Floreat Athena have opened a four-point lead at the top of State League Division One after defeating Quinns FC 2-1 in their Round 17 encounter.
Athena’s fourth win in five matches, combined with a second loss in as many games for closest rivals UWA Nedlands, makes them favourites to return to the NPL WA at the first time of asking.
Quinns, meanwhile, remain safely in mid-table with five matches remaining.
Tom Wassholm played a part in both goals at E&D Litis Stadium. First he supplied the cross for Jacob Young to head home, before the striker rifled in from a tight angle as Alun Vernals’ side led 2-0 at the interval.
Ben Johns headed home from a free-kick in the final 10 minutes to give Floreat a nervy finish. But the leaders held firm to extend their lead at the summit after Inglewood United won 3-1 at home to UWA.
Three goals in the opening 34 minutes from Glen Grostate’s side set the tone and proved to be the difference in the game.
Declan Hudson’s cross from the right ran through for Kian McGuigan to knock home inside the opening five minutes. McGuigan then crossed for Rostyn Griffiths to tuck home from six yards, before the veteran midfielder played a one-two with Hudson and calmly slotted past the goalkeeper.
Sebastian Hoonshangian’s brilliant strike on the stroke of half-time proved to be a consolation as it ended 3-1.
The win lifted Inglewood into fifth place, but they remain four points outside of the inter-divisional play-offs after late wins for Mandurah City and Joondalup City above them.
Mandurah maintained third place after staging a late comeback to sneak past Curtin University 4-3.
Jordan Callaghan got the game’s first goal on 32 minutes when heading against the underside of the bar, with the ball adjudged to have crossed the line.
Declan Tanna’s quickly taken volley from range caught out Mandurah to make it 1-1 on 49 minutes. Tanna then headed in Gaspar Becerra’s cross at the back post to give Troy Reid’s team the lead midway through the second half.
Charlie Breen stabbed in from close range for 2-2, but Curtin led again 12 minutes from time when Alfie Bryant teed up Jude Baillie, who hammered in from the edge of the box.
But the Dolphins fought back in the final six minutes to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games despite a scare.
Hamza Hina’s free-kick floated through everyone and nestled in the back of the net, before Lachlan Hannah bobbed up on 90 minutes to volley in the winner and keep Mandurah’s run going.
Joondalup City occupy the final play-off position after another late winner in a 3-2 victory over Murdoch University Melville.
Ed Wynne-Willson’s corner flew straight in to set Murdoch on their way on two minutes, but it was level at the break when Sam McKearnan’s cross was glanced in by Harry Edwards.
Wynne-Willson arrived unmarked at the back post to tap in Liam Armstrong’s cross on the hour mark. But they were again pegged back with Hugo Snowden’s drive taking a slight deflection on its way in for 2-2.
City would win it in stoppage time as Mason Gallagher’s cross was eventually scrambled over the line by Louis Hadfield for the striker’s ninth goal of the season.
MUM FC are now winless in seven and slide closer to the relegation zone with Subiaco now only three points from safety following a 2-1 win over Kingsley Westside.
Tomas Despotovski latched onto Robert Petkov’s flick-on to crash low across the goalkeeper on 12 minutes to give Subi a super start.
Luke Doyle’s excellent free-kick tied it up, but Kingsley ended the round six points from the play-offs, as David Micevski rose to head in Ethan Johnson’s cross deep in second half stoppage time.
Finally, Gwelup Croatia extended their unbeaten run to four games and leapfrogged Cockburn City into seventh place after a 2-0 win.
The Cockerels were punished for a handball in the first half with Roberto Soares scoring from the penalty spot at the second time of asking after seeing his initial kick saved by Ben Radonich.
Alex Nicolaidis fired across the goalkeeper 10 minutes from time to seal the win as both teams ended the weekend in mid-table.
In Division Two, Wembley Downs inflicted a first defeat of the season on Carramar Shamrock Rovers by beating them 4-2 at Butlers Reserve on Friday.
Lewis Jones had Rovers up after three minutes, but Rory Hannon scored twice with Toby Robertson and Luke Coltman bagging the others for the hosts. Wayne Guest got a consolation in stoppage time for the visitors as Wembley went second following a third successive victory.
Luke Thompson’s team had closed the gap on Rockingham City to two points by the end of the weekend after the leaders were held to a goalless draw by in-form Balga on Saturday.
Balga are now unbeaten in six since appointing Amir Dzamastagic and are three points behind fourth-place Forrestfield United, who beat Ashfield 2-0.
Lucas Reid and Austin Reynolds both scored from the penalty spot in the victory as Ashfield ended the game with eight men as Preston Gilling, Yared Nadew and Jake Melia were all sent off in the second half.
Ashfield’s third loss in a row saw them drop from fifth to seventh, and they swapped places with Kalamunda City who beat Morley Windmills 1-0 thanks to a winner from Angel Andres Rivera.
Elsewhere, Michael Henry’s goal gave East Perth a 2-1 victory at bottom side Canning City with Hanani Ndebele earlier cancelling out an own goal.
North Beach were the weekend’s other winners as they picked up a crucial three points at Gosnells in a relegation six-pointer. Ayden Dragun got the only goal on 23 minutes as Beach closed to within a point of Gosnells and safety.
