Azzurri out in front as Academy run over RedStar

Hyundai Football West Academy bolstered their top-four hopes after coming from behind to roll Perth RedStar 4-1 in Round 10 of the New Balance NPL WA Women’s competition.

The victory for the fifth-placed Academy means they are just one point behind fourth-placed RedStar with the season almost at its halfway mark.

It was a stormy Sunday across the league with wet and wild conditions playing a part in each of the matches. 

Academy forward Savanna Glavovic forced Gabby Dal Busco into a low save early on, but RedStar had the wind behind them in the first half and grew into the game.

Grace Monteiro whistled an effort just over the bar before Jayna Ridley and Lola Price both hit the post in the same sequence, with Ivy Hampton getting back to clear Price’s follow-up off the line.

The pressure eventually told as the three-time NPL champions took the lead. Ridley’s header from Quyean Doan’s cross was saved by Daisy McGreadie-Cole, but Renee Leota was on hand to bundle home the follow-up.

Despite leading 1-0 at the interval, it turned out RedStar had not built a big enough lead with the conditions in their favour. And with the wind behind their sails in the second half, the Academy shifted the momentum to run away with it.

Two goals in six minutes from skipper Daniella Santich turned the game on its head, with the defender heading in Glavovic’s corner before knocking the ball over the line after RedStar failed to cope with Ella Lange’s free-kick.

It was 3-1 midway through the second half when Theodora Mouithys broke beyond the last defender and unselfishly squared for Glavovic to side-foot in from six yards.

And three became four on 76 minutes when Messaline Mpunga cut inside her marker to score, despite Dal Busco getting a glove to the winger’s effort.

McGreadie-Cole saved Leota’s late volley as the Academy returned to winning ways, while RedStar saw their unbeaten run under Conrad McKelvie end.

At the top of the league, Perth Azzurri remain three points clear of the rest after defeating Sorrento FC 3-0 at Dorrien Gardens.

All three goals for the reigning champions came in the opening 21 minutes.

Jess Flannery looped in a header from Kim McCartney’s cross to get her seventh of the season. Then Daisy McAllister broke forward from midfield to drive in at the near post, before Ruby Marshall crashed home from close range.

Epril Nossent later blazed over a good chance while Amalia Caceres made several good saves against her former side to keep the margin at three.

Fremantle City are now outright second after beating Subiaco 2-1 at Rosalie Park.

Subi made a bright start as former Freo midfielder Laura Waltman forced Cassia Souza to tip over her own bar. But the hosts were down to 10 players just past the half-hour mark when Mia Hargreaves brought down Lacey Heys outside the box as the last defender.

From the resulting free-kick, the visitors went in front as Ischia Brooking played a ball to Heys, who teed up Tanika Lala to fire home.

Lala doubled the lead with her second brace in as many matches since re-signing with Freo, the Perth Glory A-League forward collecting Olivia Trueman’s pass before rounding the goalkeeper and scoring.

Emma Hallowell’s closing down led to Lucie Hotchin scoring her first goal for Subiaco with a clinical finish in stoppage time. But time ran out for the hosts who are now eight points away from fourth place.

Finally, bottom club UWA Nedlands picked up their second point of the season and in the process threw a spanner in Balcatta Etna's title ambitions as the teams played out a surprise 1-1 draw.

Beth Harries gave UWA a surprise lead on 23 minutes and something to hang on to.

Balcatta had plenty of chances and most of the territory after that, but it took 67 minutes for them to level when Jaime Duncanson’s brilliant pass released Frankie Murray, who stayed onside and slotted into the corner.

Ella Gaspar flashed a late effort over for Uni, while at the other end Caitlin Doeglas’ long-distance strike was saved by Janina Sauer as it ended all square. 

Balcatta are now five points behind leaders Perth, while UWA are five points from safety.