Western Knights scored five times for a second straight week to maintain their perfect start the Men’s State League Division One campaign.
Albert Luwi’s hot streak of scoring in every game this year continued with two first-half goals as Knights brushed aside Dianella White Eagles 5-0.
The opener came after Dejan Aleksic’s clearance broke the way of the forward and he rolled the ball home through several bodies.
Luwi’s second arrived just before the break as he lashed in from a corner to take his tally to six goals for 2023.
Another in-form attacker Alex Kretowicz made it 3-0 for the visitors from the penalty spot, before Adam Harris’ close-range finish and Ben Campbell’s near post shot gave Knights a fourth successive win.
Fremantle City are three points behind Knights in second spot after coming from behind to defeat Joondalup United 3-1.
Jay Lang put United ahead on 52 minutes with a long-distance strike which went in via the post. But three goals in the final 20 minutes turned it around for the home side at Hilton Park.
A nicely constructed move involving Martim Galvao and Hamza Hina ended with the latter rolling into the corner, before Hayden Stevens stayed forward from a set piece and made it 2-1 from George Festa’s pull back.
Hina then rubber-stamped the win as he bundled in from close range following Brian Patterson’s saved shot, as Freo bounced back from last week’s loss to Mandurah City to win for a third time in four outings.
Murdoch University Melville remain unbeaten but dropped off the pacesetters slightly after a 1-1 draw with Gwelup Croatia.
All the goals were scored in the first half at Besteam Stadium, with Christos Vaenas’ clever flick finding Edward Wynne-Wilson for 1-0 on six minutes.
But Gwelup tied it up as they countered from a MUM FC free-kick. Charlie Breen’s initial strike was saved by the Preston Gilling, but Emmanuel Langoya followed in to give Gwelup a share of the points.
Subiaco recorded back-to-back wins to go fourth as they defeated Rockingham City 3-1 at Lark Hill.
All the goals were scored after the break with Mark Bauersachs’ drive deflecting off team-mate Aaron McGurk to put the visitors up.
Gavin Knight headed in to double Subi’s lead and Knight was involved in the third with his lay off finished by Brendan Griffiths, as Michael Janssen’s side continued their good start to the season.
Jayden Leader scored a consolation from the penalty spot as Rockingham dropped to the bottom of the league.
UWA Nedlands also ended the weekend in the top half as they came from two goals down to win 3-2 against Mandurah City.
The league’s leading scorer Joe O’Brien headed in from close range as the Dolphins went in front, but City were reduced to 10 men when Craig Barker saw a straight red card.
Despite being a man down, Mandurah went two up via a stylish Leigh Griffiths lob, only for Uni to rally in the second period with Alfred Moore starting the fightback a minute after the restart.
Moore then forced in his second of the day to make it 2-2 with 10 minutes left, before substitute Viktor Wikheim’s strike off the underside of the bar crossed the line to give UWA the points.
Finally, promoted Gosnells City collected their first win of the season and moved off the foot of the table with a 2-0 win over Forrestfield United.
It was the club’s first home game of 2023 and they claimed three points with two goals in three second half minutes. Scott Pereira broke the deadlock on 54 minutes after a scramble in the penalty area led to the skipper netting from six yards.
The second goal came soon after when James Burns went on a slaloming run and kept his cool with some fancy footwork giving Gosnells a first win in Division One since their relegation in 2017.
Results
Dianella White Eagles 0-5 Western Knights
Gosnells City 2-0 Forrestfield United
Fremantle City 3-1 Joondalup United
MUM FC 1-1 Gwelup Croatia
Rockingham City 1-3 Subiaco
UWA Nedlands 3-2 Mandurah City
In Division Two, Kingsley Westside had a fairytale return to Chichester Park as Nick Koefler’s last-ditch winner gave them a 3-2 win over Maddington-Kalamunda White City.
It did not start well for the new leaders with Samir Ramos putting the visitors ahead, but Luke Doyle would level for the home team.
Gaston Bazet restored Maddington-Kalamunda’s advantage and when Warren Wadawu’s red card put the hosts down to 10 men, it looked as though the promoted side would gatecrash the Kingsley homecoming.
But Koefler was the hero with a brace in the final 10 minutes to put Kingsley top of the league and continuing their 100% start to 2023, ahead of next week’s Australia Cup tie with Perth RedStar.
Curtin’s flawless start ended as they were held 0-0 at Swan United but they remain unbeaten. That meant Carramar Shamrock Rovers are the only other side with four wins from four following a 2-1 victory at Joondalup City. Phil O’Callaghan’s opener for Rovers was cancelled out by Jamie Stewart at Iluka, but in-form Alan Reidy kept Rovers up the top with a winner.
Morley Windmills’ 6-2 victory over Balga at Wotton Reserve put them fourth. It was 1-1 at the break, Christian Vest netting for Windmills and Kevin Gallo on target for Balga. But it was all Morley in the second half as Ishmael Dawson grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick for Marc Anthony’s side.
Ashfield also won big to move off the bottom of the league following a 7-0 hammering of Canning City. There were seven individual scorers for the hosts with Jared Flavel, Sam Faulkner, Lal Cung, Jake Melia, Ben Entwistle, Debaba Mtwale and Kurtiss Allen-Nash scoring.
Wanneroo City also bounced back from last week’s loss to Carramar with two goals from Dion Berman giving them a 2-0 win over Quinns.
Results
Ashfield 7-0 Canning City
Joondalup City 1-2 Carramar Shamrock Rovers
Kingsley Westside 3-2 M-K White City
Morley Windmills 6-2 Balga
Swan United 0-0 Curtin University
Wanneroo City 2-0 Quinns