Sedgwick treble as Nedlands lead State League Division One

UWA Nedlands’ red-hot start to the 2024 State League Division One campaign continued as they put six goals past Joondalup United to remain as the early pacesetters.

Pascal Sedgwick scored a hat-trick in the 6-1 win for Richie Abrams’ side which means they’ve scored 10 times in their first two matches. The opposite applies for Nick Jennings’ Joondalup who have conceded the same amount and sit bottom without a point.

Jed Afenyo got proceedings under way inside four minutes when he finished Sebastian Hooshangian’s cross from close range, and the forward met another left-wing delivery with his head to make it two.

United got one back when Jamie Gardiner’s corner was fumbled over the line by goalkeeper Tadgh O’Malley, only for UWA to restore their two-goal buffer when Sam Ince’s solo run from his own half provided a brilliant assist for Sedgwick to roll into the corner.

Sedgwick got on the end of a raking through ball to make it four before completing his hat-trick in added time with a header from six yards. There was still time for Luke Salas to run clear and bag a sixth which ended an excellent day for the early leaders.

Subiaco are second after two rounds as three second-half goals saw them win 4-1 at promoted Kingsley Westside.

The away side struck first on six minutes when Alexandre Coelho helped on for Adrian Manno to fire a left-footed shot past Peter Stewart.

Kingsley levelled through Callum Trayner’s downward header from James Spurry’s cross to make it 1-1 at the interval. But Subi regained the initiative early in the second half when the fleet-footed Moustafa Mohamed’s pass found Kaleb Morrison loose in the area to score.

Mamadou Abdourahmane Ba’s superb long-range strike extended the lead as Subiaco made it two wins from as many games. Two substitutes then combined to finish the job as Aaron McGurk netted at the back post from Oscar Barry’s cross.

Kingsley, meanwhile, have lost their opening two fixtures and conceded four goals both times.

SEE SQUADI FOR STATE LEAGUE RESULTS, FIXTURES & TABLE

Murdoch University Melville are the other side to win both their first two games after a 2-1 victory at Rockingham City.

Christos Vaenas had the hosts ahead when he found himself unmarked from a set-piece and applied a simple finish against his former side.

But the game was turned on its head early in the second half when Nathan Ng was shown a red card for a last-man foul with Iljas Ahmedov sending Alec Radonich the wrong way from the penalty spot.

That equaliser came on 57 minutes, and minutes later Edward Wynne-Willson stayed onside and ran in to slot past the goalkeeper.

Elsewhere, Mandurah City won 4-0 at Cockburn City for their first three points of the season.

It took the Dolphins half an hour to hit the front at Beale Park when Craig Barker arrived on the penalty spot to finish left-footed past substitute keeper Michael Craggs.

The advantage was doubled early in the second half when Barker’s cross from the right was headed onto the bar by Leigh Griffiths, with the forward quickest to react and nodding in for 2-0.

Scott Davidson capitalised on a defensive mistake from Cockburn to cruise in and roll home a third on 63 minutes, and late on Mandurah added a fourth when Griffiths squared for Liam Bonner who couldn’t miss from a yard out.

Gosnells City are also off the mark in 2024 having held off a late surge from Gwelup Croatia to win 3-2.

Gosnells made a good start when Darren Francis rose uncontested to head home Tom Kennedy’s inviting cross inside 15 minutes.

It was 2-0 when a corner from Tony Chandler was headed in by Aaron Coslani and it was turning into a great afternoon for the visitors when Brice Rae shrugged off his marker and slotted in one-on-one past Josiah Godfrey for three.

But they didn’t have it all their own way as Gwelup rallied to send a scare through the Gosnells camp. They pulled one back when the ball fell nicely for Reece Kral to unleash a piledriver from outside the box.

James Harmer then ghosted in to finish at the back post with five minutes remaining which set up a grandstand finish. But no equaliser was forthcoming as Gosnells registered a first win, while Gwelup have lost their first two games.

Finally, Sorrento FC and Dianella White Eagles played out a goalless draw at Percy Doyle Reserve.

It was a repeat of this season’s Night Series Final which the Gulls won 2-1. But goals were harder to come by on Saturday, leaving both teams with a win and a draw from their first two outings.