Report by Ryan Borrett

Cockburn City scored three goals in the final 14 minutes to seal a 4-1 victory over Sorrento in a scrappy contest in wet conditions at Dalmatinac Park on Saturday.

The Cockerels' late push came just one minute after Sorrento’s Jack Salter had made it 1-1 in the 75th minute, after Cockburn had led for most of the match through Daniel Dols’ first-half free-kick.

Sorrento battled hard through the second half and Salter’s equaliser was coming, but Cockburn then found an instant reply through Hasani Sinclair.

The home side lifted again and bagged two more goals late on, including a fantastic curling effort from the in-form Daniel Robinson who was fresh off netting a hat-trick last week against Bayswater.

The three points for Cockburn against fellow upper mid-table contenders in Sorrento will be important in the push for a top four spot.

The wet and windy conditions made things difficult for both sides in the first half with chances few and far between in the match.

But Dols still managed to give the Cockerels the lead in the 28th minute with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the box that flew straight through the Sorrento wall and into the back of the net.

Sorrento found their rhythm in the second half and equalised after a cross from the right was headed down in the box by striker Cameron Teece. The ball fell straight into the path of Salter who smashed a half-volley into the bottom right-hand corner to level at 1-1.

Cockburn hit back instantly and retook the lead from a corner which was knocked down to Sinclair directly in front of goal. He was never going to miss.

Sorrento were undone once more from a set-piece in the 82nd minute after a free kick into their box wasn’t cleared. Robinson gathered the ball on the edge of the box before turning his marker with great skill and curling a shot with his left foot into the top left-hand corner to make it 3-1.

The Gulls' woes were compounded in injury time as their defence was pushed forward and the Cockerels played a ball to Sinclair, who rounded keeper James Morgan before his shot dribbled into an empty net.

The defeat for Sorrento will be especially disappointing after they lost to Perth SC last week in a similar fashion having equalised then fallen away. Cockburn will hope to make it three wins in a row next week as they travel to Inglewood.

Star player: Hasani Sinclair (Cockburn City)

Cockburn City 4 (Dols 28min, Sinclair 76, 90+1, Robinson 80)
Sorrento 1 (Salter 75)

Saturday, June 8
Dalmatinac Park
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant referees: Jess Byrd, Lawson Rimmer

Cockburn City: 1. Luke RADONICH, 3. Daniel DOLS, 5. Julian TELES, 6. Ruben TRISTAO, 8. Cameron EDWARDS, 12. Ryan PRAT (25. Jethro YAMANGE 90), 14. Hayden STEVENS, 16. Daniel ROBINSON, 18. Adam ANFUSO, 19. Hasani SINCLAIR, 21. Jesse LAZZARO (2. Christopher THACKRAY 88), 23. Riley WOODCOCK (17. Devon GIBSON 71)
Substitutes not used: 22. David SANTOS, 32. Ben RADONICH
Yellow cards: Tristao 57, Robinson 76
Red cards: Nil

Sorrento: 1. James MORGAN, 2. David STOKOE, 3. Jakub PRAJZA, 5. Scott ROBERTSON (4. Shaun KILKELLY 90+3), 7. Alex MORGAN, 10. Jordan ROBERTS, 11. Timothy HILL, 17. Reece VITTIGLIA (30. Jesse OWUOR, 90+3), 18. Jordan BROWN, 19. Jack SALTER, 23. Cameron TEECE (14. Mathew McROBERTS 90+3)
Substitutes not used: 20. Jaxon TEMATA, 60. Matthew GIUDICATTI
Yellow cards: Teece 18
Red cards: Nil