Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

ECU Joondalup bounced back from two heavy defeats with a morale-boosting 1-0 win against Perth SC on Saturday afternoon.

The only goal of the game came early when Gordon Smith finished off a good move, and by that time ECU had already missed a penalty.

But it was the home keeper who starred late on as Johnny Perkins pulled off a couple of great saves to seal the win.

ECU assistant coach David Tough said there had been plenty of soul searching behind closed doors during the week following successive home losses in which they had conceded a total of 10 goals.

“I’m really pleased for the players today,” he said.

“They have copped a lot this week, but we came in with a game plan against a very good Perth side and the players stuck to it and we were rewarded.

“The winner was fantastic, you will struggle to see a better goal this season, and Johnny’s save late was crucial too. So we’ll enjoy this then get ready for a big game against the league leaders Bayswater next week.”

Smith said the match had been a battle and thought Perth had equalised late in the game until Perkins came up with a stunning save.

“That’s what we’re all about, battling and working hard for each other, that’s been missing recently but we got the rewards today,” he said.

“Johnny was the first person I ran to after the game, what a save. I had my hands on my head as it looked like it was going in but he pulled off one of the saves of the season.”

The home side had the perfect opportunity to open the scoring after only two minutes when Ross Millard was brought down in the box by Tom King and referee Tom Glavovic pointed straight to the spot. Nicol stepped up to take the penalty but the skipper blazed well over the top.

But the home side didn’t have long to wait for their opening goal and four minutes later they hit the front. Nicol and Smith played a neat give-and-go and Smith finished clinically past Malec Kuc.

Despite ECU’s horror week at the back, Perth struggled to break them down in the first half. Their best chance came on the half-hour when Paul Zimarino’s corner was headed over the top by King.

Perth lost skipper Adrian Madaschi at the break with a groin injury and he was replaced at the back by Kieran Colwell. But it was ECU who had the first opportunity of the half. Tom Hough’s deep cross found Smith but the former Heart of Midlothian striker headed wide of the target.

Perth then began to get a foothold in the game and King fired over after on the hour after ECU failed to clear a corner. The game was opening up and Millard’s long-range shot was straight at Perth keeper Kuc, before second-half substitute Niccolo Sabatini was denied by Perkins.

Perth appealed for a penalty of their own 15 minutes from time when Gustavo Catarcione fell under a challenge from Perkins, but the referee was well placed to wave away their claims.

Perth pressed late and they thought they had levelled on 83 minutes. Substitute Andreas Theodosiades found space down the left and crossed to Richard Howles, whose header looked destined for the bottom corner before Perkins produced a stunning one-handed save to deny the English striker.

Moments later Matthew Milenkovic raced into goal but again Perkins stood tall to make another important save. Then deep into stoppage time Perth had one final chance to salvage a point. King crossed to Catarcione but his headed flashed over the top.

Perth coach Ramon Falzon said they had been slow out of the blocks.

“I thought they worked harder than us, they got the early goal and fought hard to keep it,” he said.

“We didn’t create that many chances today, apart from late in the game, so it’s back to the drawing board for us.”

ECU Joondalup 1 (Smith pen 6min)
Perth SC 0
Saturday May 5
ECU Football Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Tom Glavovic
Assistant referees: Simon Hicks, Troy Malatesta

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 2 Cian HIRRELL, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Steven MCGARRY, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Daryl NICOL (C), 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Andy HIGGINS (13 Tommy AMPHLETT 79), 12 Tom HOUGH, 16 Lukas DE LIMA (7 Sam POLLARD 21’) (18 Declan HUGHES 74)
Substitutes not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 15 Paddy DOYLE
Yellow cards: Pollard 61
Red cards: Nil

Perth SC: GK Malec KUC, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (C)(16 Kieran COLWELL 56) 7 Aleks JOVIC (5 Niccolo SABATINI 61), 8 Tom KING, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO, 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC, 12 Jordan DE LEO, 17 Frank FURFARO (3 Andreas THEODOSIADES 68), 18 Richard HOWLES, 20 Paul ZIMARINO
Substitutes not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 14 Kristan SANTICH
Yellow cards: King 86
Red cards: Nil