Round-up by Tommy Doleman

Floreat striker Bala Noah Shamaki shoots as Perth Glory keeper Sam Reilly prepares to react. Photo by Tom McCarthy

Floreat Athena joined NPLWA Men's leaders Gwelup Croatia on 16 points following Wednesday night's Round Seven fixtures.

While Gwelup were suffering a first loss of 2020 at Cockburn City, Athena took advantage with a 2-0 win over Perth Glory at E&D Litis Stadium.

The hosts were playing their second home game in four days and started brightly as Liam Murray’s strike from range cannoned off the post, before Phil Arnold headed wide from six yards.

Glory’s best chance of the half came after a nice move which saw Jayden Leader, Ciaran Bramwell and Bryce Bafford link up before Leader sidefooted wide.

Athena were more clinical on the night and they struck twice in nine minutes to wrap up the points.

Dean Evans’ corner was flicked on at the near post by Andrew Palmer, but the final touch came off an unfortunate Fraser Dunlop from close range.

Then Murray picked up the ball on the left wing, cut inside and curled superbly into the far corner to register against his former club.

Glory had chances to respond after the break as Josh Rawlins’ cross bounced back off the bar and Giordano Colli shot at Saldaris. But it was Floreat who maintained their 100 per cent home record.

Teams and match details here

Riley Woodcock scored the only goal as Cockburn City upset Gwelup Croatia 1-0 at Dalmatinac Park to inflict a first defeat of the season on the league leaders.

The former A-League and Young Socceroos defender capitalised on miscommunication in Gwelup’s defence to score into an open net on 17 minutes.

The goal came moments after Cockburn's David Araya hit the post and Ali Gholami put the rebound wide.

Top scorer Hasani Sinclair had Gwelup’s best opportunities to equalise, but he was denied twice by the feet of Luke Radonich. Sinclair also shot over the bar and flashed a header narrowly wide, as Cockburn’s outstanding rearguard held firm as they moved back into the top six.

Another positive for Cockburn was the return of Liam Murray from long-term injury. Murray, who had got a couple of Under 20s games under his belt, played his first NPLWA Men's senior game since Round Four in 2018.

Teams and match details here

Armadale moved up to third in the table as they won a five-goal thriller against Perth SC at Dorrien Gardens.

John O’Reilly’s team were on the back foot inside five minutes as Azzurri youngster Jayden Gorman poked in his third of the season, following Yagoub Mustafa’s cross which took a slight touch off Michael Domfeh on its way through.

Armadale hit back quickly when Angel Andres Rivera capitalised on a mistake to score his ninth of the season and move level with Cameron Teece atop the goalscoring charts.

The visitors then went ahead as Rivera's cross was cleared into the path of Kevin Ashwood, who volleyed in spectacularly to register his first goal of the campaign.

Perth found their scoring rhythm at Rockingham on Saturday and they made it 2-2 four minutes before the break, when a corner was taken quickly and Tom Southgate arrived on the edge of the area to finish past Cyril Sharrock.

The action slowed in the second half, but the crucial strike came in the 50th minute as Sebastian Stenqvist scored from close range after an Armadale set-piece.

Domfeh’s shot at Sharrock midway through the second period was the closest the Azzurri came to equalising, as the visitors held firm despite a second yellow card for Brian Patterson late on.

Teams and match details here

Bayswater City missed an opportunity to go third as they were held 1-1 at home by ninth-placed ECU Joondalup.

Gustavo Marulanda nearly opened the scoring when his drive took a slight deflection and fizzed wide of the post, but ECU would take the lead soon after.

It was a nice passing move from Kenny Lowe’s side as Ethan Brooks found the feet of Bayley Brown-Montgomery, who helped it on for Tommy Amphlett to fire across the keeper and bag his first of the season.

But the lead only lasted 14 minutes as the visitors failed to clear their lines from a corner. Todd Howarth won a header from a looping clearance and Luke Salmon was unmarked to score his first goal since the opening weekend from six yards.

The second half was tight with set-pieces providing the best chances of either team finding a winner. Salmon and Daryl Nicol both had deflected efforts which sailed wide of the mark.

Danny Hodgson also curled one past the upright late on, as ECU earned a positive point on the road to end a losing run of three games.

Teams and match details here

Sorrento came from two goals down for the second time in three games as they rescued a point in a 2-2 draw at home to Balcatta.

The Gulls remain in the final top six spot ahead of their Regional Festival of Football clash with Perth Glory in Albany on Saturday, but they had to work hard for their point against a fast-starting visitors.

Michael Zimarino put Balcatta one up at Percy Doyle Reserve when he raced clear of Sorrento’s defence to finish past Matt Guidicatti.

The scorer then provided the assist for Balcatta’s second goal as he nodded down intelligently in to the path of Henry Durr, who calmly slotted his first goal of 2020.

But Balcatta have let leads slip against Gwelup and Floreat this season and they faltered from a winning position again as the Gulls hit back.

Former Perth skipper Clark Keltie came off the bench and took only nine minutes to make an impact when he headed home a corner to halve the deficit.

Then Ollie Annis completed the comeback on 73 minutes when he looped a header over Riley Stephenson into the top corner.

Sorrento nearly forced home a late winner after a goalmouth scramble, but had to be content with a point and extending their unbeaten run to four games.

Teams and match details here

Inglewood United came from a goal down to win their second game of the season as they defeated winless Rockingham City 2-1.

Mitch Gruin earned a start having come off the bench to net against Perth at the weekend, and he made the most of his opportunity by dinking coolly over Alex Dunn to open the scoring at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium.

Rockingham were unable to get to half-time with their lead intact as they conceded in first-half stoppage time.

Jason Barrera showed good tenacity in the penalty area to win the ball back on a couple of occasions before finishing for his first league goal since June 2018.

The winning goal came just past the hour as Steve Sokol drove in from the right wing to finish beyond Brad Stout after a fine solo run.

Inglewood’s win moves them three places up the table ahead of a tough trip to Armadale on Saturday, while bottom-of-the table Rockingham host ECU Joondalup at SafeRad Stadium.

Teams and match details here

Round Seven results