Mandurah City defeated 10-man Fremantle City 3-0 at Hilton Park in the Men’s State League Division One as the top two broke clear following Saturday’s Round 14 fixtures.
With Western Knights also claiming three points, there is now a six-point gap to third-place Freo, while victories for Joondalup United and Dianella White Eagles will have Matt Sparrow’s side looking over their shoulder.
Mandurah have won their past four games to lead Knights by one point going into the final eight rounds. They went in front against Fremantle on 10 minutes when Murray Mackintosh turned home Joe O’Brien’s nod down, before O’Brien made it 15 for the campaign with a superb curling strike on the left foot.
Giovanni Soares saw a red card before half-time after an elbow on Robbie Galvin which Freo ultimately never recovered from. The win was sealed 20 minutes from the time when Graham Tough headed home Galvin’s corner to make it three wins in eight days for the Dolphins.
At Nash Field, Knights stayed in touch with their title rivals after a 1-0 win over Rockingham City.
Alex Kretowicz coolly lifted the winner over Cyril Sharrock on the half-hour mark, as the visitors dropped to eighth but remain five clear of the relegation play-off spot.
Joondalup United round out the top four with James Harmer’s late winner helping them come from behind to win 3-2 at Murdoch University Melville.
Edward Wynne-Willson’s long-range effort hit the underside of the bar and was adjudged to have crossed the line for the opener for MUM FC, but Shaun Kilkelly swiftly equalised from Jude Baillie’s corner.
Ayden Dragun’s long throw went all the way in via goalkeeper Preston Gilling to put United ahead, but midway through the second period Pat Sara’s stunning free-kick levelled it at 2-2.
But MUM FC’s rough run would continue with one win in nine games dropping them to ninth in the league. Lang threaded through for an onside Harmer who waited for the perfect moment to pick his spot and help his team move two points off Fremantle.
Dianella White Eagles stayed level on points with Joondalup following their 2-1 win over bottom side Forrestfield United.
Lawrence Shuruma’s early effort just crossed the line to get Dianella started but they were pegged back when Mohamed Rezai cut in from the left and drilled low past the goalkeeper.
Skipper Kevin McEvoy bagged the game’s decisive goal on 58 minutes when he got the final touch from Igor Cvijanovic’s teasing free-kick. It was a third loss in a row for Forrestfield who remain at the foot of the league, while Dianella are firmly in promotion contention.
Gosnells City and Gwelup Croatia played out a 3-3 draw at Walter Padbury Reserve with all the goals in the first 48 minutes.
The home side led through Scott Pereira’s header, but Gwelup levelled immediately from the kick-off when John Lahai beat Jack Adams at his near post.
Jacob Williamson’s free-kick deceived everyone to loop straight in as the visitors returned to the lead, only for Aden Hoddy’s corner to go in via a defender on the line to tie it up again.
Brice Rae was first to a loose ball and lifted past Josiah Godfrey for 3-2 Gosnells, but Paul Grant’s glancing header ensured the points were shared as Gwelup lost more ground on the top four and Gosnells collected a handy point in their fight to stay up.
Finally, UWA Nedlands extended their unbeaten run to five games and kept Subiaco in trouble with a 1-0 win at Rosalie Park.
The only goal was scored midway through the second half by Luke Salas and Uni sit six points clear of relegation in seventh, while Subiaco are 11th and in the relegation play-off place, two points behind Gosnells in the race to stay up.
Division One results
Dianella White Eagles 2-1 Forrestfield United
Fremantle City 0-3 Mandurah City
Gosnells City 3-3 Gwelup Croatia
Murdoch University Melville 2-3 Joondalup United
Subiaco 0-1 UWA Nedlands
Western Knights 1-0 Rockingham City
……………………………………………………………….
In Division Two, Kingsley Westside maintained their five-point advantage at the top with a 2-1 win over Ashfield.
The leaders, who have a game in hand, led 2-0 inside 19 minutes with goals from Ilya Nebylytsa and Jon Hulme. Ashfield got one back soon after via Gareth Hamilton’s penalty, but there was no further scoring. Ashfield stay in eighth and four points clear of the relegation play-off spot.
Morley Windmills are second after they halted Curtin University’s progress with a 4-0 win at Edinburgh Oval. The hosts had moved up to third in recent weeks following back-to-back victories, but dropped to sixth after this loss.
Morley are four points clear of third-placed Swan United, who ended Maddington-Kalamunda White City’s five-game unbeaten run 2-1 at the Italian Club.
Oluwasijibo Adeniyi and John Monterosso scored either side of half-time, while Nicolas Pardo’s stoppage-time effort proved only a consolation for the visitors.
Carramar Shamrock Rovers are looming large with a late 1-0 win at Wanneroo City sending them fourth and making it three straight wins. Substitute Sam Lawless, who bagged four for the Under 18s earlier in the day, got the winner on 94 minutes as Rovers got back in the promotion play-off spots, while Wanneroo stay in mid-table.
Elsewhere, Quinns won for the third time this season with David Sallis’ 91st minute penalty giving them a 3-2 win over Balga.
Jimmy Taban of Balga and Quinns’ Brayden Tierney exchanged goals either side of the interval, and while Liam Hunt put the hosts ahead Julius Leineweber equalised with 10 minutes remaining.
But Sallis’ spot kick means Quinns are two points ahead of bottom side Canning City and two behind 10th-placed Joondalup City after that pair drew 1-1. Both goals were scored in the first eight minutes with Joondalup’s Charlie Lacey cancelling out Kilian Piriou’s opener for the visitors.
Division Two results
Curtin University 0-4 Morley Windmills
Joondalup City 1-1 Canning City
Kingsley Westside 2-1 Ashfield
Quinns 3-2 Balga
Swan United 2-1 Maddington-Kalamunda White City
Wanneroo City 0-1 Carramar Shamrock Rovers