Western Knights are back on top of the Men’s State League Division One after defeating Murdoch University Melville 3-1 in Round 17 action.
Saturday’s victory was their fifth in a row, which paired with Mandurah’s goalless draw against Rockingham means Adam Kostrencic’s team lead the league by a point with five rounds left.
MUM FC’s season, meanwhile, looks set to end in a mid-table finish as they sit nine points off fourth and the same margin above the relegation play-off place.
Owen Goodliffe had Knights up inside three minutes when he finished Albert Luwi’s cross, but MUM FC levelled early in the second half through Feisal Zaw’s penalty.
Two goals in the final 20 minutes got the job done for the new leaders. Luwi, who has been in outstanding form of late, hooked in a brilliant acrobatic volley from Jack Bardsley’s corner, before Alex Kretowicz’s close-range finish soon after wrapped up Knights’ 13th win of the season.
They were handed the initiative in the title race by Mandurah’s home stalemate against Rockingham City, the first time the Dolphins have failed to score in the league this year.
They went close in the second half, when Joe O’Brien’s low strike whistled inches wide of the post then when John Baird picked out Craig Barker who was thwarted low down by Rockingham keeper Cyril Sharrock.
Joondalup United remain third but now just a point ahead of Dianella White Eagles after being held 1-1 by Subiaco at Pentanet Stadium.
Joondalup hosted the fixture at HBF Arena following the announcement of its partnership with The West Perth WAFL team.
Both goals came in the first half, with Matthew Allen arriving to prod the visitors in front, before Joondalup levelled when Sam McKearnan’s cross was met by Ben Campbell’s flying header.
Subiaco stay 11th and four points off safety, but they did gain ground on Gosnells who lost 3-1 to Dianella.
Two rapid-fire goals put them in pole position for the points on Saturday afternoon, starting with Josh Cortes’ tidy finish from Jonty Pearson’s lay-off, followed by Angel Andres Rivera’s cool one-on-one finish into the corner.
A long throw-in from the left was helped on by Andres Rivera with Cortes arriving to complete a brace before half-time. Substitute Blake Pritchard got the Gosnells’ consolation nine minutes from time when Tony Chandler’s corner broke his way in the box.
Fremantle City stay fifth and a point behind Dianella after a 2-1 win at Forrestfield United saw Matty Sparrow’s team end a run of three straight losses.
After a goalless first half which ended with the dismissal of United keeper Samuel Chaplin and Freo's Joshua Macri, it took the visitors a mere 15 seconds to hit the front when Charles Parry’s cross was bundled in from close range by Enzo Marangoni.
Marangoni then helped on Anthony Topini’s long diagonal to put the visitors in control and provide a welcome confidence boost going into a clash with Knights next week.
Mohamed Rezai’s deflected free-kick briefly gave Forrestfield hope, but they finished the game with nine players after Jiddan Muhafidin received a second yellow card in stoppage time and remain in a perilous position at the bottom of the league, having only won once in 17 games.
Finally, Gwelup Croatia kept their hopes of reaching the play-offs alive following a 4-0 win over UWA Nedlands, which made it back-to-back victories.
Charles Chechlacz’ played a starring role with a goal and three assists for the afternoon. He got proceedings underway by initiating a one-two with Robert Ferrante before rolling in the opener on 21 minutes.
Moments later, the lead was doubled when Chechlacz provided the assist for Raeez Pandor to rattle low across the goalkeeper.
Jacob Williamson headed in a third from Chechlacz’s free-kick for 3-0, and the midfelder put John Lahai through on goal at the end to cap the win. Gwelup end the weekend six points off fourth with five rounds left.
In Division Two, Kingsley Westside strengthened their position as likely title winners after a resounding 5-1 win at Balga SC.
Steve Dimitrovich’s team are seven points clear with a game in hand over Morley Windmills. They could all but secure promotion to Division One next week if they take three points in the top-of-the-table clash with Morley.
Liam McGurk scored two, with Luke Salmon, Jayden Drummond and Daniel Harrison also on the scoresheet. Nathan Scully netted for Balga, who drop to 11th and into the relegation play-off place following a sixth straight loss.
Morley Windmills are now three games unbeaten but their 1-1 draw with Swan United was not much use to either. Jordan Lyall had Swan in front, but they are now three points off the promotion play-offs following Conor Kavanagh’s leveller seven minutes from time.
Curtin University remain third after a regulation win against Canning City, who are now five points adrift at the bottom. Oscar Wright scored either side of half-time, with Nathan Smith and Kieran Witt registering in the second period.
Maddington-Kalamunda White City’s hopes of back-to-back promotions were enhanced after a 3-2 win over Carramar Shamrock Rovers.
Phil O’Callaghan of Rovers and White City’s Jose Zuniga traded first-half goals, but Nathan Diaz’s red card set Carramar on the back foot.
They trailed when Farruh Mavlonov struck for Maddington only for Callum Trayner to square the ledger at 2-2 on the hour mark.
Cristian Polo came off the bench to make it three wins in a row for German Quijano’s side and open a six-point gap between them and Rovers in the race for fourth.
Elsewhere, Ashfield edged closer to safety with a 1-0 win over Wanneroo, as Isak Isak’s 22nd minute goal opened a seven-point gap to 11th-placed Balga.
And Quinns jumped out of the drop zone with a 2-0 win over Joondalup City which means the pair are level on points, two clear of the relegation play-off spot. Brayden Tierney and Mason Gallagher got the goals in the late kick-off at Gumblossom Oval.
