Azzurri sucker punch floors Olympic

Perth Azzurri have blown the New Balance NPL WA Men’s title race wide open after knocking off previous leaders Olympic Kingsway 2-1 at Madman Arena.

 

Kenny Lowe’s side suffered a 4-1 defeat to the same opponents in the Hahn Australia Cup last week. But on Saturday, they overcame a long injury list to reverse their fortunes, despite playing the final nine minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men.

 

The Azzurri stay fourth with the win and have tightened up the top end of the division, with just three points separating the top seven sides after seven rounds.

 

Perth had several good chances in the first half with Gordon Perkins twice denied by Adrian SIngara, before Alex Silla slipped wide of the post when getting forward from full back.

 

Olympic made the visitors pay for those misses and took the lead on 27 minutes when Rob Harker outmuscled his marker into a collision with keeper Liam Driscoll and slotted the ball into a vacant net.

 

Perkins had another good chance late in the half but headed over, before he got his reward in stoppage time when he got in beat Sinagra to Silla's long ball down the right and rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle.

 

The game threatened to change momentum on 81 minutes when Sean O’Connor picked up a second yellow card. But it did not derail the visitors, who snatched a winner in the 89th minute when Sam Pollard set off down the left, played a one-two with Perkins, and prodded home to end Kingsway’s unbeaten start to the season.

 

Olympic’s loss sees them drop to second behind Western Knights on goal difference, ahead of the teams' meeting at Kingsway next Saturday. This week, the new league leaders came from 3-0 and 4-1 down to defeat bottom side Armadale 5-4 at Nash Field.

Armadale could not have made a better start in search of a first league win this season. Craig Barker headed in Charlie Garnham’s corner for the opener, with Abraham Mathet doubling the advantage soon after with a nicely taken long-range lob.

 

Mathet lifted over Anthony Lance again on 39 minutes to score a third for the Army, before Knights pulled one back before the break courtesy of Kosta Sparta’s drive from distance.

 

Luke Desmond’s thumping volley past the hour mark looked certain to give John Baird a long-awaited maiden victory. Knights had other ideas, though, and launched a stunning fightback with four goals in the final 18 minutes.

 

A long throw ran through to Aaron Pike, who reduced the deficit to 4-2, before Jesse Lazarro stayed onside from Kristian Santich’s pass and curled into the far corner.

 

Knights equalised six minutes from time when Dylan White stood up a cross for Max Blackshaw to crash in a header at the back post. And the remarkable comeback was complete when David Keenan was adjudged to have brought down Pike in the box with the striker stepping up to dispatch the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

 

Elsewhere, Perth RedStar overcame a red card in each half to edge past Dianella White Eagles 1-0 and move level on points with the top two.

 

Dianella were presented with a great opportunity to go ahead on 22 minutes when Blair Govan was sent off for a last man foul on Ben Hinshelwood.

 

Unfortunately for White Eagles, the striker put his spot kick wide of the post, and RedStar made the most of their let-off 11 minutes later. Matty George pinched the ball off Franc Gamiz Quer and ran in to slot across the goalkeeper and into the corner. That was enough to give RedStar a fourth win in five matches despite Aaron Black’s late red card for a challenge from behind. Dianella, meanwhile, drop to ninth in the league.
 

Stirling Macedonia stay fifth and a point outside the finals places following a 3-2 win over Fremantle City.

 

Lucas Rossi forced Stirling keeper Liam Hattersley into an early save before Callum McKenzie stroked in the opener on 14 minutes following a nicely worked short corner.

 

Pacifique Dufitimukiza made it two after jinking his way into the box on 25 minutes, and the lead could have been greater but for several good stops from Luke Radonich.

 

Freo got back in the game just before half-time when Chad Nilson’s cross from the left spilled to Nick Ambrogio, who opened his account for the campaign.

 

Scott Miller’s side levelled 10 minutes after the restart when Isaiah Wingell netted his first NPL goal after George Festa’s header hit the post. But McKenzie bent brilliantly into the bottom corner moments later to win it for the hosts, which proved a perfect response to last week’s Australia Cup elimination to State League Division Two side East Perth.

 

Freo had chances to pinch a late equaliser but their five-game unbeaten run ultimately ended as they slip to eighth.

 

There were also away wins for Bayswater City and Sorrento FC.

 

Baysie ended a four-game winless run with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Balcatta Etna. The Round One meeting between these two ended 7-0 to the reigning champions but Etna were keen on revenge and led on 18 minutes when Jared Flavel’s cross was headed back across the goalkeeper by Eddie Wilcock.

 

But two goals in four second-half minutes won it for Matt Sparrow’s side. First, Chris Jackson hammered home on the volley, before Declan Hughes’ superb curler gave the visitors a much-needed victory.

Finally, Sorrento made it three league wins in a row after defeating Perth Glory 1-0 at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.

 

The game’s only goal came on 47 minutes when Ruben Argent fouled Scott Robertson in the box and Dean Cummings converted the spot kick.

 

Glory was unable to break down the Gulls despite more attempts on goal and Tyler Fitch’s late red card added to the frustrations. The result means the youngsters have lost four in a row and are only two points above the relegation zone.