Report by Tommy Doleman

Floreat saw their winning start to the season end with a 1-1 draw at Gwelup. Photo by FotoEnzo

Floreat Athena's 100% record came to an end as they were held 1-1 by a Gwelup Croatia.

Former Sorrento and Stirling head coach Trevor Morgan was announced as Gwelup's new coach on Friday evening, following the departure of Taki Nicolaidis. But his side were tested inside the first 15 minutes when Jawad Rezai and Sean McManus came close.

However, the home supporters were smiling when Stefan King's clearance ran through to Hasani Sinclair, who lashed in to give Gwelup the advantage.

NPLWA – Men’s leaders Floreat could have levelled immediately but King got low to deny Rezai. Athena continued to press but they nearly gave Gwelup a second when Ben Steele's chested lay-off was hooked off the line by Dennis Galan.

Floreat pulled level when Nick Ambrogio went to ground under a heavy challenge with goalkeeper King and Tom Southgate. Rezai, who scored twice from the spot against Bayswater on his debut, converted from 12 yards.

Both sides ended with 10 men after Andrew Palmer and Southgate were shown straight red cards.

ECU Joondalup were able to cut Athena's lead at the top with a 2-0 win over Perth Glory. The Jacks are now four points behind Floreat with a game in hand.

Daryl Nicol's brace helped the defending champions to a fourth win in a row and they loom as serious contenders again.

ECU took the lead on 26 minutes when Danny Hodgson was fouled on halfway and his quickly taken free-kick released Nicol, who curled home for 1-0.

Jacob Muir's cross was headed wide by Josh Anasmo, but chances proved few and far between for Glory.

Instead, it was the hosts who took further control just after the hour mark, when Scotsman Nicol raced away and finished emphatically beyond Cameron Cook.

Perth SC maintained pace with the front two as Calvin Whitney's 97th minute winner gave the Azzurri a thrilling 4-3 win at Armadale.

The hosts started well at Alfred Skeet Reserve and they took the lead on 24 minutes when Angel Andres scored from the spot following a foul by Alex Silla.

The solitary strike was enough for Armadale to lead at the interval, but the three-time NPL champions put themselves in a powerful position early in the second half.

First Michael Domfeh shrugged off his marker to level the scores, before Gustavo Catarcione's back-post header completed the turnaround.

Cameron Teece received a straight red card for a challenge on Cherno Bah, but that didn’t deter Perth who struck a third with 17 minutes to go when Aleks Jovic followed in on a long-range strike to score his first of 2021.

Armadale came roaring back and Andres tapped home his second of the game six minutes from time to make things interesting.

The hosts then equalised a minute into stoppage time when Pieter Jacobz headed in Chad Nilson's cross and it seemed Armadale had rescued a point.

Remarkably, there was one final twist and Whitney lashed into the bottom corner from 18 yards for the winner.

Sorrento kept hold of the final top four spot thanks to a 1-0 win over 10-man Balcatta at Percy Doyle Reserve.

Joe Tweats volleyed over for Sorrento while at the other end Amir Ajan blasted wide in a quiet first 45 minutes.

The hosts were livelier after the break. Jordan Brown headed at Riley Stephenson and Tweats crashed into the side netting.

Sorrento were given a boost when Ajan was sent off against his former club on 57 minutes and they went on to get the game’s only goal 12 minutes later. Scott Witscghe ran onto a ball over the top and lifted it calmly over a stranded Stephenson.

Bayswater moved up to fifth thanks to Gordon Smith's first-half strike which gave them a 1-0 win at bottom club Cockburn City.

Daniel Robinson and Sebastian Da threatened for City before the visitors scored with their first notable effort just before half-time.

Smith latched on to a pass from deep and showed great composure to take the ball past Luke Radonich and fire into the net.

Cockburn's keeper was called into action 30 seconds after the restart to palm Ndumba Makeche's shot over the bar, before Smith was denied a second by an offside flag.

Inglewood United were the big movers in the bottom half as they climbed four places to seventh following a 4-1 win over Rockingham City.

Looking to break a four-game winless run, the hosts needed a fast start and they got it when they were awarded a penalty after 30 seconds and Ajak Riak netted.

Riak, without a goal since Round One, then got his second with a superb header from 12 yards.

On 56 minutes United were three up. Andreas Theodosiades linked up with Robert Petkov and blasted high into the roof of the net.

Christos Vaenas netted for Rockingham 20 minutes before time, but there was still time for an Inglewood fourth as Jamie Murphy glanced in a first NPLWA goal since 2018.

Results

Armadale 1-4 Perth SC
Cockburn City 0-1 Bayswater City
ECU Joondalup 2-0 Perth Glory
Gwelup Croatia 1-1 Floreat Athena
Inglewood United 4-1 Rockingham City
Sorrento 1-0 Balcatta