Athena's first loss opens door for Uni

Floreat Athena’s lead at the top of State League Division One was cut to one point after they suffered their first loss of the season on the weekend.

Athena went down 2-1 at Mandurah City, whose third win in a row put them on the brink of the promotion play-off places.

Sam Lovell was Mandurah's matchwinner with two second-half goals. His first came four minutes after the restart when he confidently finished Jordan Callaghan’s through ball, before doubling the lead by nodding home from six yards after Floreat failed to clear Hamza Hina’s corner.

Mohamed Al-Zaidy’s spectacular strike gave Floreat a lifeline with five minutes remaining, and Tom Wassholm saw a header saved by Josiah Godfrey. But Mandurah held firm to claim a big win, which puts them back in the promotion mix.

Floreat’s loss has opened the door for UWA Nedlands, who won 3-2 at local rivals Subiaco thanks to a Joe McInnes hat-trick.

The striker latched onto Dean Hurley’s flick-on to run in and dispatch past keeper Max Winton inside two minutes at Rosalie Park.

Subi were level on 21 minutes when Chris Harradine was brought down by Jake Sardelic in the box. Tomas Despotovksi's penalty was saved by Tadgh O’Malley only for the Subi man to score from the rebound.

Moments later, McInnes made it 2-1 in similar fashion after Hurley’s shot was saved by Winton, who was stretchered off soon after following a collision with a team-mate.

League's leading scorer McInnes made it 14 goals for the campaign on 48 minutes after Sebastian Hooshangian’s shot came off the post and that proved to be the sealing goal as Uni kept up their title charge.

Harradine’s back-post header from Despotovski’s corner reduced the arrears, but it was not enough for Subi who stay bottom and three points from safety.

Third-placed Joondalup City are five points off top spot after recording a 2-0 victory at Curtin University.

City hit the front three minutes after the interval as Taiga Kobayashi’s ball into the box ran through for Reece Kral, who coolly lifted over the goalkeeper to finish from a yard out.

Three minutes later they made it two with Kobayashi’s left-footed corner swinging all the way in, despite Curtin’s efforts to clear off the line. The hosts stay second-from-bottom in the standings.

Kinglsey Westside are fourth but lost for a third time in four outings, with Murdoch University Melville prevailing 3-1 at Len Shearer Reserve.

A fifth-minute penalty was awarded to MUM FC after keeper Isaac Driessen clattered into Matt Worton. Ed Wynne-Willson put away the spot-kick to see the home side into an early lead.

Alan Carrolll doubled the lead from Seagh Harris’ cross on 20 minutes,and Marc Anthony’s side were home and hosed by the hour when Wynne-Willson fed a pass through for Gustavo Marulanda to net.

That win moved eighth-placed Murdoch to within three points of Kingsley, despite Luke Doyle’s long-range goal-of-the-season contender late on.

Inglewood United is also in the cluster of teams chasing a top four finish after a 2-1 win over Cockburn City pushed them to seventh.

James Bourne put the Cockerels ahead on 27 minutes when heading in Daniel Robinson’s free-kick. However, Gavin Byars rifled in the equaliser from the penalty spot after being fouled in the box, before Jordan Brown won it in the 89th minute with a powerful header from Jake Nicholson’s cross.

Cockburn remain 10th and two points clear of trouble.

Gwelup Croatia and Quinns also remain in the play-off push after a 1-1 draw at the Croatian Sporting Complex.

Quinns’ Chad Samuels saw a penalty saved by Rocco Liberti midway through the second half, and Gwelup went ahead soon after when Robert Ferrante capped an outstanding team goal to slot into the corner from Nicolas Echeverria’s pass.

The visitors rescued a point with five minutes remaining as substitute Cameron Briggs converted Sam Wynne’s cross from close range.

In Division Two, Rockingham City extended their lead at the top of the league to three points after edging Gosnells City 1-0 at Walter Padbury Reserve.

Tom Kinnane got the only goal on 42 minutes for the leaders, while Gosnells remain without a win and outside of the bottom two on goal difference.

It proved to be a great weekend for Rockingham as every other side in the top four dropped points in Round Nine.

Second-placed Carramar Shamrock Rovers were held to a goalless draw by Balga, while Ashfield in third drew 1-1 with Morley Windmills. Morley scored first through Brennan Borzecki, which was cancelled out by Michael Mwingira’s late penalty for the hosts.

Wembley Downs, meanwhile, fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Kalamunda City on Friday with Angel Andres Rivera netting in each half. Toby Robertson was shown a straight red card for the home side, who are now hanging onto fourth.

Forrestfield United are just behind Wembley on goal difference after a 1-0 win at Canning City, where Austin Reynolds won it on 39 minutes.

Finally, East Perth moved into mid-table after a 2-0 defeat of lowly North Beach where Cian Tuite and Gerard Clarke scored in the first half.