Kingsway one step closer to title and place in NPL
Olympic Kingsway are closing in on a return to the top flight for the first time since 1999 after powering past Dianella White Eagles 4-1.
David Tough’s team are now six points and significant goal difference clear of second place with four games remaining in the Men’s State League Division One season.
Ciaran Byrne continued his recent scoring streak with the opener on 14 minutes from James Fanelli’s cross as Olympic made a strong start.
But Dianella are much improved from early season and Mohamed Rezai levelled four minutes later as he twisted and turned before letting fly with a pinpoint finish.
The visitors regained the lead when Michael Zimarino collected David Perich’s cross and then swivelled to finish past keeper Peter Pilkadaris. Tyler Garner’s stunning strike on the stroke of half time made it 3-1, then Zimarino scored a fourth early in the second period as Kingsway extended their unbeaten streak to six games.
Western Knights are the closest challengers to top spot, and they kept their title hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Fremantle City which helped them leapfrog their opponents.
Two goals in the first 11 minutes did the trick at Nash Field. Dean Hurley got the opener with low strike into the net and Noah Shamaki doubled the advantage with an assured finish from Dylan White’s pull-back.
Harry Hall slid in to pull one back six minutes into second half stoppage, but it was too little too late for City who slip eight points off the pace with four games left.
At the bottom, there was a big win for UWA Nedlands who moved off the foot of the table for the first time since Round Six after beating Joondalup United 3-0. Back-to-back wins have helped UWA climb above Quinns and out of the automatic relegation spot.
Alfred Moore got the first on 44 minutes as he netted in consecutive matches with a drive from just inside the box.
Two goals in the last eight minutes then confirmed three points for the away side. Sam Moffatt scored from the penalty spot, before Hasan Asadi cut inside to score the third moments later.
Quinns are now bottom and two points adrift after Joe O’Brien scored five times in an 8-1 hammering at Gumblossom Reserve.
Riley Van Dieken volleyed into the bottom corner after six minutes, before O’Brien smashed in a second on 21 minutes.
A close-range finish from Jackson Dongray gave Quinns a lifeline prior to half-time, but just as hope emerged it was the Dolphins who blasted away with six second-half goals.
John Baird rifled home brilliantly from the edge of the area and then O’Brien waltzed through untracked to slot in for 4-1.
Charles Breen poked in goal number five and the half-dozen was brought up when O’Brien tapped in to complete a hat trick from six yards.
Mandurah’s leading marksman added a seventh after another cross from the right. The striker made it five for the afternoon and took his tally to 17 for the season to hold a four-goal lead over Kingsway’s Byrne in the Golden Boot race.
Quinns remain on a wretched run and without a win since 4 June.
Elsewhere, Murdoch University Melville look set to record a top-half finish in their first season of Division One football following a 1-0 win at Subiaco.
Taki Nicolaidis’ side grabbed a 96th minute winner to claim the points at Rosalie Park and it was delivered spectacularly by Kaito Imada’s free-kick, which was his first goal of the campaign.
Rockingham City also remain in the top half after a 1-1 draw at 10-man Forrestfield United extended their unbeaten run to seven games.
Laurence Todd got the opener for the hosts before Daryl Platten picked up a straight red card. Shaun Mukwevho levelled but Rockingham were unable a force a winner with an extra player on the field.
In Division Two, Gosnells City hold a five-point lead at the top and have a game in hand on their nearest rivals following a 4-0 win at Wanneroo City.
Edward Wynne-Willson scored a goal in each half for Marc Anthony’s side, with Blake Pritchard and Scott Pereira bagging the others.
The initiative in the title race was handed to them after eighth-placed Morley Windmills knocked off second-place Carramar Shamrock Rovers 2-1 at Grandis Park despite playing with 10 men for more than half the game. Otto Van Der Poel and Nikola Zmukic scored for Windmills, who are now five points off fourth place with a game in hand.
Swan United took a stride towards making the inter-divisional playoffs as they defeated Ashfield 3-0 thanks to Jake Fritchley’s opener and two goals from John Monterosso.
Curtin University are now fourth after defeating Canning City 3-1. Oscar Wright and Nathan Smith got the decisive goals after Jaxon Illman’s first-half opener for Curtin was cancelled out by William Jacobsz on the hour.
Kingsley Westside and Joondalup City have dropped to fifth and six respectively but remain within touching distance of the play-offs.
Kingsley drew 4-4 away at bottom club South West Phoenix, with two goals each for Kingsley’s Ilya Nebylytsya and Kieron Samon, while Steve Suttie (2), Jayden Prosser and Bright Ababio netted for Phoenix.
Balga kept their top-four hopes alive with Bleron Mamudi’s winner giving them a 1-0 victory at Joondalup City.