Report by Ryan Borrett

Photo by FotoEnzo

Subiaco defeated Floreat Athena 2-1 to clinch a vital three points in a battle between second and third bottom at Rosalie Park on Saturday.

Subiaco youngster Robert Harding came off the bench to score the winning goal, his first in the NPL WA.

Floreat battled hard in the first half but grew tired as the match wore on and Subiaco showed composure to hold on and claim a hugely important win for their hopes of survival.

Subiaco player-coach Ian McMurray was very happy his side got over the line to record just their third win of the season.

“I’m absolutely delighted, we knew it was going to be a tough game with the position of the two teams,” he said.

“The boys battled very hard and it’s a great three points.”

Subiaco opened the scoring in the 41st minute through centre-back Alex Castiello, who found himself on the end of David Perich’s cut-pack and had an easy finish to give his side the lead.

But a minute later Athena caught Subiaco napping at the back. Floreat captain Dean Evans found space on the edge of the box and his deflected shot ended up in the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-1 going into the break.

“It was disappointing the way the goal came about, we went to sleep at the back and got caught,” McMurray added.

“But credit to the boys, we never dropped at half-time and went into the second half ready.”

The opening of the second half was tightly contested but Subiaco’s persistence was finally rewarded through Harding’s winning goal in the 77th minute.

Subiaco’s Jackson Dongray launched a long throw into Floreat’s box and Harding won the ball from a knock-down and slotted home his first goal for the senior side.

“I was really happy to score, not for myself but to get the win and get three really important points for us,” Harding said.

Things then fell apart for Floreat as Evans was sent off for a bad challenge and retaliation, leaving his team struggling to find a way back into the game and looking at the loss of their captain through suspension.

Their woes were compounded in stoppage time when midfielder Calvin Whitney was also shown a red card, giving Subiaco control to see the game out.

Floreat have now lost their last three games and face another crunch match next week against Sorrento, a team also in the mire near the bottom.

Subiaco face a tough match at Perth Glory.

Subiaco 2 (Castiello 41min, Harding 77)
Floreat Athena 1 (Evans 42)
Saturday, May 5
Rosalie Park
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Shane Skinner
Assistant referees: Jatin Lodhia, Ethan Persse

Subiaco: 1. Ryan MONTGOMERY, 3. Dean APELGREN (14. Ross JARMAN 77), 5. Monase ABENDELWA (4. Robert HARDING 69), 6. Jackson DONGRAY, 10. Asher NELSON (11. Joshua BOOYSEN 46), 12. Nathan SMITH, 13. James DORLING, 16. Steve PURTON, 17. Alex CASTIELLO, 18. David PERICH, 19. Ian MCMURRAY
Substitutes not used: 2. Jack ANDREWS, 21. Josiah GODFREY
Yellow cards: Jarman 87
Red cards: Nil

Floreat Athena: 1. Jason SALDARIS, 4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO (5. Tyler HOLDEN 83), 6. Jesse FULLER, 8. Jonathan STYNES, 10. Calvin WHITNEY, 12. Declan HUDSON, 13. Hamza HINA (20. James OWEN 81), 14. Ludovic BOI, 16. Ryan MALTON (3. Ethan KETHRIDGE 62), 17. Dean EVANS, 21. Keylun POLLARD
Substitutes not used: 2. Ben MEIER, 3. Ethan KETHRIDGE, 5. Tyler HOLDEN, 20. James OWEN, 23. Jordan BARBAS
Yellow cards: Malton 12
Red cards: Evans 79, Whitney 90+4