Quinns FC sewed up the final Top Four Cup spot in the Men’s State League Division One with a 3-2 win at bottom of the table Ashfield.
Glen Grostate's side were heavy favourites to join champions Stirling Macedonia, Western Knights and Joondalup United in the post-season competition and they erased any doubts while rivals Fremantle City were held by Olympic Kingsway.
As for Ashfield, they are three points behind Swan United who occupy the relegation play-off place. They need to win their final game at Kingsway next week and hope Swan lose at Stirling with a goal difference swing of three to avoid automatic relegation to Division Two.
Reece Abrams opened the scoring for Quinns after some penalty area pinball, before Joshua Tumoe levelled 10 seconds after half-time with his second in as many games.
Ben Hinshelwood's second-half double put the visitors 3-1 up and gave him 20 goals for the season and they held on for the win despite Mark Barnard's late consolation.
Ashfield's task was made harder by Swan gaining a potentially crucial point at home against UWA Nedlands after an exciting 3-3 draw at the Swan Italian Club.
Joshua Marocchi's opener for UWA from Godfrey Asimwe's corner was cancelled out by John Monterosso from the penalty spot, before Deng Dut netted for a third successive game for Swan from close range.
UWA turned it around as Samuel Moffatt's cross was adjudged to have crossed the line and then Samuel Kent fired home soon after. But Dut curled in his fourth in three matches to rescue a draw which may well give Swan important breathing room.
Fremantle City were officially ruled out of Top Four Cup contention with the win for Quinns but ended up drawing 2-2 with Kingsway in any case.
Harry Evans got the opener for David Tough's side from the penalty spot, but two nicely taken goals from Adam Carlino looked set to give Freo the points.
The visitors had other ideas as Ben Rutter executed a side-footed volley beyond the goalkeeper to earn his side a share of the spoils.
Elsewhere, Forrestfield's late-season revival continued as a 3-0 win at Western Knights means they have lost only once in their last eight games.
Rhys Loxley starred with a hat-trick for Graham Normanton's side. Two came inside the first six minutes with an emphatic finish after 90 seconds before scrambling the ball over the line after his initial shot was saved by Sam Stone.
Loxley's treble was completed from the penalty spot to bring up six goals for the season and keep Forrestfield in the top half.
Mandurah gave their fans some late-season cheer as three goals in the final 10 minutes gave them a 5-2 win against Subiaco.
The State League Night Series winners led through Joseph McEvatt's 10th minute strike from distance, but Ben Campbell levelled with a shot from similar range.
Reece Allan restored the lead after lobbing home a long ball, but Campbell answered again for a Subiaco side who were on a six-game winless run.
Mandurah would surge clear late on though. Andrew Murray and McEvatt would score within three minutes of each other before Luke Davies' first goal of the season put the exclamation mark on the win.
Finally, Joondalup United and champions Stirling Macedonia shared the points in a meeting between two Top Four Cup contenders.
Brad McDonald got the opener for Neil Jennings' Joondalup side who extended their unbeaten run to seven games, but Sam Wynne levelled brilliantly against his former side in the second half.
In Division Two, unbeaten champions Dianella White Eagles were presented with the league title on Saturday.
The management team of Bobby Despotovski and Stewy Moses celebrated with their team, who had earlier brushed aside already relegated Kelmscott Roos 3-0 with Daniel Mackenzie scoring two.
The race to make the play-offs and potentially join Eagles in Division One is going to the final day.
At present, the four teams chasing the three spots are separated by two points going into the final day. However, that could change if Kingsley Westside – currently in the last play-off position – are awarded the three points from their abandoned Round 18 match against Carramar Shamrock Rovers at an upcoming tribunal hearing.
For now, Taki Nicolaidis' Murdoch University Melville side moved into second spot with a 3-0 win against Joondalup City.
Goals from Joshua Cortes, Dion Berman and Mark Lucas did the job, but they host champions Dianella last up.
Gosnells City won 4-1 at Canning City to leap into third spot after Kingsley Westside dropped to fourth following a goalless draw away at Curtin University.
Wanneroo City are fifth and are at risk of missing the post-season after Weldu Tekeste netted a 90th winner for in-form Balga in a 4-3 win which extended their unbeaten stretch to five matches.
The Roos travel to Chichester Park in Round 22 to take on Kingsley.
Carramar beat Morley Windmills 2-1 but have left their finals run too late, while Dianella lifted the State League Division Two in front of their fans in style after a 4-0 win over relegated Kelmscott.
Filed Under: Top Four Cup