Athena maintain two-point lead
Report by Tommy Doleman
ECU Joondalup players congratulate Daryl Nicol, left, after he had scored the Jacks' second goal. Photo by FotoEnzo
Floreat Athena maintained their 100% start to the new NPLWA – Men’s season with a 2-1 win over Perth SC at E&D Litis Stadium.
It was the hosts’ ninth win in their last 11 home games, dating back to the beginning of last year's competition.
Yet Athena were given a very early scare when former player Calvin Whitney hit a volley inside 15 seconds which brought the best out of Jason Saldaris.
Perth had the ball in the back of the net after 15 minutes, but Michael Domfeh was denied by the offside flag.
The Azzurri striker then headed a corner wide moments later, before Riley Van spurned another opportunity for Ramon Falzon’s side.
Perth were never going to have it all their own way, however, and they paid for their wastefulness. After Nick Ambrogio tested Ryan Montgomery with the outside of the foot, Floreat took the lead in the shadows of half-time as Perth's defence failed to clear and Josh Anasmo poked home his fifth of the season.
Buoyed by their opener, Floreat doubled their lead four minutes into the second half. Chris Saldaris got free on another set-piece and he stabbed in for 2-0.
The home side had assumed control, but Perth gave themselves hope with 14 minutes left when Cameron Teece brilliantly chipped Saldaris from the corner of the box to join Anasmo in netting in each of the first three league games.
Teece's header soon after was the closest the visitors came to levelling, while at the other end Anasmo almost added a third with the game’s final kick.
This was one of four Round Three clashes brought forward because of Easter Monday’s FFA Cup ties. Another was at Alfred Skeete Reserve where Armadale crashed to earth with a bump against Sorrento, the league’s only other undefeated side.
Armadale enjoyed a fantastic 4-0 win at champions ECU Joondalup last Saturday but they were on the receiving end last night as they suffered a second successive 4-1 home loss.
Sorrento are the division’s leading scorers despite losing Teece to Perth and four individual players gave Jamie Harnwell's side a second away win of the campaign.
Scott Witschge fired off an early warning shot as Yousri Gharsallah saved from close range after a minute before the Gulls hit the lead in the sixth minute when Jordan Brown's long throw was turned in by Alex Morgan at the back post.
Brown went from creator to scorer on 20 minutes when he rose unchallenged to nod in Tim Hill's outswinging corner for 2-0.
Billy Quinncroft was returning to the club he captained to the 2018 State Cup and he nearly marked his homecoming with a goal when his chip ricocheted off the bar.
At the other end, Friday Zico forced Joel Driscoll into his first save of the night when a shot from just inside Sorrento's half had the goalkeeper backpedalling and tipping over the bar.
Veteran striker Angel Andres was called upon from the bench just past the hour-mark and he pulled a goal back two minutes after coming on when he headed Renee Kisesa's cross into the top corner.
But Armadale's hopes were soon snuffed out as Sorrento struck twice in as many minutes to wrap up the points.
Ryan McLaughlin headed his first of the season from another Hill set-piece before Witschge prodded in Joe Tweats' low cross to complete a 4-1 result for the Gulls, who sit two points off Floreat in second.
Bayswater City returned to winning ways as they edged past Perth Glory 1-0 thanks to a goal inside the final 10 minutes from Konstantinos Sparta.
The three-time Men’s NPL champions slipped up against Balcatta last week but made a bright start at Frank Drago Reserve when Ndumba Makeche forced Cameron Cook into a smart low save.
Cook once again got the better of Makeche soon after, while at the other end Adam Zimarino raced clear and put wide of Liam Driscoll's post.
Zimarino had another shot deflected wide before scooping over after a set-piece fell his way.
Fraser Dunlop curled an effort at Cook after the restart before Gordon Smith similarly shot at the goalkeeper as the hosts tried to up the ante.
Sparta took on all-comers with a slaloming run before prodding wide of the upright as the match moved into the final half-hour still scoreless.
A stalemate looked on the cards until the game’s decisive goal arrived with nine minutes remaining.
Glory failed to clear a cross and Sparta arrived on the edge of the area to side-foot beyond Cook as Bayswater recorded back-to-back home wins.
Rounding out the top four for now are ECU Joondalup, who bounced back from last week's surprising loss to Armadale with a 2-0 win at Inglewood United.
Robert Petkov was denied a spectacular opener for Inglewood when his acrobatic volley found the net but was ruled out by the assistant’s offside flag.
Jason Barrera slid a left-footed shot wide of the mark when he found himself through on goal as the Night Series winners tried to assert themselves.
But it was ECU who made the breakthrough after half an hour as Danny Hodgson scored a penalty at the second time of asking, having had his first effort disallowed for encroachment by a teammate.
Suddenly chances were coming thick and fast. Petkov blazed wide from inside the area, Daryl Nicol's header was blocked by Alex Dunn and then Declan Hughes' piledriver cannoned back off the bar.
John Perkins then denied Ajak Riak brilliantly with a fine one-on-one save as the game somehow went into the break with the solitary goal.
The next goal was always going to be key and the defending champions found it seven minutes into the second half when Nicol shrugged off his marker and lobbed over a stranded Dunn. It was Nicol's first league goal for ECU since returning to the club after two seasons with Bayswater City.
Mark Barnett headed wide as Inglewood tried to pull themselves back into the contest, but ECU's efficiency on the night proved telling as they won for the second time on the road in 2021.
The final two games in Round Three take place on Saturday – Gwelup Croatia host Rockingham City and Balcatta are at home to Cockburn City. Both are 3pm kick-offs.
Thursday 1 Arpil
Bayswater City 1-0 Perth Glory
Inglewood United 0-2 ECU Joondalup
Saturday 3 April
Gwelup Croatia v Rockingham City
Comments
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.