A goal seven minutes from time from substitute Rodrigo Aguirre gave Inglewood a 1-0 victory over a plucky 10 man Armadale at Clipsal Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors had to play for 75 minutes with 10 men after John Lund was shown a straight red card by referee Currie for an off the ball clash with Inglewood midfielder Michael Baczynski where Lund appeared to kick out as the players ran past.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Armadale side continued to pass the ball well and had the better of the opportunities in the first 45 minutes despite the score staying locked at nil all.

Gary Faria forced Inglewood keeper Oliver Taseski into a diving save with a long range strike on 17 minutes before new English import James Robinson wasted a good opening; he miscontrolled a knock down from Ryan Pearson when in space before the danger was cleared.

Minutes later a Faria free kick deflected into the side netting, with the resulting corner giving Robinson a free head on goal but he couldn’t hit the target from five yards.

Inglewood looked to respond and a curled shot from inside the area by Jamie Mitsopoulos was headed into the post from point blank range by Baczynski with the rebound falling to Kevin Griffiths who spooned his shot over the bar from two yards. His embarrassment at the miss was eased by a linesman’s flag that would have disallowed the goal had it gone in.

The home side finished the half the stronger with Baczynski firing in a long range effort, James Sammut slicing through the defence to blaze high over and a wicked Jason Colli cross bouncing just over the head of Griffiths as he looked ready to pounce.

Inglewood coach Lee Bamber had a menacing look on his face as he entered the tunnel during the break however his spray must have had the desired effect as it was all one way traffic on the resumption of play.

In form attacker Sammut was in the action but must have left his shooting boots at home as he fired two shots well wide of the target. Mladen Kovacevic went a little closer, his attempt from distance was spilled for a corner by Cyril Sharrock.

On 66 minutes Griffiths had two chances to grab a goal, after the striker got his head to a Colli cross from the right, keeper Sharrock getting a slight touch as the ball came back off the cross bar. Armadale were unable to clear their lines properly, the ball eventually coming back to Griffiths who curled a shot from the edge of the area just wide of the upright.

It was to be Griffiths last contribution as young striker Rodrigo Aguirre replaced him, the home side desperate for the goal that would give them three points.

As Inglewood laid siege to the Armadale area, substitute Daniel Kovacevic should have given his side the lead after Aguirre dribbled into the box, his low cross found the unmarked defender on the back post but Sharrock produced a fantastic block to preserve his clean sheet.

The reprieve lasted only one minute longer as the ball came straight back in following the Inglewood corner, Aguirre turning back from the byline and curling in a sensational right footer from the tightest of angles to give the strong crowd plenty to cheer about.

Inglewood: GK Oliver Taseski, 2 Shane Pryce, 6 Matt Wardle, 7 Michael Baczynski,  8 Jamie Mitsopoulos (4 John Davite 84’), 11 Kevin Griffiths (5 Rodrigo Aguirre 67’), 14 James Sammut, 18 Jason Colli, 24 Alex Stamatiadis (3 Daniel Kovacevic 56’), 26 James Duncan, 27 Mladen Kovacevic SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Italiano, David Whiteside

Armadale: GK Cyril Sharrock, 6 Daryl Platten, 9 Gary Faria (15 Nao Oishi 84’), 4 Scott Devine (19 A Galvin 87’), 14 Mark Darby, 10 James Robinson, 11 John Lund, 5 Matt Bennion, 12 Shannon Dally, 8 Ryan Pearson (20 Jason Goodwin 68’), 7 Cody Madeley SUBS NOT USED: Beau Geerling

Bookings:
Inglewood: M Bacznski

Armadale: C Sharrock

Dismissals:
Armadale: J Lund

Referee: D Currie

The Western Knights picked up maximum points in their third consecutive home game against Stirling Lions, and striker Mario Marcinko scored his third goal in as many matches to give the home side a 2-1 win.

The Knights’ suffered an early blow when goalkeeper Kevin Miller withdrew from the starting line-up and had to be replaced by the inexperienced Jacob Chudy. After 8 minutes the unfortunate Chudy was picking the ball out of the back of his net.

Ivan Gavranic was harshly deemed by referee Fusari to have handled the ball and awarded a penalty; harsh as the ball struck the player rather than him moving his arm towards the ball. Dean Evans made no mistake from the spot to give Stirling an early lead.

As had happened in the previous two weeks, after conceding the Knights lifted a gear, but unlike in the previous two games they did not score, even though they should have. Good interplay from a throw in between Peran and Daniel Micevski saw the latter with just Straker to beat from six yards, but instead of using his left foot, he used the outside of his right and hit his shot over the crossbar.

In the 22nd minute Stirling should have doubled their lead. A great ball by Porter found Harman in space out wide, and his pinpoint cross found Boi in front of goal with goalkeeper Chudy caught out of position, but his shot sailed over the cross bar.

The Knights then went on the attack and created three clear-cut chances that were either squandered or thwarted by goalkeeper Straker who was in defiant form. But on 33 minutes there was not a lot he could do about the Knights equaliser.

From what looked like an innocuous free kick Skorich challenged for the ball at the edge of the Stirling box, but missed. The ball sailed over his head, bounced, and Marcinko who had not given up on the ball, unlike the stationary Lions’ defenders headed the ball backwards, wrong footing Straker, and the ball bounced over the line off his left hand post.

Geddes almost restored the Lions lead just two minutes later with a wonderful shot on the turn which beat Chudy, but sailed just wide of the right hand post.

Once again the Knights were stung into action, and again Daniel Micevski should have done better when good work by Skorich and Devlin saw him through on goal with just Straker to beat. He hesitated for a split second and Straker pulled of a superb save beating his shot away.

Then David Annall went on a surging run from defence up the right hand flank beating two tackles, but his pass to Skorich was well intercepted. A goal did not look far away as the Knights continued to apply pressure on Stirling.

In the 40th minute the goal duly arrived. From a Chudy goal kick Devlin flicked a header onto Marcinko, who deftly played the ball into the path of Daniel Micevski on the run. As he surged into the box, Straker advanced off his line, but it was a case of third time lucky for Micevski as he struck a firm shot under the keeper’s body and into the back of the net.

The Knights nearly had a third three minutes later, Gavrinic, who shows flashes of brilliance, was lucky that his poor cross was played straight back to him. Faced with a chance to make amends he ran into the box on an angle and unleashed a fulminating shot that smashed against Straker's right hand post with the ‘keeper not moving.

The best move of the game though came in the last minute of the first half. Marcinko won the ball inside his own half from a Chudy goal kick, and played a wonderful ball over the top of the Stirling defence to Skorich. The young tyro held the ball up well under pressure from a covering defender, and played the ball back into the path of the supporting Marcinko, he in turn played the ball out wide to Gavrinic whose cross was perfect, and was met by the still running Marcinko. The big striker’s downward header was struck with power, but Straker pulled off a miraculous save, getting down and pushing the ball up and away to safety. It was a move that warranted a goal, but the quality of the save, gave the moment a football symmetry.

Stirling as expected came out for the second half fired up and desperate to get back on even terms. But it was the Knights who were creating the better opportunities, First Devlin skewed his shot wide and then Marcinko fired over the cross bar.

The Lions were presented with a chance to equalise following a poor clearance by Chudy as a result of a terrible back pass by Mathers, but Chudy redeemed himself with a fine save from Muir. The young ‘keeper had David Annall to thank in the 56th minute when he came surging out of his box to challenge Arnold and came off second best, Arnold found Mark Anthony, but with the ‘keeper not at home his shot was blocked by Annall. The rebound fell back to Arnold, but he drove his shot into the side netting from a tight angle.

Two minutes later Stirling’s fight back was dealt a crushing blow as Anthony received his second yellow card and was sent off. Despite this blow they never gave up and although they only really troubled the Knights’ goal in the last minute of the game when Arnold’s cross-cum-shot was tipped over the bar by Chudy, Stirling always looked capable of scoring.

However Straker in goal for the Lions was the reason they were in the game at all. All day he was superb in repelling the determined Western Knights and he pulled off another memorable save in the 83rd minute, following an Annall free kick. That man Marcinko rose at the back post and again headed goalwards, but Straker diving to his right plucked the ball from the air one handed. But as is often the case his heroics could not stop the Knights taking all three points, as they now close to within three points of the Lions on the table.

Western Knights: Chudy, Mathers, Ferguson, Annall, Peran, Daniel Micevski (Dawson), Devlin, David Micevski, Gavranic (Allen) Skorich Marcinko.

Subs not used: Larkins, Butler.

Stirling Lions: Straker, Pugilese, Rutherford, Muir, Evans, Porter, Harman, Arnold, Anthony, Boi, Geddes.

Subs not used: Bentley, Italiano, Harland, Filocamo, Clevenger.

Yellow Cards: Marcinko (WK) Arnold (SL) Mathers (WK)

Red Cards: Anthony (SL)

Referee J. Fusari.

Floreat Finding Form For Finals Tilt

Peder Qvale

The top of the Premier League ladder became even tighter on Saturday as Floreat Athena grabbed a strong 3-1 victory over Mandurah City at E&D Litis Stadium.

In a pretty evenly contested first half, Mandurah took the lead after 23 minutes. Inspirational midfielder Phil O’Callaghan dribbled past two Athena defenders and from a tight angle fired the ball in the lower left corner.

Floreat levelled the score after 37 minutes when Rafael Insurralde’s deflected shot somewhat luckily found Branomir Mikulic inside the penalty area. But Mikulic took the ball nicely and hammered it into the net from close range.

Both teams seemed happy enough with the scoreline, slowing down the pace and not creating any chances before the break.

Michael Roki’s half time team talk must have fired up the home side as they piled on the pressure in the second half.

After 50 minutes, Brad Scott received the ball on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder-turned-striker showed good control and blasted the ball into the upper left corner to complete Athena’s comeback.

Mandurah had a good spell after the goal, but didn’t manage to convert any of their chances into goals.

Then, after 75 minutes, referee Gregory showed Athena’s Insurralde the red card for elbow use, without any protests from the player himself.   

Athena didn’t seem particularly affected by the sending off as they went 3-1 up in the 79th minute, with Daniel Niederberger and Scott combining. Niederberger’s pass from the right found Scott in the middle of the penalty area, the striker slotting the ball home with a cool finish.

Floreat’s victory means they sit nicely in fourth spot, four points behind leaders Sorrento. Mandurah are in sixth spot, six points behind the leaders.

Floreat Athena – GK V. Vujacic, Isaia, Madaschi, Apelgren, Insurralde, Mikulic, Vatistas, Pavlovic, Kovacevic, Scott (M. Vujacic 80), Niederberger. Subs not used: Dunn, Smith, Samura.

Mandurah City - GK Green, Bright, Crampton, A. Brown, O’Callaghan, Townsend, McCulloch (Currie 81), Wiley (Paschkewitz 66), Collins (Loreto 87), Bonser, McDarby. Subs not used: Ainslie, Dyson.

Referee – S. Gregory.