Rory rescues Phoenix with crucial late winner

South West Phoenix are one match from a return the the Men's State League - but only after the narrowest of escapes on the weekend.

Phoenix will clinch the Belt Up Premier Division title and promotion should they defeat Kwinana United at home on Saturday, regardless of how Maddington White City do at Quinns a day later.

Should South West drop points, however, then they will open the door for their rivals to leapfrog them in the rescheduled Round Seven fixtures - the season's final round.

And the Bunbury club very nearly did slip up last weekend, needing a stoppage-time winner from Rory Binnie to complete a come-from-behind victory over UWA Nedlands at Onside Stadium.

The visitors threatened to wreck Phoenix's plans when they took the lead through Abel Thomas-Hy five minutes from half-time. Kieran Quinn levelled for Phoenix on 66 minutes but it looked like they were about to hand the initiative to Maddington, before Binnie popped up with only his third goal of the campaign.

Hearing of Phoenix's late winner might have deflated many teams but Maddington showed no ill-effects as they thumped Wembley Downs 5-1. 

City led 2-1 at the break, Gaston Bazet and David Sarria netting either side of Juraj Galba's equaliser for Wembley.  After the break, it was the Jose Zuniga show as the Maddington man crashed home a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes to take his season tally to 20.

Maddington could do worse than pin their hopes of a lifeline this Saturday on Kwinana's Lee Bates, who bagged his fourth hat-trick of the season on Sunday. Unfortunately for Kwinana - and potentially Maddington - Bates' teammates at the other end did not inspire confidence as they went down 5-4 at home to Leeming Strikers.

There were even more goals scored in the Joondalup United v Qiuinns match as they served up a 5-5 draw at Beldon Park.

Elsewhere, Jaguar won 2-1 at Hamersley Rovers while North Perth United and Queens Park drew 2-2.

Results and table

Filed Under: Men's State League