Bayswater City added the New Balance NPL WA Men’s Top Four Cup to the league title for the second successive year with a 2-0 win over Perth Azzurri.
There was little to choose between the sides at the Sam Kerr Football Centre, until Cameron Teece struck twice from outside the area late in the game.
On 80 minutes, the Bayswater forward controlled a long clearance on the edge of the box and, sensing Liam Driscoll slightly off his line, swivelled and sent a shot high over the Azzurri keeper which dipped and dropped in just under the bar.
While Driscoll will be disappointed to have been caught out, it was a typical piece of opportunism from arguably the most natural finisher in the competition.
Four minutes later Teece struck again with another excellent finish. Collecting a loose ball in the middle of the Azzurri half, he travelled crossfield before unleashing a 25-yard shot which flew past Driscoll and into the far corner.
The late brace sends Bayswater into the Australian Championship on a high and earned Teece the Gary Marocchi Medal as Player of the Match.
“It was a hard game … I think Perth played really good football there and we didn’t play our best game tonight. But two decent goals from me and a great performance from the boys defensively … we’re happy with the result,” he said.
Teece, who only returned to the side in July after a year out with an ACL injury, added: “It was just the result we needed going into the Aus Championship … hopefully we’ll do well in that as well.”
Football West would like to acknowledge Belgravia Apparel Business Development Manager Glen Metherell who assisted with the trophy presentation.
– Perth RedStar ended Perth Glory’s four-year hold on the New Balance NPL WA Men’s U23s Top Four Cup with a 3-1 win.
It was champions Glory who struck first through Hudson Burn. But just as they did in the preliminary final, RedStar turned it around.
Abrahim Fofana headed them level just before half-time, captain George Losondo pickpocketed the Glory defence to make it 2-1 on 82 minutes, then Fofana sealed the win near the end.
– Olympic Kingsway added the New Balance NPL WA Men’s U18s Top Four Cup to their league title with a 2-0 victory over State Cup winners Stirling Macedonia.
Both goals came in the last quarter of the game. Corey Smith opened the scoring with a brilliant curling effort, before Isaac Sesay stabbed home to make it two.
