Report by Ryan Borrett

Inglewood celebrate Scott Blackmore's late winner. Photo by FotoEnzo

Long-serving Inglewood United defender Scott Blackmore was the hero on Saturday after scoring a winner in added time to inflict Floreat Athena's first league loss in 12 matches.

In a rollercoaster match that saw Inglewood come from behind twice, Blackmore chipped keeper Jason Saldaris from outside the box to seal a thrilling 4-3 win and give Inglewood their first win of the season.

It was Floreat who took the lead early in the match after Nicholas Ambrogio’s ball into the box went in off Inglewood’s Jamie Murphy, but their lead barely lasted a minute as Hamza Hina’s header levelled at 1-1.

Floreat re-established their advantage in the 27th minute when striker Robert Petkov found space in the box and curled his shot home past Inglewood goalkeeper Alex Dunn.

But again Inglewood pegged the home side back, this time from a corner in the 41st minute as former Glory man Samuel Riak outran his marker at the far post and volleyed in from a close range.

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Despite Floreat’s strong attacking threat Inglewood were able to expose their at times shaky defence and Steve Sokol took advantage early in the second half by getting on the end of Jason Barrera’s brilliant pass to the back of the net and make it 3-2.

Floreat continued to fight in the tight contest and Calvin Whitney equalised in the 83rd minute with a great low driven strike from the edge of the box that flew into the bottom left corner of the net.

Both teams had chances to grab a winner in the dying minutes but it was Blackmore’s strike from distance that saw his side take home the three points.

Star player: Samuel Riak (Inglewood)

Floreat Athena 3 (Murphy og 7min, Petkov 27, Whitney 83)
Inglewood United 4 (Hina 8, Riak 41, Sokol 47, Blackmore 90+3)
Saturday, March 30, 2019
E&D Litis Stadium
Referee: Steven Gregory
Assistant referees: Jamie West, Thomas Robinson

Floreat Athena: 1. Jason SALDARIS, 2. Marco SANTALUCIA, 5. Thomas JEBB (14. Ludovic BOI 58), 6. Jesse FULLER, 8. Jonathan STYNES, 9. Robert PETKOV, 10. Calvin WHITNEY, 11. Dennis GALAN, 16. Ryan MALTON, 18. Phillip ARNOLD (20. Jamal REINERS 75), 19. Nicholas AMBROGIO (17. Dean EVANS 46)
Substitutes not used: 3. Tristan COLLI, 23. Jordan BARBAS
Yellow cards: Fuller 11, Galan 16
Red cards: Nil

Inglewood United: 1. Alex DUNN, 4. Scott BLACMORE, 5. Samuel RIAK, 7. Hamza HINA, 8. Jason BARRERA (6. Milorad VUJACIC 75), 9. Chok DAU, 10. Anthony BAFOBUSHA, 14. Steve SOKOL, 15. Brian FARRELL, 16. Jamie MURPHY (2. Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS 62), 17. Mark BARNETT (3. David CYRUS 62)
Substitutes not used: 21. Josiah GODFREY, 23. Zdenek BEZDEK
Yellow cards: Bafobusha 33
Red cards: Nil