Report by Tristan Wheeler

ECU Joondalup and Mandurah City put on an entertaining performance as the home side triumphed 3-1 at ECU Joondalup Football Stadium on Saturday.

ECU assistant coach David Tough was pleased with the result after a quick turnaround from their Westfield FFA Cup match on ANZAC Day.

“We had a tough week; this is the third game in seven days," he said. "The boys are tired mentally and physically. We just had to get the three points.

“I think we showed grit. We didn’t play by any means up to the level that we can with our passing and attacking football but the grit and standing up to a physical side was a big plus for us."

Mandurah coach Doug Hesketh was pleased with his side’s improvements despite the end result.

“I thought in the first half we were the best team," Hesketh said. "I thought they looked very nervous because they’ve had some poor results.

“I thought in the second half we set up too deep for too long early on and that gave them opportunities, and when they got a break, we ended up playing catch up, which is really difficult.

“I’m extremely proud of all the players. I think that we were really stretched midweek in the cup. I asked for a reaction today and I got it”.

The first half was all Mandurah and they had multiple chances to take the lead.

Matthew Stares poked the ball just wide of goal in the 16th minute after ECU shot stopper Fraser Greenwood punched a cross into the path of the Mandurah midfielder.
 
Jeff Bright also went close in the 18th minute with his cross sliding past Greenwood’s right post as the teams went in level at the break.

ECU took the advantage in the 63rd minute through Sam Pollard. After Mandurah’s defence failed to adequately clear a corner, Pollard swept the ball home with a calm finish.

ECU doubled their lead six minutes later as the referee awarded a penalty for a late Oliver McGee challenge.

Captain Gordon Smith smashed the spot kick into the underside of the crossbar, luckily Steven McGarry was on hand to turn the ball home and spare his captain's blushes.

Minutes later, McGee pegged back a goal for Mandurah, heading home from a corner.

It would prove to be too little too late, however, with Gordon Smith putting the icing on the cake in the 89th minute to make it 3-1 at the final whistle.

ECU Joondalup 3 (Pollard 63min, McGarry 69, Smith 89)
Mandurah City 1 (McGee 71min)
Saturday, April 29, 2017
ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Stuart Muldoon
Assistant Referees: Andre Ferreira, Daniel Cole

ECU Joondalup: 1. Fraser GREENWOOD, 3.Ross MILLARD, 4.Shane PICKERING, 5. Logan MCISAAC, 7. Kevin MOON, 9.Daryl NICOL (15.Kevin POLLARD 37), 10. Gordon SMITH, 11. Sam POLLARD, 13. Tommy AMPHLETT (6.James OWEN 90), 14. Steven MCGARRY, 18. Cian HIRRELL
Substitutes not used: 8. Steff VRANSEVIC, 16. Declan HUGHES, 20. Todd HOYLE
Yellow Cards: McGarry 69
Red Cards: nil

Mandurah City: 1. Bradley EIFFE, 2.Oliver MCGEE, 3. Jeffrey BRIGHT, 4. Matthew STARES, 5. Thomas STRAKER, 6. Oscar THOMPSON (12. Mark MCLAUGHLIN 22), 7.Jack EADES, 8. Andrew BROWN, 10. Lance LOUVIE (14.Slade RULE), 11. Joseph O’BRIEN (15. Michael EVANS).
Substitutes not used: 21. Cyril SHARROCK, 16. Mitchell FIRTH
Yellow Cards: Louvie 35, McGee 69
Red Cards: nil