Report by Peter Simcox

Pictured: ECU Joondalup's Keylun Pollard and Bayswater City's Jack Jones in action. Photo: Peter Simcox

Bayswater City maintained the pressure on PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues WA leaders Inglewood United after a 1-0 win against a ten men ECU Joondalup at ECU Football Stadium on Saturday.

The home side had dominated play early, but the needless sending off Scottish striker Gordon Smith blew the game for the home side and Bayswater punished them with Hayden Doyle scoring the winner.

Bayswater coach Chris Coyne said the conditions made it a difficult contest.

“A well-deserved win but it didn’t help them having a player sent off early. But a pleasing result for us away from home, although we’re still not ruthful enough in the final third,” he said.

“At 1-0 anything can happen and we created some good chances but never took them, and took the wrong decision at times but we’ll work on hopefully get it right next week.”

Coyne said they are maturing into a good side after an inconsistent start to the season.

“We worked hard today and sometimes it’s more difficult against ten men but we kept our shape and discipline, and it was good to get another clean sheet,” he said.

“The conditions were horrendous and credit to both teams today, they kept going to the final whistle and I thought it was decent game of football in the conditions.”

On the other hand ECU Joondalup coach was left to ponder what might have been if they had not been reduced to ten men.

“I thought we dominated early but the sending off certainly changed the game,” he said.  

“We changed it up a bit and I thought we kept them to very few chances but we have to be more disciplined because if we had a full side I thought we could have got something today.”

The rain clouds were hovering at kick off and both sides went close in the windy conditions.

Tommy Amphlett’s low shot was saved by Devon Spence, while Steve Burton fell under a challenge from Ryan Lowry in the box, but the referee waved away their penalty claims.

Smith’s long-range shot was then pushed around a post by Spence but the visitors should have hit the front on 10 minutes.

Jason Mirco found space on the left and his cross found the unmarked Brian Farrell but his shot from 8m flew over the top.

Spence then came to his sides rescue six minutes later, saving Andy Higgins’ curling free kick low at his post.

Higgins’ set pieces were causing problems in the wind and his in-swinging corner was headed off the line by Jack Jones moments later.

But on 31 minutes the home side were reduced to ten men when Smith was given two yellow cards in a matter of seconds, for back chatting referee Matthew Southern.

Bayswater made their numerical advantage count seven minutes later. Mirco darted down the right and pulled the ball back to Doyle who made no mistake from 6m.

ECU had a chance to level on the stroke of half time. Higgins’ corner again caused havoc in the Bayswater box, Jones again cleared off the line, but Higgins’ return cross got caught in the wind and Spence had to be alert to save on his line.

Both keepers were in the action early in the second half. Lewis Italiano saved well to deny Todd Howarth, before Spence stood tall to deny Amphlett who had raced clear from Steven McGarry’s through ball.

Bayswater were finding holes in the ECU defence and Henry Durr got back with a superb last ditch tackle to thwart Mirco on the hour.    

ECU were struggling in the final third and It looked only a matter of time before Bayswater doubled their lead, and Italiano was at his best to stop Brian Farrell on a one-on-one.

The heavens opened late on and chances were few and far between but the damage had been done early, and the win for Bayswater moved them above Stirling Lions into second place.

Bayswater return home in Week 10 when they host Floreat Athena, while ECU Joondalup travel to Cockburn City.  

ECU Joondalup 0
Bayswater City 1 (Doyle 38mins)
Saturday May 21 2016
Venue: ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Referee: Matthew Southern
Assistants: Brian Mcdonald, Frank Laval

ECU Joondalup: GK Lewis ITALIANO, 2 Ryan LOWRY, 3 Joseph JONES, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Andy HIGGINS, 6 Paddy DOYLE (9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY 72’), 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Keylun POLLARD, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT (8 Ollie ANNIS 76’), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 18 Henry DURR
Subs not used: RGK Scott WALLIS, 7 James OWEN, 15 Coire MCGUIGAN
Yellow cards: Smith 31, 31, Lowry 40, Pollard 79, McGarry 87
Red cards: Smith 31

Bayswater City: GK Devon Spence, 2 Jack JONES, 6 Todd HOWARTH, 7 Hayden DOYLE (14 Lawrence SHURUMA 70’), 10 Jason MIRCO, 12 Steve BURTON (21 David HEAGNEY 62’), 13 Trent KAY (23 Andrija JUKIC 83’), 15 Brian FARRELL, 16 Jamie COYNE, 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 22 Nathan COSTELLO
Subs not used: RGK Fraser GREENWOOD, 4 David STOKOE
Yellow cards: Nil