Sorrento lost their position at the top of the Football West Premier Division, as Cockburn City snatched a goal in the final seconds to win this highly entertaining match at Dalmatinac Park.

 The Gulls first defeat of the season came at the feet of Johnny Mirco and Aaron De Santos who scored two goals each. The match seemed to be heading for a 3-3 draw until the 2nd minute of stoppage-time Johnny Mirco pounced to be the toast of Cockburn. The match was with some controversy as the Gulls players felt hard done by when a goal was not given with the linesman deeming that the ball had not crossed the goal line with the score at 2-2.

Cockburn won the toss and told the Gulls to attack the Azelia Road end. And attack they did as on four minutes Scott Bulloch sped down the left and his cross skimmed off the head of defender Jason Godfrey to reach Todd Harnwell at the far post where he adjusted to steer the high ball pass Nick Feely.

The visitors lead lasted only three minutes. An attempt to run the ball out of defence by Steve McDonald came unstuck and Johnny Mirco gained possession and after advancing a few paces slipped the ball left to Aaron Dos Santos who dispatched his shot past Anthony Cochrane.

The match was full of open play. On 11 minutes a Gulls corner from the right by Glen Thomas was headed over by Danny Cain who was in the starting line up for his first league match following recovery from surgery. Then two minutes later a chance at the other end for Daniel Palermo whose attempted lob was just too strong.

On 17 minutes clever play by Thomas found Harnwell and a trick put him clear of his marker to face Feely one on one, but the Cockburn keeper blocked with his left hand. Exciting action ensured and then another goal on 31 minutes. A bullet by Johnny Mirco was parried by Cochrane with the ball travelling to Dos Santos who slotted in the rebound to put the home team in front.

Their lead was only three minutes as the reply had James Morgan and Stuart Banks involved before Bulloch found Harnwell who turned and fired inside the right post. Dos Santos was looking for a hat trick on 40 minutes, but his lob to a loose ball in the area was off the Gulls cross bar.

The 2nd half started with the same attacking football. Five minutes in a cross from the right by Kilkelly was headed down by Danny Hill at the back post into the path of Harnwell, but he could only get a toe to it at full stretch and the ball went over. Then three minutes later a cross from the left by Harnwell found Scott Neville to head goalwards, but Feely did exceptionally well to prevent low down & then gather at 2nd attempt.

Then on 54 minutes the Gulls thought they had hit the front, Thomas started the move to Hill who crossed from the right towards the far post where Bulloch’s header struck the underside of the bar and Feely scooped the ball back and Referee Stephen Gregory waved play, much to the disappointment of the Sorrento players.

At the 73rd  minute Cockburn went ahead 3-2 when the Gulls, gave up possession too easily in their last third and a quick interchange of passes between Johnny Mirco and substitute, Mileta Miletic, had Mirco with space and he fired into the bottom right.

Again the team in claret didn’t let their host saviour the lead for too long as three minutes later Thomas’s corner from the right was met by Cain who slammed his shot home. Still plenty of action as on 81 minutes a shot by Michael Mirco flashed towards goal where Banks cleared from the line for the Gulls.

A hand ball by Cochrane gave Cockburn a free kick just outside the area, but Johnny Mirco’s shot was deflected by the wall and then struck Cochrane for Kilkelly to clear for a corner. The corner found Liam Lilly whose flick was cleared from the Gull’s line by Bulloch.

It was then the Gull’s turn to pressure and again when Harnwell faced Feely in a one on one, it was the keeper saving on 87 minutes. Two minutes later from a Banks throw in for Hill to flick onto Harnwell, but this time with the keeper beaten, Harnwell’s lob went over the bar.

Then late into stoppage time it was Dos Santos who was given the ball by a Gull’s defender’s pass and he set up Johnny Mirco who drilled into the bottom left from inside the area. Extreme joy for the home crowd, whilst the visitors were simply stunned.

Cockburn (4-3-3): Feely, Surjan, Natale (Macura 46), Lilly, Godfrey, De Felice, Palermo, M Mirco, A Dos Santos, J Mirco, De Bartolo (Miletic 70). Subs not used: Aleksic, Findlander, Kamasz. Cautions: J mirco 51, De Bartolo 55, Godfrey 64.

Sorrento (4-4-2): Cochrane, Kilkelly, McDonald, Cain, Banks, Morgan, Thomas, Bulloch, Neville (Montgomery 78), Harnwell, Hill. Subs not used: Ross, Martin, Flatt, Trpevski. Cautions: Cain 33.

Referee: Stephen Gregory