Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

ECU Joondalup claimed their first win on the road this season after a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Sorrento in the Northern Derby at Percy Doyle Reserve in DT38 Round 13.

Sorrento skipper Reece Vittiglia gave the hosts the lead early on, before Bayley Brown-Montgomery levelled just before half-time.

And Brown-Montgomery, who wasn’t in the starting side until an injury to Tommy Amphlett, sealed the win 20 minutes from time to move them four points clear of the drop zone. 

While the bragging rights will be nice for the Jacks and coach Dale McCulloch, of much greater value is what it means in trems of the battle to avoid relegation. The result sees ECU move four points above botoom club Stirling Lions.

Before kick off both skippers and officials walked out wearing DT38 T-shirts as Football West teamed up with the DT38 Australia charity to help raise awareness of testicular cancer. DT38 “Awareness Down Under” is in honour of the late West Australian footballer Dylan Tombides, who died of testicular cancer in 2014 aged just 20.

The home side, who were on a two-game losing streak in the league, made the perfect start and were ahead after only three minutes. Jordan Roberts made space down the left and his cross was headed home by Vittiglia.

ECU looked to hit back but Andy Higgins fired over the top, before Jamal Reiners shot flashed wide.

Sorrento went close to a second on 23 minutes when Roberts again eased past his marker on the left and picked out Jack Salter, who failed to find the target. Moments later ECU keeper Johnny Perkins produced a great save to deny Vittiglia’s free-kick, before he was out quickly to smoother Cameron Teece’s effort.

ECU hadn’t scored in their last five NPL games, but that all changed four minutes before half-time. A speculative shot from Brown-Montgomery bounced just in front of Sorrento keeper James Morgan and the ball slid through his hands and into the net.  

Both sides pressed after the break and Vittiglia's shot on the run was saved low by Perkins, before Ollie Annis’ long-range effort drifted just wide.

But on 70 minutes the visitors hit the front. Henry Durr won the ball in the middle of the park and his ball sent Brown-Montgomery down the right. He eased past his marker, raced into the box and shot from the angle to beat Morgan at his near post.

ECU almost added a third when Annis and Higgins combined down the left, and Higgins’ goalbound shot was superbly tipped over by the Sorrento keeper.  

Sorrento pressed late looking for the equaliser and Teece’s flick was caught at full stretch by Perkins, before Teece’s shot on the turn was saved low by Perkins to seal the three points as ECU avenged their 3-2 loss to the Gulls in Round Two.   

Star player: Bayley Brown-Montgomery (ECU Joondalup) 

Sorrento 1 (Vittiglia 3)
ECU Joondalup 2 (Brown-Montgomery 40, 70)

Saturday, June 22
Percy Doyle Reserve
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Josh Mannella
Assistant referees: Albert Muyembe, Vetrivel Ravichandar

Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 David STOKOE, 3 Jakub PRAJZA, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 10 Jordan ROBERTS, 11 Tim HILL, 17 Reece VITTIGLIA (c), 18 Jordan BROWN, 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Jaxon TEMATA (16 Daniel PEARCE 81), 23. Cameron TEECE
Substitutes not used: RGK Noah BLOCH, 12 Jesse OWUOR, 21 Tristan STEVENS, 34 Reece ABRAMS
Yellow cards: Brown 37, Vittiglia 85, Prajza 88
Red cards: Nil

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS (c), 3 Nicholas KOEFLER, 4 Henry DURR, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 6 Ollie ANNIS, 7 Jamal REINERS (17 Charlie KENNA 84), 8 Josh WHITMORE (11 Ronald RIXER 61), 9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY, 10 Andy HIGGINS, 12 Billy QUINNCROFT, 14 Ewan FAWCETT
Substitutes not used: RGK George JACKSON, 2 Ben HINSHELWOOD, 15 Lukas DE LIMA,
Yellow cards: Cassidy 36, Brown-Montgomery 88
Red cards: Nil