Football West News

Photo by FotoEnzo

The final four of the NPL Night Series was confirmed on the weekend with Floreat Athena, Bayswater City and Rockingham City joining Perth SC in the semi-finals.

Holders Floreat completed a strong group stage, thrashing Cockburn City 5-0 to ensure they ended Pool 2 undefeated with four wins and a draw.

Calvin Whitney, Luka Ninkovic, Phillip Arnold, Nick Amrogio and Chris Saldaris scored for Athena, who will play Rockingham in next Saturday night’s semi at Percy Doyle Reserve.

Rockingham needed to defeat ECU Joondalup to leapfrog the Jacks into second spot and join Perth SC from Pool 1. The outcome was all but decided by half-time after Rocky had raced into a 3-0 lead through goals from Lydon Hodgkiss and Riley van Dieken (2).

Luke Palmateer’s own goal stretched the lead further and although Palmateer then got one at the right end for ECU, the match finished 4-1 in Rockingham’s favour.

Perth SC had too much for Inglewood on Saturday. Photo by FotoEnzo

Next Saturday’s other semi final is between Perth SC and Bayswater.

Pool 1 winners Perth were already through but showed no signs of letting up as they brushed aside Inglewood United 4-0 at Percy Doyle Reserve on Friday.

Yacoub Mustafa and Kristian Santich netted in the first half, while Nick Sabatini and Luke Garas chipped in with goals after the interval.

Cockburn’s loss to Floreat meant Bayswater would have progressed regardless of their own result but they made sure with a 2-1 victory over Armadale.

Armadale had lost all four of their previous pool matches, including three successive 5-0 defeats, but they threatened a surprise when Friday Zico put them ahead early in the second half.

But Gordon Smith continued his Night Series scoring streak with the equaliser then Jason Mirco hit an injury-time winner for Bayswater.

Fixtures

Saturday, March 2

NPL Night Series semi-finals (Percy Doyle Reserve)

Perth SC v Bayswater City (5pm)
Floreat Athena v Rockingham City (7pm)