Freo, Gulls off mark while top four open gap in NPLM
Fremantle City are off the mark in 2025 after collecting a 2-0 win at Floreat Athena in a clash between the league’s two bottom sides in Round Six of the NPLWA – Men’s competition.
Freo’s first win, and first clean sheet of the campaign, moves them two points clear of the bottom two, while Athena stay at the foot of the table and remain in search of a first league victory.
NPLM RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
Freo’s Karl Moody hit the post while Daniel Khan had the best chance for the hosts in the first half with a drive which flew wide of the upright.
Two quickfire goals in the final eight minutes from substitute Taj Bingwa ultimately proved decisive to give Scott Miller’s side the points. The former MUM FC forward firmly headed in Alex Silla’s cross moments after Floreat had survived a goalmouth scramble. Then he finished Charlie Chechlacz’s cutback to extend Fremantle’s unbeaten run to three games.
Sorrento FC also picked up their first win of the season after coming from behind to defeat Stirling Macedonia 3-1.
They trailed inside the first minute when Josh Bilaloski finished from close range when a loose ball broke his way, but were level at the break thanks to Keegan Chambers’ tap-in.
Dean Cummings shrugged off his marker to run in and slot home before Joe O’Brien was quickest to react after Nic Speca saved Clay Gibbs’ low shot.
Those results have seen Balcatta drop into the bottom two after they were beaten 4-0 by leaders Bayswater on Thursday night.
Three goals late in the first half set the platform for Bayswater to run out winners for a sixth time in as many matches. The opener came from a Pat Loughrey corner on 43 minutes which was headed in from six yards by Cameron Teece.
Barely a minute later, Stefan Sotirovski saved Oli La Galia’s header, but Loughrey was first to the rebound and squared for Sean McManus who tapped in to score for a fifth straight game. La Galia then scored with his head from a Declan Hughes free kick for 3-0, with Loughrey notching from the penalty spot after the restart to continue Bayswater’s 100% start.
Bayswater remain two points clear at the top of the league on a weekend where the top four all won to open up a six-point gap from fourth to fifth.
Three first-half goals gave Perth Glory a 3-0 win at Nash Field at Western Knights which means they stay second.
Alfie Knight drilled low past Sam Reilly on18 minutes after a sliding challenge from Callum Mellowship fell nicely for the playmaker. The lead was doubled when Max Naylor’s shot deflected out to Adrian Pini who fired first-time into the bottom corner. And Naylor got himself on the score sheet nine minutes before the interval after Pini’s effort deflected off the post and back to the striker. That’s how it stayed as Glory remain unbeaten and surpassed last season’s total points tally after just six matches.
Olympic Kingsway sit a point further back after easing to a 3-0 win away at Armadale, who finished the game with nine men.
Joe Hobson bagged a first-half opener from a tight angle before Amir Ajan’s straight red card, compounded by Emerson Alexis’ second yellow card for a foul on the edge of his area saw Armadale two players down by the midway mark of the second half. Mitch Oxborrow bent in the free-kick which resulted from Alexis’ foul to give Kingsway breathing room and they iced a second straight 3-0 win when Hobson calmly rounded the goalkeeper and put in.
Perth SC round out the top four after a 1-0 victory at Perth RedStar continued an unbeaten start for Kenny Lowe’s side.
The winner came with 20 minutes left when Gordon Perkins reeled in Ethan Banks’ pass and did well to hold off two defenders before dispatching his fourth goal of the campaign. RedStar’s loss was a fourth in their last five matches in all competitions and sees them drop to ninth.
