Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

ECU Joondalup won for the first time this season after a hat-trick from Tommy Amphlett secured a 4-3 win against Rockingham City in a seven-goal NPL WA thriller at ECU Football Stadium.

It was the visitors were on top early and they deservedly opened the scoring through skipper James Harmer on 12 minutes. A ball over the top caught the ECU back line out and Harmer finished clinically.

But on 28 minutes the home side pulled level when Bayley Brown-Montgomery was brought down by Blake Sokolowsk and referee Peter Kaiser pointed straight to the spot. Jakub Sklenar made no mistake from the penalty.

Amphlett replaced Brown-Montgomery on 35 minutes, and with his first touch he volleyed home to give the home side the lead and he added a third in the shadows of half time, finishing clinically from Andy Higgins cross.

Rockingham were back in the game three minutes into the second half when Riley van Dieken waltzed past three ECU defenders before crossing to Harmer to finish from close-range. The visitors were well on top and it wasn’t a surprise when they levelled on 63 minutes, with Van Dieken firing home after good work from Harmer.

The visitors had the perfect opportunity to take the lead three minutes later when Van Dieken was brought down and they were given a penalty, but Harmer’s spot kick was well saved by Jonny Perkins.

It was Rockingham who looked the more likely to win and Harmer fired inches wide before Van Dieken’s shot on the run was well saved by Perkins.

But in stoppage time it was ECU who claimed the three points. Amphlett picked the ball up on the left and he raced across the edge of the box before unleashing a shot that flew into the corner to win it.

The action wasn’t over there and Amphlett was shown a second yellow card late and was sent off, but 10-man ECU hung on for the three points.

Star player: Tommy Amphlett (ECU Joondalup)
 
ECU Joondalup 4 (Sklenar pen 28 min, Amphlett 36’, 44’, 91’)
Rockingham City 3 (Harmer 12’, 49’, Van Dieken 63’)

Saturday, April 27, 2019
ECU Football Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Peter Kaiser
Assistant referees: Jessica Byrd, Liam Barclay

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 4 Henry DURR, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 6 Ollie ANNIS (7 Lukas DE LIMA 64’), 8 Kian MCGUIGAN, 9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (13 Tommy AMPHLETT 35’), 10 Andy HIGGINS, 11 Jakub SKLENAR, 12 Ryan MCDARBY 15 Tom HOUGH (3 Ronald RIXER 84’), 16 Ewen FAWCETT
Substitutes not used: RGK Scott WALLIS, 16 Nicholas KOFLER
Yellow cards: Cassidy 51’, Perkins 66’, Durr 68’, Amphlett 91’, 92’
Red cards: Amphlett 92’
 
Rockingham City: GK Michael FARMER, 2 Jason CONSTABLE, 3 Justis BRADLEY, 5 Harry COLLINS, 6 Blake SOKOLOWSKI (8 Jason POTTIER 79’), 7 James MILLARD, 9 Sam MCKEARNAN (14 Ryan KENNEDY 79’), 10 James HARMER, 11 Riley van DIEKEN, 13 Jarrad MORT, 23 Victor BRAUNER
Substitutes not used: RGK James GREAHAN
Yellow cards: Sokolowski 28’, Brauner 71’
Red cards: Nil

ECU Joondalup have won for the first time this season after a hat-trick from Tommy Amphlett secured a 4-3 win against Rockingham City, in a seven-goal NPL WA thriller at ECU Football Stadium.

It was the visitors were on top early and they deservedly opened the scoring through skipper James Harmer on 12 minutes. A ball over the top caught the ECU back line out and Harmer finished clinically.

But on 28 minutes the home side pulled level, when Bayley Brown-Montgomery was brought down by Blake Sokolowski, and referee Peter Kaiser pointed straight to the spot, and Jakub Sklenar made no mistake from the resulting penalty.

Amphlett replaced Brown-Montgomery on 35 minutes, and with his first touch he volleyed home, to give the home side the lead and he added a third in the shadows of half time, finishing clinically from Andy Higgins cross.

Rockingham were back in the game three minutes into the second half, Riley van Dieken waltzed past three ECU defenders before crossing to Harmer to finish from close-range. The visitors were well on top and it wasn’t a surprise when they levelled on 63 minutes, with Van Dieken firing home after good work from Harmer.

The visitors had the perfect opportunity to take the lead three minutes later when Van Dieken was brought down and they were given a penalty, but Harmer’s spot kick was well saved by Jonny Perkins.

It was Rockingham who looked the most likely to win it and Harmer fired inches wide before Van Dieken’s shot on the run was well saved by Perkins.

But in stoppage time it was ECU who claim the three points. Amphlett picked the ball up on the left and he raced across the top of the box before unleashing a shot that flew into the corner to win it.

The action wasn’t over there and Amphlett was shown a second yellow card late and was sent off, but the ten-man ECU hung on for the three points.

Star Man – Tommy Amphlett (ECU Joondalup)

 

ECU Joondalup 4 (Sklenar 28’ Pen, Amphlett 36’, 44’, 91’)

Rockingham City 3 (Harmer 12’, 49’, Van Dieken 63’)

Saturday, April 27, 2019

ECU Football Stadium

Kick-off: 3:00pm

Referee: Peter Kaiser

Assistant referees: Jessica Byrd, Liam Barclay

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 4 Henry DURR, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 6 Ollie ANNIS (7 Lukas DE LIMA 64’), 8 Kian MCGUIGAN, 9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (13 Tommy AMPHLETT 35’), 10 Andy HIGGINS, 11 Jakub SKLENAR, 12 Ryan MCDARBY 15 Tom HOUGH (3 Ronald RIXER 84’), 16 Ewen FAWCETT

Substitutes not used: RGK Scott WALLIS, 16 Nicholas KOFLER

Yellow cards: Cassidy 51’, Perkins 66’, Durr 68’, Amphlett 91’, 92’

Red cards: Amphlett 92’

 

Rockingham City: GK Michael FARMER, 2 Jason CONSTABLE, 3 Justis BRADLEY, 5 Harry COLLINS, 6 Blake SOKOLOWSKI (8 Jason POTTIER 79’), 7 James MILLARD, 9 Sam MCKEARNAN (14 Ryan KENNEDY 79’), 10 James HARMER, 11 Riley van DIEKEN, 13 Jarrad MORT, 23 Victor BRAUNER 
Substitutes not used: RGK James GREAHAN
Yellow Cards: Sokolowski 28’, Brauner 71’

Red Cards: Nil