Report by Peter Simcox

ECU claimed victory with a stoppage-time penalty over Perth SC. Photo by Peter Simcox

ECU Joondalup have strengthened their top-six chances after a dramatic 2-1 win against Perth SC.

Andy Higgins gave the hosts the lead on the hour, but it looked like Perth had secured a point when Thomas Southgate converted a penalty six minutes from time.

But deep into stoppage time the home team won it, with second-half substitute Harry Evans scoring from the spot after a handball on the line by Aleks Jovic.

ECU head coach Kenny Lowe said: "Perth are a good team and we bossed them."

The loss ended the champions' hopes of reaching the top six when the league splits next week.

And with Bayswater City struggling to make the cut, the Men's National Premier Leagues WA looks set to have only the third different title winners in its seventh season. 

It was end-to-end football from the start at the ECU Football Stadium and both sides had chances.

The best came late in the first half. ECU midfielder Sami Riak set up Tommy Amphlett but Azzurri keeper Ryan Montgomery stood tall to deny him. Moments later a quick break saw Jayden Gorman go clear at the other end, but the youngster delayed his shot and Joe Pollard saved.  

It was the hosts who eventually opened the scoring on 58 minutes. Riley Warland’s through ball sent Higgins in on goal and he finished well past Montgomery.

ECU would have added more if it wasn’t for the brilliance of the Perth keeper who produced a number of fine saves, the best to deny substitute Luke Bodnar at the back post on 83 minutes.

Sixty seconds later that save became more important when Perth levelled after Gorman was pushed in the box by Ryan Lowry and Southgate converted from the spot.

Perth could have won it late on, with substitutes Paul Zimarino and Gustavo Catarcione both shooting wide. But the drama hadn’t finished there.

A ball from Callum Timmins sent Riak through, his shot crashed off the crossbar and the rebound fell to Bayley Brown-Montgomery who was caught high by Silla. It looked like referee Joshua Nixon had awarded a penalty, but instead he had given an indirect free-kick 10 yards out for the high boot.

With all of the Perth defenders camped on their own goalline, the free-kick was rolled to Higgins, whose effort struck the arm of Jovic. Nixon pointed to the spot and, after consulting with his assistant Benjamin Kaiser, sent off the Perth midfielder.

Evans, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, kept his nerve to send Montgomery the wrong way and claim a valuable three points for Lowe's side in the most thrilling of circumstances.

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Armadale registered an emphatic 5-2 win over Perth Glory at Alfred Skeet Reserve to move into the last top-six spot.

Charlie Leech poked through for Bryce Bafford to score his sixth of the season inside five minutes, but the hosts levelled soon after as Ali Nazary's inswinging corner was glanced in at the near post by Brian Patterson.

Aiden Edwards stung the palms of Cyril Sharrock from range, but it was Armadale who took the lead into half-time when Pieter Jacobsz finished Friday Zico's cross for his first goal of the season.

The 2018 Belt Up Cup winners took further control four minutes into the second period when Nazary capitalised on a mix-up in Glory's defence to slide the ball into an empty net.

Glory were not done though, and they reduced the arrears when Giordano Colli and Leech teamed up to put Jack Painter-Andrews in and he duly fired past goalkeeper Cyril Sharrock for 3-2.

Any hopes of a comeback were short lived as Armadale restored their two-goal margin five minutes later. A long clearance upfield was flicked on by Sebastian Stenqvist and Jacobsz raced through to bundle home his second of the game.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when substitute Josh Rawlins was shown a straight red card and minutes later the scoring was completed by Roberto De Freitas Soares, who headed in from another Nazary corner.

The defeat means Glory are now unable to make the top six.

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Robert Petkov's second-half spot-kick gave Inglewood United a chance of overtaking Armadale ahead of the split, as they came from behind to defeat Balcatta 2-1 at Grindleford Reserve.

The home side had lift-off after just two minutes when Calum O'Connell pounced on a misplaced pass from Scott Blackmore and executed a tremendous lob over Alex Dunn from 40 yards.

Adam Tong's headed flick-on landed on top of Inglewood's net 10 minutes before Adam Zimarino's curler was palmed behind for a corner by Dunn minutes before the break.

Inglewood barely fired a shot in the first 45 minutes, but Andres Oliveira's team showed more intent from the restart and found an equaliser with their first meaningful shot on target.

Anthony Bafobusha drove towards Balcatta's penalty area twice before winning possession back and feeding Steve Sokol, who blasted home from a tight angle for 1-1.

Adam Falcone then curled over Riley Stephenson's crossbar before the game's crucial moment unfolded when John Kearney was adjudged to have fouled Petkov in the area on 71 minutes.

The former Floreat and Stirling Lions striker sent Stephenson the wrong way for his first goal of the season, which moved Inglewood within a point of sixth-placed Armadale ahead of next week's must-win clash against Glory.

Balcatta were unable to force a late equaliser as they let yet another lead slip to remain second from bottom and out of contention for the top six.

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Bayswater will require an unlikely set of results if they are to squeeze in to the top six after they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Gwelup Croatia.

The three-time NPL WA Men’s champions are winless in four games and need to overcome leaders Floreat next week and hope both Armadale and Inglewood slip up to have a chance of beating the odds.

Gwelup got off to a fast start on Saturday with two goals in the first seven minutes and never looked back.

Ndumba Makeche broke down the right and pulled back for Daniel Stynes to calmly slot in the opener.

It was Makeche's turn to get on the scoresheet moments later as Shubham Mokala's shot landed at the feet of the former Perth Glory striker and he duly doubled Gwelup's advantage.

Bayswater gave themselves hope of a comeback four minutes before the break as Daryl Nicol latched onto Todd Howarth's superb pass and fired beyond Connor Campbell for his seventh of the season.

Mokala forced Patrick Stephenson into action early in the second period before Bayswater created a couple of chances to equalise as the half wore on.

An off-balance Declan Hughes could not divert his effort on target, before Nicol's free-kick through the wall was smartly turned away by Campbell.

That proved an important save as Gwelup went on to make the game safe. The lively Mokala was fouled in the area and Stynes stepped up to complete his brace for his sixth of 2020.

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Cockburn City won 3-0 at Rockingham City to ensure they need only a point from against Armadale next up to qualify for the top six.

Liam Murray gave the visitors a perfect start as the striker made sure Jesse Lazzaro's scuffed effort crossed the line on 10 minutes.

It was quickly  2-0 as Rockingham keeper Nestus Burger came off his line and cleared into Sebastian Da Silva, who had the simple task of scoring into an empty for his first goal of the campaign.

Cameron Edwards' strike was deflected behind by the scrambling home defence before Da Silva volleyed over from six yards following Burger's fumble from Daniel Santich's effort.

Rockingham's post was then their saviour as Da Silva raced clear of the defence, rounded the goalkeeper and rolled his effort into the frame of the goal.

Luke Collins’ deflected shot from range ran kindly for Luke Radonich, before Burger made two tremendous blocks at the other end from Da Silva and Ali Gholami.

Cockburn added some late gloss to the score as Santich's cross ran all the way through for Lazzaro to side-foot in.

It was a tough afternoon overall for bottom of the table Rockingham's young side at SafeRad Stadium, who will hope to fare better once the season is reset.

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Floreat Athena won their fifth consecutive game to guarantee they will finish top at the end of the first phase of the season.

Their 3-1 win over in-form Sorrento at E&D Litis Stadium give Athena a five-point buffer over Gwelup Croatia.

The hosts took six minutes to make their mark as Noah Shamaki's pull back to the edge of the area was sweetly finished by Andrew Maranta for his first goal of the campaign.

Shamaki's blast from range sailed wide of the upright before Sorrento's first real chance fell to Cameron Teece, who found Floreat bodies in the way of his toe-poke.

Sorrento's hopes of coming back were almost dashed when Amir Ajan collided heavily in the air with George Festa minutes before the break. Referee David Bruce initially produced a straight red card for Ajan but downgraded his card to yellow upon consultation with his assistant referee.

Floreat went on to double their lead early in the second half when Shamaki scored his first goal since Round Six and fourth of the season with an excellent looping header.

Teece's long range effort was collected by Jason Saldaris as the Gulls pressed and they halved the deficit midway through the second half when Alex Morgan ran onto Jakub Prajza's raking pass and lobbed over the goalkeeper.

Ajan's speculative volley flew over the bar and Tristan Stevens put wide of the post as Sorrento fell short of conjuring an equaliser. Instead, they will need a point on the final day of the first phase against Perth at Dorrien Gardens to be certain of their position in the top six.

Athena meanwhile are flying with eight wins from 10 games, the latest sealed when Ethan Mom came off the bench and scored on his senior debut.

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