Sorrento FC’s bid for an immediate return to the NPL remains firmly on track after they went nine points clear at the top of State League Division One with seven rounds to play.
Steven McGarry’s unbeaten side chalked up their 13th win from 15 games on Saturday, closing out a 4-0 victory at Gwelup Croatia.
From the moment Dean Cummings latched on to a poor defensive header to open the scoring inside the opening 30 seconds, the Gulls were always in control.
They had to wait until the 65th minute for the second through Connor Simpson’s towering header, but that opened the floodgates. Cummings quickly added a third when he beat Josiah Godfrey at his near post for his 17th goal of the campaign, followed soon after by Neil Kilkenny’s scorching half-volley from the edge of the area.
While Sorrento show no signs of letting up, the same cannot be said of Dianella White Eagles who suffered a second defeat in three games to fall further behind the leaders.
Their latest setback came at UWA Nedlands, who struck twice in the last 10 minutes to win 2-0 and go fourth. Samuel Ince squeezed the opener past unsighted Peter Pilkadaris, before Luke Salas lobbed the Eagles keeper with a minute remaining to inflict a first-game loss on new Dianella head coach Ian Ferguson.
Murdoch University Melville are third and three points behind Dianella following their 2-1 home win over Cockburn City.
They had to do it the hard way, however, after falling behind to a terrific first-half free-kick from Angel Andres Rivera. Ed Wynne-Willson levelled from the penalty spot on 66 minutes, and 10 minutes later Joshua Macri side-footed home the winner.
Mandurah City are fifth after going down 3-1 at Subiaco, who move up to sixth.
The game came to life early in the second half when Subi struck through Moustafa Mohamed's spot-kick and they added to it when Jonty Pearson finished from close range. Charles Parry pulled one back with a low drive, but it was the hosts who grabbed the win as substitute David Micevski broke down the right to net.
There was a six-goal thriller at Chichester Park where Kingsley Westside and Joondalup United shared the points.
Kingsley went in front on 10 minutes when Shane Hulgraine’s smart turn and shot was put into his own net by Danny O’Shea. Joondalup levelled just after the half-hour through Jay Lang’s free-kick, yet Kingsley immediately re-established their advantage as Hulgraine got his goal.
A defensive error allowed United’s Tyler Holden to run in and score within a minute of coming on as a half-time substitute, before Daniel Harrison produced a carbon copy of Lang’s set-piece to put Kingsley ahead for the third time. But never-say-die Joondalup had the last word with Ben Wyeth popping up in stoppage time to make it 3-3.
Finally in Division One, Rockingham City threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Gosnells City as they missed the chance to move off the bottom of the table.
Two goals in four minutes from Shane Boyle had the home side in control. First, the Rocky skipper tapped in Andrew Murray’s cross. Then he controlled a long ball and wriggled through before poking home.
But by half-time, it was level as Gosnells profited from Rockingham’s poor defending on two Jason Peppin corners. The first went straight in, while the second in first-half stoppage time was headed in by Wade Farmer. And it was a similar story after the break as yet another corner, this time from Farmer, was glanced home by Aaron Coslani.
In Division Two, leaders Kalamunda City were held 0-0 at home by lowly Carramar Shamrock Rovers. That allowed Joondalup City to narrow the gap to three points after they beat Ashfield 1-0 at Iluka, Liam Peacock grabbing the all-important goal just before the hour.
A point behind City are East Perth, 4-2 winners at Quinns. It was a game of doubles at Stylish Park, with Chris Smith and 19-goal Ryan McCready scoring two apiece for the visitors and Mou Marial doing likewise for Quinns.
An early goal by Kieran Witt and a second-half strike by Jai Coker cemented Curtin University’s hold of fourth as they beat bottom club Wanneroo City 2-0.
The result leaves the Roos four points behind Swan United and Carramar. Swan went down 1-0 to fifth-place Forrestfield United, with Sherwin Tucker the scorer. Forrestfield are three points ahead of Balga, who also suffered a 1-0 home loss to Canning City. Tom Kinnane’s fifth-minute penalty settled the issue.