Cockburn City head the Football West Premier Division table after a 2-0 win against Perth SC at Dalmatinac Park. Johnny Mirco put the Cockerels ahead on 51 minutes with Adam Surjan wrapping up the points three minutes later. Mandurah City lost top spot after a last minute goal own goal from defender Gary Collins gave Inglewood United a 2-1 win at the Clipsal Stadium. Mladen Kovacevic opened the scoring on 23 minutes before Phil O’Callaghan scored his 11th goal of the season to level things up in the 78th minute. It looked as if that would be the final score before the dramatic late  goal.
 
Swan IC came from behind at half time to draw 3-3 with Stirling Lions at Macedonia Park. Geoff Mason gave the Swans the lead on 15 minutes, but two goals from Scottish import Alan Muir, his first a stunning 25-yard shot, gave the Lions the lead. Swans leveled again on 45 minutes through Damian Scali, but the Lions went back in front 60 seconds later with a great shot from the edge of the box by Dean Evans. The only goal in the second half came from the penalty spot when keeper Phil Straker was deemed to have fouled Brendan Knox and Scali fired home from spot kick to share the spoils.
 
There was a great game in the local derby between Sorrento and ECU Joondalup at Percy Doyle reserve with the hosts prevailing 3-2. Former ECU midfielder Scott Bulloch gave the Gulls the lead on 31 minutes and Steven McDonald made it 2-0 six minutes later. The visitors pulled a goal back on 66 minutes from John Thornley and the striker leveled things up on 82 minutes. But with five minutes remaining Lewis Platt popped up to give Sorrento all three points.
 
Armadale won their first points of the season with a 1-0 win in the relegation battle against Fremantle Spirit at Alfred Skeet Oval. The only goal of the game came on 77 minutes when Daryl Platten headed home a Kodi Madeley corner; the home side had new English import signing James Robinson in the side.

Inglewood United extended their winning streak to three matches after beating leaders Mandurah 2-1 at Clipsal Stadium on Saturday.

An own goal by Mandurah’s central defender Gary Collins secured the win for the home side in stoppage time.

Inglewood controlled the first half completely, dominating possession and creating chances. United captain Shane Pryce was a commanding presence in the backline as Mandurah struggled to even get near Inglewood’s penalty area.

After 22 minutes, Mladen Kovacevic received a beautiful through ball from Jamie Mitsopoulos and coolly put it through goalkeeper Michael Green’s legs to make it 1-0.

The lead was almost doubled six minutes later when Inglewood were awarded a penalty after Wiley had handled the ball. David Whiteside stepped up only to see his shot saved by Green.

The second half started where the first ended, with Inglewood continuing to create chances and dominate possession.

After 66 minutes a confident Kovacevic attempted a drive from 25 metres out, but his shot bounced of the crossbar.

Then, Mandurah changed to a more attacking formation and suddenly started to dominate the match. Phil O’Callaghan was influential in the team’s fight back, showing neat touches, great dribbling and adventurous play.

On 77 minutes the striker hit Inglewood’s crossbar, but on the follow up chance he showed composure to neatly fire the ball in the lower right-hand corner to equalise.

Mandurah almost went into the lead in the 82nd minute when Christian Paschkewitz was left unmarked inside the penalty area to head goalwards. But as happened so many times this Saturday afternoon, the crossbar stood in the way.

It was a dramatic finish to the match with both teams creating more big chances. Kovacevic was denied by the woodwork yet again from a free kick in the 85th minute, and Mandurah’s O’Callaghan missed a chance in the 87th minute when he only had goalkeeper Oliver Taseski left to beat.

The decisive goal came after 90 minutes, when Michael Baczynski’s pressure was enough to force an own goal from the unlucky Collins.

Inglewood coach Lee Bamber admitted his side were a bit fortunate to get the win.

“It could’ve gone either way today.”

“Mandurah is a good team, they pass the ball around well and are very well organised. They put us under a lot of pressure in the second half when they put three men up front.

“But we defended well and in the end we had a bit of fortune to get the own goal.”

Teams

Inglewood United - GK Taseski, Pryce, Wardle, Baczynski, Mitsopoulos (Stamatiadis 89), K. Griffiths (I. Griffiths 78), Whiteside (Davite 66), Sammut, Colli, Duncan, M. Kovacevic – Subs not used: Italiano, Lado.

Mandurah City - GK Green, Bright, Quinn (Paschkewitz 69), M. Currie, J.K Brown, A. Brown, O’Callaghan, Townsend, McCulloch (Crampton 57), Wiley, Collins – Subs not used: Bloor, C. Currie, Loreto.

Referee – Paul Anderson

Football West Reporter - Peder Qvale

Flatt the hero as Gulls steal derby win

A late Lewis Flatt strike earned Sorrento northern suburbs bragging rights with a thrilling 3-2 victory over rivals ECU Joondalup at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Flatt was on hand to volley home a rebound in the 87th minute after Bobson Karoma had parried Scott Bulloch’s initial effort. As the ball fell to Flatt he instinctively volleyed the ball in off the near post to steal the points for the home side – some might say luckily.

It was all Sorrento in the first half however, the home side keeping possession well and almost being rewarded in the 27th minute when Todd Harnwell brought out the best from Karoma in a one-on-one situation. Stuart Montgomery was only inches away from tapping in the rebound as the ball rolled away from him at the final moment.

Five minutes later and Sorrento were rewarded. Bulloch went on a trademark run down the left after collecting the loose ball from midfield and was given far too much space by the ECU backline, who allowed him to drive a thunderous left footed shot into Karoma’s net to give his side the advantage.

Sorrento’s lead was extended five minutes later when Brodie Martin was brought down by Darren Broxton in the penalty area. Designated spot kick-taker Steve McDonald stepped up and coolly slotted past the hapless Karoma for a 2-0 half-time lead.

The start of the second half reflected the first with Sorrento controlling play and young Tommy Amphlett being Joondalup’s only real contributor on the right flank. However, as the half went on the visitors got back into the game and finally got on the score - sheet in the 67th minute – but not without a helping hand.

Scott Neville’s flawless game was undone when the Sorrento midfielder attempted to dribble out of trouble in his own penalty area. ECU substitute John Thornley made him pay by dispossessing the youngster and dispatching a powerful left-foot drive past Neil Young in goal.

Scott Bushby almost levelled things up in the 71st minute after some good build-up play by Amphlett. The midfielder weaved his way through opponents on the right before cutting back for Bushby whose effort flew just over Young’s crossbar.

The home fans were beginning to get restless as Joondalup took control of the game and were deservedly level on 83 minutes with Amphlett again involved. After fighting hard to keep the ball in play, Amphlett spotted goalscorer Thornley who with his back to goal was able to turn his marker and drive home a thumping right-footed shot for his and Joondalup’s second.

It seemed like 2-2 would be a fair result as the match was wound down, but ECU ultimately paid the price for throwing too many men forward in an attempt to win it. Flatt collected the ball from a counter-attack and spotted Bulloch on the left. 

The youngster was in the right place at the right time after his teammate’s effort was blocked – the goal sparking wild celebrations both on and off the pitch as Sorrento escaped with the three points against their arch enemy.

Football West Match Reporter – Ilija Mihalj

Teams

Sorrento: Young, Kilkelly, McDonald, Banks, Neville, Thomas, Morgan (Martin 12), Flatt, Bulloch, Montgomery (Trajkoski 72), Harnwell.

Subs not used: Cochrane, Trpevski, Moore.

Bookings: Kilkelly 19, McDonald 84.

ECU Joondalup: Karoma, Nicholson, Simpson, Donlevy (Blackmore 59), A. Jones (Colling 66), Amphlett, Broxton, Bushby, Higgins, T. Jones (Thornley 59), McMurray.

Subs not used: Hindley, Durkan.

Referee: Michael Tolmie.

Swans steal a point in six goal thriller.

There was a six goal thriller at Macedonia Park in round 9 of the Football West Premier Division where Stirling Lions and Swan IC fought out an entertaining 3-3 draw. Scottish import Alan Muir scored a brace for the Lions while Damian Scali did likewise for the visitors.

Swan IC opened brightly and went close straight from the kick off; Brendan Knox sent Alex Cocking in on goal but his shot from 12-yards was just wide of the target.

The Lions faithful screamed for a penalty when the elusive Phil Arnold went down under a Robert Monterosso tackle on three minutes, but referee Joe Fusari waved away the Lions’ protests.

It was the visitors who were causing the most problems and when keeper Phil Straker failed to deal with Knox’s corner from the left, Steve Porter had to be alert to clear the ball off the line.

Eventually on 15 minutes the Swans pressure told, and they hit the front. John Mansaray played a defence splitting pass to Geoff Mason and his shot from the edge of the box flew past Straker to give the Swans the lead.

A shell shocked Lions hit back four minutes later with a stunning strike from Muir. The Swans were asleep at a throw-in allowing Mark Redshaw space down the left, he pulled the ball back to Muir, and his shot 25-yards flew into the top corner of the net.

The goal lifted the Lions and they began to dominate, Redshaw fired wide after good work from Rory Feely and on the half hour Ludovic Boi fired inches past the post. But the Swans were dangerous on the counter attack, and after a superb pass from Andy O’Neill, Cocking was in on goal again but his half volley flew inches over the crossbar.

Both sides had chances in an end-to-end game, Arnold’s long-range shot for the Lions was saved low by Cory Hugo on 37 minutes, while Porter again saved the Lions when he cleared Aaron Cole’s header off the line via the crossbar.

Porter’s heroics were rewarded minutes later when the Lions hit the front on 42 minutes. Swans keeper Hugo could only parry Arnold’s long-range shot, but the former state keeper reacted superbly to deny Redshaw from the rebound, but there was nothing he could do to stop Muir’s follow up shot from six-yards.

As the first half went into injury time the Swans leveled, Mansaray combined with Cocking on the right and the young striker sent Damian Scali in on goal and he finished off the move with a low strike past Straker.

But the action wasn’t over and sixty seconds later the Lions regained the lead. Boi was the provider, after a darting run down the right he found Dean Evans on the edge of the box and the youngster fired home past Hugo.

The Swans started brightly in the second half and on 48 minutes Straker had to be alert to save at the feet of Cocking. Four minutes later the Swans were appealing for a penalty when Straker and Cocking collided in the box, but the referee wasn’t interested in their appeals.

On the hour, it was Boi again that created a chance for Redshaw. He cut  the ball back to the former Manchester United trainee who blasted over from close-range. But the game took another twist on 68 minutes when the Swans were awarded a penalty by referee Fusari. A long throw-in by Monterosso was flicked on by Scali sending Knox in on goal and collided with Straker, the referee pointed straight to the spot.  It was a little harsh on the keeper, but Scali kept his nerve to score from the spot for his tenth goal of the season and to level the scores.      

Both sides pressed for the victory, O’Neill’s goalbound shot for Swans was blocked well by Andy Brown, while Lions midfielder Evans’ shot from the edge of the box went wide of the target.

As in the first half there was late drama, first a misunderstanding between Dom Ando and O’Neill let in Arnold for the Lions, but his shot was blocked well by the outstanding Cole. Muir’s follow up shot was hit straight at Hugo. A mistake at the other end by Brown let in O’Neill, but his lob sailed inches over the bar.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time the Lions had the chance to win it, Evans sent Redshaw in on goal but a superb covering tackle from David McNally cleared the danger. The referee then blew for full time, although Redshaw was incensed a penalty wasn’t given and protested the decision vehemnetly.

A great game of football and Swans Coach Paul Lincoln was happy with the point. “It’s a great point for us today and Aaron Cole was superb for us, likewise Damian Scali.
 
“We played well in patches in the first half, but we played better in the second half and I thought we deserved a point on the day,” said Lincoln.   

Lions Coach Michael Lyons was disappointed to drop two points at home. “You score three goals at home and you expect to win the game.
 
“We looked leaky at the back today but we did have three regulars out of the side. We also missed Marc Anthony and Jordan Rhodes in the middle of the park today,” said Lyons

Teams
Stirling Lions – GK Straker, Harman, Brown, Pugliese, Porter, Arnold, Evens, Muir, Boi, Redshaw, Feely – Subs not used: Bentley, Italiano, Rutherford, Reid, Geddes

Swan IC – GK Hugo, Monterosso, McNally, Cole, Ando, Mason, Mansaray (Catalano 75), Knox, O’Neill, Scali, Cocking (Wood 88) – Subs not Used: Agudelo,  Da Re, Baczynski

Referee – Joe Fusari

Reporter: Peter Simcox