Floreat up after the cup
Football West News
Dean Evans celebrates his goal. Image still via YouTube/Football West
Foreat Athena showed no sign of an FFA Cup hangover as they bounced back from their agonising exit to Adelaide Olympic with a solid 3-1 win at Armadale in the NPL WA.
It was quite a week for Garrett McDuling's team, who began it by lifting the Belt Up Cup before heading to South Australia for a seven-goal cup thriller.
Armadale would have been hoping that Floreat suffered a similar reaction to the one they had 12 months ago following their own FFA Cup disappointment. Then, Armadale went out to Cairns FC and next up were on the end of a 5-0 drubbing - against Floreat.
Unfortunately for John O'Reilly's team there was no chance of squaring the ledger once they had shot themselves in the foot on 18 minutes.
A hopeful ball forward should not have caused too much concern. However, Armadale keeper Sam Hutchings came out of his area and failed to get to the ball, which was squared to Ludovic Boi who had the simple task of curling the ball home from the edge of the area.
It was a poor goal to concede and so was the second on 72 minutes. Armadale skipper Nathan Costello lost possession just inside the Floreat box, Robert Petkov broke down the right and he squared for Dean Evans to tap into the empty net.
Floreat's third on 80 minutes was the result of more poor play at the back from Armadale, Nicholas Ambrogio applying the final touch from two yards out.
Michael Lawson gave the home side a small consolation with a fine free kick but this defeat, plus Stirling's win over Rockingham, means Armadale are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
The result leaves Athena five points clear in second place with five matches left. But if they are to keep their outside titles hopes alive they will have to defeat league leaders Perth SC next Saturday to cut that gap to five points.
Star player: Robert Petkov (Floreat Athena)
Armadale 1 (Lawson 84min)
Floreat Athena 3 (Boi 18, Evans 72, Ambrogio 80)
Saturday, July 27
Alfred Skeet Oval
Kick-off: 3pm
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