Draw better for ECU than Balcatta

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Report by Peter Simcox

 

Balcatta midfielder Alex Castiello, right, and ECU Joondalup midfielder Josh Whitmore battle for the ball. Photo by Peter Simcox

 

ECU Joondalup and Balcatta fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the ECU Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

 

Calum O’Connell gave the visitors the lead early, but a brace from Joe Knowles, including a candidate for goal of the season, gave the hosts the lead at the break.

 

However, striker Nicholas Challot earned Balcatta a draw.

The result had an impact at the top and bottom of the table. The point was enough to secure NPL WA safety for ECU while Balcatta dropped out of the top four with only one game remaining. 

“At half time we were disappointed to be behind, but we found the equaliser but couldn’t find the winner,” Balcatta coach Goran Stajic said.

“I thought we were the better team over 80 minutes but that 10 minutes hurt us, and it’s been like that all season for us. But I’m super proud of the players.

“We now move on to Stirling next week looking to get a result and hope Cockburn, who are Bayswater’s bogey team, can do us a favour.”

It was Balcatta who opened the brighter and they were ahead on seven minutes. A long ball from John Kearney found O’Connell, who controlled the ball well before superbly firing over keeper Johnny Perkins from the edge of the penalty area.

The visitors were bossing the game and Perkins had to be alert to save from Jonathan Corness, but against the run of play ECU levelled on 33 minutes.

Ollie Annis’ corner picked our Knowles at the back post who headed goalwards. Corness looked to have cleared Knowles' effort off the line but the assistant referee indicated that the ball had crossed the goalline.

 

In the final minute of the half the hosts hit the front - and what goal it was. A long clearance to the halfway line from Nick Koefler found Bayley Brown-Montgomery, who flicked the ball on to Knowles and his first-time shot from 30 meters flew into the net with Balcatta keeper David Keenan stranded.  

 

Balcatta needed to hit back and they started the second half well. Skipper O’Connell, Corness and the lively Shubham Mokala all impressed and it was a surprise when they levelled on 68 minutes.

A Mokala corner was only cleared to Joseph Marino, who sent the ball back into the box and Alex Castiello headed down to Challot, who finished neatly past Perkins. 

With results elsewhere not going their way, Balcatta knew they needed another goal and after good approach work from substitute Gavin Knight and Mokala, Adam Zimarino thought he had found it, but Perkins produced a great save to deny him.

The ECU keeper then tipped over O’Connell’s shot as Balcatta pressed late, but it was the hosts who should have won it late. A corner from substitute Andy Higgins was flicked on to an unmarked Knowles at the back post, but his shot from the angle flashed over the top.

The result meant ECU Joondalup will play NPL football next season, while Balcatta must win against relegation-bound Stirling Lions and hope results elsewhere go their way to make the Top Four Finals.

 

“I thought it was a good point, but the goals we conceded were soft,” ECU Coach Dale McCulloch said.

“Johnny (Perkins) pulled off a couple of important saves, which he has done all season for us, and what can I say about Joe’s goal, a class player and I really hope he gets a chance to make that step to a higher level again.”  

 

The result was ECU's 11th draw of the season. Only champions Perth SC have lost fewer matches than the Jacks but they have the least amount of victories in the division. 

Star player: Shubham Mokala (Balcatta)

 

ECU Joondalup 2 (Knowles 33min, 44)
Balcatta 2 (O’Connell 7, Challot 68)

Saturday, August 17, 2019
E&D Litis Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Shane Skinner
Assistant referees: Sime Lozic, Harry Bolan

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 3 Nicholas KOEFLER, 4 Henry DURR, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 6 Ollie ANNIS (10 Andy HIGGINS 66), 7 Joe KNOWLES, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (13 Tommy AMPHLETT 58), 12 Billy QUINNCROFT, 14 Ewan FAWCETT, 15 Tom HOUGH
Substitutes not used: RGK George JACKSON, 11 Lukas DE LIMA, 17 Jamal REINERS
Yellow cards: Fawcett 38, Brown-Montgomery 45+2, Quinncroft 90+3, Amphlett 90+4
Red cards: Nil

Balcatta: GK David KEENAN, 2 Joseph MARINO, 3 John KEARNEY, 4 Calum O'CONNELL, 5 Shubham MOKALA, 10 Jonathan CORNESS, 12 Robert DEL BORRELLO (14 Luke RANDAZZO 58), 13 Carmelo GIUFFRE, 16 Alex CASTIELLO, 17 Callum TIMMINS (11 Adam ZIMARINO 46), 19 Nicholas CHALLOT (9 Gavin KNIGHT 71)
Substitutes not used: 7 Ben PELLIZZARI, 15 Callum STOCKS
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil

Last Modified on 27/08/2019 00:42

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