Report by Navrin Secker

Balcatta’s climb up the NPL WA ladder continued on Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over bottom club Joondalup United, who finished the match with nine men.

Goals from Jonathan Corness, Adriano Jelenovic, and an own goal from Elliot Tatterall resigned Joondalup to a seventh loss in the opening eight games, despite Callum Stocks giving some hope to the visitors.

Balcatta coach Goran Stajic described the result at Grindleford Reserve as “a very good three points” as they moved into the top half of the NPL ladder ahead of the Sunday fixtures.

The game began with both sides happy to attack and take risks and it was Joondalup who came close to scoring early on. The ball was played to Tatterall on the edge of the box and his powerful shot rattled against the crossbar.

Balcatta then had their first chance of the match and to highlight the difference between the sides, they made it count. A break led by Lawrence Shurama was finished off when Corness calmly finished into the bottom corner.

Joondalup were pushing hard, but two yellow cards for Sam Wynne in an eight-minute spell before half-time made their task harder.

Being a man down didn’t seem to matter, though, as two minutes after Wynne’s dismissal some brilliant dribbling from Stocks created an opening which he put away to level the scores.

If Joondalup had been able to see out the final four minutes of the half and go in all square, they perhaps could have assessed the situation in an upbeat mood despite being at a numerical disadvantage. However they were on terms for just a minute before Balcatta restored their lead when talisman Jelenovic netted past the diving James Bosdet.

The home side nearly scored again before half-time as Calum O’Connell attempted to chip Bodset but the Joondalup keeper’s blushes were saved by the bar.

The second half saw a change in tact from Balcatta, who were more content to sit back and try to hold on to their lead.

But Joondalup struggled to create chances and their cause was hit further when they went down to nine men after captain Matthew Sparrow received his second yellow card.

And a couple of minutes later the visitors were dealt another self-inflicted blow when Tatterall headed a Shubham Mokala free-kick into his own goal to make it 3-1.

Despite the result, Joondalup coach Nick Jennings praised his side’s performance.

“I thought for the majority of the game we were the dominant side,” he said. “We didn’t get the rub of the green with the referee’s decisions.”

Balcatta 3 (Corness 13min, Jelenovic 42, Tattersall og 71)
Joondalup United 1 (Stocks 41)
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Grindleford Reserve
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Shane Skinner
Assistant referees: Josh Mannella, Walter Ciotti

Balcatta: 1. Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2. Joseph MARINO, 3. Hayden STEVENS, 4. Calum O’CONNELL, 5. Tom PELLIZZARI, 6. Kris GATE (19. Nic CHALLOT 66), 10. Jonathan CORNESS, 15. Adriano JELENOVIC (12. Anton DE FRANCESCH 57), 18. Dougal KINDNESS, 20. Shubham MOKALA (7. Scott NEWLAND 77), 23. Lawrence SHURAMA
Substitutes not used: 9. Dejan ANDRIC, 25. Kyle MCDONALD
Yellow cards: Mokala 28
Red cards: Nil

Joondalup United: 1. James BOSDET, 2. Johnny CHALMERS, 5. Joel LEDSHAM, 6. Sam WYNNE, 7. Matthew SPARROW, 8. Jay MARSDEN, 9. Alex WILD (23. Harley CURAN 80), 10. Elliot TATTERSALL, 11. Anthony TAYLOR, 15. Callum STOCKS (19. Adam BUCKLEY 66), 25. Greg Pellow
Substitutes not used: 3. Fraser GARNAUT, 4. Danny O’SHEA, 21. Luke GREEN
Yellow cards: Sparrow 18, 69, Wynne 31, 39, Ledsham 86
Red cards: Wynne 39, Sparrow 69