Amir Ajan scored a hat-trick as Armadale moved into the top four with a 5-1 win at Sorrento FC in Round 11 of the NPLWA – Men’s competition.
It was a third win in four matches for Alun Vernals’ outfit as the Army’s charge toward a first-ever finals finish in the NPL era continued. Sorrento remain in the league’s bottom half with only one win in their past five matches.
The Gulls were on the back foot after only 14 minutes when goalkeeper Ben Ratajczak was sent off following a clash outside the box with Hamish Van Dieken. From the resulting free-kick, Ajan whipped brilliantly over the wall and in for a visitors’ lead in the northern suburbs.
Armadale doubled their lead four minutes before the interval when miscommunication at the back from the hosts led to Masatoshi Takeshita poking past replacement stopper David Keenan and tapping into a vacant net.
NPLM RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
Despite being down a man, Sorrento pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when Manuel Veneracion’s backheel found Joe O’Brien, who crisply finished across the goalkeeper. But that was as close as the home side came with Armadale rolling to victory in the second period.
Golden Boot leader Pieter Jacobsz sprung the offside trap and slotted in to extend his scoring streak to five games and make it 12 goals for the campaign on the hour mark.
Ajan then exquisitely chipped over the goalkeeper from just inside the box, before being released by a clever Josh Willis flick to finish with confidence and confirm back-to-back road wins.
Armadale’s ascent into the finals places was made possible by Perth SC drawing 0-0 with Perth Glory at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
Glory are now seven points off the top but remain firmly in the play-off positions in third, while the Azzurri’s winless run extends to five games and they drop from fourth to sixth in the standings.
Kenny Lowe’s team were also overtaken by his former side Perth RedStar, who are fifth and one point off fourth place following a 1-0 win over Balcatta Etna.
The game’s only goal was scored five minutes from time when new signing Liam Murray came off the bench and carved out an excellent assist from the byline for Daryl Nicol to net from close range. That was RedStar’s fourth win in a row, while Balcatta are winless in four and remain entrenched in the league’s bottom half.
At the top, Bayswater City and Olympic Kingsway both picked up wins with three points still separating the top two.
Leaders Bayswater made it nine wins from 11 outings this term as they cruised past Stirling Macedonia 3-0.
They led on 15 minutes when Cameron Teece’s perfect through ball spotted the run of Pat Loughrey, who struck first time into the back of the net.
It was 2-0 early in the second half when Teece headed Sean McManus’ diagonal back across goal with Chris Jackson bundling in from close range.
Oli La Galia added late gloss to the scoreline when firing in after another McManus cross was spilled into his path. Bayswater remain undefeated at the halfway mark of the season and have only conceded five goals so far, while mid-table Stirling’s inconsistencies continue.
Meanwhile, Kingsway came from 2-1 down to defeat Fremantle City 4-2 with Laat Mathiang scoring a hat-trick for the hosts.
Mathiang stroked home the opener on eight minutes when teed up by Joe Hobson following a cross from the right wing.
That advantage stayed intact until the 56th minute when Freo scored twice in quick succession to turn the game on its head. Charlie Chechlacz’s corner was forced home by Hayden Stevens from close range, before Anthony Topini’s drive from the edge of the area flew past Olympic keeper Adrian Sinagra.
However, the reigning champions scored three times in the final 14 minutes to ensure they remained in touch with pacesetters Bayswater. Hobson completed a hat-trick of assists when squaring for Luke Hewings to make it 2-2, before putting it on a plate for Mathiang to apply a simple finish.
Mathiang’s treble was complete moments later when picking out the bottom corner from Mitch Oxborrow’s lay-off.
Finally, Western Knights continued their improved form of late with a 4-2 win at bottom side Floreat Athena.
Knights flew out the blocks with two Kosta Sparta goals in the opening quarter of an hour. The forward brilliantly headed in Dylan White’s cross from the left, before rolling in from a tight angle when the pair combined again down the same flank.
Adam Kostrencic’s side were seemingly in control, but Floreat pulled one back as Abraham Mathet made it two goals in two games when neatly rolling into the bottom corner from Daniel Khan’s through ball.
Alex Da Rocha’s daisy-cutter restored Knights’ two-goal buffer, only for Athena to eat into the margin again with Noah Kanzi forcing over from a set-piece scramble.
Manase Abandelwa’s cross from the right skipped through to Dylan White, who tapped home for 4-2 with 20 minutes remaining. That was how it finished, with Knights now undefeated in five and sitting five points off fourth place, while Floreat remain bottom and five points from safety.
