Cockburn City aim to win a third successive game on Saturday afternoon as head coach Steve McDonald welcomes former club Sorrento to Dalmatinac Park in Round Four of the NPLWA – Men’s competition.
Many wrote off the Cockerels after a winless Night Series and heavy round one defeat at Armadale. But wins over Bayswater and Perth in the past fortnight have last year’s State Cup winners moving in the right direction.
McDonald, who stopped playing in 2021, begins his first full season as head coach of Cockburn’s NPLWA – Men’s side, having arrived as U18s coach last year. He joined Mirko Jelicic’s first-team staff during 2022 before taking charge of the final four league matches after Jelicic’s departure.
The former Motherwell player is proud of how his team bounced back after a tough start and admits he is happy to use as motivation the views of those who have written off Cockburn.
“Obviously, we didn’t start the season well getting hammered by Armadale, but the way we answered and were able to turn it around in such quick fashion against two good footballing sides was pleasing,” McDonald said.
“We probably got a bit naive and ahead of ourselves (in the first game) that we could be gung-ho and have plenty of people going forward without anyone covering at the back. We got it wrong and I’ll hold my hands up and say we needed to go back to the drawing board. But I was confident we could rectify the wrongs in terms of getting back to basics, tightening up and not conceding silly goals.
“I said to the players after the Bayswater win that this was the belief I had in them all pre-season and they showed what they were capable of. They’ve done everything we asked of them to the point we can’t have any complaints.
“I’m always one for the underdog. I always chant for them in the movies. Unfortunately, not every team can be picked as a team who is going to win it, but I am the sort of person who will use that information to thrust into the face of the team, because it does give you the motivation to say that if doubt us then do so at your own peril.
“It’s something I used to do in my playing days where if people count you out, it’s an opportunity to rise through the adversity and prove people wrong.”
McDonald played until age 42 at local level where he finished with Forrestfield United, but he also represented clubs ranging from Perth to Western Knights and Armadale locally, while also having stints in Scotland and Singapore.
The towering defender was arguably best known for several spells with Sorrento, which was the first club he joined as a junior in 1991. He progressed through the club’s youth system and frequently returned to Percy Doyle Reserve, despite spells elsewhere along the way.
Eventually he returned to the Gulls and was part of successful sides in the late noughties and early 2010s which won multiple trophies, and in 2016 was involved with the Sorrento team who remain the only NPLWA participant to make the Australia Cup Round of 16.
“There are so many memories to choose from, but the ones where you win trophies obviously stand out most,” McDonald said.
“I played with Brad Hassell, Jamie and Todd Harnwell, Daryl Platten, Glen Thomas, James Morgan, Scott Bulloch and Stuart Montgomery, just to name a few. We were quite fortunate we had many players coming through around that time and were quite a successful group all around the same age.
“Most of us went to school or played juniors together. That’s where the bond comes from and why we were so hard to beat. We’d go out there as friends and that’s what you do on the pitch, you fight and die for them.”
Despite fond memories with Sorrento, McDonald will hope to get one over his former club on Saturday. He expects a response from the visitors following their heavy derby defeat in Round Three to Perth RedStar.
“I’m kind of wishing they didn’t get beat 7-1 last week to be honest because they will be hurting, so beware the wounded tiger,” he said.
“Steve McGarry has taken over there and is bringing a new system and style of play, so we will have to monitor their strengths and weaknesses. But I know that if we play the way we’ve played over the past couple of weeks, and continue that momentum, then we will be in the game for a long time and hopefully standing at the end with three points.
“I’ll always have a love affair with Sorrento because they’ve done so much for me over the years. But now my full focus is on Cockburn City and making sure we continue to build and progress in the direction the club wants to get to in the next four or five years.
Elsewhere on Saturday, leaders Perth Glory go to Perth SC as the league’s only unbeaten side.
Glory have shown character in the past fortnight by holding on to win with 10 men against a fast-finishing Armadale, while also coming from three-goals down to draw 3-3 at Bayswater. They face an Azzurri team who lost to Cockburn last week and they will want to bounce back in the first match of a double-header which see’s Perth’s NPLWA – Women’s team face Perth RedStar at 5pm.
Second-place Armadale will look to continue their red-hot form in front of goal when they travel to bottom side Olympic Kingsway. John O’Reilly’s team have plundered 13 goals in their three league outings, while David Tough’s side are still in search of their first points of the season, despite March’s Night Series win.
Defending champions Floreat Athena will be hoping to make it three wins on the bounce when they take on RedStar in a repeat of last year’s Top Four Cup final, which the northern suburbs club won after trailing 2-0. RedStar themselves rediscovered some form in front of goal last week as they put seven goals past 10-man Sorrento.
Stirling Macedonia return to Macedonia Park for the first time since the opening round when they take on much-improved neighbours Balcatta Etna side, who have won their last two games away to Inglewood and Kingsway.
Finally, Bayswater City are at Inglewood United and still in search of their first win this season, while Andres Oliveira’s side have lost back-to-back games following an impressive Night Series and Round One win over holders Floreat.
Fixtures
Saturday (3pm)
Cockburn City v Sorrento
Inglewood United v Bayswater City
Olympic Kingsway v Armadale
Perth SC v Perth Glory
Perth RedStar v Floreat Athena
Stirling Macedonia v Balcatta Etna