MATCH WRAP: Floreat focus pays dividends
Football West News
Floreat Athena enjoyed the perfect preparation heading into today’s huge FFA Cup clash at Gwelup Croatia with three points against fellow semi-finalists ECU Joondalup on Saturday.
LINKS TO FULL MATCH REPORTS BELOW
While Jacks coach Dale McCulloch admitted his players had been distracted by their Preliminary semi-final trip to Armadale, Floreat’s fight to stay in the NPL WA meant they couldn’t afford such luxuries.
And Athena’s greater focus earned its reward as goals from skipper Dean Evans and substitute Phillip Arnold brought them their first win since Round Nine.
Floreat coach Howard Tweats, whose side are now out of the bottom three, 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.”
McCulloch cut a frustrated figure after the match at ECU Football Stadium, where Daryl Nicol once more netted for the home side.
“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.”
With a place in the national Round of 32 of the FFA Cup – and the Belt up. State Cup final – on offer, victory tonight at Alfred Skeet Reserve will no doubt lift McCulloch’s mood.
But he will come up against a side equally determined to make amends after Armadale suffered a 1-0 derby loss to 10-man Forrestfield United on Saturday night.
Jordan Hart was the hero for Rod Banjac’s side with his winner 12 minutes from time coming not long after the visitors had had Leslie Mari sent off for violent conduct.
Banjac said: “I’m just so proud of them today, it was a very, very disciplined performance from beginning to end.”
Armadale coach John O’Reilly, whose team wasted numerous chances, said: “It was so frustrating to see something that we’ve been working on for three weeks present maybe five opportunities to score today, and the only thing that was missing was putting the ball in the back of the net.”
League leaders Bayswater City kicked off the Round 15 action on Friday night with a routine 4-0 victory at bottom club Joondalup United. Indeed, it is as you were at the top of the table with Baysie’s nearest challengers all winning too.
Anthony Skorich scored twice in Cockburn City’s 3-1 win at Stirling Lions, Perth Glory came good again in the second half as they beat Balcatta 3-2, while Inglewood United had little trouble seeing off Subiaco 3-0 despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half.
The other game in the round saw Perth SC move up to fifth with a resounding 5-2 win at Sorrento.
- State League Division One leaders Gwelup Croatia clearly weren’t preoccupied with today’s FFA Cup tie against Floreat as they hammered South West Phoenix 6-2 on Saturday.
FIXTURES
Monday, June 4
FFA Cup Preliminary Round Seven
Gwelup Croatia v Floreat Athena (Croatian Sporting Complex, 2.30pm)
Armadale v ECU Joondalup (Alfred Skeet Reserve, 5.30pm)
RESULTS
NPL WA Round 15
Joondalup United 0-4 Bayswater City
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
ECU Joondalup 1-2 Floreat Athena
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Balcatta 2-3 Perth Glory
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Stirling Lions 1 -3 Cockburn City
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Sorrento 2-5 Perth SC
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Subiaco 0-3 Inglewood United
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Armadale 0-1 Forrestfield United
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
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