Report by Tommy Doleman

Ashleigh Panaia celebrates after scoring the winner for Balcatta against Northern Redbacks. Photo via Balcatta FC Facebook

Ashleigh Panaia scored the winner six minutes from time as Balcatta ended Northern Redbacks' unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 win at Grindleford Reserve on Sunday.

This was also Balcatta's first win in five and pulled them to within a point of a top four spot, while Redbacks have had their lead at the top cut to one point.

Cass Harvey fired off an early warning shot for the hosts while later in the half Panaia shot over, despite most of the half being played in Balcatta territory.

Christi Astorp's cross then flashed across Redbacks' six-yard box, while at the other end Larissa Walsh was unable to add to her five goals this season when she put Grace Monteiro's pass wide of the post.

Jacinta Coleman tried to repeat last week's heroics from long range with 10 minutes to play, and instead it was Panaia who stepped forward to score the winner when her cross-shot went through everyone and into the back of the net.

Walsh nearly sneaked behind Balcatta's defence for a late equaliser, but the Redbacks' winning run ended at five and the hosts earned a much-needed three points to reinvigorate their season.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Subiaco and Curtin are still looking for their first wins of the season after sharing the points in a 1-1 draw at Rosalie Park.

Jen Walsh bagged her first goal of the season on 24 minutes to give Subiaco their first lead of the campaign, but they were pegged back eight minutes later by the visitors.

Jayme-Lee Smith scored the equaliser for Morrison Deane's side after latching onto a long ball, rounding the goalkeeper and finishing coolly for her first goal since joining from Fremantle City.

Dylan Davidson hooked over her shoulder to test Stacey Cavill as did Anna-Lena Dymowski moments later, but the sides went into the break all square.

That was how it would stay despite chances for both teams to claim three points for the first time this season.

Walsh forced Cavill into a smart reaction save before Charlotte Greaney punched the follow-up over for Subiaco. The home side then survived a late scare as Curtin were awarded a penalty with six minutes to play, but Jess Darmago put the spot-kick wide as the game ended 1-1.

On Saturday, Murdoch University Melville bounced back from last week's defeat to Northern Redbacks as they recorded a statement 5-1 win over Perth SC.

The visitors got off to an ideal start when Poppie Hooks' free-kick was headed back across goal by Sadie Lawrence with the final touch coming off the unlucky Nadia Harvey four minutes in.

That lead was doubled on eight minutes when Grace Betti broke the offside trap and curled into the top corner against her former side, as the visitors took a stranglehold on the game.

Perth needed a moment of inspiration and they got it when captain Kerrie Ryan headed in Jaime Duncanson's corner for 2-1, but MUM FC restored their two-goal lead later in the half when Katarina Jukic headed in her ninth of the season from Tia Stonehill's corner.

Gemma Craine side-footed over the bar as Perth tried to respond but Stonehill would add to her assist with two second-half strikes as the defending champions showed their ruthless streak yet again.

Stonehill collected Betti's pass and finished coolly past Rebecca Bennett for 4-1, before the striker expertly netted her fourth of the season when she raced away, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted in, as MUM FC remained in second spot and closed the gap on Redbacks to one point.

Finally, Hyundai NTC retained outright third position in the division as they drew 1-1 with Fremantle City in the Regional Festival of Football clash in Geraldton.

The game was the second of an NPL-WA double-header in the mid-west which followed the men's NPL game between Perth Glory and Sorrento, and it was NTC who started quickly when Ella Lincoln put Monique Prinsloo's cross the wrong side of the post.

At the other end, Clare Woods' strike from a tight angle hit the inside of the post and rolled across the goal line in an open first 45 minutes at Wonthella Oval.

Woods was having a good game and she fired at Bailey moments later, but it was NTC who took the lead when Taneesha Baker skipped down the left and brilliantly assisted Prinsloo to tap in as she netted for a fourth successive game.

But Fremantle City hit back quickly when Woods raced away from the NTC defence and rifled in at the near post for her first goal of the season.

Woods struck at Bailey again with City's best second half chance, while Judy Connolly fired straight at Indianna Casilli when put through on goal by Georgia Cassidy as both sides took a point back to Perth.

Results

Balcatta 1-0 Northern Redbacks
Hyundai NTC 1-1 Fremantle City
Perth SC 1-5 Fremantle City
Subiaco 1-1 Curtin University