It was a good team performance. Our skipper Liam (Merigan) was outstanding and Tom (Southgate) led the defence superbly.

“We are a very young squad but we were fully focused on the job today and it was great to see them celebrate the win.

"The group are maturing and we like this NPL and we want to enrich the competition.”

The visitors had keeper Luke Martino to thank early on when he stood tall to save from Nicol, who had been sent clear by a Josh Whitmore through ball. But from then on it was all downhill for the Jacks.

ECU went into the game with the best defensive record in the league, having conceded only seven goals. That was blown out of the water on Saturday.

On 19 minutes they found themselves behind as Loxley’s shot was turned home at the back post by Despotovski.

It was 2-0 just after the half hour after Sinclair’s deep cross from the left picked out Liam Merigan. His shot from the edge of the penalty area was well saved by Johnny Perkins, but Despotovski was quickest to react to score from close range.

The home side looked to hit back before the break but Martino denied Nicol and Cameron Murray and at the break the visitors were in control.

They went on with it after the break and Despotovski added a third to complete his hat-trick, a superb solo effort from the 17-year-old.

With the home side pushing men forward to get back in the game, they were caught out again on 63 minutes. A quick counter attack cut the ECU defence wide apart, Josh Appleby picked out Sinclair down the right and he crossed to Loxley who made no mistake.

ECU pulled one back four minutes later when Nicol got his 10th goal of the season direct from a free-kick after he had been fouled by Appleby.

But it didn’t stop the rampant Forrestfield who added a fifth after Antoine Lemarie was fouled by Tom Hough and referee Shane Skinner pointed to the spot. Sinclair sent Perkins the wrong way from the spot-kick.

The icing was put on the cake in stoppage time when Despotovski added his fourth, turning home Sinclair’s cross to end a memorable day for the new kids on the block.

ECU coach Dale McCulloch said his players had been totally outplayed and outfought.

“We were poor today and we have a lot of work ahead of us,” he said.

“Take nothing away from Rod and his side, they were much better on the day and deserved their win. But I’m the coach of this side and I take responsibility for the loss and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

McCullough and his team get an immediate chance to make amends when they host Balcatta on Wednesday night.

Forrestfield are also at home on the same night, against Subiaco.

ECU Joondalup 1 (Nicol 67min)
Forrestfield United 6 (Despotovski 19, 31, 57, 90+4, Loxley 63, Sinclair 73pen)
Saturday, April 28
ECU Football Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Shane Skinner
Assistant referees: Sime Lozic, Ethan Persse

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 2 Cian HIRRELL, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Steven MCGARRY, 5 Shane CASSIDY (12 Logan MCISAAC 64), 7 Cameron MURRAY (16 Liam MURRAY 46), 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Daryl NICOL (C), 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Lukas DE LIMA (13 Tom HOUGH 48), 18 Declan HUGHES
Substitutes not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 17 Ethan BROOKS
Yellow cards: Smith 60, Hirrell 78, McGarry 87
Red cards: Nil

Forrestfield United: GK Luke MARTINO, 2 Tom SOUTHGATE, 4 Jamie DUNCAN (3 Wilbert TSHABANGU 73’), 5 Scott BARKER, 6 Kristian DESPOTOVSKI, 7 Mitchell CROCKER (12 Callum DOBBS 81), 8 Josh APPLEBY, 9 Hasani SINCLAIR, 11 Liam MERRIGAN, 16 Thomas JEBB, 23 Rhys LOXLEY (10 Antoine LEMARIE 68)
Substitutes not used: RGK Benjamin PARRY
Yellow cards: Duncan 34, Sinclair 65, Appleby 66, Lemarie 85
Red cards: Nil