Report by Tommy Doleman

Inglewood matchwinner Hermon Michaele, centre, is congratulated after his goal.

Inglewood United won for a fourth time in five matches on Saturday as the NPLWA – Men’s title race was turned on its head once more.

Andres Oliveira’s side defeated Perth RedStar 1-0 thanks to Hermon Michaele’s first-half strike, a result which has seen them move to within four points of a finals spot.

It also cost RedStar top spot, with Floreat Athena now at the summit following their 4-0 win over Perth Glory. Athena have a two-point lead over RedStar, who have played one game fewer.

At Inglewood Stadium, Anthony Bafobusha stung the palms of RedStar’s new signing Riley Stephenson, while at the other end Chok Dau fizzed a strike at home keeper Alex Dunn.

The match winning moment came on 22 minutes when Stephenson’s misplaced pass went straight to Michaele, who stroked home for a second goal in as many matches.

Ryan Lowry’s red card for a foul on Chad Nilson when the last defender made life tougher for RedStar and as a result the hosts kept Callum Salmon’s side at arm’s length to further boost hopes of a top-four finish.

RedStar’s slip-up meant Floreat Athena moved to the top of the league 14 rounds in, following their big win against Glory.

Athena’s 12-game unbeaten start in 2021 ended against the same opposition, but there would be no mistake from Vas Vujacic’s side this time around.

Jesse Fuller finished opportunistically from a corner for his first of the season to make it 1-0 on 35 minutes and five minutes later Bayley Brown-Montgomery fed through for Robert Petkov to slot home.

Ciaran Bramwell shot towards the bottom corner midway through the second half, but Athena are going about their business nicely with their third win in a row setting up an enticing top-of-the-table clash against RedStar next week in Joondalup.

Two late goals at E&D Litis Stadium on Saturday completed a league double over Glory this season. Nick Ambrogio’s corner was met by the head of Chris Saldaris with six minutes left before the midfielder was on the spot to volley home a fourth at the end.

Bayswater are third but are now four points behind Floreat after Cockburn City’s last-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Frank Drago Reserve.

The Cockerels qualified for the Australia Cup Round of 32 in midweek and nearly opened the scoring when Daniel Robinson brought out the best from Nic Speca after two minutes.

Michael Craggs, outstanding in the midweek cup win at Sorrento, was again busy in the Cockburn goal with saves from Jon Stynes and Kosta Sparta, before a double save from Gordon Smith and Ndumba Makeche.

Gareth Naven’s side were seemingly on their way toward three points with three minutes left when Jack Allen’s free-kick was bravely headed in at the near post by Jon Stynes.

But three minutes into added time, Cockburn salvaged a point when Jeff Bright was fouled by Zayd Farah and Harry O’Brien levelled from the spot to follow up his midweek screamer.

Allen might have won it soon after, but the spoils were shared as Cockburn kept distance between themselves and the bottom, while Bayswater stay third.

Stirling Macedonia are still fourth but are now without a win in five having been held 0-0 by 10-man Balcatta at Macedonia Park.

New signings Clark Keltie, Adam Tong and Ryan Pearson all started for Glen Grostate’s side as they attempt to climb off the bottom, but they needed to dig deep after Ben Ford’s second yellow card with 15 minutes left.

Calvin Whitney came closest to winning it for Stirling with a long-range strike saved by Caelan Cooper, before an overhead kick was beaten away by the goalkeeper.

Stirling’s draw means Sorrento’s 4-1 win at Gwelup helped them cut the margin on the top four to one point, as Gustavo Marulanda rolled back the years with a 13 minute hat-trick.

The three-time Golden Boot winner rattled home a first inside the near post on the half-hour mark and doubled his tally when released by Tim Hill before picking out the bottom corner.

The Colombian then met a half-volley to make it 3-0 and complete a treble which made it seven for the season.

Ciaran Salinger’s second yellow card gave the Gulls a penalty in the second half which Dean Cummings converted to make it 4-0. The hosts did find a consolation in the final 10 minutes through Sebastian Hooshangian, but now sit three points above the drop zone after Balcatta’s point.

Finally, Perth SC gave themselves a puncher’s chance of a finals push with a 5-0 win at in-form Armadale.

This was the Azzurri’s third victory in four outings, as a first-half double from Hasani Sinclair set them on their way. The striker has scored 11 times this season, all of which have come in his last eight games.

Armadale’s Angel Andres Rivera hooked over his shoulder with an effort that was cleared off the line, but Paul Zimarino would break from midfield to slam home a third before the break.

John O’Reilly’s side joined Cockburn in the Australia Cup Round of 32 with their 4-1 win against Bayswater. But this was Perth’s day at Alfred Skeet Reserve. Shubham Mokala made it 4-0 and Zimarino arrived to complete a brace with 20 minutes left, to leave Marc Wingell’s side three points behind Armadale and eight points off fourth.

Results: Armadale 0-5 Perth SC, Bayswater City 1-1 Cockburn City, Floreat Athena 4-0 Perth Glory, Gwelup Croatia 1-4 Sorrento, Inglewood United 1-0 Perth RedStar, Stirling Macedonia 0-0 Balcatta Etna.