Baysie take advantage of rivals' day off

Pat Loughrey scored a hat-trick as Bayswater City went top of the New Balance NPL WA Men’s competition with a 5-0 win at Armadale.

The defending champions’ fourth win in a row moved them a point clear of Perth RedStar and two ahead of Olympic Kingsway, whose Round 14 game was rescheduled for 11 July.

Armadale remain in the relegation play-off spot behind Perth Glory on goal difference, as their recent good run came to an end in heavy fashion. 

Bayswater led 1-0 at the interval, with Declan Hughes’ cross met by a towering header from defender Luke Palmateer.

Loughrey got Baysie up and running two minutes after the restart when slotting in Ollie La Galia’s pass from a tight angle. And the same pair combined on 55 minutes with the striker flashing across the face of goal for the Irish winger to finish.

La Galia got on the scoresheet himself from close range following a set piece and then crossed for Loughrey to complete his treble late on and cap a big Bayswater win.

Perth Azzurri are now within touching distance of the top three following their 4-2 win against Glory.

It was the third week in a row that Kenny Lowe’s side have come from two goals down to earn a result.

Malise Mpunga smashed a loose ball home, and then Louis Sollitt headed in Alfie Knight’s cross as Glory raced into a two-goal lead by 25 minutes.

Azzurri pulled one back before the break as Gordon Perkins headed in from Sam Pollard’s cross. And on 55 minutes the in-form striker stole the ball from Mpunga and fired in his 11th goal of the season to join Stirling’s Callum McKenzie at the top of the goalscoring charts.

Pieter Jacobsz then chested down Perkins’ cross for Ethan Banks to finish at the second time of asking as Perth went in front for the first time. And Jacobsz completed the scoring when latching onto Banks’ through ball.

Azzurri are five points clear of fifth spot, which is now occupied by Sorrento FC whose 1-0 victory at Stirling Macedonia saw them leapfrog their opponents in the standings.

The only goal was scored on eight minutes when Jakub Prajza squared for Rene Kisesa to arrive and plant a crisp first-time finish in from the edge of the box. That goal made it back-to-back wins for the Gulls, while Stirling are a point further back in sixth as their inconsistent form continued.

Dianella White Eagles also won by the solitary goal with a 1-0 home win against rivals Western Knights boosting their survival hopes.

The game’s decisive moment came on 58 minutes when Daniel Zivkovic arrived late to head in Miguel Restrepo’s cross from the right.

It was a first victory since Round Nine for Ian Ferguson’s side and put them four points clear of the relegation zone. Knights, meanwhile, are winless in four and are now closer to the bottom two than the top-four places.

Finally, Fremantle City defeated Balcatta Etna 5-2 on Sicilian Cup Day to move six points clear of the bottom two, while leaving their opponents still five points adrift at the foot of the table.

Iljas Ahmedov scored two poacher's goals from close range inside the opening 13 minutes at Hilton Park as Freo raced took command.

Nicolas Falco curled in a nice reply from the edge of the area for Balcatt, but Freo led 3-1 at the break when Shubham Mokala rattled in first time from Charlie Chechlacz’s pass.

Three became four on 70 minutes when Luke Alessandrino was penalised for handball and Chechlacz converted the resulting penalty.

Jared Flavel’s smart turn-and-finish from 18 yards reduced the arrears again, but Taj Bingwa scored goal number five when flying down the right wing and finishing brilliantly across the goalkeeper.