Dean Cummings scored six goals as Sorrento’s charge towards an undefeated season continued with a 7-1 thrashing of struggling Cockburn in Round 19 of State League Division One.
The midfielder took his total to 28 for the season as the champions made it 16 league wins in a row with Steve McGarry’s side now eyeing more second tier records.
Cockburn, meanwhile, stay second bottom with no change elsewhere at the foot of division, but games are running out if the Cockerels want to avoid the play-offs and potential back-to-back relegations.
Cummings’ sixth-minute penalty got the ball rolling for the Gulls before the Scot turned provider for Connor Simpson to tap in and double the lead past the half-hour.
Then the Cummings show kicked into gear with the league’s leading scorer tapping in before the break after Clay Gibbs’ cross was spilled into his path.
After the restart, Cummings latched onto Hamza Hina’s through ball to slot home, before heading in Jake Nicholson’s cross from the right.
The skipper’s fifth arrived after a sweeping move down the right which saw him finish Andrew Maranta pass before Angel Andres Rivera’s neat consolation and another Cummings penalty completed the scoring.
Below them, Dianella White Eagles are almost assured of a promotion play-off spot with a 3-1 victory over Kingsley Westside their first win in three games.
The deadlock was broken on 56 minutes when Andy Keogh nodded in Roberto Soares corner, before Soares rifled high into the net with a stunning finish which doubled the lead.
Kingsley pulled one back with five minutes remaining as Daniel Harrison arrived to crash home a loose ball in the box, but an unfortunate late own goal by Alex Galipo ensured the points were Dianella’s.
Murdoch University Melville are also closing in on a top-four finish as three early goals saw them ease to a 3-1 win at mid-table Joondalup United.
Ishmael Dawson’s superb volley from outside the box set Murdoch on their way after seven minutes, and the forward made it two with an excellent overhead kick following a set-piece.
Dawson then pulled back for Pat Sara to make it 3-0 after a dozen minutes which proved enough for Marc Anthony’s to stay five points clear of fifth place.
Joel Prout crossed for Ben Campbell to score a late Joondalup consolation who stay eighth and are all but safe.
Mandurah continue to hold the fourth and final inter-divisional playoff spot after a 3-2 victory against UWA Nedlands.
The Dolphins were in front inside 10 minutes as Jordan Callaghan beat Tadgh O’Malley to a loose ball and poked past the goalkeeper.
UWA tied it up before the break after good pressure from Raquan Bryant led to a Mandurah mistake at the back with the striker applying a simple finish for his first goal of the season.
But two goals in the space of three second-half minutes did the job for John Baird’s team who put five points between themselves and sixth-placed UWA with the win.
Ben Gallagher slipped through Chadley Edwards to finish low across the goalkeeper with 15 minutes left, before patient build-up around the box saw Gallagher put Mandurah 3-1 up after a nice team move.
Toby Robertson came off the bench and volleyed into the roof of the net from a tight angle which set up a nervous finish, but three defeats in four means they continue to fall away from the play-off picture.
Sandwiched between the pair are Subiaco who extended their unbeaten run to five matches with Moustafa Mohamed’s hat-trick helping them win 4-2 at Gosnells.
Jonty Pearson’s cross from the right was met by Moustafa’s looping header which crossed the line before a retreating defender could clear off the line.
In-form Mohamed scored Subiaco’s second with a firm drive from the edge of the box after good work from Lorran De Almeida, but Gosnells themselves were looking to stave off any threat of relegation and mounted a spirited comeback.
They got one back early in the second half when Tony Chandler’s free-kick was fumbled by the goalkeeper with Wade Farmer bundling home the rebound, before Chandler headed in Farmer’s corner to make it 2-2 on 66 minutes.
But Marc Wingell’s side would score two late goals to remain just one point outside of the top four going into the final three rounds.
Former NPL Gold Medal winner David Micevski’s free-kick had them ahead, before Mohamed raced away late on to complete a treble and continue Subi’s good stretch.
Finally, Gwelup Croatia kept their outside hopes of a play-off finish alive with a thrilling 5-3 win at bottom side Rockingham City.
James Harmer’s emphatic penalty had the visitors up early, but they were pegged back quickly when Luka Caceres nodded into the path of Albert Luwi who rolled into the net.
Harmer curler from outside the box clipped the underside of the bar and went in to restore Gwelup’s advantage, but once again Luwi had the answer for Rockingham when timing his run to stay onside and slot home.
The hosts would go in front on the hour mark with Dylan Rogers and Luwi both denied in the build-up before substitute Shane Boyle followed in to finish via a ricochet off the goalkeeper.
At that stage, Rockingham were off the bottom of the league, but three Gwelup goals in the final 27 minutes ensured they remain in the automatic relegation spot and two points behind Cockburn with three games left.
Reece Kral made it 3-3 with a composed finish after the ball broke kindly to him in the box, before Jeremie Mba’s close-range effort put Gwelup in front again inside the final 10 minutes.
Miklos Imre’s piledriver capped the win with Gwelup now unbeaten in four and five points off fourth place.
In Division Two, East Perth are the new leaders following a 3-1 win over Forrestfield United which stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches.
Sherwin Tucker’s penalty had put play-off chasing Forrestfield ahead, but Ryan Murray, Ryan McCready and an own goal saw the promoted side move two points clear at the top.
Joondalup City are now second after goals either side of half time gave them a 2-0 win at Swan United who remain second from bottom.
Liam Peacock and Harry Edwards got the goals in City’s first win in three despite Theo Gilsenan’s second-half red card.
Kalamunda City dropped to third spot after a 3-3 draw with fourth-placed Curtin University at Edinburgh Oval.
Kieran Witt and Scott Geare had Curtin cruising until the final quarter-of-an-hour when the previous table-toppers rallied to earn a point.
Jose Zuniga’s spot kick made it 2-1 before Witt’s second of the game with five minutes left had seemingly done enough for Troy Reid’s team.
But Farruh Mavlonov and Lal Cung scored in the final two minutes to make it 3-3 which was remarkably Kalamunda’s fifth draw in a row, while the point for Curtin means they are now three points clear of fifth-placed Forrestfield with four games left.
Quinns have climbed up to sixth and kept their outside hopes of a playoff finish intact with a 1-0 win at bottom side Wanneroo with Chris Williams scoring the only goal after 11 minutes.
Elsewhere, there were important victories for both Canning City and Carramar Shamrock Rovers who capitalised on losses for the league’s bottom two.
Canning were two goals down inside 10 minutes at Ashfield with Anthony Orobio and RaviRaj Singh scoring, but Alex Guzman’s penalty and Bill Orr’s brace turned it around to see them lead 3-2 at the break.
William Higginson stretched the lead on the hour mark before Guzman’s late sealer gave Canning their first win in four which puts them five points clear of the bottom two.
Carramar are also a game clear of the relegation places courtesy of a 1-0 win against Balga which hurt their opponents play-off ambitions with Dean Cowbrough got the only goal in the first half.