Reigning champions Olympic Kingsway cracked open the title race in the NPLWA – Men’s competition after a 3-2 win over previously unbeaten league leaders Bayswater City.
Olympic's Friday night's win in the-top-of-the-table thriller at Frank Drago Reserve means they close to within three points of Matt Sparrow’s side going into the final four games of the season.
It was an all-action start in front of a healthy crowd under the lights and Kingsway got off to a flyer with the opener on five minutes as Ollie Annis teed up Mitch Oxborrow to curl home superbly from range.
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Pat Loughrey hit the crossbar with a header in the first half, but Bayswater were back on terms when Sam Mitchinson’s cross was finished brilliantly by Chris Jackson, who made it nine goals in nine games.
However, two goals in three minutes gave Kingsway the upper hand at the end of the opening period. Tyler Garner made it 2-1 when his effort from inside the box deflected past Italiano before Laat Mathiang stroked home to bring up his 10th goal of the campaign.
Bayswater were back in it a minute into the second half when Declan Hughes’ free-kick was met by Jonathan Corness, who scored for the first time in Baysie colours.
Mathiang was denied by Italiano while the hosts had plenty of territory in pushing hard for an equaliser. The closest they came was when Jackson crashed an effort off the bar but Bayswater’s undefeated start ultimately ended at 17.
Kingsway, meanwhile, are now four without defeat as they look ahead to Tuesday’s Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32 tie with Melbourne Victory at Kingsway Reserve.
In Saturday’s games, Stirling Macedonia scored three times in the final seven minutes to complete a remarkable comeback and win 3-2 against old rivals Floreat Athena.
Floreat had taken a first-half lead after a clever set-piece routine which saw Jim Simms’ corner glanced on by Cherno Bah and Ajang Yuot arriving at the back post to nod in.
Abraham Mathet put Athena in good position to win their first game of the season when latching onto Daniel Khan’s pass and keeping his composure to score with 20 minutes to play.
Alex Tanevski was fouled in the box by Zach Crawford with nine minutes left, but Josh Hunter saved Leigh Griffith’s penalty as Stirling looked set to lose ground on the top four. Griffiths, though, made up for that missed opportunity when helping in Tanevski’s corner at the near post moments later. Stirling then surged and won it in dramatic fashion with two Samuel Dweh goals in added time completing the remarkable comeback.
Tanevski’s ball into the box ran through to Dweh who drilled in low and hard before the forward got on the end of Griffiths’ cross and headed in moments later. The loss has Floreat staring down the barrel of relegation for the first time in 45 years, while Stirling stay in the hunt for finals ahead of next week’s clash with fourth-placed Perth RedStar.
RedStar remain six points clear of Ago Mujic’s side as two second-half goals gave them a 2-0 win over Fremantle City.
RedStar were awarded a penalty two minutes after the restart, which was converted by Daryl Nicol, before the Scot set up the home side’s second with Benson Nsegetse rounding the goalkeeper to score. They are now undefeated in 11 matches while Freo stay just above the drop zone on goal difference.
Glory are third and remain ahead of RedStar on goal difference after edging out-of-form Armadale 2-1.
Glory had lost their past two home games, but they were up after four minutes when Sebastian Despotovski poked forward for Louis Sollitt to slip past the goalkeeper.
It was 2-0 on 17 minutes when Malise Mpunga set Sollitt away down the right flank with his cross finding Max Naylor to apply a simple finish.
Armadale quickly pulled one back when Igor Cvijanovic’s corner fell to Pieter Jacobsz on the edge of the box and the league’s leading scorer thumped a sensational volley into the top corner. But they were unable to snare an equaliser and slip down to eighth in the standings.
Western Knights leapfrogged the Army into seventh as a four-goal blitz in the opening 21 minutes gave them a 4-1 victory against Perth SC.
Knights were ahead after 90 seconds when they forced Perth’s defence into a mistake with Kristian Santich picking up the ball and firing brilliantly into the bottom corner from range.
The hosts doubled their lead when an unmarked Harry O’Brien headed in Kosta Sparta’s cross from the right, before O’Brien promptly returned the favour when teeing up Sparta to slot in.
A fourth went in soon after as Jesse Lazzaro’s free-kick came back off the post with Henry Curtis quickest to the rebound.
Perth got one back just before half-time courtesy of Gordon Perkins' crashing in a volley from 12 yards, but there were no further goals as the Azzurri’s top-four hopes all but ended.
Finally, Sorrento pulled five points clear of the relegation play-off spot after beating Balcatta Etna 2-0.
The Gulls led just past the quarter-hour mark when Matt Doherty’s cross bounced through to Franco Villa, who continued his good form in front of goal since arriving at Percy Doyle Reserve.
Neil Kilenny’s drive on 33 minutes increased Sorrento’s advantage and that was good enough to give their survival hopes a boost.
Ben Hinshelwood was sent off in the final 10 minutes to rub salt into the Balcatta wounds as they stay second from bottom, eight points in front of Floreat but behind Fremantle on goal difference.
