DIVISION ONE
Gwelup Croatia’s sensational early-season form continued with a 3-0 win at Curtin University on Thursday to kickstart Round Four of the Men’s State League.
Basil Lenzo’s side have begun 2025 with four successive wins and are now two points clear at the top of Division One after nearest rivals Dianella White Eagles were held by Subiaco.
Gwelup were gifted a first-half opener after Curtin goalkeeper Daniel Marques passed straight to Jack Bardsley, who chipped into a vacant net.
Matt Henry made himself a yard in the box to bend beautifully into the bottom corner for 2-0 after the break, and three points were rubberstamped when Bardsley pulled back for Christos Vaenas to take a touch and finish.
DIVISION ONE RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
Dianella had the chance to join Gwelup on 12 points on Saturday, but Ian Ferguson’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Subiaco.
Both goals at Rosalie Park were scored in the opening eight minutes. Ben Bathgate arrowed into the corner from Jonty Pearson’s scoop pass to give Subi the lead, before Dianella levelled when Matt Worton’s header from George Ballah’s corner was cleared off the line and Gavin Byers followed in to level.
UWA Nedlands were the weekend’s other winners as they climbed to third after defeating Inglewood United 1-0.
The only goal was scored 17 minutes from time when Mark Bauersachs’ low cross was converted at the near post by Iljas Ahmedov. Uni are three points off top spot while Inglewood are ninth and are still awaiting a first league win this term.
Kalamunda City remain unbeaten and are fourth in the table after a 1-1 draw against Gosnells City.
Scott Pereira saw his first-half penalty saved by Jake Maley-Orr only to get a second bite of the cherry with the goalkeeper adjudged to have moved off his line. Skipper Pereira made no mistake with the retake as Gosnells led at the break. But Kalamunda equalised with 20 minutes left when Matias Bovone’s drive was parried into the path of Gaston Bazet, who reacted quickest to earn his side a point.
Elsewhere, Mandurah City scored two goals in the final five minutes to rescue a 2-2 draw against Murdoch University Melville.
Harry Collins and Josh Macri were both dismissed in a goalless first half to reduce the teams to 10 men for the remaining 63 minutes.
MUM FC broke the deadlock just before the hour mark when Gustavo Marulanda sprung the offside trap to run in and find the bottom corner.
Three points for Marc Anthony’s looked likely seven minutes from time when Charles Breen’s shot was saved by Alfie Brincat with Kai Jones taking a touch and then hammering in the follow-up.
But Mandurah swiftly pulled one back when Louie Evans pulled across goal for Robbie Galvin to stroke in and give the Dolphins a chance. And they salvaged a point in the fifth minute of injury time when Evans struck from a tight angle after a Murdoch clearance ricocheted off Galvin.
There was also a 1-1 draw between mid-table sides Kingsley Westside and Joondalup City in the evening kick off at Chichester Park.
Substitute Leonard Gama put the visitors in front midway through the second period when beating Lachlan Fay to Liam Peacock’s cross-field pass to score. But Kingsley equalised a minute from time when a handball was spotted in the area and Luke Salmon converted the resulting penalty.
DIVISION TWO
In Division Two, East Perth won 2-0 at Forrestfield to stay top of the league as one of four teams on nine points.
Andy Keogh’s first-half penalty and a second-half own goal got the job done as they sit goal difference clear of Carramar Shamrock Rovers, Cockburn City and Quinns FC who also had wins on Saturday.
Rovers won 3-1 at home to northern suburbs rivals Wanneroo City, who were level at the break when Kane Fitch cancelled out Jamie Gibson’s opener. But Cameron Hendry-Munford and Jackson Dongray got the second-half goals which gave Carramar the points over the fifth-placed Roos.
Cockburn won 3-2 at Balga to keep the pressure on leaders East Perth who they face next weekend. Frank Kinnen and James Bourne netted for the Cockerels either side of Sam Kelder’s leveller and they secured victory with another from Bourne, despite Michael Anokhin’s consolation 15 minutes from the end.
DIVISION TWO RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
Quinns FC won by the same scoreline at Wembley Downs and sit fourth but do have a game in hand on the three sides above them. James Elkington-Soan twice give Nick Jennings’ side the lead, but they were pegged back each time by goals from Lachlan Chamberlain and Rory Hannon. Joel Sollitt won it in stoppage time despite red cards to Tyler Holden and Elkington-Soan which meant Quinns finished the game with nine men.
The weekend’s other winners were Canning City who are off the mark in 2025 courtesy of a 4-0 win over Swan United. Bill Orr was the hero with a hat-trick before Ayden Dragun added a fourth 19 minutes from time. The day’s other game saw Ashfield and Rockingham play out a goalless draw.
