Floreat held as Uni close gap in State League Division One

UWA Nedlands closed the gap on State League Division One leaders Floreat Athena to four points after recording a 3-0 win over Murdoch University Melville.

Uni’s Round Nine win was a nice way to bounce back after last week’s loss at Mandurah City, which ended their five-game winning streak. They remain second in the standings, while MUM FC, who also lost in midweek against Joondalup City, drop a couple of places to ninth and are only two points above the relegation zone.

Nicholas Falco opened the scoring for UWA on 34 minutes when his effort from the edge of the area took a deflection to loop up and over Duncan Lennon-Black in the Murdoch goal.

Golden Boot leader Joe McInnes headed in Lewis Nohar’s cross early in the second half to bag goal number 11 of the campaign and net for a seventh successive league match.

Luke Salas put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when breaking the offside trap and drilling across the goalkeeper into the bottom corner.

UWA’s sixth win of the campaign helped them move closer to top spot following Floreat Athena’s goalless draw away at Cockburn City.

It is only the second time that Floreat have dropped points this season, while for the Cockerels it could prove to be a valuable point as they sit two points clear of the bottom two.

Kingsley Westside are third and seven points off the pace after coming from behind to beat 10-man Gwelup Croatia 2-1.

Gwelup were awarded a penalty at the end of the first half when Raeez Pandor clipped Jeremie Mba with the striker getting up to convert from the spot.

A last man foul saw James Overy shown a straight red card for the hosts, and Kingsley would net twice in the final quarter of an hour to end a run of two successive losses.

Max Adamson got the equaliser on 75 minutes when his low shot from the edge of the box rolled slowly into the corner of the net. Then seven minutes from time, Jack Roberts was free to tap home from a yard out after a Gwelup defender had flicked on a Kingsley corner.

A four-game winless means Gwelup drop into the bottom half of the league, although they are only three points off fourth-placed Joondalup City who suffered a 1-0 home loss to Inglewood United.

City had beaten MUM FC 4-3 in their Round Six catch-up game in midweek, but they were unable to build on that at the Iluka Sports Complex on Saturday. Harry Evans scored the only goal on four minutes when letting fly with a long-distance drive which found the bottom corner despite Joe Smith’s efforts in the City goal.

Elsewhere, Mandurah made it back-to-back wins and closed to within three points of the play-offs following an impressive 4-0 victory at Quinns.

Lachlan Hannah cleverly scooped in the Dolphins’ first on nine minutes, before three goals in seven second-half minutes blew Quinns away. Jordan Callaghan made it two when scoring with conviction from Kristers Zaluzinskis’ cutback, substitute Gian Zupanov extended the lead when capitalising on a three-on-one break, before Callaghan scored the pick of the goals when blasting home from just outside the box.

Finally, Curtin University moved off the bottom of the league and were replaced by Subiaco, who they defeated 2-0 at Rosalie Park.

Dane Meerally unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box to get Curtin up and running on 19 minutes.

The crucial second was scored just past the hour mark by Declan Tanna, who was first to react to the loose ball after Max Winton’s save from Jude Baillie’s free-kick fell loose. Curtin are now two points from safety after their first win since Round Six with Subiaco a point further back.

In Division Two, Rockingham City remain top of the league after a 4-0 win over North Beach.

Mitchell Foley scored a first-half brace while Tom Kinnane came off the bench to score two of his own, as Rockingham ended the weekend two points clear at the top.

Wembley Downs stay second after Rory Hannon’s 92nd-minute winner gave them a 1-0 victory at winless Canning City, who remain bottom of the league.

Ashfield are also two points off the pace after a 3-1 defeat of mid-table Kalamunda City. Ben Entwistle and Blake Pritchard had the hosts two up, before Angel Andres Rivera pulled one back in the second half for City. Kian Durant’s late sealer confirmed the back-to-back wins and kept Ashfield right in the title and promotion mix.

Carramar Shamrock Rovers are fourth despite being held 1-1 by Gosnells City. Wayne Guest’s 17th-minute opener for Rovers was cancelled out on 57 minutes by Aaron Coslani, with the draw pushing Gosnells outside of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Rovers are four points off the pace but do have a game in hand and are one point clear of fifth-placed Forrestfield United, who won 4-2 against East Perth.

Forrestfield, who wore pink in support of the Kids Cancer Support Group charity, led 3-1 at the break with Noah Appleby, Austin Reynolds and Lucas Reid netting, with Ryan Murray getting the first half goal for East Perth.

An Adam McCarron own goal all but sealed a third win in four matches for Forrestfield, while Gerard Clark scored a late consolation for East Perth, who drop to eighth and are winless in three.

Finally, Morley Windmills moved nine points clear of the bottom two after a 2-1 win over Balga.

New signing Amir Ajan got both goals for John O’Reilly’s side, who are now only a game out of the play-off picture. Jose Zuniga got one back for Balga, who are still five points clear of safety.