Western Knights won their eighth game in 10 this season as they defeated Forrestfield United 3-1 in Saturday’s top of the table clash.
Men’s State League Division One top scorer Alex Kretowicz snapped a two-game goalless run with early strikes in each half, moving him to 11 for the season.
Former Bayswater and Armadale player Jake Sardelic added a third for the 2017 State Cup winners as they bounced back from last week’s defeat to Mandurah in fine fashion.
Gino Hampshire came off the bench to score a late consolation for Forrestfield, who are also guaranteed their place in the top six ahead of the split.
Olympic Kingsway missed an opportunity to go second as they let a two-goal lead slip against Subiaco at Kingsway Reserve.
Gyles Davies opened the scoring with his ninth goal in eight games before Asher Nelson doubled the hosts’ lead on 13 minutes.
But Subiaco found another gear off the back of last weekend’s 3-0 win over Ashfield and struck twice in the final 20 minutes to salvage a point.
Ayden Dragun halved the deficit before Matthew Lenzo struck six minutes from time as the visitors completed their comeback.
The day’s other surprising result saw Quinns drop out of the top six with a 2-1 defeat at Ashfield.
The fixture sprung into life on 33 minutes as Greg Pellow was shown a red card and Samim Fattahi opened the scoring moments later.
Top scorer Sakou Abdullah Sylla scored his fifth goal of the season eight minutes after the break to put the home side in a strong position and they would hold on for all three points despite Sam Wynne’s goal for Quinns eight minutes from the end.
At Hilton Reserve, Riley Van Dieken scored a hat-trick as 10-man Fremantle City cruised to a 4-1 win against bottom side Swan United.
Van Dieken scored 11 times for Rockingham City in the NPL WA last season and struck twice inside the first 25 minutes here as Freo moved into fourth place.
Jordan Pokler collected his second red card of the season on 32 minutes but it did not deter the hosts as Dantae Greer trebled their lead four minutes into the second period.
Van Dieken bagged his third on the hour to move into double figures for the season and one behind Kretowicz in the race for the Golden Boot, before John Monterosso’s late consolation for Swan.
Joondalup United occupy the final top-six spot after two goals inside the first nine minutes helped them to a 3-1 win over fifth-placed Mandurah City at Forrest Park.
City were on a six game unbeaten run having conquered Western Knights last week. But they were rocked by an early strike from Callum Speed and Jonah Vozzo’s first of the campaign.
The hosts were on a five-game unbeaten run of their own before last week’s defeat to Quinns and they wrapped up the points as Speed completed a brace on 64 minutes.
John Baird pulled one back later in the second half, but it was United’s day as they prepare to face Knights on the road while Mandurah will also hope to seal their top six spot at Ashfield.
Stirling Lions continued their mini-renaissance which bodes well for the second phase of their campaign after a 2-0 win over UWA Nedlands at Macedonia Park.
The deadlock was broken five minutes before the break with an own goal from Riccardo Mazzoleni before Alex Tanevski wrapped up the points late on.
Lions are out of the running for the top six. Still, their three-game unbeaten rung, which includes two wins, moved them up to eighth and above UWA.
Murdoch University Melville will finish the first phase of State League Division Two on top after winning their sixth straight game 2-1 against Wanneroo City.
The hero for the leaders was Declan Tanna with a goal either side of the break giving the hosts a 2-0 buffer and his sixth and seventh goals of the season.
Wanneroo pulled one back through their leading scoring Flynn Nolan but were unable to find an equaliser as both teams finished the game with 10 men.
The visitors are now winless in five and are in danger of missing the top six completely with three points separating third down to eighth in the league.
The afternoon’s other eye-catching result saw Gosnells move into the top six for the first time this season with Feisal Zaw scoring four times in a 6-2 win over Kelmscott Roos.
Former Inglewood and Balcatta forward Zaw equalised twice in the first half after goals from Amos Doegolia Junior and George Ballah gave Roos the lead on two separate occasions.
Aden Horry’s own goal minutes before the interval restored Gosnells’ advantage before two second half goals for Zaw completed a quartet for the afternoon and moved him level at the top of the Golden Boot race with Asa Sippits (10 goals).
Jordan Parfitt added a sixth and final goal 15 minutes from time as the hosts won for a fourth time in the last five games.
Dianella White Eagles were the other big movers of the day as they jumped three places up to second with a 2-0 win at Kingsley Westside.
The visitors had to be patient but took the lead just after the hour mark through ex-Stirling and Inglewood midfielder Milorad Vujacic.
Sippits sealed the points late on with his 10th goal in as many games, continuing a remarkable run of form which has seen him score in every match bar one this season.
Elsewhere, there were a couple of upsets as Morley Windmills upset Carramar Shamrock Rovers 3-0 and Curtin University won 1-0 away at Joondalup City. In the final game Balga and Canning City played out a goalless draw.
Division Two results
Filed Under: Men's State League