Perth Soccer Club ended a three-game losing run in spectacular fashion as a 5-0 win at Balcatta Etna saw them move clear of the drop zone after 16 rounds of the NPLWA – Men’s competition.
The Azzurri’s victory over their Italian rivals saw them move three points clear of Perth Glory, who continue to occupy the relegation play-off place.
Balcatta, who could have moved eight points clear of Perth SC with a win, are now just two points clear of their rivals in ninth and not yet out of the woods in terms of safety.
Two goals in the first 12 minutes gave the visitors an early platform. Gordon Perkins latched onto David Ninkovich’s clever pass with the former Armadale winger lobbing over a stranded Connor Campbell for the opener.
Jamie McNelis doubled the lead when Daniel Faichney’s cross from the left reached the youngster after Perkins helped on.
It was 2-0 at the break with Perth in control and they all but secured victory when McNelis headed in from close range from Ninkovich’s teasing cross.
Kenny Lowe’s side were turning on the style and made it four after a free-flowing move down the right which saw Banks and Ninkovich combine, with Perkins completing the team move by tapping in.
Sam Cook put the icing on the cake late on when showing strength to hold off his marker from a long ball before firing low and hard past Campbell.
Both Balcatta and Perth have a break on Glory, who were hit for six by leaders Olympic Kingsway for the second time this year.
David Tough’s side took five minutes to hit the front at the Sam Kerr Football Centre when Lebib Lebib slipped Joe Knowles down the right and the former Brisbane Roar striker caught out young Glory keeper Jhett Warner at his near post with a fierce drive from near the byline.
The table-toppers soon had a second when Calum O’Connell headed in Knowles’ free-kick. And it was 3-0 by half-time when Joe Hobson curled home from the edge of the box.
Glory’s cause was hampered further when Giovanni De Abreu received a second yellow card – the second time he has been sent off against Olympic this year.
The visitors added a fourth when Knowles was fouled by Malise Mpunga and the forward stepped up to convert from the spot.
Laat Mathiang’s stunning free-kick proved a consolation for the hosts as Mitch Oxborrow’s emphatic penalty and Tom Sallis’ maiden NPL goal on debut made it 6-1 and consigned Glory to a fourth defeat in five matches.
Kingsway remain clear of Perth RedStar on goal difference after their title rivals came from behind to win 3-2 against Bayswater City with Joel Chianese scoring a 95th-minute winner.
Gary Williams’ side took a first-half lead when Lewis Tucker’s challenge broke kindly for Josh Bell who drove towards goal and rolled under Liam Reddy on 14 minutes.
RedStar levelled in the second period when Matty George found Theo Leeming who stepped past his opponent and the goalkeeper to roll into a vacant net and make it goals in back-to-back weeks.
A win for Bayswater would have seen them finish the day in fourth spot. And they put themselves in a good position to achieve that when they were awarded a penalty which Cameron Teece powered home.
But they could not hold onto the lead as RedStar mounted a late comeback to inflict a third defeat in four on Baysie. The scores were level when the home side worked a short corner with the subsequent cross taking multiple deflections before being put in by skipper Blair Govan.
Both sides chased a winner and it was RedStar who found it to extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches. Callum Salmon’s side countered from a Bayswater attack and substitute Gomo Dukuly’s cross broke nicely for former Perth Glory winger Chianese to rattle in.
It looks more like a two-horse title race after third-placed Fremantle City and Stirling Macedonia, who are fourth, drew 2-2 at Hilton Park.
Freo led on 11 minutes when Pat Loughrey played a give-and-go with Dean Hurley down the right, before finishing across the goalkeeper via the post.
Stirling levelled just before the break when Calvin Whitney scored directly from a free-kick from wide on the left.
Ago Mujic’s side led for the first time when Brent Quick fed Alex Tanevski, who nudged forward for Ciaran Byrne to poke under an advancing Luke Radonich.
But Shubham Mokala secured a point for the home side when beating a challenge and driving home to record his first goal for the club.
The result keeps Fremantle in control of a top-four finish, while Stirling’s unbeaten run stretched to four games as they sit three points clear of fifth-placed Armadale.
The Army continued their good recent run and remain firmly in the finals race after a 2-0 win over Western Knights at Alfred Skeet Reserve.
Pieter Jacobsz continued his excellent season with a goal in each half, as he joined Daryl Nicol at the top of the NPLM scoring charts with 14 for the campaign.
The first goal came when George Ballah’s pass ran through for the home-grown striker, who kept his composure to slot past Sam Reilly.
Victory was secured in the second half when Amir Ajan drove through the heart of the Knights midfield and poked through for Jacobsz, who controlled with his first touch and finished confidently with his second.
Armadale has now won three of their past four games while Knights slide to eighth having only won once in their past 11 matches.
Knights have been overtaken in the standings by Floreat Athena who made it three straight wins with a 2-0 win over bottom side Inglewood United.
Two late goals in the first 45 got the job done for Vas Vujacic’s team who keep their top four hopes alive with their upturn in form.
Mohammed Al-Zaidy’s stunning curler set Athena on their way before a scrappy second on half-time with Nick Ambrogio pouncing on a loose ball to net.
The defeat ended Inglewood’s a four-game unbeaten run as they remain four points from safety with six rounds left.
