Report by Edward Nxon

Floreat Athena secured their first NPL WA win since Round Nine with a gutsy 2-1 result away at ECU Joondalup on Saturday.

Floreat skipper Dean Evans’ first-half free-kick was cancelled out by his opposite number Daryl Nicol after the break.

However substitute Philip Arnold’s strike 15 minutes from time sealed only the fourth win of the season for Athena, who have moved out of the bottom three.

“The results have been coming,” Floreat coach Howard Tweats said.

“We just needed to concentrate on getting the ball in the last third. If we get it up there, things are going to happen.”

Heading into the game second bottom and winless since April 21, Floreat came out with intent with striker Ludovic Boi firing over with the first chance of the game.

Boi was involved again moments later and would have put his side ahead but for a solid bit of goalkeeping by ECU’s Jack Nunn.

Nunn, earning a start in the absence of first-choice keeper Johnny Perkins, could do nothing to stop Floreat taking the lead as Evans’ superb free-kick nestled in the top corner on the half-hour mark.

New signing Robert Petkov thought he had doubled the visitors’ lead on the stroke of half-time but his effort was ruled out for offside.

With ECU in need of a spark after the break, Nicol stepped up as he so often has this season.

The Scottish winger planted a free-kick past Nunn to level for his 11th goal of the season and he sits one behind Armadale’s Chris Jackson in the race for the Golden Boot.

As time ticked on, set-pieces looked both sides’ best chance of sealing a winner and that’s exactly how things played out.

From Evans’ corner ECU failed to clear their lines and substitute Arnold poked home the decisive goal, his eighth of the season in a struggling side.

Both Floreat and ECU now turn their attention to huge FFA Cup ties on Monday. Athena travel to Division One Gwelup Croatia while the Jacks are away at Armadale, with a place in the national Round of 32 and the Belt up. State Cup final at stake.

On Saturday’s evidence too many ECU players had their minds on the upcoming tie, leaving head coach Dale McCullough frustrated.

“They definitely had one eye on the cup game, which I’ve been trying to drill out of them all week,” McCulloch said.

“You could see what team was desperate to win there.”

ECU Joondalup 1 (Nicol 61min)
Floreat Athena 2 (Evans 30, Arnold 75)
ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Saturday, June 2
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Marin Hicks
Assistant referees: Tom Glavovic, Mitchell Barrington

ECU Joondalup: 2. Tom HOUGH, 3. Ross MILLARD, 5. Shane CASSIDY, 6. Brad MCDONALD, 9. Daryl NICOL, 10. Gordon SMITH (17. Ethan BROOKS 76), 11. Andy HIGGINS, 13. Samuel POLLARD, 16. Lukas DE LIMA (7. Cameron MURRAY 45), 18. Declan HUGHES, 20. Jack NUNN
Substitutes not used: 1. George JACKSON, 8. Joshua WHITMORE, 12. Ryan MCDARBY,
Yellow cards: McDonald (68), Millard (90)
Red cards: Nil

Floreat Athena: 1. Jason SALDARIS, 2. Marco SANTA LUCIA, 4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 6. Jessie FULLER, 9. Robert PETKOV (33. Philip ARNOLD 70), 10. Calvin WHITNEY, 12. Ahadi ABANDELWA, 13. Hamza HINA (20. Keylun POLLARD 64), 14. Ludovic BOI (8. Jonathan STYNES 56), 15. Chris SALDARIS, 17. Dean EVANS
Substitutes not used: 11. Dennis GALAN, 23. Jordan BARBAS
Yellow cards: Santa Lucia (78)
Red cards: Nil