Armadale edge out Bayswater in top-six battle
Round-up by Tommy Doleman
Armadale's loss at Cockburn proved incidental after Bayswater came up just short in their match with Floreat. Photo by FotoEnzo
Floreat Athena’s Phil Arnold inflicted more pain on Bayswater City as the battle to make the NPLWA Men’s top six threw up an enthralling Round 11 on Saturday.
With the competition splitting in two next week, six teams were chasing the final four spots and the chance to join Floreat and Gwelup Croatia in the top half.
As the afternoon wore on, Cockburn City, ECU Joondalup and Sorrento were pretty much home and hosed.
That left one place to be filled. Inglewood United’s race was run as they trailed 2-0 against Perth Glory before eventually losing 2-1.
Which meant sixth spot was between Armadale and Bayswater.
Armadale, who began the day in sixth, were doing themselves no favours at Cockburn. John O’Reilly’s team fell two goals behind after only 18 minutes and that was how it ended.
So Bayswater had to beat Floreat by three goals or more to edge out Armadale on goal difference, and they gave it a real crack.
Daryl Nicol got the ball rolling on eight minutes when he side-footed in Luke Salmon’s daisy-cutter free-kick. And although Floreat equalised late in the half through Bala Noah Shamaki’s diving header, City still had time to regain the lead before half-time when skipper Gustavo Giron Marulanda followed up to fire home.
The dismissal of Athena’s Nelson Tshongo for a second yellow card on 55 minutes boosted Bayswater’s cause and they took full advantage with two goals in six minutes. First Marulanda got his second, a real poacher’s effort from inside the six-yard box. Then when Salmon fired past Jason Saldaris from the edge of the area, Bayswater were suddenly in the top six.
But Floreat were not willing to give their big rivals an easy passage and 12 minutes from the end they scored the goal which ultimately did for Bayswater and ensured Armadale’s loss against Cockburn was not too costly.
Arnold, who scored the winner for Floreat against Bayswater in last year’s Belt Up Cup Final, laid the ball off to substitute Andrew Palmer before collecting a lovely return pass and shooting beyond Jackson Lee.
Bayswater threw everything in their search for a fifth goal, having Ryan Pearson dismissed for a second yellow in the process, but they had to settle for a 4-2 victory which means their chances of a fourth NPL title are over for 2020.
Bayswater's failure to find that late goal at Frank Drago Reserve meant Armadale scraped into the final top six spot on goals scored, despite a 2-0 defeat away at Cockburn City.
In-form Cockburn came into Saturday's game having won three of their past four games and they scored two quickfire goals to continue their fine run and finish in third place before the split.
Sebastian Da Silva was bundled over in the penalty area by Blake Adams on 15 minutes and up stepped Lazzaro to score his fifth goal in five games from the spot.
Da Silva has impressed at U18 and U20 level for Cockburn in the past two seasons scoring 13 goals in each campaign, and the youngster tapped home Riley Woodcock's cross three minutes later to score his second in as many games since making his senior debut last week.
Kristian Santich stung the palms of Cyril Sharrock from a free-kick as City continued to press in a strong first-half display, with Armadale's best opportunity coming from Brian Patterson's left-footed volley.
The visitors briefly responded after the break as Pieter Jacobsz and Sebastian Stenqvist failed to put in following a goalmouth scramble before Ali Nazary and Friday Zico tried their luck from distance.
Cockburn have the league's best defence though and a fourth clean sheet in five games meant Armadale were relying on results elsewhere to defend their place in the top six.
As it turned out, Floreat went on to score a consolation at Bayswater which dropped the three-time champions out of the top six and gave Armadale a reprieve by the slenderest of margins.
Inglewood, the other team in the mix for the final top six spot, fell to a 2-1 defeat away at Perth Glory, who snapped a four-game winless run.
Last year's Top Four Cup finalists needed to win at Hartfield Park and hope Armadale dropped points elsewhere. However, they got off to worst possible start as Scott Blackmore handled Joseph Forde's cross and Giordano Colli scored his first of the season from the penalty spot.
Lewis Tucker's drive flew beyond Alex Dunn's post before Charlie Leech's side-foot rolled agonisingly wide of the goal and an arriving Bryce Bafford, as the youngsters created the better first half chances.
Glory should have doubled their lead 10 minutes before the break but Leech was thwarted by the boot of Dunn from Forde's cut-back.
In the second half, Inglewood started with more intent as Robert Petkov forced Sam Reilly into a diving save, but Glory went on to double their advantage with 20 minutes remaining.
Substitute Chris Donnell showed tenacity and quick feet in midfield before sliding a wonderful pass through to Bafford, who rounded Dunn and slotted in his seventh of the season.
Inglewood pulled one back with five minutes remaining after miscommunication between Reilly and Alessandro Circati led to the latter nodding past his own goalkeeper and into a vacant net.
Petkov came close to equalising moments later when he was denied by a good Reilly save, but it was too little, too late for the visitors who now face the likes of Perth and Bayswater in the bottom half of the split.
ECU Joondalup knew a win would secure their position in the top six and they held up their end of the bargain with an impressive 3-0 victory against Balcatta.
Danny Hodgson was the hero with an assist and a pair of goals to move him to nine for the season and equal second with Angel Andres in the Golden Boot race.
The hosts have been in excellent form under Kenny Lowe, winning their last four games, and they took the lead inside 10 minutes at the campus.
Harry Evans latched on to Hodgson's flick-on and with Riley Stephenson off his line, the former Inglewood United playmaker scooped the ball over the goalkeeper for 1-0.
ECU controlled most of the opening period but survived a late scare when Johnny Perkins flew off his line from a free-kick, Adam Zimarino's shot was blocked, and Calum O'Connell was unable to hook home.
But normal service resumed for the home side after the restart and Hodgson doubled ECU's lead on 53 minutes when he ghosted into the six-yard box unmarked to head in Andy Higgins' corner.
Hodgson then completed his brace when Bayley Brown-Montgomery pulled back from the bye-line and the English striker was on hand to pick out the corner from 12 yards.
Ben Hinshelwood nearly added a fourth when his shot was blocked by Stephenson at the end, but it mattered little as ECU extended their unbeaten run to five while Balcatta are winless in seven.
Sorrento took their place in the top six as they earned a 1-1 draw on the road at Perth SC.
The Gulls needed a draw to join Floreat, Gwelup, Cockburn, ECU and Armadale in the next phase and they got off a flying start at Dorrien Gardens.
The visitors took the lead after eight minutes when Ollie Annis floated in a free-kick and Golden Boot leader Cameron Teece arrived late at the back post to score his 12th of the season.
Teece nearly provided the second goal two minutes later as he hooked a cross over his shoulder and Alex Morgan nodded over unmarked from six yards.
Kieran Colwell's cross was headed over by Daniel McKenzie before Jackson Morgan missed narrowly with an outside of the boot strike from 25 yards.
Perth were having their best spell of the game as Joel Driscoll made two brilliant saves from Tom Southgate and Paul Zimarino's free-kick, but he was helpless a minute before half-time as the Azzurri levelled.
Yagoub Mustafa powered his way down the right and his cross inadvertently deflected off Jordan Brown and beyond his goalkeeper into the net.
In the second half Mustafa was denied by Driscoll before Ryan Montgomery was called into action when he reacted well to palm Teece's flick-on over the bar.
Both teams had chances to win as the second half wore on, but in the end they each settled for a point.
Gwelup Croatia had already qualified for the top six prior to yesterday and they go into the second phase full of confidence after a 7-2 win over Rockingham.
Jon Stynes scored a hat-trick to take his tally to seven for the season, which included the game's first two goals – a long-range drive and a header from his brother Daniel Stynes’ cross.
It was 2-0 at the break and the hosts scored three more in eight minutes after the break to put the game to bed.
Sean McManus tapped home Ndumba Makeche's cross, then Stynes completed his treble when firing in from a tight angle. Makeche added a fifth when he lashed in powerfully past Nestus Burger to score in back-to-back games since returning from injury.
Rockingham never gave in and pulled one back as Dylan Rogers opened his account for the season with a nicely placed volley beyond Aidan Holloway, but Gwelup would put two more past their opponents before the final whistle.
Youngster Owen Goodliffe scored his first goal of the season when he turned to fire home from inside the area, before Adam Fields crossed perfectly for Sam Mitchinson to open his account as he drifted forward from full back.
Declan Collins netted the goal of the game late on from 30 yards out, but it was a difficult afternoon for the visitors against the league's leading scorers.
- The NPLWA Men’s league is now split in to a top six and bottom six. The top six is made up of Floreat, Gwelup, Cockburn, ECU Joondalup, Sorrento and Armadale. The bottom six sides are Bayswater, Inglewood, Perth Glory, Perth SC, Balcatta and Rockingham.
Each team will now face the other sides in their half of the split once over the next five weeks. No competition points will be carried over from the first 11 rounds.
The 2020 league champions will be the side who finish first in the top six.
There will then be a Top Four Cup finals series involving the teams who finish first, second and third in the top six and side top of the bottom six
The fixtures for the second phase of the season will be released this week.
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