Western Knights and Mandurah City have set up a bumper top-of-the-table clash at Nash Field this Saturday City after both collected wins in Round 20 of Men’s State League Division One.
A solitary goal gave Knights a 1-0 victory at Subiaco, which maintained their one-point advantage over Mandurah who came from behind to beat bottom side Forrestfield United 4-1. As a result, victory for Adam Kostrencic’s side in next week’s blockbuster will see Knights return to the top flight for the first time since 2012.
The only goal at Rosalie Park was scored on four minutes when Albert Luwi burst down the right and pulled across for Alex Kretowicz to apply a simple finish.
Subi remain the relegation play-off place and three points from safety, with Forrestfield guaranteed to finish in the sole automatic relegation spot following their loss to Mandurah.
Forrestfield had led in the southern suburbs through an own goal by early substitute Hamish Van Dieken, but were pegged back by John Baird’s emphatic penalty five minutes before half-time.
Early in the second half, Joe O’Brien’s backheel found Robbie Galvin who drove low into the corner for 2-1 and two additional Mandurah strikes confirmed the win.
Galvin looped a header in to complete his brace and player-coach Baird also made it a double when finishing after good work from Murray Mackintosh on the right.
Below the top two, there is a three-team race to fill the remaining two promotion play-off spots. Fremantle City are third following their 3-1 win over Gosnells City.
Matty Sparrow’s team had to wait while midway through the second half to get off the mark when Hamza Hina intercepted a stray pass and fed Alex McLean for the opener.
The game suddenly burst into life as Gosnells levelled moments later through Aaron Coslani’s penalty, but Tom Kinnane came off the bench to restore Freo’s lead with a low strike from 20 yards.
A second yellow card for Scott Pereira saw the visitors end with 10 men and Hina added a late sealer in stoppage time to continue Fremantle’s recent resurgence.
Joondalup United are back in the top four and one point behind City after defeating Gwelup Croatia 3-0.
It was goalless at the interval but James Oldroyd’s fantastic header from Jay Lang’s free-kick had the hosts up on 58 minutes.
Oldroyd then teed up Sam McKearnan for a stunning strike which flew into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Substitute Joel Sollitt made it three at the end from close range as Joondalup recorded back-to-back wins, while Gwelup’s hopes of finishing in the promotion play-offs are now over.
Dianella White Eagles slipped to fifth and behind Joondalup United on goal difference after being held 2-2 away at UWA Nedlands.
Dianella have been in excellent form of late and led when the league’s top scorer Angel Andres Rivera scored from the penalty spot after quarter-of-an-hour.
Uni equalised five minutes later when Daniel Iuliano arrived on the edge of the area to strike low past Alex Fisher.
A red card for UWA’s William Higginson threatened to detail the home side, but they remarkably led four minutes from time when Luke Salas’ shot broke for Sam Moffatt to turn and score.
But there was late drama as Dianella were awarded a 97th minute penalty which Andres Rivera converted again to rescue a point. The draw may still be helpful for UWA, who are now three points ahead of Subi who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Finally, Murdoch University Melville won 2-1 away to Rockingham City as the pair swapped places to sit seventh and eighth respectively.
Feisal Zaw’s early spot-kick had MUM FC ahead and they doubled the lead through a Kaito Imada 40-yarder which ensured Taki Nicolaidis’ side will finish mid-table.
Ruben Joseph scored Rockingham’s consolation in the second half to make it goals in three successive games personally, with his team all but safe and needing one more point from two games to survive.
In Division Two, Kingsley Westside closed in on the league title with a 5-0 win over Quinns FC.
Five individual scorers netted for the leaders with Jayden Drummond, Luke Doyle, Daniel Harrison, Paul Stewart, and Ilya Nebylytsya all registering.
A win over lowly Canning City next week will confirm league success and promotion to Division One, while Quinns remain in trouble and two points off bottom spot.
Maddington-Kalamunda White City continued their great run in the second half of the campaign by winning 3-1 at mid-table Ashfield.
Gaston Bazet was the hero for the visitors with a hat-trick, while Gareth Hamilton netted Ashfield’s goal which made it 2-1 until late in the second period. Maddington stay five points behind Kingsley and have now all but cemented their place in the promotion play-offs.
Curtin University also stayed on track to reach the post-season with a 4-2 win at Joondalup City.
Goals from Oscar Wright and Scott Geare had Curtin tracking towards a third win in four, but an own goal briefly worried them in their progress.
Nathan Smith restored the two-goal buffer, and even though Liam Peacock briefly made it 3-2, Wright would score two minutes after Peacock to seal victory. Joondalup City are ninth and one point above a trio of teams on 15 points.
Swan United stayed fourth after a 3-1 win over Canning City who are second bottom, while Carramar Shamrock Rovers are fifth and level on points with Swan after Morley Windmills forfeited their fixture at Grandis Park.
Finally, Nicholas Bahr Pike came off the bench to score a dramatic late equaliser for Balga in a 1-1 draw against Wanneroo City. Jayden Licastro had put mid-table Roos in front but Pike’s 95th minute intervention earned Balga a valuable point.
