Report by Tommy Doleman
Floreat Athena remain in pole position to return to the New Balance NPL WA Men’s competition at the first time of asking after defeating Subiaco 2-1 at Rosalie Park in Round 18 of the State League Division One season.
Wins for the top two over the bottom two sides on Saturday meant there was little change at either end of the league as Floreat stay four points clear of UWA Nedlands.
Subiaco remain in the relegation play-off spot and four points clear of bottom side Curtin. However, they are now six points from safety with games running out after the weekend results.
Subi started well and led on 26 minutes when Kaleb Morrison went on a mazy run down the right and crossed for Tomas Despotovski to score his 12th goal of the season.
However, Floreat came back in the second period with two goals in 18 minutes, both scored by Jordan Langley. The visitors were level a minute after the restart when Riccardo Mazzoleni pushed the ball to Tom Wassholm whose drive was helped on by Langley from six yards. Langley then scored a stunning winner on 65 minutes with a curling strike from the edge of the box which found the top corner.
That gave Athena a third win in a row and kept them clear of second-placed UWA, who won 2-1 against Curtin University.
Joe McInnes did the job again for Uni with a goal in each half to take his tally to 23 for the season. His opener came inside 10 minutes when latching onto Mark Bauersachs’ reverse pass, before doubling his tally in the final 10 minutes when capitalising on a mistake from the visitors.
Alfie Bryant turned home Ben Knight’s cross at the near post to give Curtin a lifeline, but no equaliser arrived as Troy Reid’s team end the weekend seven points from safety.
The race for the inter-divisional play-offs is also unchanged.
Mandurah City, in third, came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against fifth-place Inglewood United. Rostyn Griffiths gave United the lead when he squeezed home a back-post shot from a corner, only for Jordan Callaghan to earn his side a point 10 minutes from time when curling home a free-kick.
The evening kick-off between sixth and fourth was also a draw as Kingsley Westside and Joondalup City ended 2-2.
Louis Hadfield gave the visitors a flying start with a low effort, before Kingsley turned the game round with goal either side of the interval. First, Luke Doyle glanced in Jonathan Hulme’s corner. The Hulme worked a yard of space at the corner of the box before beating Brett Corey at his near post.
But just as it looked like Kingsley were set to take the three points, Alfie Wheeler hooked home a 93rd minute equaliser.
Elsewhere, Murdoch University Melville moved six points clear of the relegation zone after a 5-3 home win over Gwelup Croatia.
In-form Tyler Nyabinde beat a couple of challenges and slotted into the corner to give Murdoch a 34th minute lead. But they were quickly pegged back when Shaun McDermott put into a vacant net after keeper Duncan Lennon-Black struggled to gather.
MUM FC then took charge of the contest with three goals early in the second half. Gustavo Marulanda rolled back to the years to fire in from the edge of the box three minutes after the restart, then Feisal Zaw slid home from a yard out after good work from Seagh Harris. And Marulanda made it 4-1 on 66 minutes when racing clear of the Gwelup defence and stroking home via the post.
Omar Diarra pulled one back from six yards, only for Marulanda to stand up a cross for Adrian Ciampini to head in and seal a first win in eight for Murdoch. Robert Ferrante’s solo effort proved only to be a consolation for Gwelup, who are still eight points clear of danger with four games left.
Finally, Quinns came from behind to defeat Cockburn City 3-1 at Stylish Park and basically secure their Division One status.
Rory McGrath released Alex Guzman who took a touch and rattled across the goalkeeper to put the Cockerels ahead. But they ended the weekend in 10th place, six points above the relegation play-off spot.
Christos Vaenas headed in the equaliser from Magai Deng’s cross before the striker put Quinns ahead on 72 minutes with a nicely executed lob over the keeper from Chad Samuels’ pass.
Ben Johns made it three goals and three points a few minutes later when following in after his initial header was saved by Ben Radonich.
In Division Two, an exciting title race is developing after fourth-placed Forrestfield United beat leaders Rockingham City 2-1 at Hartfield Park.
Joe Moss had Rockingham ahead on 33 minutes, but Austin Reynolds equalised from the penalty spot in first-half added time and then won it in the second period to give Forrestfield a third win in a row.
It means the top four sides are separated by three points with five games remaining. Wembley Downs are a point behind Rockingham in second but missed a chance to go top after being held to a 2-2 draw by Morley Windmills.
Adam Tong added to an own goal to have Morley two-up at Wotton Reserve, but Hayden Boffey and Josh Chalmers scored to a point and extend the visitors’ unbeaten run to five matches.
Third-place Carramar Shamrock Rovers are now level on points with Wembley after a 3-0 win over struggling North Beach. Kieran Harrison, Jackson Dongray and Nathan Diaz got the goals as Rovers returned to winning ways after their first loss of the season.
It turned out to be a bad weekend for Beach who dropped to the bottom and were leapfrogged by Canning City who turned over fifth-placed Kalamunda City 4-1 on Sunday.
Nicolas Roca’s cancelled out Seydou Bayal’s opener, but Kalamunda’s play-off hopes took a hit as Canning scored three goals in nine second half minutes to go two points clear of North Beach. Freeman Nyatsambo, Ben Thorpe and Hanani Ndebele were the scorers for the hosts.
Gosnells City also picked up an important 1-0 win at Ashfield to go two points clear of the drop zone with Liam Cowie getting the only goal. There was also a victory for East Perth who hurt Balga’s post-season prospects by beating them 2-1 with Ryan McCready and Ceilum Coughlan Maher netting either side of Jose Zuniga’s equaliser.
