Report by Tommy Doleman
Harry Lewis had a hand in all four goals as Floreat Athena returned to the top of State League Division One following a convincing 4-0 win at Curtin University.
Lewis netted in each half and picked up two assists to put Athena a point clear at the summit after nearest rivals UWA Nedlands went down to Quinns.
Curtin have returned to the bottom of the league in a week which saw long-standing head coach Troy Reid announce he will depart the club at the end of the season.
Lewis arrived late to head in Rhys Davies’ cross before turning provider from a free-kick for Jordan Langley to control and finish.
The winger made it three on 55 minutes when following in after Langley’s initial shot was saved by Alec Radonich, with the scoring at Edinburgh Oval completed by Luis Adlard from a Lewis cross.
Floreat’s third victory in four matches gives them the edge in the title race after Quinns ended UWA’s four-game winning run at Stylish Park.
Christos Vaenas’ curler inside the opening 10 minutes got Nick Jennings’ side off to a flyer, and they were two up in the second period when the striker stole in to capitalise on a miscommunication in the visitors’ defence.
Lewis Nohar’s corner was headed in by Jake Sardelic a few minutes later to give Uni a lifeline. But it finished 2-1 to Quinns, a result which handed the title initiative to Floreat.
Mandurah City are seven points off the leaders after defeating Joondalup City 2-1 in a third-versus-fourth clash at Iluka to leapfrog their opponents in the standings.
Harry Edwards beat the offside trap to latch on to Taiga Kobayahi’s pass and roll under the advancing Josiah Godfrey to give City the lead at the interval.
But the Dolphins turned it around with two goals in 20 second-half minutes. Jordan Callaghan equalised with a quickly taken volley, before persistent play from Charlie Breen led to a cross from the right which was finished off by Sam Lovell’s simple finish.
Kingsley Westside in fifth are just three points behind Joondalup following their 2-0 win at Cockburn City.
Kingsley were in front following one of the season’s quickest goals. The visitors stole possession after Cockburn kicked off to start the game, and though Xavier Medica’s strike was saved by Ben Radonich, the ball fell into the path of Paul Stewart who netted inside the opening 10 seconds.
Jamie Gardiner cushioned a pass through to Ben Ford who doubled the lead after half-an-hour and that was how it stayed as Kingsley returned to winning ways after back-to-back losses.
They move a point above Inglewood United, who missed a chance to close on the play-off places after a 2-1 loss at Gwelup Croatia.
The home side went ahead when Jack Bardsley’s pass was put into his own net by on-loan Luke Sprigg a minute before the break, as Taki Nicolaidis’ side aimed to extend their unbeaten run to three games.
Roberto Soares’ long-range strike provided the cushion for Gwelup, who ended the day eight points clear of the bottom two, despite Liam Hudson’s deflected effort late on for Inglewood.
Finally, George Wishart’s 84th minute equaliser earned Subiaco a vital 1-1 draw against Murdoch University Melville to move them off the bottom of the table.
MUM FC struck first after last week’s hero Tyler Nyabinde went on a mazy run before cutting in from the right and firing across the goalkeeper.
But an unmarked Wishart headed home Ben Bathgate’s cross back across the goalkeeper to earn a draw which lifts Subi into the relegation play-off place above Curtin. However, they are still six points from safety.
In Division Two, the top three sides remain the same, but leaders Rockingham now hold a three-point advantage over the rest after beating Morley Windmills 2-1.
Veteran defender Adam Tong scored in the first half to put the visitors in front. But Brian Patterson levelled and then substitute Regan Davidson won it five minutes after coming off the bench.
That margin opened up a little after Carramar Shamrock Rovers were held 2-2 at East Perth. Jackson Dongray and Jack Reilly netted for Carramar either side of Aaron McLaughlin’s leveller as the unbeaten away side looked on course for victory.
But they were pegged back for a second time as Ceilum Maher scored a 93rd minute equaliser to rescue a point and lift East Perth above Morley into eighth on goal difference.
Wembley Downs cashed in on those dropped points to solidify their inter-divisional playoff spot, as Toby Robertson scored in each half to guide his team to a 2-0 win at North Beach.
Below Wembley, it is a tight race for fourth place with four teams separated by one point. Forrestfield United currently hold the play-off spot courtesy of their 2-1 win against seventh-placed Kalamunda City.
United had to come from behind after falling behind on 55 minutes following Shaydon Passalacqua’s own goal. A penalty from Lucas Reid and Austin Reynolds’ winner got the job done.
Balga are now fifth following a 1-0 win at Ashfield where they leapfrogged their opponents despite finishing the game with 10 men. Lal Cung got the only goal on four minutes which they held onto despite Ivwananji Simbile’s sending off midway through the second half.
There was also some movement at the bottom of the league as Canning City won 5-1 away at Gosnells City.
Aaron Coslani got the Gosnells goal, but Brian Mashingaidze netted four times with Patrick Shortall scoring the other to shake up the relegation picture.
Canning’s second win of the season moved them off the bottom and above North Beach, while closing the gap on 10th-placed Gosnells to two points.
