Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

ECU Joondalup produced a clinical performance to come home from Dalmatinac Park with a 4-0 win against Cockburn City in round seven of the PS4 National Premier Leagues WA on Saturday afternoon.
 
With only one win for the season the visitors were desperate for three points, and they were ahead at the break with Scottish striker Gordon Smith on target.

Smith added a second after the break, before substitute James Owen and Ben Johns gave Dale McCulloch’s side the three points.
 
McCulloch’s squad was tested with six first team players unavailable but said the young players who came in did a magnificent job.

“Really proud of the performance from the lads today, we played last week without any reward, but today we were and well worth the win,” he said.

“All the players who came in today put in good shifts, it was their opportunity to show me what they are about and they never let me down.
 
“Some of our lead up play today was outstanding and we kept the ball well which has let us down at times earlier in the season.

“I thought we controlled the game for large periods, apart from ten minutes before half time, and we took our chances well.”
 
It was ECU’s first clean sheet of the season and keeper Fraser Greenwood, who made a number of fine saves in the game including a penalty save early said it was good to finally get one.
 
“All the coaches have been on my case about getting a clean sheet, so to finally get one will give us confidence going forward,” he said.
 
“We had some big outs in the side today and a massive congratulations to the young lads that came in and stepped up on their first team debuts and they really did the job for us.”
 
Cockburn sat in fourth spot at kick-off and they should have taken the lead after only three minutes.
 
A bad back pass from Johns was pounced on by Liam Murray with the striker being brought down in the box by Shane Pickering resulting in a penalty.
 
Murray picked himself up to take the penalty, but Greenwood picked the right way to make the save.
 
The penalty sparked ECU to life with Steven McGarry firing straight at Luke Radonich, before Sam Pollard’s shot was well saved by the Cockburn custodian.
 
Radonich then produced a stunning save to deny Jon Huggins on 24 minutes, but there was little the keeper could do when ECU opened the scoring four minutes later.
 
A ball over the top by McGarry was misjudged by Joshua Kerr as Smith raced into goal with a clinical finish past Radonich.
 
Cockburn responded with Calvin Whitney’s shot crashing off the crossbar, before Cameron Edwards’ shot was tipped over the top by the alert Greenwood moments later.
 
Edwards almost set up the equaliser on the stroke of half time with a well weighted chip into the penalty area picking out Harry O’Brien who headed it straight at Greenwood.
 
The visitors were out of the blocks early in the second and Radonich saved well to prevent Smith, before the keeper produced a great save to deny Logan McIsaac.
 
On 69 minutes the visitors doubled their advantage. Daryl Nicol found space down the left and cut inside his marker, his deep cross picked out the unmarked Smith at the back post who headed home.
 
They then added a third eight minutes later. Smith sent in substitute Owen down the right of the penalty area and the youngster kept his composure with a clinical finish.   
 
Cockburn continued to press and Greenwood produced two great saves to deny Aden Da Luz and Whitney late on, but two minutes from time ECU scored their fourth.
 
Defender Johns picked the ball up inside his own half and raced at the Cockburn defence weaving in and out of tackles before racing into the penalty area and finishing with poise, for one of the best individuals goals of the season.
 
Cockburn City 0
ECU Joondalup 4 (Smith 28min, 69, Owen 77, Johns 88)
Saturday April 1, 2017
Dalmatinac Park
Kick-off: 3.00pm
Referee: Stuart Muldoon
Assistant Referees: Sorousha Moayer, Andre Ferreira
 
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 2 Joshua KUSER (10 David ARAYA 67), 4 Euen GRANT (C), 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI (12 Kenel MOUITHYS 75), 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 11 Harry O’BRIEN (13 Blake ADAMS 60), 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZARRO, 18 Aden DA LUZ, 19 Liam MURRAY
Substitutes not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 3 Daniel DOLS
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil

ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC, 6 Jon HIGGINS (C), 7 Kevin MOON (8 Declan HUGHES 85), 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Sam POLLARD (15 James OWEN 67), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 16 Cian HIRRELL, 19 Ben JOHNS
Substitutes not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 2 Stefan VRANESEVIC, 12 Keylun POLLARD
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil