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30.4.2017
BALCATTA EDGE OUT THE LIONS (by Jayden Lihou, www.footballwest.com.au)
Balcatta have ended Stirling’s five match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 victory in round 11 of the PS4 NPLWA at Macedonia Park on Sunday. The away-side went 2-0 up before Stirling responded with a late goal but the Lions were unable to find an equaliser in injury time.
Balcatta coach Salv Todaro said that his team put in a really good performance against an in form Stirling side. “The boys have been working hard every week at training and today they brought that effort to the game for the whole 90 minutes,” he said. “I thought that our defence played very well today and we didn’t give them many opportunities to have shots on goal. “I think the team as a unit worked really well today, and although we conceded a goal in the end, I thought we were solid for the whole game.”
Stirling created their first genuine opportunity of the match in the 5th minute when the ball fell to Alex Tanevski at the far-post. The striker had time and space in the box and opted for a low strike towards the near-post but he was denied by goalkeeper Domenico Savoldelli. Balcatta had a golden chance to gain the edge just before the break when Paddy Quinn latched onto a Daniel Hepworth cross with his curling effort only to be denied by the post.
The away-side broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when a Calum O’Connell corner found Hepworth at the far-post who slotted the ball home. Balcatta doubled their lead in the 87th minute when Feisal Zaw was brought down in the box by keeper John Perkins. Zaw stepped up to the take the penalty and converted it with conviction to put his side 2-0 up. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the away-side as the Lions made it 2-1 in the 90th minute. After beating several Balcatta defenders Daniel Micevski lashed an effort past Savoldelli to give his side some hope in the dying stages. It wasn’t to be for the home-side as Balcatta held on to claim all three points.
Stirling assistant coach Derek Johnstone said his side didn’t play well enough to deserve three points. “I thought we started off pretty well but in all honesty I think we definitely lacked something up top,” he said. “Three points was definitely a must for us today because it would have put us up among the top sides.”
Stirling Lions: GK. John PERKINS, 3. Alex SULESKI, 4. Blamo QUA QUA, 6. Dejan SPASESKI, 7. Milorad VUJACIC, 9. Alex TANEVSKI, 10. Daniel MICEVSKI, 14. Lukas DE LIMA, 15. Shane CASSIDY (5. Graham DORAN 53’), 16. Mathaing MATHAING, 18. Moses KALAU (8. Steve SOKOL 68’) Subs not used: RGK. Lance ALAVAKIS, 12. Jason RUBIDGE, 19. Robbie MCNEIL
Balcatta: GK. Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2. Daniel HEPWORTH, 3. Carmelo GIUFFRE, 5. Kieron STALLARD, 6. Calum O’CONNELL, 7. Paddy QUINN (C), 12. Feisal ZAW, 13. Jonathan CORNESS, 15. Luccas MELLO (14. Patrick SARA 83’), 16. Kurt KOUAKOU, 18. Ben MEREDITH (4. Ismael BANGURA 63’) Subs not used: RGK. Luke HUTCHINSON, 8. Giordan SERRA, 19. Brennan BORZECKI. Referee: Matthew Southern
29.4.2017
JOONDALUP COME BACK FROM TWO DOWN AGAINST THE AZZURRI (by Aisling Lawless, www.footballwest.com.au)
Ten man Joondalup United sought revenge from their midweek Westfield FFA Cup loss to Perth SC, coming from behind to win 3-2 at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday night. Coach Nick Jennings said it demonstrated great character to come back from two goals while being a player down. “We are a small club in a new league, so character is important to us but I also think we have a lot of quality," Jennings said. "The depth of our squad is fantastic, they are not well known players in WA, but they all work hard, hold their own and they have good skills. "Some people expected us to get found out against the better teams, but I actually think we play better against the top teams and raise our game.
Harley Orr opened the scores in the 16th minute with a moment of brilliance, lobbing the keeper from way outside the penalty area. Three minutes later Nicholas Ambrogio doubled their lead, latching onto a rebound from Niccolo Sabatini’s attempt. Just before half time substitute Mike Kenny kept Joondalup in the game with a well-timed volley catching keeper Francis Soale off his line. In a blow for the home side, they were reduced to ten men in the 69th minute after Ross Edwards was sent off for his second yellow. Joondalup showed no signs of dampened spirits as Alex Wild equalised in the 73rd minute, knocking in a rebound in the penalty box. Two minutes later Arran Maplestone’s stunning free-kick curled into the near post, putting Joondalup in front. Perth's frustration showed as they were reduced to nine men within three minutes as Pizzata and Orr received second yellows and were sent off. It was a tense ending for both teams as each had attempts denied by the woodwork. First with Richard Howles for Joondalup hitting the post, then Perth’s Gustavo Catarcione smashing the crossbar from outside the area.
Perth coach Ramon Falzon said his side started well but when they got into the lead their concentration dropped. "We were sitting a bit too comfortably with a 2-0 lead, and I never expected to lose 3-2, finishing off the game with nine men," he said. "We conceded at the worst time possible, just before half time, and they took encouragement from this, and came back in the second half firing. "Once a player drops his concentration you can't get it back, so it was entirely our fault."
Joondalup United: GK. Jack NUNN, 3. Rowdy YATES, 4. Arran MAPLESTONE (c), 5. Joe STOCKER, 6. Guy McDONALD (19. Mike KENNY 31), 8. Josh WHITMORE, 9. Richard HOWLES, 10. Alex WILD (20. Robert TARPEY 90), 13. Chris PUGH, 16. Ross EDWARDS, 23. James MARSDEN (2. Joel LEDSHAM 46) Subs not used: 22. Nicholas KOEFLER, 99. Conal POWER
Perth SC: GK. Francis SOALE, 2. Alex SILLA, 4. Adrian MADASCHI (c), 5. Niccolo SABATINI, 9. Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10. Nicholas AMBROGIO (8. Tom KING 66), 11. Matthew MILENKOVIC (17. Frank FURFARO 73), 12. Jordan DE LEO, 13. Rocco PIZZATA, 15. Harley ORR, 21. Paul ZIMARINO Subs not used: RGK. Daniel PASSARELLI, 14. Cameron TEECE, 22. Anthony TOPINI. Referee: Adam Fielding
29.4.2017
SHARE OF THE POINTS AT ARMADALE (by Matthew Corvi, www.footballwest.com.au)
Armadale have claimed a valuable point at home with a 0-0 draw against Bayswater City in the PS4 NPLWA clash on Saturday at Alfred Skeet Reserve. This was the second time the two sides had met this week, with Bayswater coming out ahead 5-0 in their FFA Cup clash on ANZAC Day. Armadale coach John O’Reilly was proud of his team after their midweek performance. “I felt we gave them too much space in key areas on Tuesday, today was about making sure we worked the whole game, no one was allowed to walk,” he said. “The boys did a fantastic job; I couldn’t ask for anymore”.
Despite having the better of the game, Bayswater could not find a way past a well-drilled Armadale defense. Bayswater had the majority of possession in the early stages of the game and could have taken the lead in the 13th minute, when Gustavo Marulanda blazed his shot wide of the goal. Bayswater continued to dominate the game, with the biggest chance of the first half coming in the 22nd minute. After a fantastic through ball, Jason Micro rounded the goalkeeper, but took too long to shoot, giving Michael Craggs the chance to make a last ditch save.
The second half started in a similar fashion, with Bayswater having the majority of possession. With only three minutes to play, Heagney again went close, heading just over the bar from outside the six-yard box. Despite being on the back foot, Armadale had the best chance of the game with seconds remaining. Following a neat exchange of passes, Armadale found themselves two on one against the goalkeeper, but played the through ball too close to Devon Spence who gratefully claimed the ball as the full time whistle went.
Chris Coyne was disappointed his side couldn’t score a winner, but was impressed by Armadale’s defensive performance. “We’ve got to take our chances, putting the ball in the back of the net is the hardest to do” “Credit to Armadale, they were very solid and deserve a lot of credit. If they defend like that against everyone, they will be a very difficult team to play”
Armadale: 1. Michael CRAGGS, 3. Jake SARDELIC, 4. Nathan COSTELLO (C), 8. Jordan PAVETT, 9.Kyle KING (21. Steve INGRAM 70), 11. Dannie RICHMAN, 14. David ANNALL, 15. Jackson BEALEY, 17. Jake ATKINS (10. Shaydon PASSALACQUA 90+3), 18. Milan OGNJENOVIC, 20. Beau RAHIM Subs not used: 16. Tristan TAYLOR, 22. Charlie WHITE, 31 Duncan LENNON BLACK (RGK)
Bayswater City: 1. Devon SPENCE, 2. Declan HARGREAVES (16. Giordano COLLI 85), 6. Todd HOWARTH, 9. Gustavo GIRON MARULANDA, 10. Jason MICRO (4. Callum DOBBS 85), 11. Devon GIBSON, 13. Trent KAY (C), 19. Luka NINKOVIC, 20. Sam MITCHINSON, 21. David HEAGNEY, 23. Andrija JUKIC (15. Ayden DRAGUN 80) Subs not used: 3. Jack ALLEN, 25. Michael COHEN (RGK). Referee: David Bruce
29.4.2017
SUBIACO GET ALL THE GLORY (by Callum George, www.footballwest.com.au)
Two goals in the space of four minutes was enough for Subiaco claim an important three points against fellow league strugglers Perth Glory. It was the Glory who started the better of the two sides as captain Daniel Stynes intercepted a wild pass from the Subiaco defence and was left one on one with Subiaco custodian Ryan Montgomery coming off his line to deflect the ball out for a corner kick. Glory were in control for most of the first half, however it was Subiaco who had the best chance. Sam Riak failed to clear an incoming cross giving Jordan Candlish a golden opportunity from close range but fired into the side netting. Despite their dominance, Glory struggled to produce any clear cut chances in the opening 45 minutes and the sides went into the break 0-0.
Glory once again came out of the blocks firing in the second half as Michael Mcdougall and Joseph Knowles both had attempts saved by Montgomery who was in fine form on the day. Subiaco managed to work their way into the game in the second half and got their reward on the hour mark. Owen Coates delivered a mouth-watering ball from the right wing to the back post for Rory Feely who headed it home from six yards.
The hosts doubled their lead just four minutes later as Candlish scored one of the goals of the season. Picking the ball up 30 yards from goal, he rifled his shot past a fully stretched Jordan Thurtell to ensure Subiaco collected all three points. Subiaco coach Ian McMurray wasn’t happy with his side in the first half but was happy with the way they turned things around. “In the first half we were disappointing,” he said. “We took our chances when they came up and I think that was the difference today.”
Glory stand-in coach David Butterfield felt that his side played well on the day but hurt themselves by not taking their chances. “We probably could of been a bit better in front of goal or in the final third but again, we didn’t take those chances we were given”.
Subiaco: 1. Ryan MONTGOMERY (C), 4. Alex RANDELL (15. Jack ANDREWS 84’), 5. Dylan ANDREWS (7. John LOCKHART 71’), 6. Jonas DORLING, 8. Mike LAWSON (16. Ian MCMURRAY 78’), 9. Rory FEELY, 10. Owen COATES, 12. Nathan SMITH, 13. Jordan CANDLISH, 17. Alex CASTIELLO, 19. Stefan HILL, Subs not used: 3. Ger FITZGERALD, 21. Hamish ST. GEORGE
Perth Glory: 1. Jordan THURTELL, 2. Sam RIAK, 3. Luca BODNAR, 4. Jack IREDALE, 5. Cam MURRAY, 6. Jack LEECH, 7. Michael MCDOUGALL, 8. Callum TIMMINS (12. Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY 66’), 9. Joseph KNOWLES, 10. Daniel STYNES (C), 11. Kosta PETRATOS (13. Gomo DUKULY 84’) Subs not used: 14. Ethan BROOKS, 15. Sasa NJEGIC, 20. Stef KING. Referee: Sorousha Moayer
29.4.2017
ATHENA GO TOP (by Aidan Shaw, www.footballwest.com.au)
Floreat Athena go top of the PS4 NPLWA table with a 2-1 win over Sorrento at E&D Litis Stadium on Saturday. A second-half brace by Jonathan Stynes was enough to see Athena leapfrog their opponents at the top.
Stynes said his side battled for each other in a dominant performance, controlling the majority of possession and creating chances on goal. “It feels incredible, and it is even more intensified because it brings us top of the league,” he said. “I’ve been playing well recently but the only thing that has been missing has been the end product, so today I was really focussing on that and I went about it to score two which has been brilliant.” “It is all about working for the team and making sure we all do the hard yards and I think it is working.”
The home side dominated proceedings in the first half and were unlucky not to find themselves ahead at the break. Play was delayed after the half-hour mark, when a collision saw Clayton Arnez go down for several minutes before being replaced by Dennis Galan. The match came to life early in the second half, when Jackson Morgan fired a long range lobbed effort that rebounded off the corner of the post. Jonathan Stynes was quickest to the follow-up, and fired home to give his side a well-deserved lead. Despite having played second fiddle up until that point, Sorrento responded within minutes to draw level. Jacob Shore’s pin point cross from the left found Sean Canham in the box, who headed home leaving Jordan Barbas glued to the ground.
Stynes bagged his second to restore the lead in the 70th minute following a sustained period of attacking pressure. A lengthy goalmouth scramble saw several shots fired, before Stynes pounced and drilled the ball home via the crossbar to send Floreat’s supporters into raptures. Despite several chances to salvage a point, Sorrento found themselves empty handed and slipping to second at the final whistle.
Sorrento’s Steve Neville conceded that the result was a fair reflection of his side’s performance on the day. “They looked far more hungry than us. I think we got what we deserved today, nothing,” he said. “We were very flat, and from a coaching point of view it was not good enough. Today was a complete contrast to what we have done this season.”
Floreat’s Glenn Grostate was delighted with his side’s performance, and praised the efforts of a young playing group with some key senior player out. “What was pleasing for me was the work rate of Stynes and Zelfy, it was just all over the park and you can’t beat big teams in big games unless you play big,” he said. “For us to actually win we had to be at our best and that is probably close to the best I’ve seen us to be honest with you.” “We were pretty poor at Armadale [last week], but that’s football. You’re going to go highs and lows, and this was definitely a high for me. This is one game that I really wanted to win today.”
Floreat Athena: GK Jordan BARBAS, 2. Shaun TIMMINS, 3. Clayton ARNEZ (11. Dennis GALAN 33), 4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 6. Jesse FULLER, 8. Jonathan STYNES, 10. Kristopher GATE, 12. Jackson MORGAN, 13. Zelfy NAZARY, 15. Christopher SALDARIS, 17. Dean EVANS (c) Subs not used: RGK Aidan HOLLOWAY, 16. Ryan MALTON, 20. Joe TWEATS, 33. Ali NAZARY
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2. Jacob SHORE, 6. Daryl PLATTEN (c), 7. Alex MORGAN (10. Scott BULLOCH 63), 9. Sean CANHAM, 13. Steve MCDONALD, 14. Scott WITSCHGE (5. Billy QUINNCROFT 81), 17. Reece VITTIGLIA, 18. Jordan BROWN (4. Shaun KILKELLY 75), 20. Brad MCDONALD, 21. Sam BYLES Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 11. Timothy HILL. Referee: Tom Glavovic
29.4.2017
NTOUMENOPOULOS SAVES INGLEWOOD (by Paul J. Laverty, www.footballwest.com.au)
A last-minute strike by Inglewood United’s Matthew Ntoumenopoulos cancelled out a second-half double by Cockburn City’s Daniel Robinson to grab a share of the spoils at Dalmatinac Park. The home-side had the pick of the early chances with United goalkeeper Alex Dunn having to sprint off his line to block from Robinson running in on goal, before Harry O’Brien’s lob was off target with only the keeper to beat. Inglewood settled and soon took the lead when Jason Barrera played a quick ball down the line to the pacey Chok Dau. His measured cut-back was calmly side-footed home by Inglewood goal-machine Alex Salmon. Inglewood almost made it two when Woodall linked nicely with Salmon only to see his effort deflected over. Cockburn’s only response of the half was a speculative long-range effort chip from Reuben Tristao which almost caught Dunn off-guard.
The second half belonged to Cockburn. Five minutes after the restart, a great run by substitute Ryan Pratt was slotted home confidently by Robinson. City took the lead in the 62nd minute when Robinson struck again responding quickest to a Harry O’Brien miss-hit in front of goal, stabbing in from a tight angle. Cockburn were pressing as Inglewood had the woodwork to thank first from O’Brien after a beautiful run down the park, before Robinson crashed his shot into the bar.
The scene was set for the visitors to snatch a point and extend their unbeaten run to five matches which left home boss Scott Miller disappointed yet pleased with his side’s performance. “We were brilliant today, second-half they couldn’t live with us, that was probably the best that we’ve played,” he said. “But saying that, that’s a team that challenges for titles, a team that can absorb all that and still come away with a draw.”
Inglewood assistant coach Andres Oliveira was frustrated with his side’s second-half display but is feeling positive with new coach, Perth Glory’s Andy Keogh, set to take the hot seat for the remainder of the season. “He’ll make a big difference bringing his experience and his professionalism, so we can’t wait,” Oliveira said.
Cockburn City: 1. Luke RADONICH, 2. Joshua KUSER, 4. Euen GRANT (C), 5. Chris THACKRAY, 6. Reuben TRISTAO, 8. Cameron EDWARDS, 9. Daniel ROBINSON, 11. Harry O’BRIEN, 12. Kenel MOUITHYS (7. Ryan PRATT 46), 13. Blake ADAMS, 14. Julian TELES (15. Losene DULLEH 84) Subs not used: 3. Daniel DOLS, 18. Daniel SANTICH, 23. Ryan BARKER
Inglewood United: 1. Alex DUNN, 3. David CYRUS (C), 4. Scott BLACKMORE, 7. Kenny KEOGH (10. Ash ROSINDALE 46), 8. Jason BARRERA (5. Adam TONG 71), 9. Alex SALMON (14. Mark PRITCHARD 55), 11. John MIGAS, 16. Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS, 18. Jason COLLI, 19. Chok DAU, 23. Brian WOODALL Subs not used: 6. Victor BRAUNER, 21. Riley STEPHENSON. Referee: Steven Gregory
29.4.2017
ECU JOONDALUP TOO STRONG FOR MANDURAH (by Tristan Wheeler, www.footballwest.com.au)
ECU Joondalup and Mandurah City put on an entertaining performance as the home side triumphed 3-1 at ECU Joondalup Football Stadium on Saturday. ECU assistant coach David Tough was pleased with the result after a quick turnaround from their Westfield FFA Cup match on ANZAC Day. “We had a tough week, this is the third game in seven days, the boys are tired mentally and physically, we just had to get the three points,” he said. “I think we showed grit, we didn’t play by any means up to the level that we can with our passing and attacking football, but the grit and standing up to a physical side was a big plus for us”.
Mandurah coach Doug Hesketh was pleased with his side’s improvements despite the end result. “I thought in the first half we were the best team, I thought they looked very nervous, because they’ve had some poor results,” Hesketh said. “I thought in the second half we set up too deep for too long early on, and that gave them opportunities, and when they got a break, we ended up playing catch up, which is really difficult”. “I’m extremely proud of all the players, I think that we were really stretched midweek in the cup, I asked for a reaction today and I got it”.
The first half was all Mandurah and they had multiple chances to take the lead. Matthew Stares poked the ball just wide of goal in the 16th minute, after ECU shot stopper Fraser Greenwood punched a cross into the path of the Mandurah midfielder. Jeffrey Bright also went close in the 18th minute with his cross sliding past Greenwood’s right post as the teams went in level at the break. ECU took the advantage in the 63rd minute through Sam Pollard. After Mandurah’s defence failed to adequately clear a corner kick, Pollard swept the ball home with a calm finish.
ECU doubled their lead six minutes later as the referee awarded a penalty for a late Oliver McGee challenge. Captain Gordon Smith smashed the spot kick into the underside of the crossbar, luckily Steven McGarry was on hand to turn the ball home and spare his captains’ blushes. Minutes later, McGee pegged a goal back for Mandurah, heading the ball home from a corner kick. It would prove to be too little too late however with Gordon Smith putting the icing on the cake in the 89th minute to make it 3-1 at the final whistle.
ECU Joondalup: 1. Fraser GREENWOOD, 3.Ross MILLARD, 4.Shane PICKERING, 5. Logan MCISAAC, 7. Kevin MOON, 9.Daryl NICOL (15.Kevin POLLARD 37), 10. Gordon SMITH, 11. Sam POLLARD, 13. Tommy AMPHLETT (6.James OWEN 90), 14. Steven MCGARRY, 18. Cian HIRRELL Subs not used: 8. Steff VRANSEVIC, 16. Declan HUGHES, 20. Todd HOYLE
Mandurah City: 1. Bradley EIFFE, 2.Oliver MCGEE, 3. Jeffrey BRIGHT, 4. Matthew STARES, 5. Thomas STRAKER, 6. Oscar THOMPSON (12. Mark MCLAUGHLIN 22), 7.Jack EADES, 8. Andrew BROWN, 10. Lance LOUVIE (14.Slade RULE), 11. Joseph O’BRIEN (15. Michael EVANS). Subs not used: 21. Cyril SHARROCK, 16. Mitchell FIRTH. Referee: Stuart Muldoon
29.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND FOUR – REVIEW (UWA-Nedlands FC report courtesy uwanfc.com.au)
UWA-Nedlands FC moved into fifth place of the State League First Division after an inspired come-from-behind effort, with a pair of coolly converted spot kicks from the ever present Alex Kretowicz and yet another well-taken header from skipper Josh Marocchi ensuring a historic first win away to Ashfield in the State League. On a hot afternoon in Ashfield, UWA again started brightly with Robbie Black's well-placed free-kick forcing the keeper to tip the powerful strike from the Scotsman over the bar. Against the run of play, Ashfield opened the scoring with Jay Lang rifling a speculative shot into the top left corner from at least 30 yards with just 15 minutes played. UWA responded swiftly and restored parity just seven minutes later through Marocchi. Black's pinpoint corner found the centre-half who guided it home with a strong header. UWA were ahead just moments later as Alex Kretowicz converted calmly from the penalty after being brought down in the area following a slalom run through the home side's box.
It was a cagey start to the second half with the next goal vital for both sides. UWA were desperately unlucky to not double their advantage after superb running and persistence from Lloyd Prout. The winger's ball across the box was intercepted at the last moment preventing Kretowicz from making it 3-1. UWA finally put the game to bed with another spot kick in the 90th minute to ensure the club's first league win of the season.
In other games, Rockingham City moved into top spot, with a comfortable 4-1 win away to Joondalup City. South West Phoenix maintained the pressure on the top two, with a tense 3-2 win over Fremantle City, while Forrestfield United won their first game of the season with a 3-1 victory at home to Western Knights. The shock of the round game at Dianella Reserve, when Gosnells came from behind to draw 2-2 with high-flying Dianella White Eagles. Canning City had the bye.
29.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND FOUR – REVIEW
Kelmscott Roos made it two wins from three on Saturday, when Balga travelled to Fyre Park. The northern suburbs outfit took the lead in the 11th minute. A long throw-in by Anton DeFrancesch, found the feet of Hubert Hakizimana, who calmly slotted away the finish. Kelmscott equalised in the 28th minute after a daring run around the Balga defence and into the box gave the keeper no chance. Kelmscott came out after the interval on top, and made it 2-1 in the 48th minute. Balga had to respond, and after a number of chances, it was Kyall Osborne in the 58th minute that made it 2-2, from a brilliant free kick into the top corner which gave Kelmscott keeper Kristian Usedo no chance. Balga started to pound the Kelmscott goal with numerous attacks in the last thirty minutes, but it was the heroics of Usedo that kept the home side in the game. Against the run of play it was Kelmscott that got the winner in stoppage time, a cross from a Kelmscott keeper managed to cross the line after an error by Balga keeper Nassa Atekhis.
Swan United and Quinns FC fought out a tough 2-2 draw in the Sunday game. Quinns went in front through Jono Mcgahern, and were unlucky not to score more prior to the break. Swan looked for the equaliser in the second half, and found it mid-way through the half, before taking the lead with only ten minutes to go. Liam Mcgurk earned Quinns a share of the points when he scored a penalty with only minutes to go.
In other games, Kingsway Olympic lifted themselves off the bottom with a strong 3-1 win over league leaders Wanneroo City. Gwelup Croatia now head the table after their 2-0 win over Melville City, while Curtin University went on a goal scoring spree, with a 7-0 thrashing over Shamrock Rovers. Morley-Windmills had the bye.
28.4.2017
SOCCEROO BOSSES KEEPING AN EYE ON EDWARDS
In an age when our every movement can be recorded through our wristwatches or smartphones, it is perhaps unsurprising that footballers are taking advantage of technology to enhance their performance. But Football Federation Australia are leading the way in monitoring player activity, as Partick Thistle midfielder Ryan Edwards has explained.
Edwards received his first senior call-up earlier this season after a fine campaign for the Jags, and he has ambitions to become a Socceroos mainstay. If he is to make it though, he will have to adhere strictly to an edict to use a ‘Big Brother’ style app that allows the Australian football authorities to keep a close eye on a select band of players.
“There are about 35 or 40 of us that have an app that the Australian FA have developed that lets us put our training data in and they can monitor me all the way over here in Scotland,” Edwards said. “You have to do it twice a day, every day, but it doesn’t take too long and it can be a really useful tool for managing your training and your workload.”
“In the morning it takes about 30 seconds, just putting in the hours you slept and any fatigue you are feeling and stuff like that, as well as pressing on a picture of a body any places where you are experiencing pain or discomfort. Then in the afternoon after training you spend a couple of minutes just putting in what sort of session you had, whether it was heavy or light and whether you had a gym session afterwards and that sort of thing.”
“If you are doing too much, or too little, which is rare, then the Aussie FA will get in touch with me and the club to discuss my training schedule and my needs so that I can be in the best possible condition. I always try to look after myself anyway, but it’s good to keep you disciplined and make sure that you are always striving to be in peak condition.”
“I’m desperate to be involved again with the national team, so I don’t mind doing it at all, and hopefully the feedback they are getting from me is positive. The training here is great and you have all the support we need. But it’s always good to know as well that your national team are keeping tabs on you, and hopefully I can play my way into the coach’s plans again.”
If Edwards maintains the form that has seen him nominated for Thistle’s player of the year award, then you wouldn’t bet against him doing just that. “The season has gone better than I could have imagined,” he said. “My aim for this season was just to play as many games as possible and help the team push towards the top six.”
“To play in every league game so far, make the top six, pick up a few player of the month awards, get an international call-up and be nominated for player of the year, I couldn’t have asked for any more. It’s been great and I can’t thank the management team enough for having faith in me and giving me the platform to go on and perform.”
Edwards is hoping that the Jags can surpass their pre-season target of a top-six place by overhauling tomorrow’s opponents, Hearts, and he is hoping to crank up the pressure on them with a win in the capital. “There’s no reason at all why we can’t go to Tynecastle and win,” he said. “Hopefully we can silence the crowd.”
28.4.2017
KEOGH TO COACH INGLEWOOD (courtesy inglewoodunitedfc.com.au)
Inglewood United is pleased to confirm one-time Republic of Ireland international Andy Keogh as its first team coach for the rest of the 2017 season. Keogh, currently part of Perth Glory’s A-League finals campaign, steps up from an assistant coach role at Inglewood following the departure of Taki Nicolaidis.
Keogh will be supported by assistant coach Andres Oliveira, team manager Saul Contera, goalkeeping coach David Whalley and the existing backroom team across the winter season. The 30-year old will miss tomorrow’s game at Cockburn City as it clashes with Glory’s Semi-Final encounter at Sydney FC.
“We are delighted to appoint Andy Keogh to the role of first team coach,” president Ces Colli said. “Andy has been part of the Inglewood coaching team for close to twelve months and he provides us stability and continuity with the best possible avenue to success. Our goals remain high, which means winning silverware in 2017.”
Dublin-born Keogh played as a teenager with Leeds United but it was during a three-season spell at Scunthorpe United that his career began to take off. His first call-up to the Republic of Ireland national team came in March 2007, only a few months after joining Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The highlight of Keogh’s six seasons with Wolves came in 2010 when he was a central figure in the West Midlands club topping the English Championship. He went on to play for Cardiff City, Bristol City, Leeds, Millwall and Blackpool, while the last of his 30 international outings arrived in August 2013.
After close to 400 senior appearances in England, Keogh headed down under in mid-2014 to join Perth Glory. To date he has played 76 times for the A-League club across three seasons, a period punctuated only by a short stay at Thai club Ratchaburi.
28.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND FOUR – PREVIEW
It's round four of the State League First Division this weekend, with the match of the round being Forrestfield United against Western Knights. Forrestfield haven't had the start they had hoped this year, but would like to open their new look stadium at Hartfield Park with their first win of the league season. The Knights have had two victories out of three, and after their recent success in making last eight of the FFA Cup mid-week, will be looking to continue their good form in the league. The match starts at 7pm.
In other games, top of the table Rockingham City travel to the Iluka Sports Complex when they take on newly promoted Rockingham City. Dianella White Eagles, who are just behind Rockingham on the table, will need to win at home against Gosnells City. Ashfield and UWA-Nedlands FC will fight it out in a game that could go either way, while South West Phoenix will meet Fremantle City at Hilton Reserve. Canning City have the bye.
28.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND FOUR – PREVIEW
It's top against bottom in the State League Second Division this weekend, when Kingsway Olympic take on Wanneroo City at Kingsway Reserve. Wanneroo battled hard to get a share of the points against Gwelup Croatia last week, and will need to be at their best against a desperate Kingsway Olympic if they want to continue their good run at the top of the table. The green machine were one of the pre-season favourites with Gwelup to take out the competition this year, however after losses against Quinns and Balga, find themselves without a point to their name. The action starts at 3pm.
In other games, Gwelup Croatia will want to keep the pressure on Wanneroo with a win at home to Melville City while Shamrock Rovers can keep their place in the all important top four with victory at Harold Rossiter Reserve against Curtin University. Kelmscott are at home against an improving Balga, while on Sunday, Quinns FC are away from home, but will be confident of beating Swan United.
28.4.2017
BIRIGHITTI HEADS OUT ON DUTCH TRIAL
Goalkeeper Mark Birighitti has spent this week trialling with midtable Dutch Eredivisie club Willem II. 26-year old Birighitti, a former Perth SC junior, moved from Newcastle Jets to English Premier League club Swansea City in last year’s off-season but has failed to break into the first team.
According to Dutch reports, Willem II are considering bringing Birighitti, who has another year to run on his Swansea contract, in on a loan deal. Willem II are keen to sign a new goalkeeper, with current number one Kostas Lamprou set to leave the club in the off-season.
Birighitti has been behind Lukasz Fabianski, Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Gerhard Tremmel in the pecking order at Swansea. The one-time Socceroo was named in the Professional Footballers’ Australia A-League Team of the Season last season when with Newcastle.
27.4.2017
LOWE SET TO STICK WITH SAME ELEVEN
Kenny Lowe has flagged the likelihood of sticking with the same starting line-up for Saturday night’s Semi-Final against minor premiers Sydney FC. Glory produced one of their most complete performances of the season in dumping Melbourne City out of the championship race with a 2-0 away Elimination Final win last Sunday night.
The result, which was Glory’s first finals win in five years, was achieved with a new-look starting eleven to that used for much of this season. Joel Chianese scored his second goal for Glory playing off a wing, while Marc Warren started at left back and Lucian Goian was preferred in central defence.
“Everyone wants to play,” Lowe said. “Everyone wants to be in the eleven. I think everyone was impressive (against Melbourney) ... we’ll just roll into the game with a massive amount of confidence and go and enjoy ourselves. Have a check of the team sheet on Saturday - we’ve got a good chance of playing the same eleven I would imagine.”
Lowe said defender Joseph Mills, who injured his knee in training, would fly east and should be available for selection. “His knee is okay,” Lowe said of Mills. “We’ll take an 18-man squad, so we’ve added Millsy to the squad. We’ll take 18 over there and we’ll pick from the 18.”
Like his Glory players, Lowe has embraced the possibilities presented by a knockout Semi-Final against a dominant side that has achieved a league-record points haul and lost only one game this season. “It’s just two teams,” Lowe said. “They’ve just got two arms, two legs, one head.
“Anything can happen on the day. They want to create history. They’ll be devastated if they don’t. Everyone’s talking about them being the best team ever and rightly so, they’re a super team. But the bottom line is you have to win something.”
25.4.2017
WESTFIELD FFA CUP FIFTH ROUND (WA) – REVIEW (courtesy footballwest.com.au)
There were goals galore in round five of the Westfield FFA Cup preliminary rounds with the final eight teams now confirmed. A ten-man Cockburn City were one of the teams to progress, with a late winner edging out South West Phoenix 3-2 in an absorbing tie at Dalmatinac Park. Cockburn coach Scott Miller said his team is driven by their appearance in the FFA Cup Round of 32 last year. “To experience that Australia-wide stage was really fun last year,” he said. “The boys loved that bit of exposure. We were obviously lucky to get a trip away last year and I’m sure they’d love to have another crack this year. “It’s a very different competition. If I was analysing it like our league games, I’d probably be pulling my hair out, but it’s about winning and getting through and we showed great character to do so.”
Miller was also pleased his side bounced back quickly after the weekend’s defeat to Stirling. “As a coach you normally have a week to think about things, but to have a game three days later was good,” he said. “We switched the boys onto this game quickly and it was good to get the late winner tonight, which is always nice.”
Cockburn made a quick start to things with a goal inside four minutes as Harry O’Brien crossed in from the right and Daniel Robinson got across his marker to poke the ball home. They remained in control in the opening half hour, though they could have doubled their lead when Kieran Quinn denied Robinson on the line. Phoenix struck against the tide as Jayden Prosser latched onto a long punt from Adam Guthridge and kept his cool to equalise. Goalkeeper Guthridge then made a superb double save, firstly touching Jesse Lazzaro’s shot onto the post, before beating away Calvin Whitney’s drive from range. Lazzaro had another chance in the second half when he blazed over the bar and it only got worse for the winger when he went off moments later with an injury.
The hosts regained the lead with a nice set piece routine as Kenel Mouithys flicked on Cameron Edwards’ corner and O’Brien stooped to head in. It was level again seven minutes later as Bright Ababio overlapped down the left and drove across goal where Ryan Stewart was at the back post to squeeze it past Luke Radonich. When Whitney saw red with 15 minutes to go, momentum shifted to the Phoenix who had several chances to win it but it would be Cockburn to strike late. Edwards carved out a through ball in heavy traffic and unmarked Reuben Tristao to slide his finish beyond Guthridge.
In other ANZAC Day Westfield FFA Cup action, State League Division One side Dianella White Eagles upset NPLWA club ECU Joondalup 3-1, while State League Division Two side Gwelup Croatia side put five past NPLWA side Mandurah City winning 5-1. Bayswater City put five past Armadale with no reply, and Sorrento made hard work of their 3-1 against UWA-Nedlands FC. Wembley Downs from the Amateur Premier Division shocked Stirling Lions in the previous round, however this time they could not match it with Division One club Western Knights, losing 3-0. Perth were 2-0 winners at Joondalup United, while Wanneroo City advanced after Boulder City had to forfeit.
The final eight teams in Round six of the Westfield FFA Cup preliminary rounds will be made of four NPLWA teams, two State League Division One teams and two State League Division Two teams.
25.4.2017
NEVILLE WANTS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WIN BEFORE RETURNING FOR GLORY
Scott Neville hopes to erase his A-League pain with strong Asian Champions League performances before he leaves Western Sydney Wanderers to embark on a renaissance with Perth Glory. Neville confirmed he's signed a three-year deal with former club Glory after two positive seasons with Western Sydney, with whom he's went agonisingly close to winning last season's title.
Neville’s desire for a shot at a second successive Grand Final was scuppered last Friday, when Brisbane Roar beat Western Sydney in a penalty shoot-out in their Elimination Final. Now the 28-year old defender wants nothing more than to go out on a high in Western Sydney's last two ACL group games, against Urawa Red Diamonds and Shanghai SIPG.
"I've signed with Perth for the next three years, that's why I was even more emotional after losing to Brisbane," said Neville, who has made 58 appearances for Western Sydney. "Not only did I want to play in another Grand Final, but go one better and finish my journey here with a victory. That's why I want to finish the last two games in the ACL as positively as possible."
Western Sydney must win big against Urawa and Shanghai to even be in with a shot of progressing to the knockout stage as one of the top two in Group F. Even then, other results must go their way to continue their continental campaign. It's a task made more difficult after their sudden-death loss to Brisbane has left the players mentally drained and physically exhausted.
Neville is confident his team's hectic A-League schedule has conditioned them well for the ACL. "We could easily come over here and say 'our season's over', but all the boys are motivated to put in a strong performance and finish off the season well," Neville said. "We just need to try and pick up maximum points in the next two games, hopefully that can be enough."
If it is, Neville can extend his Western Sydney career a little longer before he heads west, and Glory right-back Josh Risdon heads in the opposite direction. "I love the Wanderers, it's been a great club for me ... I've grown not only as a player, but a person as well," Neville said. "Popa is the best coach I've ever had, I've got such respect for him … it's definitely the best A-League club in my opinion."
25.4.2017
GLORY VOW TO HIT SYDNEY WITH PHYSICAL EDGE
Perth Glory are vowing to maintain their physical edge as they attempt to pull off the improbable by beating Sydney FC in Saturday night's Semi Final at Allianz Stadium. Glory defied the odds by beating Melbourne City 2-0 in last week's Elimination Final, when opposition coach Michael Valkanis labelled the West Australian side predictable and physical prior to the game.
Perth midfielder Joel Chianese said it was imperative for his side to maintain their physical approach against the Sky Blues. "Football's a physical game. You need to get stuck in," Chianese said. "If you don't, you're going to get beat to the ball, you're going to lose that tackle, you're going to lose that challenge, and the other team gets on top. We started really well the other night and set a platform for the rest of the game."
Sydney are the hot title favourites after losing just one game during the regular season and setting a new record for the amount of points tallied (66). "We definitely go in as underdogs, and we prefer that - sort of flying under the radar," Chianese said. "Sydney's been the best team all year. We know what to expect."
Chianese and Diego Castro were the heroes against Melbourne, with the duo scoring a goal each in the opening half. But it was the clean sheet - just Glory's fourth this season - that the team also took great pride in. "It was probably one of our best games of the season. We fought hard for each other," Chianese said. "Every clean sheet we get we celebrate. We haven't really had that many this season."
25.4.2017
GLORY WON’T USE THEIR TRAVEL BURDEN AS AN EXCUSE
Perth Glory won’t use their travel burden as an excuse after choosing to fly home ahead of their A-League Semi Final against minor premiers Sydney FC this weekend. After defeating Melbourne City in the Elimination Final, Glory officials explored the option of staying in Victoria this week to give an in-form squad the best preparation for its shot at reaching the final.
That option was discarded, with the club choosing to fly the players back to Perth for three days after not finding a suitable training venue. Glory will train at UWA Sports Park this week before heading east again on Thursday as they attempt to keep the squad primed for its biggest challenge of the year.
Chief executive Peter Filopoulos confirmed Glory had considered using a temporary base in Melbourne this week. “We explored our options, but we couldn’t identify an appropriate training venue that would ideally meet our requirements and suit our normal training routine and we therefore felt it was best to return home,” Filopoulos said.
Glory will need to overcome a six-day break in attempting to pull off the upset of the season. Sydney have put together a remarkable campaign, amassing the greatest points tally in A-League history in losing just one game. They have scored 11 goals and conceded just two in comfortably defeating Glory in their three previous meetings this season.
25.4.2017
WILLIAMS LOOKING BEYOND BARNSLEY TO BOOST SOCCEROOS PROSPECTS
Ryan Williams is edging towards an exit from Championship side Barnsley, in pursuit of the regular match action he hopes will enhance his Socceroos prospects. After just four starts this season - 15 appearances overall for the Yorkshire club - the 23-year old is determined to turbo-charge a career which was stalled for the best part of two seasons by injury.
When finally fit this season, Williams has only been a bit-part performer under Tykes coach Paul Heckingbottom. The soon-to-be out-of-contract attacker - who brothers Rhys and Aryn are with Perth Glory - has all but ruled out a return home as he assesses his next career step, whether he should leave Barnsley.
"The key thing for me (is) I want to be playing week in week out," Williams said. "I haven't done that in a long time. If I am playing every week, I am going to be confident and hopefully scoring goals. I think there is a lot more to come from me ... I feel I gave a good account of myself in the games I played but things just didn't go the way I'd hoped."
Mid-table Barnsley have put on hold any contract extension talks until the end of the season. "The have an option to keep me and if they decide to activate that then I will stay," Williams said. "To be fair, that would be what I want ... I'd back myself if I were to have a full pre-season, which hasn't been the case for a couple of years. Whatever happens, I don't just want to be sent off the bench – it's the last thing I want."
24.4.2017
WESTFIELD FFA CUP FIFTH ROUND (WA) – PREVIEW
It’s Westfield FFA Cup 5th round today on Anzac Day with eight ties across the metro area. The fourth round giant-killers Wembley Down hit the road with a trip to Nash Field to take on Western Knights (2.30pm). Wembley stunned NPL side Stirling Lions in the last road, while the Knights thrashed Bussleton 14-0. Wembley Coach Colm Costello said they are looking forward to the challenge. “We’re all looking forward to testing ourselves against top opposition again this week. Western Knights have been a top state Division One side for last couple seasons so we’ll need to be all at our best,” he said. “It is cup football, and on the day it's whoever wants it more. I’m sure both teams will go for it and it should be a great game, but whatever happens I’m delighted with how we have done in this competition so far.”
Gwelup Croatia beat NPL opposition in the last round, with a 2-1 win against Balcatta, and they entertain another NPL side today, with Mandurah City visiting the Croatian Sporting Centre (2.30pm). Gwelup Coach Aleks Vrteski said it’s another challenge for his side. “The boys got over the line with a huge effort against Balcatta last round and today will be no different as I expect Mandurah to be a side of very high quality,” he said. “We are coming off a hard fought 1-1 draw in the league at Wanneroo City on Friday evening and we are relishing the opportunity to make the next round.”
UWA Nedlands also beat an NPL team in the last round, a hard fought 4-3 come-from-behind win against Subiaco, and this round they travel to Percy Doyle Reserve to take on NPL league leaders Sorrento (2.30pm). “We are looking forward to this encounter, facing the top team in the NPL,” UWA Coach Michael Janssen said. “We know that it will be a very tough match but we will be ready for this even, even if we have to make a few changes. Cup has its own rules and we are not just going to Percy Doyle Reserve to congratulate them for making it to the next round.”
There are two all NPL games, with Armadale hosting Bayswater City at Alfred Skeet Reserve (3.15pm), while Joondalup United host Perth SC at Percy Doyle Reserve in the late game at 5.00pm. “We really believe on our day we are a match for anyone, whilst we will be missing 3/4 players for the game we'll have a real go,” Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings said. “We are looking to propel our tiny club onto a national level what a dream JUFC live on Foxtel.”
In other games South West Phoenix travel to Dalmatinac Park to take on Cockburn City at 5.30pm, while Division One leaders Dianella White Eagles will be looking for a repeat when they visit the ECU Football Stadium to take on ECU Joondalup also 5.30pm. The Eagles won at the same venue last season and Robbie Dunn said it will be a good challenge for his side. “Drawing ECU is probably as tough as it gets. They are on fire right now and are the form team in the NPL. They are very strong all over the park and are scoring goals for fun against some very good NPL opponents,” he said. “Our guys will go out and give it their best for the club their team mates and themselves and I have no doubt that they will make life very tough for ECU. This game will show our players where they stand against a very good NPL side and all I want the players to do is enjoy themselves and see what happens.”
Unfortunately one tie has been forfeited, with Wanneroo City moving through after Boulder City pulled out. Wanneroo Coach Tim Kantor said it’s a great shame. “It’s great to have regional teams in the competition, but its poor fixturing, to expect a team to travel 800km each way for a midweek game,” he explained. “To put it into perspective Melbourne Victory travel 876km to play Sydney FC in the A League. Boulder have progressed to the 5th round without having played a game. That's not the spirit or magic of the FFA Cup.”
24.4.2017
JONES NEARING DUTCH TITLE
West Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones is within touching distance of winning the Dutch top-flight title with Feyenoord, the club's first in 18 years. Jones kept his 17th clean sheet in 30 appearance to help the Eredivisie heavyweights to a comfortable 2-0 win over Vitesse Arnhem on Sunday.
That result, coupled with Ajax's 1-0 loss to defending champions PSV Eindhoven later that day, has lifted Feyenoord four points clear with two games to play. Should they beat lower-table side Excelsior in their next match on 7th May 7, Feyenoord will become champions for the first time since 1999.
24.4.2017
LOWE SHOCKED BY FORMATION CHANGE
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe says the way his side forced Melbourne City to change their style in the 2-0 away Elimination Final victory is a compliment to his team. Glory were dubbed predictable by Melbourne coach Michael Valkanis on Saturday but the visitors were able to carry out their counter-attacking threat with the game sealed at the half hour mark.
Lowe said he felt confident when he saw City’s starting eleven leave Luke Brattan on the bench. “I was glad to see Brattan not there and (Osama) Malik there, no disrespect to Malik but Brattan gets on the ball, he causes problems, got craft and guile so that was an interesting situation,” Lowe said.
“Timmy (Cahill) is not a natural midfielder and he’s finding himself in that situation quite a lot, so really you’ve only got to take care of (Neil) Kilkenny from a creative perspective to a certain extent. The crazy thing is they changed their shape which was a massive compliment to us to counter our strength which is counter-attack, but we got two counter-goals.”
Glory will now face Sydney FC on Saturday and Lowe said they could be camping in Melbourne as they anticipated a clash with Victory in the semi-final.
Lowe, whose team will face Sydney FC in Saturday’ Semi-Final, had nothing but praise for his players. “I think it shows how good we were,” he said. “For them not to have a shot ... it wasn’t because they weren’t trying or anything like that, it was because of our quality defensively.”
“We didn’t allow them to turn up, they’re getting on the ball, looking for a pass, there wasn’t a pass and they were playing sharing balls. They had a lot of long balls that didn’t quite get there. They didn’t have that crafting guile that they’d normally have in the middle of the park.”
24.4.2017
WILLIAMS SET TO WALK OUT ON GLORY AT SEASON’S END
Perth Glory appear set to lose Rhys Williams after the finals, with the defender in advanced negotiations to leave the A-League club after one season. As many as five rival A-League clubs have sounded out Williams with title challengers Melbourne Victory leading the chase for his signature.
It is understood Williams’ manager Tony Rallis is in advanced negotiations for him to join one of those clubs and continue his domestic career in the Eastern States. A deal is likely to be signed within seven days. Rallis said Glory had not yet made the defender a formal offer to stay for a second season.
Perth have put off negotiations with Dino Djulbic, Richard Garcia, Nebojsa Marinkovic, Marc Warren and brothers Rhys and Aryn Williams - who are all coming out of contract until after the finals. The club would need to fast-track an attractive counter offer to have any hope of hanging on to Williams.
Williams has experienced a chequered season at Glory. He found himself at loggerheads with club officials mid-season and was dropped for seven weeks before returning to Glory’s senior line-up and being called up for Socceroos duties. Williams has played 15 games and is a key to holding City’s attack at bay.
23.4.2017
GLORY HERO DJULBIC REFLECTS ON DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS
Inspirational Perth Glory hard-man Dino Djulbic says a tightened defence set the platform for his side’s unexpected Elimination Final win over Melbourne City. After conceding four at home to the same opponent last week, Glory looked a different side in Melbourne as they secured a highly efficient 2-0 victory to move into the A-League's last four.
“We knew they had firepower up front and we knew if we kept them out we were eventually going to score,” Djulbic told Fox Sports. “(Defence) was a big focus. With the four at the back and the two in front of us we work as a team. I thought we were excellent and they barely had a shot. We know what we are capable of doing and we want to take it all the way now.”
Djulbic was immense in helping the visitors to a rare clean sheet, even putting his head on the line to block a late Michael Jakobsen thunderbolt. “I saw it coming,” the rugged stopper laughed. “I was like ‘should I duck or not?’ I will always put my head where other people wouldn’t. It paid off at the end.”
23.4.2017
MILESTONE MAN LOWE DREAMS OF GLORY SUCCESS
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe is urging his team to dream of title success, saying his own journey to 100 A-League games is proof that anything can happen. No team in A-League history have won the title from outside the top two and Glory will have a tough time trying to buck that trend after finishing the regular season fifth - thrusting them in to an away elimination final against Melbourne City on Sunday.
The game will mark Lowe's 100th game in charge of the Glory - a feat no one expected him to reach when he took over as caretaker coach from the sacked Alistair Edwards in December 2013. "Everyone's got a dream, especially in this game," Lowe said. "I've had a 100-game dream. No one in a million years would have said I'd be doing this when I was doing the NTC (National Training Centre). But hey, anything can happen."
Lowe posted just four wins, four draws, and nine losses before surprisingly being appointed the club's full-time coach. The 55-year old has thrived since then and played a key role in rebuilding the squad. "If someone had said that (I'd reach 100 games) off the back end of that very first season, I would have laughed at them," Lowe said. "I think the club has been very brave to take someone like me on. Hopefully I'll repay them."
Lowe believes his talent-laden squad have the potential to defy expectations by making a charge at this season's title. And with an experienced group - boasting the likes of Andy Keogh, Diego Castro, Rhys Williams, Josh Risdon and Rostyn Griffiths - Lowe says they could play a crucial role in helping them pull off an upset win in enemy territory.
But Lowe knows Melbourne City also possess plenty of hardened match-winners. "Everyone can say 'We're going to break history, we're going to change it'. But at the end of the day it's only words," Lowe said. "It's about actions. If we want to do that, we've got to put some action behind those words to create history."
Rhys Williams missed last weekend's 5-4 win over Melbourne with a hip injury but trained this week and is expected to be fit to return to the starting eleven. Lowe says the intensity at training had lifted. "It's quite vibrant, quite feisty. Two or three fights. Everyone's very focused," Lowe said.
22.4.2017
JOONDALUP WIN BATTLE OF THE TENENTS
Joondalup United returned to winning ways, with a stunning 2-1 win against league leaders and co-tenants Sorrento in the local derby at Percy Doyle Reserve. The win also ended the home sides’ unbeaten start to the season, and a brace from striker Richard Howles put Nick Jennings side on their way, before Rowdy Yates was sent off and substitute Reece Vittiglia pulled on back for the Gulls. But they couldn’t find the equaliser and had striker Billy Quinncroft sent off late.
“We got on the front foot early, the plan was to really get after them physically, and the lads executed the plan well,” Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings said. Sorrento Coach Jamie Harnwell was left disappointed. "We didn’t play well in the first half, we defended poorly and passed poorly,” he said. “On the day they were better than us, they deserved the three points.”
It was a lively start to the game, with referee Nico Hoyle showing two early yellow cards, and on 13 minutes the visitors hit the front. They won the ball in the middle park and a ball over the top sent Howles clear, he held off his marker before finishing low past James Morgan. The big striker was in again on the half hour, again he was sent in with a clever ball over the top and despite being hemmed in on the side of the box he eased past two defender before finished clinically.
Sorrento need a lift after the break, but they found Joondalup keeper James Bosdet in outstanding form, the best a stunning reaction save to deny Quinncroft. The game took another twist on 73 minutes when Yates was shown a second yellow card and sent off and Sorrento were back in the game two minutes later. A ball into the box was dealt with and Vittiglia made them paying firing home. The home side were pushing everything forward looking for the equaliser, but they couldn’t find a way past Man of the Match Bosdet. It went from bad to worse for Jamie Harnwell’s side when Quinncroft was also shown a second yellow card and sent off in stoppage time.
Sorrento FC: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT, 7 Alex MORGAN, 10 Scott BULLOCH, 13 Steven MCDONALD, 14 Scott WITSCHGE, 18 Jordan BROWN, 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES – Subs: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 6 Daryl PLATTEN, 9 Sean CANHAM, 11 Tim HILL, 17 Reece VITTIGLIA - Red cards: Quinncroft 90+1’
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 3 Rowdy YATES, 5 Joe STOCKER, 7 Matthew SPARROW, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Richard HOWLES, 10 Alex WILD, 17 Luke SERRA, 18 Anthony TAYLOR, 23 Jay MARSDEN, 24 Lee JONES – Subs: RGK Conal POWER, 6 Guy MCDONALD, 19 Mike KENNY, 21 Chris PUGH, 25 Greg PELLOW - Red cards: Yates 73’ - Referee: Nico Hoyle
22.4.2017
SALMON SWOOPS FOR INGLEWOOD
Inglewood United began life without Coach Taki Nicolaidis with a hard fought 2-0 win against Armadale at the Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The club parted company with Nicolaidis in the week, but their English striker Alex Salmon was the star bagging a brace has the home side consolidated their spot in the top five.
Interim Inglewood coach Andres Oliveira was pleased with his team’s performance, despite the release of former coach Nicolaidis during the week. “It’s been a difficult week, the boys responded fantastically,” he told the NPL website. “We wanted to move on, we prepared well this week and got the result.” Despite the loss, Armadale coach John O’Reilly was pleased with his side’s performance. “Defensively the first half we were solid, we had opportunities but we didn’t take them,” he said. "I’m happy with our defensive performance, but we couldn’t perform in the key areas and got caught offside too often.”
Armadale were coming off their biggest win of the season, a 3-0 win against second placed Floreat Athena last week, but they were lucky to still be level on 17 minutes, Salmon’s headed crashing off the crossbar. Inglewood keeper Alex Dunn then saved well to deny Jake Sardelic’s shot as the visitors lifted. Both sides had half chances but at the break it was all-square.
But four minutes into the second half the home side hit the front, Salmon was brought down in the penalty area and referee Matthew Southern pointed straight to the spot. Salmon picked himself up and sent keeper Michael Craggs the wrong way with the resulting penalty to open the scoring.
Despite conceding Armadale lifted and started to take control of the game but they found Inglewood keeper Dunn in outstanding form, the custodian making a number of fine saves. With time running out and Armadale pushing men forward looking for the equaliser they were caught out on a counter attack two minutes into stoppage time. Salmon found space in the box and kept his composure to fire past Craggs to seal victory.
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 3 David CYRUS (C), 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 7 Kenny KEOGH (19 Cuok DAU 67), 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 10 Ash ROSINDALE (14 Mark PRITCHARD 73), 11 John MINGAS, 16 Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS, 18 Jason COLLI, 23 Brian WOODALL (5 Adam TONG 79) - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 2 Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 3 Jake SARDELIC, 4 Nathan COSTELLO, 5 Sam LOVELESS (19 Beau RAHIM 62), 7 Charlie KENNA, 8 Jordan PAVETT, 9 Kyle KING (15 Jackson BEALEY 70), 10 Papa KPATAR, 11 Dannie RICHMAN (18 Milan OGNJENOVI 75), 14 David ANNALL, 17 Jake ATKINS Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 20 Kade McNAMARA - Referee: Matthew Southern
22.4.2017
PERTH LEAVE IT VERY LATE FOR THE POINTS
A goal in the 93rd minutes from Harley Orr has given Perth SC a hard fought 2-1 win against Subiaco at Dorrien Gardens. Niccolo Sabatini had given the home side the lead, but Carlin Feely levelled just before half time. It looked like the points would be shared but Orr popped up late to seal the win and move them to fourth on the PS4 NPLWA table. “In the first-half we were a bit shaky on the ball and Subiaco exploited our errors,” Perth Coach Ramon Falzon told the NPL website. “But in the second-half we were the dominant team and created four or five clear chances. It doesn’t matter if the goals come early or in the last minute like today, we’ll take the win because three points are three points.”
Subiaco have shown in recent weeks they are a team on the rise and they took the game to the home side, and the first half was a real arm-wrestle, but six minutes from the break Perth went in front. Sabatini lost his marker in the penalty area and his diving header beat Ryan Montgomery. They went close to doubling their lead four minutes later, Frank Furfaro’s shot on the run smacked the crossbar and away to safety. But moments later Subiaco levelled. A long diagonal ball picked out Carlin Feely at the back post and he slid home past Francis Soale to send the sides in level at the break.
Perth went close to regaining their lead early in the second half, when Orr was sent clear, one-on-one with Montgomery, but the Subiaco keeper stood tall to deny him. Both sides were pressing for the winner, Rory Feely was picked out by a free kick but the striker’s header flashed wide of the target. But in the third minute of injury time Perth won it. Andreas Theodosiades played Orr in on goal and this time the forward made no mistake, finishing past Montgomery to seal a valuable victory. “I thought we played well enough for a point and I thought maybe we could have even snuck a winner in the end,” Subiaco player-coach Ian McMurray told the NPL website. “In the last 10 minutes it was quite an even contest, they had a few chances but we got in behind them a couple of times as well. So I’m disappointed to lose the game especially after the performance we put in, but credit to Perth, they kept at it and took their chance when they got it.”
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (C), 5 Niccolo SABATINI (11 Matthew MILENKOVIC 79’), 8 Tom KING (16 Kieran COLWELL 44’), 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO, 12 Jordan DE LEO, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR, 17 Frank FURFARO, 21 Paul ZIMARINO - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 2 Alex SILLA, 14 Cameron TEECE
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 5 Dylan ANDREWS, 6 Jonas DORLING, 8 Mike LAWSON (18 Andy LESTER 85’), 9 Rory FEELY, 10 Owen COATES (15 Henock BUTSHIRE 88’), 11 Carlin FEELY (7 Robert HARDING 68’), 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDISH, 17 Alex CASTIELLO, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: RGK Hamish ST GEORGE, 16 Ian MCMURRAY - Referee: Tom Glavovic
22.4.2017
ATHENA BOUNCE BACK TO DOWN THE DOLPHINS
Floreat Athena bounced back from last week’s loss at Armadale with a 2-0 win against Mandurah City at the Securitas Protect Stadium on Saturday. After a tight first half Dean Evans gave the visitors the lead on the hour, before Jon Stynes made sure of the points late. “It’s always going to be a tough game when you come down here, they’re a good side and they made us work for our points today,” Floreat Coach Glenn Grostate told the NPL website.
“We know we are undermanned, and we are just going to have to keep digging in. I keep saying week in, week out, if we can keep scraping out a result and stay up close to the top, when the turn of the season comes, we can bring in four or five players who have been injured, and give it a good shake on the way down the hill.”
Mandurah, who are still looking for their first win of the season, started brightly, and Mitchell Morrin’s shot early flashed over the top. Then moments later, Evans curling effort was saved by Mandurah custodian Brad Eiffe. Both sides were having plenty of the ball as they battled it out and Morrin went close again on the half hour. Jeff Bright’s teasing cross picked him out, but he failed to find the target. Eiffe then came to his sides’ rescue with a good save to deny Evans on the stroke of half time but at the break it was even.
The visitors opened the second half well and Kris Gate’s curling shot was well saved by Eiffe, but on the hour the visitors hit the front. Evans’ through ball sent Zelfy Nazary clear, and he was brought down by Eiffe and referee Josh Mannella pointed straight to the spot. Evans stepped up a scored the resulting penalty to give the visitors the lead. Eiffe then made a great save to thwart Evans’ volley. Evans was having a great game and the former Perth Glory midfielder was the provider as Floreat sealed the points nine minutes from time, his cross picking out Stynes who made no mistake.
Mandurah City: GK Bradley EIFFE, 2 Oliver MCGEE, 3 Jeff BRIGHT, 4 Matt STARES, 5 Thomas STRAKER, 6 Oscar THOMPSON, 7 Jack EADES, 9 Craig TONE, 11 Joseph O’BRIEN 12 Mitch MORRIN, (13 Mitch FIRTH 13), 17 Oriol FERNANDEZ (16 Slade RULE 70) - Subs not used: RGK Cyril SHARROCK, 10 Jordan RHODES, 14 Lance LOUVIE
Floreat Athena: GK Jordan BARBAS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO (20 Joe TWEATS 88), 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathon STYNES, 10 Kris GATE, 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY, 16 Ryan MALTON, 17 Dean EVANS - Subs not used: RGK Aidan HOLLOWAY, 3 Patiente ILAHAMBAYE, 11 Juma AWAKA, 33 Ali NAZARY - Referee: Josh Mannella
22.4.2017
SKIPPER LEADS LIONS TO VICTORY
Stirling Lions bounced back their disappointing FFA Cup exit at Wembley Downs with a 2-0 win against Cockburn City at Macedonia Park on Saturday afternoon. Skipper Miki Vujacic led the way opening the scoring in the first half and the points were wrapped up in stoppage time at the end of the game with substitute Steve Sokol scoring. “It was another disciplined team performance from the boys,” Stirling Coach Rob Milevski told the NPL website.
“We focused on the defensive side after our poor start and the shape of our back four. We were probably lucky not to concede as they had a really good period on us, but we managed to catch them on the counter at the end and I’m very proud of the boys. It’s good to get the win but it’s a longer season this time and we just want to keep the consistency and momentum going. The boys are confident and we have a real belief in this group. We probably need to find a little more polish in the final third even though it’s a good sign we’re creating plenty of chances.”
The visitors made the brighter start but couldn’t turn their dominance into goals, with Harry O’Brien and Cameron Edwards a constant threat. The home side settled and went close themselves, Moses Kalau finding space and crossing to Daniel Micevski whose shot was saved by Luke Radonich at the far post. But on 22 minutes the home side took the lead, Vujacic found space in the box and finished low past Radonich. Cockburn went close to the equaliser moments later, Kenel Mouithys went one-on-one with John Perkins, the Lions custodian saved bravely at the strikers’ feet, and the rebound fell kindly to Reuben Tristoe, but his shot was cleared by the alert Shane Cassidy. Kalau continued to cause Cockburn problems and his shot on the run just before half time was well saved by Radonich.
The Lions started the second half well and Radonich had to be alert to deny Micevski early, before the Cockburn custodian denied Micevski again moments later. Mathaing then saw his shot crash off the crossbar as the home side searched for the second. Cockburn pushed men forward looking for the equaliser and Daniel Robinson’s shot was scrambled away, before O’Brien’s header was saved by Perkins. Cockburn were on top, but couldn’t find a way past a resolute Lions defence, and in stoppage time the home side won the points. Sokol intercepted a stray back pass, rounded Radonich and slotted home much to the delight of the home faithful.
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 3 Alex SULESKI, 4 Blamo QUA QUA, 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 7 Miki VUJACIC, 9 Alex TANEVSKI, 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 14 Lukas DE LIMA (8 Steve SOKOL 63’), 15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathaing MATHAING, 18 Moses KALAU - Subs not used: RGK Lance ALAVAKIS, 5 Graham DORAN, 12 Jason RUBIDGE, 17 Darren O’RIORDAN
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 4 Euen GRANT, 5 Chris THACKARAY (13 Blake ADAMS 67’), 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI, 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Daniel ROBINSON, 11 Harry O’BRIEN, 12 Kenel MOUITHYS (14 Julian TELES 67’), 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZZARO - Sub not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 3 Daniel DOLS - Referee: Adam Fielding
22.4.2017
BAYSWATER EDGE OUT GLORY YOUNGSTERS
Bayswater City kept the pressure on the top sides after a hard fought 2-1 win against Perth Glory at the Finance 365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Big defender David Stokoe gave the home side the lead early, before a stunning strike from Kosta Petratos levelled things up at half time. But a goal from Jason Mirco early in the second half gave the home side the points. “Pleased with the win but not too pleased with the performance,” Bayswater Coach Chris Coyne told the NPL website. “But considering we’ve not hit top form and have a game in hand I’ve got to be happy with where we’re at but we haven’t hit top gear.”
Both sides had early chances, Jack Allen was denied by a strong block from Luka Bodnar, before Glory striker Joe Knowles cross found Daniel Stynes, who couldn’t get his shot away. Moments later Knowles tried his luck from long-range, but Bayswater keeper Devon Spence tipped it around the post. But on 17 minutes the home side opened the scoring. Declan Hargreaves corner picked out Stokoe, who rose above his marker and headed past Jordan Thurtell.
The home side were now on top but some stout Glory defending kept them at bay. Their best chance came from Colombian striker Gustavo Giron-Marulanda, whose header flashed inches over the top. Knowles, Petratos and Jamel Reiners were a constant threat and on 38 minutes the Glory levelled with a stunner. Petratos found a pocket of space on the edge of the penalty area and his shot on the turn flew into the net giving Spence no chance.
Bayswater were on the front foot early, and Hargreaves long-range shot flew over the top, before Devon Gibson shot hit the outside of the post. Their early pressure was rewarded with the lead on 55 minutes. A ball over the top sent Mirco clear and the speedy winger finished clinically past Thurtell. Again the Glory were straight back at the home side and Stynes’ snap-shot whistled over the top, before Knowles raced clear one-on-one with Spence, but he was adjudged offside, but it was a tight one.
Thurtell then produced a stunning save to deny substitute Todd Howarth’s free kick on the hour. With the Glory pressing for the equaliser they were almost caught out again on 68 minutes, Mirco’s cross shot was well saved by Thurtell. Moments Luka Ninkovic shot nicked the post before former Glory Youth winger BorBor Sam cut in from the right, but his goal bound shot was well saved by Thurtell.
“Very happy with our performance today, two lapses defensively and fluency in the front third were the main points from today's game.” Glory Coach John Gibson told the Glory website. “We thought we dominated for large periods, and to do that against a strong Bayswater side is a huge effort - we are constantly evolving and growing as a group which is pleasing.”
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2 Declan HARGREAVES, 3 Jack ALLEN (6 Todd HOWARTH 28’), 9 Gustavo GIRON MARULANDA, 10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE (23 Andrija JUKIC 50’), 13 Trent KAY (C), 17 BorBor SAM, 19 Luka NINKOVIC (16 Giordano COLLI 88’), 20 Sam MITCHINSON - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 15 Ayden DRAGUN
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Riley WARLAND, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Cam MURRAY, 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Jamal REINERS (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 61’), 8 Sam RIAK (13 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN 77’), 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (C) (14 Callum TIMMINS 58’), 11 Kosta PETRATOS - Subs not used: RGK Stef KING, 15 Gomo DUKULY - Referee: Stuart Muldoon
22.4.2017
FIVE STAR SHOW FROM THE JACKS
ECU Joondalup kept in touch with the top five of the PS4 NPLWA after a 5-2 win against Balcatta at Grindleford Reserve on Saturday afternoon. A stunning strike from midfielder Sam Pollard opened the scoring for the visitors before skipper Gordon Smith bagged a brace before the break. Second half goals to Daryl Nicol and Tommy Amphlett put ECU in total control, but late strikes from Luccas Mello and Ben Meredith gave the scoreline some respectability for Balcatta.
“I thought we were very comfortable for the whole game and yes, we conceded two goals late, but we made three quick substitutions which upset us a little, and we have to learn from that going forward,” ECU Coach Dale McCulloch told the NPL website. “We took our chances well and killed the game off early in the second half. We could have scored a few more to be fair, but a good win on the road and we move on to Tuesday in the FFA Cup against Dianella.”
It was the visitors who opened the brighter and their early pressure was rewarded on 23 minutes with the lead. Smith and Nicol combined to set up Pollard, and the former Perth Glory youngster hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box. It got better for the visitors two minutes later when they doubled their lead. Nicol burst down the left, his shot was well saved by Savoldelli, but Smith was the quickest to react to the rebound and the Scottish striker fired home from close-range.
Balcatta were shell-shocked but went close themselves on the half hour. Jon Corness’ cross wasn’t dealt with and Patrick Sara’s shot flashed over the top. There was action at both ends with ECU keeper Fraser Greenwood tipping over Mello’s snap shot six minutes later, before Nicol’s’ curling shot flashed wide of the far post. Two minutes before half time the visitors added a third. Nicol found space down the right and squared the ball across the box to Smith, who lost his marker and fired home.
The visitors continued their barrage after the break and just before the hour they added a fourth. A superb ball over the top from Ross Millard found Nicol on the left, he cut inside at pace and raced past four Balcatta before finishing clinically past Savoldelli. It was 5-0 on 65 minutes, Nicol was the supplier this time sending Amphlett in on goal and he finished with aplomb.
To Balcatta’s credit they continued to press forward and they were rewarded four minutes later, with Mello rounded Greenwood to score from a tight angle. Balcatta added their second late.
Hanafi Ghazali made space down the left and crossed to Meredith who headed home from close-range but it was too little too late for the home side.
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Calum O’CONNELL, 6 Jonathan CORNESS, 8 Patrick SARA, 9 Luccas MELLO, 11 Feisal ZAW (14 Brennan BORZECKI 65), 15 Cameron GIUFFRE, 18 Ben MEREDITH, 12 Kurt KOUAKOU, 20 Paddy QUINN (C) (2 Hanafi GHAZALI 75) - Subs not used: RGK Luke HUTCHINSON, 16 Nathan SCULLY, 22 Antoni D’ALESIO
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC (2 Ben JOHNS 38), 7 Kevin MOON (8 Declan HUGHES 61), 9 Daryl NICOL (15 James OWEN 65), 10 Gordon SMITH (C), 11 Sam POLLARD, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT, 14 Steven MCGARRY, 18 Cian HIRRELL Sub not used: RGK Ryan MCDARBY, 12 Fraser GARNETT - Referee: Michal Jasinski
22.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND THREE – REVIEW
Dianella White Eagles maintained their unbeaten start to the State League Division One with a 3-0 win against South West Phoenix at the WML Stadium. The visitors produced the better chances in a tight first half, but it was scoreless at the break. But on the hour the visitors hit the front, after a mix up at the back, which allowed Camilo to slot the ball home from some 15 meters. They doubled their lead ten minutes later, Mwansa eased past three Phoenix players before clipping in a great cross to Angel Andres, who volleyed home from the edge of the penalty area. The points were made safe when Andres raced clear and finished expertly past Adam Guthridge.
“The lads were fantastic again today, they just keep plugging away and grinding sides down,” Dianella Coach Robbie Dunn said. “The players are coaching themselves on the park and they are all on the same page which shows. The back four and keeper have been rock solid as well as starting many attacks for us, while our midfield run nonstop and give our forwards plenty of the ball which they are relishing. Bunbury tried hard but our lads wanted the win and it showed.”
Rockingham City came away from Burrendah Reserve with the points after a come-from-behind 4-1 win against Canning City. Mark Trevisiol had given the host the lead early, but Rockingham levelled just before half time, a great solo effort from Jason Pottier. The hit the front on the hour, with a volley from James Harmer, and added a third ten minutes later, Harmer adding a second from the penalty spot after Christian Hogge was brought down. The points were wrapped up on 75 minutes, with Pottier racing past two Canning defenders before scoring. “Delighted with the win and the response from the group,” Rockingham Coach Rob Crerar said. “We didn't play well first half and challenged the lads to do better, credit to them second half we dominated and won comfortably in the end.”
Western Knights bounced back from last week’s loss against Dianella with a hard fought 2-0 win against Fremantle City at Nash Field in the Footballwa.net Match of the Round. The home side opened the scoring after Brian Patterson was brought down in the box and Paul Lloyd scored from the resulting penalty. The points were sealed when Lloyd crossed to the back post and Ryan Tucker volleyed home. Joondalup City won their first game of the season after a 2-0 win against Gosnells City at Walter Padbury Reserve. It was 0-0 at half time, and the home side had the bulk of the possession, but ten minutes into second half Joondalup opened the scoring. Jake Cherrie escaped his marker before chipping to the far post where Sean Kalaher headed home. Luke Wilson then doubled the lead when he chipped the keeper from outside the penalty area. “I am delighted for our young side to collect their first points of the season,” a delighted Joondalup Coach Gary Kalaher said.
In the final game UWA Nedlands and Forrestfield United drew 1-1 at the UWA Sports Park. UWA went close early, Conor Devlin's through ball finding Marc Zagami, whose shot was well saved by the legs of United’s keeper Luke Martino. But on 18 minutes the visitors opened the scoring, Hasan El Yassiri slotting home at the near post after the UWA defence failed to clear. But the home side levelled moments later, Kai Jie's through ball sent Alex Kretowicz clear and he finished well past Martino. Both sides had chances to win it in the second half, first Liam Merigan spooning a guilt-edged one-on-one chance over the bar, before Kretowicz was denied by Martino late. – Ashfield had the bye this weekend.
22.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND THREE – REVIEW
The round started on Friday evening, and it was a 1-1 draw in the top of the table clash between Wanneroo City and Gwelup Croatia at Wanneroo Reserve. The visitors were ahead on four minutes, James Sammut finishing clinically after good build up play and captain Sebastian Munoz's through ball. Wanneroo hit back and dominated and had a number of chances but they failed to convert them. But ten minutes from time the home side levelled. Matt Hatton slipped a perfect pass through to Scott Johnston, who kept a cool head rounding Tom Dixon and slotting home. Both sides pressed late looking for the winner but it ended 1-1.
“We knew tonight was going to be a great measure of where our young squad is at,” Wanneroo Coach Tim Kantor said. “We started slowly again and I think we gave the opposition a little too much respect and we went a goal down early, but we managed to level and to be fair it could have been 6 all at the end, but a draw was a great result for us.”
In other games Morley Windmills beat Curtin University 2-0 at Wotton Reserve, with Ben Wantee scoring both, while Kelmscott Roos beat Quins 2-1 at Gumblossom Reserve, with Asa Sippits and Daren Kingston on target for the visitors. Meanwhile Melville City and Shamrock Rovers shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at John Connell Reserve.
In the final game Balga won for the first time this season after a 2-0 win against Kingsway Olympic at Princess Road Reserve. The home side were ahead after Liam Hunt beat the offside trap, and rounded the keeper and calmly firing home into an empty net. Anton DeFrancesch made it 2-0, after a darting run in midfield, and his shot from outside the box, took a wicked deflection off a defender and lobbed over the keeper. – Swan United had the bye this weekend.
21.4.2017
HAROLD COMPLETES EXAMS, READY FOR FINALS TEST
Perth Glory winger Chris Harold has had an unusual build-up to their A-League elimination final against Melbourne City on Sunday. There have been the usual daily training runs, gym and yoga sessions and team meetings as the side prepares for the sudden-death match.
But Harold, 24, also had to sit an exam yesterday and finish an assignment before boarding the plane as he juggles his soccer career with studying for a law degree. “It’s a busy period in my life, but I know how to find a good balance,” Harold said.
“I know what works for me. I know what to do in order for it not to affect my football because that’s the priority at this point in my life. I have a lot of other things going on that make me a happy person. My life outside football is in a good space.”
“That side of my life has helped my football because it’s given me an avenue outside of the game. When things are not going how you would like, which is inevitable in football with its ups and downs, it brings a good balance.”
Sunday’s game is unlikely to be another 5-4 shootout like last weekend, even though 20 goals have been scored by the sides in their three meetings this season. “Finals football can be tighter, but the way both teams have been playing this year I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an open, attacking, entertaining game,” Harold said.
Harold, who has been eased back from a calf injury in the past two matches, is happy for Glory to be underdogs. “We’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “They are the team under pressure, they are playing at home, they finished higher than us. They are the big club with a lot of expectation hanging over them.”
“I think that will work in our favour. We tend to do well when we are underdogs. We won’t change our preparation. When you overthink a situation, try to over-analyse things, it can be to your detriment. You take it as another game. You don’t want to beat it up too much or you can crumble.”
21.4.2017
INGLEWOOD PARTS WITH NICOLAIDIS (courtesy inglewoodunitedfc.com.au)
Inglewood United can confirm it has parted company with first team coach Taki Nicolaidis. The decision came following a meeting earlier in the week between Nicolaidis and members of the club Executive Committee at which it was felt it was in the best interests of both parties to go their separate ways.
“The decision to release Taki was very difficult and one that we’ve not taken lightly,” said club president Ces Colli. “We are duty-bound to put the Club’s long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be.”
“During his time at the Club Taki leant his wealth of knowledge and experience to the team, added to the levels of professionalism and structure within the club and also contributed to elevating Inglewood’s profile within the West Australian football community.”
Nicolaidis initially joined Inglewood as an assistant to Michael Garcia in November 2015, and four months later stepped into the head coach role. He guided the club to second in last year’s National Premier Leagues along with a Grand Final appearance before being named the competition’s Coach of the Year.
“On behalf of the Executive Committee, I thank Taki for the invaluable contribution he made to Inglewood United and wish him and his family all the very best for the future,” said Colli. “Taki remains a respected figure at Inglewood and he and his family will always be warmly welcomed at the club.”
Andres Oliveira and Kenny Keogh have overseen preparations for Saturday’s game against Armadale at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium. The Executive Committee have begun the recruitment process and will make no further comment until that process is completed.
21.4.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND TEN PREVIEW
It’s another busy few days in the WA Football Calendar, with the Westfield FFA Cup taking place on Tuesday (Anzac Day), but before then it’s Week 10 of The PS4 National Premier League WA on Saturday, and the Footballwa.net Match of the Week takes us to Percy Doyle Reserve with co-tenants Sorrento and Joondalup United meeting. It will be the first meeting between the two sides in NPL, and their form has dipped in recent weeks, but Coach Nick Jennings said last week’s hard fought draw against Stirling Lions was a perfect response from his players. “Last week was a keenly contested affair, and personally I thought we did enough to take all points,” he said. “But the positives were our first clean sheet of the season and that we looked more like our real selves and we had a real go which was pleasing.” United will be in the visiting rooms this week, at the temporary home ground, and Jennings said it will be a tough game against the league leaders. “Sorrento are really up and about this year and it's a massive challenge taking on the unbeaten league leaders in their own background,” he said. “But we have nothing to lose and will have a real go at them. Hopefully a decent crowd is in attendance to watch what I'm sure will be an entertaining game.” In team news skipper Arran Maplestone is still overseas as is Joel Ledsham, while Jess Compton is ruled out with an ankle injury suffered in FFA cup win over Kingsley.
Sorrento drew at Cockburn last week, a game Coach Jamie Harnwell said was a disappointing performance from his undefeated side. “Our first 15-20 minutes we could easily have been three up. They had two cleared off the line and a couple of strikes just went wide. We just seemed to take our foot off the pedal after that and allowed Cockburn back into the game,” he explained. “You can’t allow players like Cam Edwards, Calvin Whitney and Harry O’Brien the opportunity to have time and space. It was a strange one, because in the second half both teams had chances to win it, so both myself and Scotty walked away thinking how close we were to getting three points, but also close to ending up with none.” Harnwell said sides are now looking to knock them off the top of the table and he said Joondalup will be up for the local derby. “We are under no illusions about how difficult this game will be, Joondalup are a very strong, physical side who have some real quality throughout as well. Add to that the fact that this is the first game between the 2 clubs with the ground sharing agreement in place, there are certainly bragging rights on the table,” he said. “I know Nick (Jennings) will have his players fired up, but I have had the opportunity to watch them a couple of times now and we will be working hard on how to break them down.” In team news Josh Tucker reinjured his ankle in the cup game Monday and will miss a number of weeks, Jack Salter has returned to NZ for personal reasons and is unlikely to be back this season, while Ryan Pearson is still out injured. In good news Reece Vittiglia and Sean Canham are available for the game. Saturday (3pm) Sorrento v Joondalup United – Percy Doyle Reserve – Referee Nico Hoyle
Floreat Athena lost ground on the leaders last week with a loss at Armadale and this week they head south to take on Mandurah City at Securitas Protect Stadium. The Dolphins came home from Subiaco with a hard fought 2-2 draw and Coach Doug Hesketh said that and their cup win has given his squad some confidence heading into Saturday’s game. “The Subiaco result ended up a good point in the end to be honest, I thought we were great first half only manage to be 1-0 up, but we got caught with a soft penalty just before half time,” he said. “I thought second half we probably could have done better, we took too long to start playing and put ourselves under pressure going 2-1 down, but we managed to get back on level terms.” Hesketh said losing Alex Grayson with a broken leg was a huge blow for the side. “That was the biggest disappointment, Alex was in my Stirling squad in 2013, when we won the league and had an injury keeping him out then and when I heard he was available I told the club he will be a great asset,” he explained. “In two games he showed this, he will come back stronger but right now we need to support him and Trent Wood, who did his ACL in the Night Series.” Hesketh said they go into the Floreat game as they do each week, as they look for their first win of the season. “The team are determined and frustration has passed now, and we’ve told the guys our situation will improve with composure and belief,” he said. “We are playing well having had the lead in 70% of games, so an excellent cup performance on Monday was very timely and gave us a lift. I expect Floreat to be under some pressure to stop their losing run and we want to try and improve on our performances over 90 minutes, so I think it will be a good game.” In team news Mandurah welcome back Lance Louvie and Oscar Thompson. Saturday (3pm) Mandurah City v Floreat Athena – Securitas Protect Stadium – Referee Josh Mannella
ECU Joondalup make the trip to Grindleford Reserve to take on Balcatta. The hosts are coming off two draws, including last week’s 0-0 draw against Perth SC. ECU also drew last week, a 2-2 scoreline against Bayswater City and defender Logan McIsaac said it was a good point, but they had led 2-0. “A draw at Bayswater is never a bad result but obviously we thought there were times where we thought we could win it,” he said. “It’s very frustrating to concede two goals in crucial time periods and one from a set piece, but the boys will work hard this week to rectify that.” McIsaac, who joined the club from Melville City this season, has cemented his spot in the back four, and he said this week’s game will be another tough encounter. “We played them (Balcatta) in pre-season and they have a good side,” he said. “We will make sure we prepare well like any other game, no points can be taken for granted in this league as everyone has been taking points off each other. The squad will defiantly be tested this week, after two tough games on the weekend but that will all be assessed by the coaching staff and physio this week and a quality side will be put out this weekend.” Skipper Jon Higgins is available after missing the last two weeks, while Daryl Nicol and Kevin Moon should also be available after missing the Cup game. For Balcatta Luccas Mello will miss the game due to suspension. Saturday (3pm) Balcatta v ECU Joondalup – Grindleford Reserve – Referee Michal Jasinski
League Champions Perth SC are on a four game streak without a win and this week they entertain Subiaco at Dorrien Gardens. Ramon Falzon’s side have drawn two and lost two, but have home ground advantage this week as they look to put an end to that poor run of form. Subiaco have dropped off the past in the last two weeks, but have been very competitive, and keeper Ryan Montgomery said the draw last week against Mandurah was disappointing. “Last week’s draw felt and hurt like a loss really!! We dominated the seconded half but just couldn't put the game to bed but yet another shocking referring decision has cost us two very valuable points,” he explained. “The penalty was the best goal saving challenge I've witnessed and although the poor Mandurah lad broke his leg, I just hope the referee’s watch the videos to learn from their mistakes.” Montgomery said the players are responding to new Coach Ian McMurray and he has them playing some good football. “Macca has obviously played the game for a very long time and is very experienced so it's been a pretty smooth transition from just playing to coaching,” he said. “He has brought in quality and professionalism to the club so hopefully we can get back to winning ways sooner rather than later and get back on track.” The custodian knows they go into the game as underdogs, but they are relishing the challenge. “This week is another exciting challenge for us but we know as a team if we get back to doing the simple things like we did against Stirling and Balcatta there's no reason why we can't causes another upset in everyone else's eyes,” he said. “There's a few players struggling this week after our two games, McMurray, David Perich, John Lockhart and Rory Feely all have injuries, but we hope they can take their place in the squad.” Saturday (3pm) Perth SC v Subiaco – Dorrien Gardens – Referee Tom Glavovic
Perth Glory have improved this season, and John Gibson’s side are becoming very difficult to beat and this week they travel to the Finance 365 Arena to take on Bayswater City. Chris Coyne’s side fought back from 0-2 down last week to earn a draw against ECU Joondalup, with Devon Gibson scoring late. The Glory fought out a 1-1 draw with Inglewood United, but they conceded late, and defender Jack Iredale said it was disappointing to let it slip late. “It was good to come away with a point from a good side, but conceding so late it felt like two points lost, especially on a penalty,” he said. “Again we defended well and Jordan Thurtell had to be on his game to keep us in the game for the first half, thankfully he was.” Iredale said they go into this week full of confidence, but the youngsters are looking forward to the challenge. “You know you're in for a big game when you're away to Bayswater, but we have a young squad and its huge positive they are matching it with the best players in the league,” he said. “They've got quality all over the pitch and it's going to be a massive test for the lads to see how they shape up against one of the best in the league, but we’re up for the challenge.” The Glory go into the game with a full squad, while Luka Ninkovic, Declan Hargreaves and Jack Jones will be pushing for a starting role after coming off the bench last week. Saturday (3pm) Bayswater City v Perth Glory – Finance 365 Arena – Referee Stuart Muldoon
Cockburn sit in third spot on the table and are coming of a draw against league leaders Sorrento last week, and on Saturday they travel to Macedonia Park to take on Stirling Lions. It’s not been the best of weeks for the Lions, a draw at Joondalup United and a surprise loss in the FFA Cup, but they will be looking to bounce back against the Cockerels. Lions’ defender / midfielder Dejan Spaseski said they should have taken all three points at Joondalup. “We always knew Joondalup United wouldn't be an easy game and they proved that on Saturday,” he said. “If we want to win games like this then we need to take clear cut chances, which we had plenty of during this game.” Spaseski, who spent a number of seasons with Perth Glory Youth, said the players are switched on to put the past week behind them and maintain their good recent home form. “We have had two good wins in our last two home games and we want to build on that against Cockburn on Saturday,” he said. “We know they will be a tough test but are confident of taking all three points and moving up the table.” In team news David Micevski is still in doubt with injury, while Cockburn regain the services of Euen Grant from suspension. Saturday (3pm) Stirling Lions v Cockburn City – Macedonia Park – Referee Adam Fielding
The final game of the round takes us to Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium where Inglewood United host Armadale. The Reds are coming off their best win of the season, a 3-0 win against Floreat Athena, while United were held to a 1-1 draw by Perth Glory. Defender Adam Tong said they had chances to win the game but failed to convert them. “We have been somewhat unlucky again with the game against Glory, I thought we played some great football and we had chances to seal the win but we didn't convert them,” he said. “We will be working hard this week to try and put us in good stead for the game against Armadale. They are no pushovers I have seen their team and with there never say die attitude is always going to be a tough one. We as a team need to work harder on and off the ball and with the talent we have in our squad it's going to be a great game to watch, but saying that they have some tricky and clinical players so our defence needs to be alert and Wary.” The club were rocked in midweek with the decision to remove head coach Taki Nicolaidis from the role and Tong said the player group have to move on. “Obviously the club and Taki have split, and as players all we can do is move on, but on that note the lads would like to thank Taki on the great job he has done with Inglewood over the past two seasons,” he explained. “With the club decision it opens the door for someone else to bring there ideas in! I'm sure every player in our squad wants to prove to the new gaffer what he has to offer and I'm sure the lads will be buzzing to compete for their starting spot in the side, starting on Saturday.” Saturday (3pm) Inglewood United v Armadale – Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium – Referee Matthew Southern
21.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND THREE – PREVIEW
It’s week three of the State League Division One and the Footballwa ‘Match of the Round’ is the clash between newly-promoted Fremantle City and Western Knights at Nash Field. The Knights opened the season with a win, but were beaten at Dianella last week, and new signing Jamie Burns said it wasn’t their best performance. “The lads are very disappointed in the result because it was the worst we played,” he said. “The effort and the execution was below par, and we need to improve this week.” Burns, who joined the Knights from Ashfield this season, said Fremantle will be up for the game and they will need to be on their toes. “The game against Fremantle gives us a chance to set the record straight and prove that we are in this league to win it,” he explained. “No doubt Fremantle will come out throwing everything at us, but it's up to us to stay focused and play our way and I'm sure we will come out on top.” The Knights have a few injury concerns, with Ben Coulter, who missed both the league game and cup game on Monday, still in doubt. In good news Kevin Ashwood has returned to the club and played both reserve games on weekend and will be putting his name in the mix for a spot in the side.
Fremantle City won their first game ever in Division One, with a 1-0 win against UWA Nedlands and Coach Steve Plucknett said it was a huge day for the club. “Yes it was a great day for the players and everyone involved with Fremantle City to get its first win in Division one,” he said. “It was a solid result, we knew UWA would be a tough test and I thought the boys managed the game well, especially in the second half when we were playing into a strong wind.” Plucknett said the Knights will be looking to get back on track after losing to traditional rivals Dianella last week, but he said they are looking forward to it. “We will have another stern test this week against the Knights who are one of the favourites for the title,” he said. “I don't read into their loss as rivalry games can go either way, they have a strong side and will be looking to bounce back. If we can keep our structure right, stay focused then hopefully we can get something from the game.” In team news for City Anthony Lomma returns to the squad.
Dianella White Eagles make the long trip to Bunbury to take on South West Phoenix at the WML Stadium. The Phoenix beat Joondalup City last week to earn their first win of the season, while the Eagles beat Western Knights, a game Coach Robbie Dunn said was well-deserved. “A thoroughly deserved win where the lads showed a real desire for the three points, after a slow start we dominated all over the park and the Knights, who are a very good side, were held to a few chances which our keeper dealt with,” he said. “We could have had a few more goals as the players just never gave up and I was very proud of the team effort and spirit which is getting stronger each week. We certainly aren’t going to be a pushover like last year as this group of players are starting to believe in themselves.” Dunn said they head south with a few injury concerns but they will be up for the challenge. “We will go into the game without three players including our top scorer Angel Andres and our two midfield playmakers Ermaist Haile and Sotiris Theodosiades, after a very bruising cup win against Forrestfield,” he explained. “Phoenix away is a tough game for any side and now that they are very well drilled and have brought in some good signings they will be even tougher to play against. They were clinical in the night series both in defence and up front and they have some quality players that can hurt any side so all we can do is go down there and give it our best shot. If our patched up side can gel then we will give them a run for their money and that is all I can ask.”
UWA-Nedlands will be looking to bounce back from last week’s league loss at Fremantle when they host Forrestfield United at UWA Sports Park. Coach Michael Janssen said it was even game but they couldn’t find a way to goal. “We definitely had different plans. We weren't surprised about the style Fremantle performed but we were not able to build our game and to put pressure on their defense,” he said. “Fremantle defended well and we were not able to break their wall. The early goal we gave away played into their hands and they kept the three points. You have these games and we have to do better and play at our highest level each game to get a better result.” The club produced a big win in the cup against NPL side Subiaco on Monday and Janssen said it gives them a lift going into the game on Saturday. “They (Forrestfield) are a very well organised team and the surprising result at Ashfield does not show their real face,” he said. “They had a successful Night Series and I think their target is to win the league. So we expect an interesting encounter. We will be prepared for the game and I expect the cup win will give the boys a boost to get the season started now.” In team news Bryce Conway, Sam Carello, Max Welton and Marco Waarmt Murray are all missing with long-term injuries, while Luke Randazzo is in doubt. Forrestfield will be fresh as they are coming off the bye.
Joondalup City make the trip to Walter Padbury Reserve to take on Gosnells City. Both sides are coming off defeats, Gosnells at Rockingham, while Joondalup lost to the Phoenix. Joondalup Coach said the performance was good. “Although disappointed with last week’s result we were encouraged by our performance against a very good SW Phoenix,” he said. “We go into Saturday’s game with Joe Mc Quade and Tyler Smith available again and several players pushing for selection after some excellent performances in the reserves.” In the final game Canning City new Head Coach Pete Lord will take charge of his first game when they entertain Rockingham City at Burrendah Reserve. “I want to say a massive thankyou to Paul McCue for what he has done for Canning, an absolute professional that worked relentlessly even when everything was against us,” Lord said ahead of his first game. “It's going to be a challenge but one I'm looking forward too.” - Ashfield have the bye this weekend.
21.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND THREE – PREVIEW
It’s also week 3 in the State League Division Two, and or selection for ‘Match of the Round’ takes us to Wanneroo Reserve on Friday evening when newly-promoted Gwelup Croatia take on Wanneroo City. Both sides have started the season well, winning both league games and both have progressed into the Fifth round of the FFA Cup. Wanneroo have been scoring for fun to start the league season, bagging in 11 goals, and are coming off a big win at Shamrock in the last round, and Nathan Grostate said they are playing with confidence. “Scoring goals is something we're specialising in at the moment, but the best thing about that is we have five different goal scorers,” he said. “Shamrock is always a hard game to go to with it being so far out of the way, also with the tight pitch it makes it anyone's game, but we showed heart in the second half to take the three points which we were very happy about.” Grostate said Friday’s opponents have a good squad and it should be a cracking game. “Friday night we host a very strong Gwelup side, who have just come off a win against NPL side Balcatta in the cup so we know it's going to be tough,” he said. “I believe our lads can challenge them on the field and I'm confident our fight and hunger to win this game will see us with the three points. We are treating this like a cup final to prove to everyone who doubted us before the season started that were not here to mess around and I think we're slowly turning heads with two cup wins and two league wins.”
Gwelup beat Balga in the last round, and midfielder James Sammut said it was a tight contest. “They (Balga) are a good side who come to our home ground and were unlucky not to get something from the game late,” he said. “We missed a couple of chances to go further ahead at half time and then the sending off midway through the second half didn't help. I don't think it was our best performance but we got the three points which was the main thing.” Sammut who joined from NPL side Balcatta, said Friday’s opponents have started the season well and will another huge test for them. “I don't know much about Wanneroo but from all reports they're flying at the moment and top of the table and scoring for fun,” he said. “It's going to be a tough game but one that myself and the boys are really looking forward to. Top of the table clash on a Friday night, what a way to start the weekend.” In team news Steve Purton is suspended, but Ian O’Sullivan returns from his suspension.
In other games Melville City entertain Shamrock Rovers at John Connell Reserve, Balga host Kingsway Olympic at Princess Road Reserve, and Morley Windmills and Curtin University meet at Wotton Reserve. The final game takes us to Gumblossom Park where Quinns FC entertain Kelmscott Roos. Quinns are coming off a good away win at Kingsway last week and Alex Sallery said it was great to get on the board. “Last week’s win was massive to get our season kick started,” he said. “Seeing and hearing how much Kingsway had strengthened we knew they'd be one of the teams up there challenging along with us and to get the away win in the style we did was comforting.” Sallery said they are happy to be back home and want to make up for their first round defeat to Gwelup. “It'll be good to get back up to Gumblossom this week and we'll be looking to get the win and continue on from last week,” he said. “They (Kelmscott) had a good year last year and look to have strengthened too so we know were in for a tough game. We were very disappointed with the Gwelup result so we'll be looking to make emends and make Gumblossom somewhat of a fortress for us.” Unfortunately Kelmscott players were not available for comment on the preview on instructions from the club.
21.4.2017
HAROLD COMPLETES EXAMS, READY FOR FINALS TEST
Perth Glory winger Chris Harold has had an unusual build-up to their A-League elimination final against Melbourne City on Sunday. There have been the usual daily training runs, gym and yoga sessions and team meetings as the side prepares for the sudden-death match.
But Harold, 24, also had to sit an exam yesterday and finish an assignment before boarding the plane as he juggles his soccer career with studying for a law degree. “It’s a busy period in my life, but I know how to find a good balance,” Harold said.
“I know what works for me. I know what to do in order for it not to affect my football because that’s the priority at this point in my life. I have a lot of other things going on that make me a happy person. My life outside football is in a good space.”
“That side of my life has helped my football because it’s given me an avenue outside of the game. When things are not going how you would like, which is inevitable in football with its ups and downs, it brings a good balance.”
Sunday’s game is unlikely to be another 5-4 shootout like last weekend, even though 20 goals have been scored by the sides in their three meetings this season. “Finals football can be tighter, but the way both teams have been playing this year I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an open, attacking, entertaining game,” Harold said.
Harold, who has been eased back from a calf injury in the past two matches, is happy for Glory to be underdogs. “We’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “They are the team under pressure, they are playing at home, they finished higher than us. They are the big club with a lot of expectation hanging over them.”
“I think that will work in our favour. We tend to do well when we are underdogs. We won’t change our preparation. When you overthink a situation, try to over-analyse things, it can be to your detriment. You take it as another game. You don’t want to beat it up too much or you can crumble.”
20.4.2017
GLORY HAVE THE MENTAL EDGE: DJULBIC
Perth Glory will head to Melbourne with a mental edge over A-League final foes City, defender Dino Djulbic has declared. Melbourne enter Sunday's elimination final as favourites courtesy of home ground advantage, yet that doesn't tell the whole story. Zero home and away wins against Glory have put Melbourne on the back foot and given Kenny Lowe's side a timely injection of confidence.
In addition, Djulbic said the squad were in a different headspace to this time last campaign, when Melbourne bundled them out at the same venue. "The last game of last season was against Sydney FC and we got thumped 4-0, so I think confidence was a little bit down," said Djulbic, who team claimed a 5-4 win over Melbourne last weekend.
"This time we've won the last two games so we're full of confidence. We want to take that into the game. I think it's a psychological thing against them as well, that we've beaten them just seven days ago - that's an advantage. Everyone's buzzing, so hopefully we can go there and cause some havoc."
The key once on the pitch, Djulbic says, will be to score early. That shouldn't be an issue given the Glory have netted a league-high 10 in the opening 15 minutes of games this season. "The aim is to start strong again," Djulbic said. "It will be very important to score the first goal, so hopefully we can pinch one early again."
Andy Keogh, Diego Castro and Adam Taggart with chimed in with 12 goals apiece this season, making the attacking trio acentral component of Glory's home and away success. That said, their open style of play has meant they've conceded with much the same enthusiasm, with exactly 53 goals each way.
Djulbic will again have his hands full with City's star frontmen Bruno Fornaroli and Tim Cahill, a challenge the 34-year-old centre-back relishes. "I love playing against good, big players because it brings the best out of me," he said. "We're working on defending this week in training more, we know what they do so we've just got to try and minimise it."
20.4.2017
CASTRO TO DECIDE GLORY FUTURE BY NEXT MONTH
Perth Glory will ask Diego Castro to decide by next month’s club champion awards whether he will return for a third A-League season. In a change of tack for contract negotiations with the Spanish marquee player, Glory have set the deadline to help their preparations for a championship tilt next season.
Glory had intended to let 34-year old Castro go home to Spain during the off-season before seeking a final answer by July. But they are now mindful of getting a head start on the rest of their competition if Castro chooses not to return. The club wants to sign another high-profile international if needed to replace the creative playmaker.
Glory owner Tony Sage will seek Castro’s decision by the club’s Most Glorious Player awards on May 13 — a week after the A-League Grand Final. The star is due to return to Spain with his family within 48 hours of the awards night. Castro’s terrific two seasons at Glory have generated plenty of rival interest from clubs within as well as outside the A-League.
Castro’s existing deal at Glory is believed to be worth more than $500,000 a season. He remains in the running to win successive Johnny Warren Medals as the league’s best player, having scored 12 goals this season to help Glory reach the finals.
Glory have put all negotiations with other uncontracted players on hold until after finals, but intend to make an offer to Rhys Williams for next season. Williams, who is aiming to beat a hip injury in time for Sunday’s elimination final at Melbourne City, has been linked with a move to Melbourne Victory. The 28-year-old has emerged as a key figure in the second half of the season.
Williams has played 15 matches in his return with Glory, but has fallen short of the games threshold written into his contract that would have automatically triggered a second season. Sage said the club planned to pitch for his services. “I would be extremely disappointed and upset if Rhys signs with another club without allowing us to make an offer,” Sage said.
20.4.2017
NEVILLE HUNTING A-LEAGUE TITLE
A return to Perth Glory is looming as the most likely outcome for Western Sydney Wanderers defender Scott Neville next season. Neville is out-of-contract at the end of the season but the fullback doesn't want to leave the departure lounge at Sydney Airport without an A-League winners' medal in his luggage.
28-year old Neville will end his two-year stint at Blacktown where he regained form and fitness under the guidance of coach Tony Popovic, missing only two games due to suspension. He is set to return to his former club and hometown city, with Glory fullback Josh Risdon heading in the opposite direction to join Western Sydney next season.
However, Neville is determined not to let Friday night's finals match against Brisbane Roar be his last domestic game in a red and black shirt. After coming so close to claiming his first A-League title last season and scoring in his teams' 3-1 Grand Final loss to Adelaide United, Neville is desperate to end his two-year stint in Western Sydney on a high. "It's exciting to see where I'll be," Neville said of next season.
"At the moment I just want to finish this season off and win the Grand Final. To play in two finals series is huge but if we don't concentrate on Brisbane this week then it will all be over. I was in talks with the Wanderers and a few things didn't get sorted and they signed Josh Risdon who is a great player, someone I know quite well from my Perth days ... it's great for him."
History may be against Western Sydney with no team from sixth place ever having reached the decider before, but Neville is confident the Wanderers can cause a few upsets on their march towards the 7th May Grand Final. "We're very confident and composed," he said. "We're so prepared for every game that we go into that I feel so prepared for any player I face and any team we play against ... we've trained hard for that so we're good to go."
20.4.2017
GLORY'S WILLIAMS CHASES A-LEAGUE GLORY AS FATHER ERIC BATTLES IN MALAYSIAN
They're in the same time zone, but that's where the footballing similarities end for Australia international Rhys Williams and his English-born father, Eric. Rhys heads into the A-League finals this weekend, hoping to help Perth Glory knock out Tim Cahill's Melbourne City, while Eric is simply hoping to see out the month with Malaysian strugglers, Melaka United.
Williams senior has watched his eldest son's ups and down in his return after eleven years in England, and even offered to bring him to the Malaysia Super League when he was on the outer with Perth coach Kenny Lowe earlier in the season. Sydney FC were interested in his services too, before Glory announced in January that there was more chance of him "flying to the moon and back" than leaving the club.
28-year-old Rhys stuck with it, resolved his differences, has emerged as a key man for Sunday's trip to Melbourne City - if he can shake the hip injury that saw him miss last weekend's 5-4 home victory over the same opponents. "Hopefully, I will be okay for Sunday's game," Williams said. "I'm going to try my hardest to make it."
Injury has been a constant companion for Williams during a career that saw him debut in the Premier League for Middlesbrough as a 20-year old and wear the captain's armband two years later. He was selected for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and reportedly earned the interest of Liverpool, before a brutal run of injuries, including two Achilles operations, smashed his dreams.
Williams has earned only 14 caps in eight years, but his return to his hometown of Perth saw the defender or midfielder recalled into the squad for last month's 2018 AFC World Cup qualifiers. "I hope things have turned the corner for him because he's had a disastrous few years with injuries," his father Eric said. "The Confederations Cup in Russia is coming up in June, and he could be part of that. The cream always rises to the top, and people know his quality."
Eric Williams has his own challenges at struggling Melaka United, who are just one point outside the relegation zone. Last Friday, Williams and the Melaka staff held a town hall question and answer session with 80 angry fans. They wanted to know why the side, who were second-tier champions last year, haven't performed well in 2017.
"The next two matches will define my future ... sometimes I feel like a dead man walking," admitted Williams, who took over at the start of the season. "Unfortunately, only five of the players from last year are still here, and all but one of the imports I didn't bring in. So we need to recruit some new players when the transfer window opens."
Born in Kent, Eric moved to Australia at the age of 19 and played as a midfielder for National Soccer League and State League clubs. Rhys and his twin brothers Aryn and Ryan - centre-back Aryn is also in the Perth Glory squad, while Ryan plays for Barnsley in England - were brought up in Western Australia.
As his sons headed to England to find clubs, Eric carved out a coaching career in Southeast Asia, with the likes of Perseman Manokwari (Indonesia) and Yangon United (Myanmar). While the 61-year old has a hundred stories about his adventures in Asia, he admits he would struggle to get a gig in the A-League, which is why he is happy to fly under the radar.
"It suits me ... I don't have a big profile. I just get on with my job," he said. "I like to see my teams playing attacking football, but I also like a good structure. At Melaka, we've achieved our first target of qualifying for the Malaysia Cup. Now our second target is to stay in the league."
Melaka United don't have a competitive game this weekend, so Williams will try to find somewhere to catch Perth Glory's elimination final on television. And beyond that, with Rhys reportedly headed to Melbourne Victory next season, he's dreaming that he'll be able to be in the stands in Russia to watch his son at the 2018 World Cup.
"I nearly purchased a ticket for (the 2010 World Cup) South Africa before Rhys pulled out with a pelvic injury," he said. "(Former Middlesbrough managers) Tony Mowbray and Gordon Strachan called him the Rolls Royce. And because he's missed so many games, he's got an engine that's done only 20,000 miles, instead of 40,000. His love for the game is still there."
17.4.2017
CLISBY CLAIMS WESTERN SYDNEY CAN SILENCE ROAR
Western Sydney Wanderers left-back Jack Clisby has backed his side's improved defence to contain rampant Brisbane Roar in Friday night's A-League elimination final. Clisby insists the Wanderers hold no fear as they embark on their fourth finals campaign in five seasons at the intimidating Suncorp Stadium, where they'll attempt to out-score and out-last a side with a penchant for last-gasp goals.
Western Sydney are undefeated in their past six games and have conceded an average of just 1.3 goals per game this season, the third best in the league. They're statistics Clisby says tell the story of an ever-improving backline that also features Robbie Cornthwaite, Jonathan Aspropotamitis and Scott Neville. "Our defence has been excellent the last month," Clisby said.
"We've been playing good football and a big part of that is the mental side of things. Earlier on we were playing well for only about 50-60 minutes and then getting slack towards the end of games. But now we're seeing out games better. Our concentration is much better so I feel like we'll be able to contain them if we play the way we can."
17.4.2017
ATTACKING GLORY CONFIDENT OF ROAD WIN
Perth Glory might have missed out on a home A-League final but as long as his team is scoring goals coach Kenny Lowe is confident of them advancing. Glory went into last night's clash with Melbourne City needing to win by four goals to earn the right to host that same opponent in next Sunday's elimination final.
Leading 4-1 with 15 minutes to go saw that as a distinct possibility following a stunning free-kick from Nebojsa Marinkovic immediately after he was substituted in. But the four-goal win didn't eventuate in what was a staggering finish to the game in which Melbourne scored three times while Glory posted another to gain a 5-4 win.
Lowe would have preferred to earn the home final but couldn't fault his team's effort. "Maybe at 4-1 you start to be a little bit more conservative, but the euphoria, the atmosphere, the crowd, the occasion and the adrenaline is pumping through the players' veins," Lowe said.
"The last thing in their mind is to sit in and just try to pinch one in the last 10 which is what we maybe could have done. You couldn't fault what everyone did out there. It was a fantastic spectacle, a lot of endeavour, great goals and a lot of character shown. It was just a great game."
The result secured fourth spot for Melbourne leaving Glory fifth, meaning their elimination final takes place at AAMI Park. Glory beat Melbourne City 3-2 and drew with them 3-3 in their two away clashes this season and Lowe isn't scare of facing them on their own turf.
"A home final would have been good for us and we've only lost three games at home this season and two of those were to Sydney so that shows what a home advantage it is for us," Lowe said. "But we score goals so we are dangerous. We look forward to next weekend, we regroup and get ready for it."
17.4.2017
DAVIES LAMENTS ELEPHANTS' POOR PERFORMANCE
Pahang captain Matthew Davies could not hide his disappointment after his team was held to a 2-2 draw by Selangor at home in their Super League match on Saturday. Although the home side were favourites going into the game, Selangor twice took the lead before defender Faisal Rosli equalised two minutes from full-time.
"It was good to get that one point in the end, but overall I think the performance was a bit poor," said Davies. "We never really get our rhythm or our style of play, and especially to drop points at home is a bit disappointing. But we'll move on and focus on what we have to do next."
The Red Giants went in front after just 6 minutes through Juliano Mineiro, but Davies restored parity shortly after. Forkey Doe restored the visitors lead in the second half only for Faisal to again bring the sides level. The ended Pahang's seven-game winning streak at home in all competitions.
17.4.2017
FFA CUP UPSETS IN ROUND FOUR
The cup magic is still alive in the local game and it was brought to the fore on Monday with PS4NPLWA side losing to lower opposition. The biggest came Butler’s Reserve, when Wembley Downs become only the second amateur team since 1985 to beat a Premier League side after a 2-0 win against Stirling Lions. It had been a sad week at the club and they all stood as one in memory of Neil Fitzsimmons prior to kick off and the home side had keeper Niall McCarty and Anthony Jones to thank for keeping them in the game, after McCarty made a number of fine saves and Jones but his body on the line (not bad for an old lad). But on 68 minutes the home side hit the front. Gavin Walsh and Mark King combined, the latter firing home superbly from long-range giving Lions custodian Lance Alavakis no chance to set the crowd into wild celebrations. Both sides had chances as the game opened up but the game was sealed nine minutes from time. Marty Kelly picked out Gavin Walsh, who raced into the box and finished clinically past Alavakis.
“Hard to give out man of the match awards today, Walsh, Jones and McCarty might all feel hard done by but I’d like to give the man of the match to the whole Amateur squad for the way they've all stuck together this week and went above and beyond with everything that was asked of them,” Coach Colm Costello said. “To Stirling we couldn't have wished for such a classy club to play against today, the fundraising, the respect, the way you guys present yourselves, we can all learn from you, much thanks. Last but not least, it was all about one man today, the reaction on the pitch of our lads, the outpouring of support from the sidelines, the tears before and after the game, you meant so much to all of us , I hope you're looking down on us smiling champ, this one was for you Fitzy.”
State League Division Two side Gwelup Croatia also overcame Balcatta 2-1 at the Croatian Sporting Complex. Feisal Zaw gave the visitors the lead on 18 minutes, but ten minutes from time Gavin Knight levelled from the penalty spot after Balcatta keeper Domenico Savoldelli brought down Teeboy Kamara after he didn’t see him behind him when he rolled the ball out. The unfortunate keeper then scored an own goal after Knights’ shot crashed off the post and rebounded back into the net of Savoldelli. Finally in the upsets State League Division One side UWA-Nedlands beat Subiaco 4-3 at Rosalie Park. The home side were ahead early through Nathan Smith, but Lloyd Prout levelled. Rory Feely put Subiaco back in front, and Owen Coates made it 3-1 just before half time. Alex Kretowicz second twice to level it up, and the striker scored his trick with ten minutes remaining to seal a memorable win for UWA.
There were two all NPL ties, Bayswater City beat a ten man Floreat Athena 4-0 at Finance 365 Arena and Perth SC beat Inglewood United 1-0 at Dorrien Gardens. The other NPL sides moved through. Cockburn City returned from the Swan Valley with a hard fought 2-1 win against Swan United and Mandurah City overcame Fremantle City 2-0 at Hilton Reserve. ECU Joondalup beat Morley Windmills 3-0 at the ECU Football Stadium, Armadale beat Kalamunda United 11-0, Sorrento beat Woodvale 10-0 and Joondalup United beat Kingsley 5-2 in the late game. In other results South West Phoenix beat Melville City 3-1, Wanneroo City edged out Southern Spirit 2-0, and Dianella White Eagles beat Forrestfield United 2-1, while Boulder City won 3-0 on a forfeit.
The draw has been made for the fifth round with Wembley Downs rewarded for their big win against Stirling, with a trip to Nash Field to take on Western Knights. Gwelup Croatia will be looking for another NPL upset when they entertain Mandurah City at the Croatian Sporting Complex. There is two all NPL ties with Armadale hosting Bayswater City at Alfred Skeet Reserve, and Joondalup United taking on Perth SC at Percy Doyle. In other games Cockburn City host South West Phoenix at Dalmatinac Park, ECU Joondalup meet Dianella White Eagles at the ECU Football Stadium, Sorrento take on UWA-Nedlands at Percy Doyle Reserve, while Wanneroo City entertain reginal side Boulder City at Wanneroo Reserve. Game to played on April 25th (Anzac Day)
15.4.2017
RED STUNS ATHENA
Armadale have won for the first time at home this season after a stunning 3-0 win against second placed Floreat Athena at Alfred Skeet Reserve. Kyle King opened the scoring early, before Papa Kpatar doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time. The points were wrapped up fifteen minutes from full time with Josh Tomue on target. “The result is a highly positive one that shows we can mix it with the better teams in this league,” Armadale striker Kyle King said. “I have said it before but credit to O'Reilly for just getting the tactics spot on, a great win for us.”
The home side were on the back foot early, but that all changed on 11 minutes when they took the lead. A Ball clipped down the right by Jordan Pavett to Dannie Richman, he crossed into the box around the penalty area and King controlled the ball, flicked it over the defenders head and then slotted into bottom right corner. Reds keeper Michael Craggs produced a number of fine saves to thwart Floreat and in the final minute of the half Armadale doubled their lead. A diagonal Ball sent King down the left, he cut the ball back from the bye line to Kpatar at the back post who finish past Jason Saldris.
Floreat were again denied by Craggs after the break, the Armadale custodian was determined not to be beaten. Then 15 minutes from time Armadale wrapped up the points with a third. King picked up the ball on the left side of the halfway line, before playing a long diagonal ball to substitute Jackson Bealey who beat a man and then played in Tumoe, raced past two Floreat defenders before slotting home, much to the delight of the Armadale faithful. Armadale coach John O’Reilly praised his team’s performance, calling it their best of the season.
“Last week we got our tactics wrong, so for this week and the next block of games we need to be a defensive team,” he told the NPL website. “What we did for this game is a bit of a forward thinking plan that we are setting in motion for the next several weeks. The last three weeks we’ve tried to be an attacking team, for the next three weeks ahead of us we need to be a counter attacking team.”
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 3 Jake SARDELIC, 4 Nathan COSTELLO, 5 Sam LOVELESS, 7 Charlie KENNA (19 Beau RAHIM 84), 8 Jordan PAVETT, 9 Kyle KING 10 Papa KPATAR (15 Jackson BEALEY 64), 11 Dannie RICHMAN, 12 Joshua TUMOE, 14 David ANNALL Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 17 Jake ATKINS, 18 Milan OGNJENOVIC
Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 5 Bobby WILSON, 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathon STYNES (13 Ali NAZARY 84), 10 Kris GATE 11 Dennis GALAN (20 Joe TWEATS 73), 12 Jackson MORGAN 15 Christopher SALDARIS, 17 Dean EVANS (16 Ryan MALTON 81) - Subs not used: RGK Jordan BARBAS, 33 Juma AWAKA - Referee: Nico Hoyle
15.4.2017
BAYSWATER HIT BACK LATE TO EARN A POINT
Bayswater City scored five minutes from time to draw 2-2 with ECU Joondalup in an entertaining game at the Finance 365 Arena on Saturday afternoon. A stunner from Daryl Nicol gave the visitors the lead, before Tommy Amphlett doubled their lead moments later. Borbor Sam pulled one back for Bayswater before half time and Devon Gibson earned them a hard-earned point. “It was a good game, but I felt we should have been three up in the first fifteen minutes, we didn’t take our chances, then we gifted them two goals, but credit to the boys they got back into the game,” Bayswater assistant Coach Stewart Moses told the NPL website. “At the end of the day a draw was probably a fare result especially after coming back from two down.”
The visitors were on the back foot early with Bayswater dominating. Jason Mirco’s free kick was saved by Fraser Greenwood, before Gustavo Giron-Marulanda first time shot flashed wide of the target. Moments later Sam shot drifted wide of the target, before David Heagney’s curling shot flicked the crossbar. But in their first attack, ECU hit the front, with a stunner from Nicol. There looked little danger when the ball fell to the midfielder but his 20 meter curling shot gave Devon Spence no chance. It went from bad to worse for the home side when they doubled their lead sixty seconds later.
Sam Pollard won possession in the middle of the park and fed Gordon Smith who sent Amphlett into the right of the penalty area, and he finished clinically. Bayswater were shell-shocked but were back in the game sixty seconds later. A long clearance from Spence wasn’t dealt with and Sam finished from the edge of the penalty area. ECU were in again on the half hour, Pollard robbed David Stokoe and sent Smith in one-on-one with Spence, but the Bayswater custodian stood tall to deny him.
Both sides had late chances in an entertaining end to the half. First a superb through ball from ECU defender Ross Millard sent Smith in again, but Spence again denied the Scottish striker. Then in stoppage time a Mirco corner picked out Brent Griffiths, but the Bayswater midfielder’s shot was saved by Greenwood. Bayswater keeper Spence produced a stunning save early in the second half to deny the Jacks. Smith slipped in Amphlett in on goal, but his shot on the run was superbly saved the Bayswater custodian. Sam then cut inside the box, his powerful shot was parried by Greenwood, and Shane Pickering was alert to clear the danger.
The home side were starting to take control of the game, and second half substitute Luka Ninkovic thought he had levelled moments after coming on, but his shot was superbly saved by Greenwood at full stretch. Bayswater were well on top and Moon got back to clear off the line from Stokoe’s header on 84 minutes. But their pressure was rewarded sixty seconds later, Gibson finding a pocket of space in the penalty area to fire home. ECU almost nicked the three points in the final minute of stoppage time. Smith wriggled past two defenders on the right and headed goalwards, but with James Owen’s free in the box for a tap in, the striker went for goal and hit the side netting.
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 8 Paul MCCARTHY (19 Luka NINKOVIC 61’), 9 Gustavo GIRON-MARULANDA, 10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (C), 17 BorBor SAM, 18 Brent GRIFFITHS (23 Andrija JUKIC 83’), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (3 Jack ALLEN 61’) - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 2 Declan HARGREAVES
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC, 7 Kevin MOON (8 Danny MILNE 92’), 9 Daryl NICOL (15 James OWEN 52’), 10 Gordon SMITH (C), 11 Sam POLLARD, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT, 14 Steven MCGARRY, 18 Cian HIRRELL - Sub not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 2 Ben JOHNS, 12 Declan HUGHES - Referee: Tom Dowle
15.4.2017
INGLEWOOD AND GLORY SPOT ON
Inglewood United scored late to draw 1-1 with Perth Glory in an entertaining match at the Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium. The visitors were ahead just before half time with Kosta Petratos scoring from the spot. Glory keeper Jordan Thurtell was in superb form between the sticks to deny Inglewood, but two minutes from time Alex Salmon scored, also from the penalty spot, to give both sides a share of the spoils. “I thought over 90 minutes we had enough chances to win the game,” Inglewood Coach Taki Nicolaidis told the NPL website. “But if you don’t hit the target you’re never going to be in with a chance. Thurtell pulled off two magnificent saves in the first-half, and in the second-half we had those two one-on-ones, but we wavered in front of goal and that’s probably the difference between one point and three points.”
Joe Knowles was causing the Inglewood defence problems and he went close twice. First on three minutes his shot was straight at Alex Dunn, and moments later his lob almost caught Dunn out, but the Inglewood custodian got back to save. Inglewood settled and started to take a grip of the game, but they couldn’t find a way past a busy Glory back four, superbly led by Jack Iredale. Thurtell then had to be alert on 19 minutes to deny Salmon, with a great fingertip save, before Brian Woodall scuffed his volley wide.
The Glory keeper was having an outstanding game and he produced a stunning save on 25 minutes. Woodall’s low cross picked out Salmon, whose shot was kept out by Thurtell with a great reaction save. Thurtell was out bravely on the half hour to save at the feet of Woodall, before Daniel Stynes’ long-range shot was touched onto the post by Dunn. Inglewood were now on top and Jason Barrera was thwarted by Thurtell, but in the shadows of half time the Glory hit the front. Stynes raced into the penalty area and was brought down by Dunn, and referee Tom Glavovic pointed straight to the spot. Petratos stepped up to score the resulting penalty to give the Glory the lead at the break.
Inglewood opened the brighter after the break, and Woodall’s header flashed wide early, and the Glory’s defence were working overtime. Salmon fired over on the hour for the hosts, while Knowles’ cross shot drifted over the top at the other end. Kenny Keogh was causing the Glory problems and his dangerous cross was well defended by Murray on 73 minutes, before Woodall headed over moments later. It looked like the Glory’s defensive heroics were going to be rewarded with the three points but two minutes from time the home side won a penalty.
Ashley Rosindale was brought down by Luka Bodnar, and a penalty was given by the referee. Salmon stepped up to take the resulting spot kick, and Thurtell guessed the right way and got a hand to it but couldn’t stop it going in. The home side almost won it late, Keogh squaring for Rosindale whose shot rattled the bar, but at the final whistle the points were shared.
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 2 Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS, 3 David CYRUS (C) (5 Adam TONG 80’), 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 6 Victor BRAUNER (10 Ashley ROSINDALE 81’), 7 Kenny KEOGH, 8 Jason BARRERA (19 Chok DAU 67’), 9 Alex SALMON, 11 John MIGAS, 16 Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS, 23 Brian WOODALL - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 18 Jason COLLI
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Riley WARLAND, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Cam MURRAY, 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Jamal REINERS (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 45’), 8 Sam RIAK, 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 11 Kosta PETRATOS - Subs not used: RGK Stef KING, 13 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 15 Gomo DUKULY, 16 Abias BUKURU - Referee: Tom Glavovic
15.4.2017
PERTH AND BALCATTA SHARE THE SPOILS
Balcatta and Perth SC have fought out a scoreless draw in their Week 9 PS4 National Premier League WA clash at Grindleford Reserve. Both sides had chances to claim the points in this Italian Derby, but keepers Francis Soale and Domenico Savoldelli were both in good form.
Both Coaches believed they should have gotten more from the game. “It’s two points lost for sure, we lacked composure and it’s an opportunity lost,” Balcatta Coach Salv Todaro told the NPL website. “The first-half half we could have went in two, three (up), and at the end we had a header straight at the keeper.”
Perth coach Ramon Falzon rued his side’s inability to score goals. “It’s very disappointing being superior in possession and not scoring especially against ten-men in the last 20 minutes,” he said. “We need to translate the possession we’ve been having very frequently into goals, we are side who make it hard to concede but to win games you need to score goals.”
It was a lackluster start to proceedings, but the home side created the better chances. First Paddy Quinns close-range shot was pushed around the post by Soale. Moments later the Perth custodian had to be alert to deny Calum O’Connell at the near post. Perth settled and went close themselves, Gustavo Catarcione shot on the turn flicked the outside of the post, and just before half time his shot hit the side netting.
Balcatta then went close on the hour, Quinn found space in the penalty area, but his shot was straight at Soale who saved. Quinn went close again moments later, but he was denied by some desperate Perth defending, before Jon Corness’ snap shot from the edge of the penalty area flashed wide of the target. But on 71 minutes the home side were reduced to ten men when Luccas Mello was given a straight red card by referee Matthew Southern after an off-the-ball incident.
Perth looked to make their numerical advantage count, and Rocco Pizzata long-range shot was superbly saved by Savoldelli. Five minutes from time Alex Silla blazed over when well placed, before Pizzata fired wide. Balcatta almost snatched the points late, Quinn was picked out at the back post but his header was well saved by Soale to ensure the points would be shared.
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 4 Calum O’CONNELL, 5 Kieron STALLARD, 6 Jonathan CORNESS, 8 Patrick SARA, 9 Luccas MELLO, 11 Feisal ZAW (23 Ismael BANGURA 75’), 19 Jaedon EWEN 87’), 13 Daniel HEPWORTH, 15 Cameron GIUFFRE, 18 Ben MEREDITH (12 Kurt KOUAKOU 60’), 20 Paddy QUINN (C) – Subs not used: RGK Luke HUTCHINSON, 16 Nathan SCULLY - Red Cards: Mello 71’
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 2 Alex SILLA, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (C), 8 Tom KING, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (21 Paul ZIMARINO 81’), 12 Jordan DE LEO (5 Niccolo SABATINI 62’), 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR (11 Matthew MILENKOVIC 74’), 16 Kieran COLWELL - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 14 Cameron Teece - Referee: Matthew Southern
15.4.2017
POINTS SHARED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS
The points were shared at Dalmatinac Park when League leaders Sorrento drew 1-1 with Cockburn City. The Gulls were ahead on nine minutes with Alex Morgan on target, but the Cockerels hit back on the hour with Daniel Robertson on target. Cockburn coach Scott Miller was pleased with his team’s performance against the side top of the table. “Fifteen minutes into the game I thought we’d need extra numbers on the scoreboard as they dominated us that much,” Miller told the NPL website. “I’ve massive respect for them [Sorrento] because they showed why they are up there, I thought we dominated and they still held on for a draw.”
Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell said his side struggled late in the game and that Cockburn were unlucky not to win the game. “We started great, in the first ten minutes we were superb and then we thought we were better than what we were,” Harnwell said. “If we play like that week in and week out we won’t be top for much longer.”
Last week Sorrento were slow out of the blocks against Perth Glory, but this week they were on the front foot and dominated the early play, and nine minutes in their pressure was rewarded with the lead. Cockburn defended brilliantly to clear two opportunities off the line, but they couldn’t stop Alex Morgan, who cut inside Daniel Dols and curled home past Luke Radonich to give them the lead.
It should have been 2-0 on 18 minutes but Jordan Brown failed to convert, and with that let off Cockburn started to get back into the game. Former Perth Glory winger Harry O’Brien was played in twice, but both were saved well by James Morgan. The home side started the second half well and were level on just before the hour, with teenage debutant Robinson scoring past James Morgan.
The home side went in for the kill and O’Brien failed to find the target when well placed, before Reuben Tristao shot was well saved by James Morgan. Sorrento could have won it late but Radonich saved well to deny the lively Scott Witschge on two occasions, but at the final whistle it was all-square.
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 3 Daniel DOLS, 5 Chris THACKRAY, 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Daniel ROBINSON, 11 Harry O’BRIEN, 12 Kenel MOUITHYS, 13 Blake ADAMS, 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZZARO - Subs not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 7 Ali GHOLAMI, 14 Julian TELES, 15 James OLDFIELD, 18. Ryan PRATT
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 4 Shaun KILKENNY, 5. Billy QUINNCROFT, (10 Scott BULLOCH 72’), 7 Alex MORGAN, 13 Steve MCDONALD, 14 Scott WITSCHGE, 18 Jordan BROWN, 9 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 6 Daryl PLATTEN, 23 Josh TUCKER, 11 Tim HILL – Referee: Michal Jasinski
15.4.2017
LIONS AND JUFC IN STALEMATE
Joondalup United broke a two game losing streak to draw 0-0 with Stirling Lions in a tight contest at Percy Doyle Reserve. It was a feisty game with referee Steven Gregory handing out ten yellow cards (five to each team), but Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings said they deserved more from the game. “To be perfectly honest, I thought we were the better team and we were unlucky not to take all three points,” he told the NPL website. “We’ve been disappointing the last two weeks and we’ve been missing a number of players, but we got two or three of those players back today, and we were more like our normal selves; very competitive, and decent going forward.”
The visitors had the better of the opening period and went close to the lead on nine minutes, but Alex Tanevski could only fire straight at Joondalup custodian James Bosdet. But moments later the home side had their first chance, Richard Howles went one on one with John Perkins, but the keeper stood tall to save. Tempers flared around the half-hour mark, and a number of rash challenges saw five yellow cards issued in seven minutes. The Lions then had experienced defender Michael Pugliese carried off on a stretcher.
The second half started much as the first finished, with both sides creating chances but not converting. On the hour the Lions went close to the opener, substitute Steve Sokol cross from the right found Tanevski at the back post, but he was unable to hit the target. Mike Kenny then fired a volley through a crowded Stirling penalty area on 71 minute, the ball took a deflection off a Stirling and whistled just wide of the target.
The home side had the perfect opportunity to take the lead 15 minutes from time when Lee Jones was brought down in the box by Mathiang Mathiang and referee Gregory pointed straight to the spot. Matthew Sparrow took the resulting penalty, but Perkins guessed the right way to save. Both sides had several more chances to grab all three points, but were not clinical in front of goal and the points were shared
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 3 Rowdy YATES, 5 Joe STOCKER, 7 Matthew SPARROW, 8 Josh WHITMORE (c), 9 Richard HOWLES, 11 Josh BOOYSEN (19 Mike KENNY 58’), 14 Jess COMPTON, 18 Anthony TAYLOR (24 Lee JONES 58’), 23 Jay MARSDEN, 25 Greg PELLOW - Subs not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 6 Guy MCDONALD, 17 Luke SERRA
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2 Michael PUGLIESE (3 Alex SULESKI 45+1’), 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 7 Milorad VUJACIC (c), 9 Alex TANEVSKI, 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 12 Jason RUBIDGE (8 Steve SOKOL 46’), 14 Lukas DE LIMA (19 Michael DE LIMA 73’), 15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathiang MATHIANG, 17 Darren ORIORDAN - Subs not used: RGK Lance ALAVAKIS, 5 Graham DORAN - Referee: Steven Gregory
15.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND TWO – REVIEW
Ashfield maintained their perfect start to the State League Division One with a come-from-behind 5-2 win against Canning City at the Willetton Sportsman Club. The home side were on top early and raced to a two-goal lead with Callum Roberts and Joshua Wade, and held that lead at the break. But in the first minutes of the second half Jay Lang scored from the spot, and he levelled, also from the spot three minutes later. Ashley Corker gave Ashfield the lead on the hour, before Lang completed his hat-trick with another penalty eight minutes later. The icing was put on the cake two minutes from time with James Duncan adding a fifth.
A brace from Angel Andres has given Dianella White Eagles a 2-0 win against traditional rivals Wester Knights at Dianella Reserve. Dianella started shakily but the Knights didn’t create any clear cut chances, and this allowed Dianella to slowly take a strangle hold on the game. Both keepers made important saves but the Knights keeper was by far the busier stopping many more Dianella attempts and single handedly keeping his side in the game. But there was little he could do when the home side hit the front on the half hour. Some excellent Dianella ball possession ended with Andres, who was allowed far too much room some 20 meters out from goal and after turning two Knights defenders he fired home to give Dianella a much deserved lead.
Angel again struck some eight minutes later after a great through ball found him one on one with the Knights keeper and he made no mistake to put Dianella deservedly two nil up. After the break Angel had two more chances but the Knights keeper stood strong and he also saved from Francis and Sotiro to keep the score respectful. Jamie Burns went close for the Knights but his long-range shot was pushed onto the crossbar by the Dianella keeper. “It was very good contest with two sides playing for club pride,” Dianella Coach Robbie Dunn said. “All in all it was a very impressive performance by Dianella who thoroughly deserved the three points.”
In the other games while Fremantle City won their first game of the season and their first ever game in the First Division, with Lawrence Lewis tapping in after Alec Robinson’s shot was saved in their in a 1-0 win against UWA-Nedlands. South West Phoenix came home from the Iluka Sports Complex with a 3-1 win against Joondalup City. The visitors were ahead early with an own goals, before Corey Barclay doubled their lead on 12 minutes. The home side were back in the game six minutes later, Mark Tenney on target, but the Phoenix regained their two goal lead just before half time with Lee Stewart scoring. Joondalup had the better of the second half but couldn’t turn their chances into goals.
Rockingham City came from behind to beat Gosnells City at Lark Hill. The visitors opened the scoring on 10 minutes, with a long-range strike, but the home side were level on 20 minutes through an own goal, before James Harmer put them in front on the half hour with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was 3-1 five minutes later, Brian Gwataringa scoring from close-range after skipping past two defenders. They scored their fourth twenty minutes from time, with Harmer scoring from the penalty spot after Christian Hogge was brought down. “We were very pleased to win our first home game,” Rockingham Coach Rob Crerar said. “We didn't panic after falling behind early and credit to the players I thought they were great today, it was a really professional performance.” Forrestfield United had the Bye.
15.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND TWO – REVIEW
Wanneroo City continued their good start to the season in front of goal by thrashing Shamrock Rover 5-2 at Harold Rossiter Reserve. City were ahead on the half hour with a well-executed glancing header from Scott Johnston which gave the Shamrock keeper no chance. Shamrock equalised from a set piece and it was 1-1 at the break. The home side hit the front early in the second half, but Wanneroo lifted and levelled through Johnston. The visitors then received and converted two penalties in quick succession, with Joel Gillespie and Jack Hailstones on target and late on Johnston was rewarded for an outstanding performance bagging a fifth and his hat-trick. “It was always going to be a tough encounter especially on a very narrow pitch which really doesn't suit our style of play,” Wanneroo Coach Tim Kantor said. “It’s been a great start and we now play Southern Spirit in the Cup Monday followed by a league game on Friday night at home against title fancies Gwelup next round.”
In other games Morley Windmills have won a five goal thriller beating Swan United 3-2 ay Wotton Reserve. Dion Berman gave the home side the lead before Jordon Rossetto finished well after a Luke Colli cutback to level for the Swans. Morley regain the lead through Yves Mwila, but John Monterosso levelled again lobbing the on-coming keeper. But the winner was a stunner, Berman’s long-range strike giving Morley the points. Quinns came home from Kingsway Reserve with a 2-1 win against Kingsway Olympic, Gareth Hamilton and Liam McGurk on target, while Curtin University beat Melville City 2-1 at Edinburgh Oval on Thursday evening. .
Gwelup Croatia won their first ever home game in the state league after a 2-1 win against Balga at the Croatian Sporting Complex. Gwelup dominated early proceedings, but it was Balga who nearly opened the scoring, when Liam Hunt was put through towards goal, but his shot was easily saved. Gwelup took a deserved lead on 21 minutes when David Sesay's cross from the right was met by the head of left-back David Martins. The lead was doubled on 43 minutes when Jake Verini's precise right-footed effort found the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Gwelup defender Ian O'Sullivan was sent off on the hour and Balga, who controlled most of the second half, ended the game well and pulled one back in the final minute through Nahom Michael but it was too little too late. Kelmscott Roos had the bye.
16.4.2017
INTO THE LOOKING GLASS: STATE LEAGUE PREVIEW
The State League season preview is now updated with a full run down on most of the teams, see how season 2017 will pan out...
16.4.2017
WESTFIELD FFA CUP FOURTH ROUND (WA) – PREVIEW
There is a big round of Westfield FFA Cup fourth round ties on Monday afternoon with 32 clubs battling it out across Western Australia, and there is a massive game at Butlers Reserve with Sunday Amateur side Wembley entertaining NPL side Stirling Lions. It’s been a difficult week for Wembley after the passing of Neil Fitzsimmons, and from everyone at Footballwa.net we send our condolences to his family and friends and the club. Stirling skipper Miki Vujacic said it will be a tough game for his side but football takes a back seat after the news last week. “Whilst we normally look forward to these FFA Cup games, this game will be a sad occasion for everyone involved after hearing of the passing of Wembley Downs’ player Neil Fitzsimmons - From everyone at Stirling Lions we pass our condolences to his family, friends and everyone at Wembley Downs,” he said. “We know this will be a tough game as they are playing for something bigger than football. But whatever the result, we hope for a big crowd to help raise some funds for the family as well as a proper send off a fellow member of the football family.” Wembley Coach Colm Costello said they will be doing all they can to win it for Neil. “It’s a huge game for us after a very difficult week for our lads, hopefully we all raise our game for Neil,” he said. “We are looking forward to welcoming easily one of the top clubs in the state to our ground and we’ll give it our best.”
Another NPL side who face a tricky trip is Balcatta who travel to the Croatian Sporting Complex to take on State League Division Two newcomers Gwelup Croatia. Gwelup reached the Semi-Final of the 2015, before being beaten in a seven goal thriller against Perth SC, and new Gwelup Coach Aleks Vrteski said it should be a good test for his side. “Balcatta are worthy favourites to win this game, they have a lot of quality in their side we need to be wary of,” he said. “But we will go into the game to put in a big effort, and remember the magic of the cup can produce anything.” Balcatta midfielder Feisal Zaw said it will a tough game. “It'll be a big game despite the different divisions,” he said. “Gwelup are a strong side but if we keep playing as we have in recent weeks we shouldn't have a problem overcoming them.”
Last season’s beaten finalists Cockburn City also travel to take on State League Division Two side when they make the trip to the Swan Italian Club to take on Swan United. The Swans won back-to-back state league cups in 2003 and 2004, and Coach Matt Debarro said it’s a great opportunity for his young side to take on an NPL club and see where they are at. “We are very excited to come up against an NPL side, it's not often you get to play against them so we will definitely enjoy the privilege,” he said. “It's been a long time since we have gone into a game with no outside expectation to win, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, when a team gets to play under those circumstances they can do the unexpected and that is what we intend to do Monday. We will give it our best shot I am confident we will more than match them.”
There is a local derby at Rosalie Park when NPL side Subiaco entertain fellow western suburb side UWA-Nedlands. UWA skipper Joshua Marocchi said it’s a good test for the club. “We are delighted to have been drawn against Subiaco and have the opportunity to test our squad against an NPL side. The game allows us to test our squad depth and with competition at a premium everyone who is on the pitch will be giving it there all to get the upset on Monday,” he said. “The boys have been buzzing all week for the two games, but nothing would be sweeter for us underdogs to raise to the challenge and show who the number one side in the western suburbs is.”
Newly promoted Fremantle City entertain NPL side Mandurah City to Hilton Reserve looking to cause an upset, and they will have striker Danny Clapham back from injury and he said the players are going to it a good go. “Yes I’ve come through training OK, this week so Il be involved this weekend,” he said. “The lads are really looking forward to this challenge it's always good to compete against an NPL side that's what the cups all about. Mandurah are a good side with some excellent players but we still fancy our chances and they will know we are very capable.”
ECU Joondalup have home ground advantage when they host State League Division Two Morley Windmills at the ECU Football Stadium. ECU Coach Dale McCulloch said they want to have a good Cup run and don’t want it to end at the first hurdle like last season. “We go into Monday’s game after a big game at Bayswater on the weekend, but we have to be switched “We paid the price last season for taking our foot of the pedal and we’re beaten by Dianella White Eagles at the same stage,” he said. “Morley will come here with nothing to lose, and have a number of decent players, so it’s up to us to put in a strong performance and get in the hat for the next round. Cup football is a great leveler we need to start well and if we do we can get the right result.”
There are two all NPL clashes with cup holders Floreat Athena making the trip to Finance 365 Arena to take on Bayswater City and Perth SC hosts Inglewood United at Dorrien Gardens. Sorrento entertain Woodvale at Percy Doyle Reserve, while Armadale take on Kalamunda United Socials at Maida Vale Reserve. Kalamunda were reinstated to the competition after losing 0-9 to Rockingham City in the last round, but due to an error in registering a player City were eliminated.
In other games Forrestfield United entertain Dianella White Eagles at Hartfield Park, while Bussleton SC make the long trip to Nash Field to take on Western Knights. Boulder City will be flying the flag for the reginal sides when they host Joondalup City at User Park East, while Melville City and South West Phoenix met at Len Shearer Reserve at 4pm. The last game is the late kick off as Joondalup United entertain Kingsley at Percy Doyle Reserve at 5.15pm
14.4.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND NINE PREVIEW
It’s a long weekend of football and it kicks off on Saturday with Week 9 of the PS4 National Premier League, and the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’ takes us to the Finance 365 Arena where Bayswater City entertain ECU Joondalup. Both sides are coming off big wins, ECU beating Subiaco 4-1, while Bayswater came away from Joondalup United with a 4-0 win. The last time the two sides met at the venue was in Week 20 last season, when a Gordon Smith’s second half double helped ECU Joondalup to an impressive 3-0 win. Daryl Nicol had given the visitors the lead at the break, but Smith’s 16th and 17th goal of the season, eased them to victory.
Smith scored a brace in the win against Subiaco and the Scottish striker said it was important to back up from their win at Cockburn in week 7. “It was great to get back to back wins against a Subiaco side who have improved since last season,” he said. “They made us earn the points, but we we're clinical at the correct times which is vital.” Smith said Bayswater have a talented squad, and they are now starting to pick up points, and is expecting a tight contest. “Bayswater will be a tough. They are favourites for the league and have started to pick up a run of results, but we go into every game concerned about ourselves,” he said. “We are always confident we can beat any team in this league on our day, and Saturday is no different. I'm sure it will be a good game of football.”
Bayswater young striker Luka Ninkovic was on the scoresheet last week at Joondalup, and he said it was a good team performance. “It's always good to get a win, but we missed a number of chances, including myself, to make it a more impressive win,” he said. “But it was the first game where we didn't concede in the first half, which is another positive, and we played very well as a team.” The 20-year-old, who has scored four goals this season, said Saturday’s opponents are starting to find form, and is expecting a good game. “They (ECU) are always a tough competitor and a challenge, so we need to continue to play very well, like in the last few games,” he said. “They have strengths up front and it's always a good game to play in and watch whenever we play them. We both go into the game in good form, so it should be a good game, I’m looking forward to it.” - Saturday (3pm) Bayswater City v ECU Joondalup – Finance 365 Stadium – Referee Tom Dowle
League leaders Sorrento make the trip to Dalmatinac Park to take on Cockburn City. Scott Millers side were back in the winner’s circle last week with Liam Murray’s late winner at Mandurah, while Sorrento beat Perth Glory 4-2. Striker Billy Quinncroft scored his sixth goal of the season in the win against Glory, and he said it was big game for them, especially after the Glory had beaten them twice last season. “The Glory certainly made us work for the three points, they play good football and work hard,” he said. “They were pressing high at the start of the game causing us problems but you can't do that for 90 minutes which let us to get going and start to play. They have good players and are definitely no push overs.” Quinncroft said Cockburn at home is never an easy game, and he is expecting more of the season on Saturday. “There is no more easy games anymore, we are top of the league and everyone wants to prove a point and beat us,” he explained. “We need to be on top of our game to take the three points off Cockburn as they are a good team. I think if we stick to our game plan we will come away with the win.” - Saturday (3pm) Cockburn City v Sorrento – Dalmatinac Park – Referee Michal Jasinski
Armadale return home on Saturday looking for their first win at Alfred Skeet Reserve, when they host Floreat Athena. Floreat have been hit hard by injuries and players away in recent weeks, but have still managed to keep winning and currently sit second on the table. Armadale were beaten on the road for the first time this season at Stirling last week, a game defender Nathan Costello said was one to forget. “Last week’s loss at Macedonia Park was very disappointing defeat,” he said. “We didn't defend well enough as a team and didn't stick to our game plan which cost us early in the game, and then never got up to speed.” Costello, who returned to Armadale after stints at Perth Glory and Bayswater, said they are looking forward to the clash and getting their first home win. “We’re all looking forward to another home game, another chance to turn around that home record,” he said. “We will come up with a game plan during the week and look to put that together Saturday and get a result at home for the fans. - Saturday (3pm) Armadale v Floreat Athena – Alfred Skeet Reserve - Referee – Nico Hoyle
It’s the Italian derby at Grindleford Reserve, where Balcatta entertain Perth SC. After a good start to the season Perth have slipped off the pace and haven’t won in their last three games, and Coach Ramon Falzon will be looking for a lift as he heads back to his former club. Balcatta came home from Floreat with a hard earned point last week and midfielder Jon Corness said continues their improvement as a team. “It was a good battle against Floreat on Saturday night, our performances have been steadily getting better over the past few weeks and a point was a fair result,” he said. “They (Floreat) were a threat with the long ball and corners with Bobby Wilson up top, but it was good to come away with a point.” Corness said Saturday’s game will be another chapter in the Perth-Balcatta story. “Games against Perth are always a great game to be a part of and with a few Balcatta lads heading there this season it'll be nice to put in a good shift and hopefully a result,” he said. “We're in a position on the table where we need to start picking up wins and not get into a scrap at the bottom, it should be a great game.” - Saturday (3pm) Balcatta v Perth SC – Grindleford Reserve – Referee Matthew Southern
Joondalup United will be looking to bounce back from two heavy defeats when they host Stirling Lions on Saturday at Percy Doyle Reserve. The Lions are coming off a big win against Armadale, which moved them to eight on the table, leap-frogging Joondalup, who were beaten at home by Bayswater. Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings had no excuses for the defeat. “Pretty straightforward to be honest we never got going and Bayswater showed their real quality and class,” he said. “On the day they were simply too good for our depleted side.” Joondalup have had a number of players missing in recent weeks, but Jennings is looking for a response from his chargers this week. “They (Stirling) have surged up the table in the last few weeks after a very slow start and will be a massive test for us this week,” he said. “We've worked hard at training this week on our structure and shape and I believe will be ready for the challenge. I'm hopeful that two or three of our missing players will return, but will still be missing our captain Arran Maplestone and forward Alex Wild who are both overseas.” - Saturday (3pm) Joondalup United v Stirling Lions – Percy Doyle Reserve – Referee Steven Gregory
Inglewood United looked to have turned the corner after a big win at Perth SC last week moved them up to sixth spot on the table, and this week they entertain Perth Glory at the Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium on Saturday. The Glory youngster were beaten by league leaders Sorrento last week in a six goal thriller, but their performance will give them confidence going into Saturday’s game. Inglewood defender Adam Tong said last week’s game showed the talent they have in their squad. “I thought last week’s game against Perth was yet again a game of two halves “I feel overall we did dominated the game in chances and ball movement, and we got the points we went for,” he said. “But they are a tricky outfit and the have some great young players to come through just like our own Chok Dau and Matthew Ntoumenopoulos and don't forget Alex Salmon is only 22.” Tong said the Glory youngsters have impressed this season and is expecting it to be a tight game. “They (Glory) put up a good fight against top of the table Sorrento last week, and it's always a difficult task as these youngsters keep getting better,” he said. “If they turn up with a full strength team it's going to be a tough game and one we will not be taking likely.” - Saturday (3pm) Inglewood United v Perth Glory – Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium – Referee Tom Glavovic
The final game takes us to Rosalie Park where Subiaco hosts Mandurah City. Subiaco have improved under the guidance of Ian McMurray, but are coming off a loss at ECU Joondalup last week. Mandurah did everything but win last week against Cockburn, and Coach Doug Hesketh said they are playing well but not getting the rewards. “I thought we played well again last week and deserved something from the game,” he said. “We worked on a couple of things that need improving and had a good night training Tuesday and the lads are up for the game. I believe we will get a bit of a break at some point and going into this is game I see coming at a good time.” Hesketh said they go to Subiaco looking for their first win of the season and he is confident if they continue playing like they are the results will come. “With pressure firmly on Subiaco, our position won't change this weekend either way, with three points our best case scenario,” he explained. “So we’ve told the lads to just continue the effort training is lively and we set up well in games for sure, and they are a fantastic squad who motivate me, I know our quality will come through.” - Saturday (3pm) Subiaco v Mandurah City – Rosalie Park – Referee Walter Ciotti
14.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND TWO – PREVIEW
It’s week two of the State League Division One and the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’ is at Dianella Reserve, where traditional rivals Dianella White Eagles and Western Knights clash. The last time the two meet at the venue was in Week 7 last season when the Knights ran out 7-2 winners. Adriano Jelenovic and Kevin Ashwood both bagged doubles, Dean Thurston, Jonty Turner and Ryan Tucker added the others for the Knights, while Chris Rizidis scored a brace for the Eagles.
The Knights opened the new season with a big win against newly promoted Joondalup City and Knights’ Paul Lloyd said it was a good start. “It was a great start to the season, to get five goals and keep a clean sheet, we dominated the game and created chances throughout,” he said. “We knew Joondalup would be up for the battle and we matched that and then played our football.” Lloyd said Saturday’s game will be interesting with former Knights coach Robbie Dunn now coaching Dianella. “They (Dianella) have recruited well this season with Robbie in charge. I know Robbie well and he brought me to Knights and he knows what the game means and will have them ready and prepared,” he explained. “We played them in the night series and that was a really tight game, we will treat it like any other game, work hard and play to our strengths.”
Dianella conceded in the last minute to draw at UWA-Nedlands last week, and skipper Bojan Radinovic, who scored last week, said it wasn’t the start to the season they were after. “We are disappointed at the result and how we performed,” he said. “But we need to be positive, learn from this draw and learn from our mistakes to achieve what we want.” Radinovic said Saturday will be another huge game as they always are. “This week’s game against the traditional rivals Western Knights is going to be another tough match,” he said. “From what I saw in the pre-season matches, I believe that they are one of the best sides in Division One, but I think that will give us extra motivation, and it will push us to improve from last week’s disappointing performance. I hope that with our big crowd we will achieve the desired result.”
Ashfield produced the best performance in the opening round, beating Forrestfield United 4-0, and defender Tom Kennedy said it was good team performance and they needed to bounce back from the cup defeat the week before. “The boys were up for it after the disappointing loss in the cup, and everyone worked for each other and we were clinical in front of goal,” he said. “It was a great result to get the season started and hopefully we can continue this week against canning. It’s always a hard place to go and they (Canning) love a battle, but I'm sure the lads will be ready.” In other games Joondalup City play their first home game in the Division when they host South West Phoenix at the Iluka Sports Complex, while Rockingham City entertain Gosnells City at the Lark Hill Sportsplex.
The final game of the round sees Fremantle City, who had the bye in week one play their first game in the Division, when they host UWA-Nedlands at Hilton Reserve (3pm). Fremantle Coach Steve Plucknett said it was a huge disappointment to not play in the opening week of the league but they had a good hit out. “Yes we were disappointed to have a bye first up, especially with it being our first year in the league,” he said. “But we had a good 5-2 win at Kingsway on Saturday to prep us for the season.” Fremantle won the Division Two title last season, losing only once, but Plucknett knows the challenges they face this season. “We are fully aware of the challenges we face in the first Division this year as South West Phoenix showed us in the night series,” he said. “We are under no illusions that we have to lift from last year, and a first up visit of UWA will be very difficult, hopefully we can adapt to the pace of the division and start to build on that as the season progresses, the boys have trained hard pre-season and are looking forward to the challenge this year.” Forrestfield United have the bye this weekend.
14.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND TWO – PREVIEW
It’s week two in the State League Division Two and the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’ takes us to Wotton Reserve, where Morley Windmills host Swan United (3pm) The last time the two sides met at the venue was in Week 7 last season, with United winning 2-1. Mark Macallister scored early, before John Monterosso doubled their lead just after half time. Ciaran Rogers pulled one back for the home side to set up a tight finish but Swan hung on for the points.
Swan opened the season with a win in a seven goal thriller against Kelmscott last week and defender Luke Woodard said it was a good start for the black and whites. “I thought we played some strong attacking football in the first half and we scored three quick goals on the counter attack that opened up Kelmscott,” he said. “They pulled one back just before half time and we got a bit complacent letting them getting back in the game. Kelmscott they played well in the second half, but credit to us to hold on get the three points.” Woodard, who joined the Swans from Wanneroo, said Saturday will be a good test. “They (Morley) are a good side they have something to prove this year. We have to be at our best this week if we are going to get the win,” he said. “The boys are looking sharp at training and we are bonding well as a team, we have got some good depth this year. This week will be a tough game hopefully we can take the points away from home.”
Morley were left disappointed after dominating at Melville last week, and only coming home with a point. They played most of the match with ten men but Mitch Castrilli said it was like a loss. “I thought a draw was very hard to swallow. We had too many early chances that where missed and an offside that could have gone either way,” he said. “The early sending off disappointing as well, but I think the team did very well and we still dominated with 10 men, but we should have won that one.” Castrilli, who joined the Windmills from NPL side Armadale, has recovered from a serious knee injury, and is looking forward to Saturday’s game. “To be honest I haven't seen Swan play this year yet,” he said. “But I have heard a few things and I feel that if we play the way we did last week but finish our chances we will come out on top.”
The round kicks off on Thursday evening when Curtin University entertains Melville City at Edinburgh Oval. (8.30pm) Melville held on for a point last week against Morley and striker Simon El Charmi said it was a fair result. “Morley had a number of opportunities that they should have put away in the first 30 minutes of the game,” he said. “Daniel Agudelo made a number of fine saves, including a number of one on ones. I thought our boys worked hard and with a bit more composure in the second half could have been one or two ahead, which I think would have changed the game.” El Charmi said they need to bounce back against Curtin. “I’m looking forward to the game, and we also have to bounce back and perform well as I don't think we really got to 100% against Morley,” he said. “Curtin are always a tough team and we have had some cracking games against them. The Thursday night game will be good, and I think we'll be strong enough to win.”
In other games Kingsway Olympic play their first game of the season when they host Quinns FC at Kingsway Reserve, while Wanneroo City travel to Harold Rossiter Reserve to take on Shamrock Rovers, with both sides looking for back-to-back wins. In the final game Gwelup Croatia hosts Balga at the Croatian Sporting Complex. Balga were beaten last week by Shamrock, while Gwelup won their first ever game in the State League with a 4-0 win at Quinns. Defender Steve Purton said it was a great start for them. “It was a fantastic win, especially playing 80 minutes with 10 men,” he said. “To score four goals and keeping a clean sheet was a great way to start the season. Quinn's were tough and the score line could have been a lot different, so we will continue to work hard and take each game as it comes.” Purton said Balga performed well last season and is expecting a tight contest on Saturday. “Balga will be another tough game, they didn't get the result they wanted last week so know doubt they'll be prepared and wanting to bounce back from a defeat,” he said. “It's our first home game of the season so we will stick to our plan and hope to get all three points.” Kelmscott Roos have the bye this weekend.
14.4.2017
GLORY SHOOTING FOR GOALS AND HOME FINAL
Perth Glory will chase the four-goal victory they need against Melbourne City on Sunday to secure a home final, according to attacking duo Richard Garcia and Andy Keogh. Glory sits fifth in the A-League with one round to play, needing a four-goal win to leapfrog City into the top four when the two sides clash at Perth Oval on Sunday.
It’s an improbable scenario but one which Glory haven’t given up on. “It’s a fantastic incentive to be able to go out there and score four goals and get that home final,” Garcia said. “There’s no reason why we can’t. It’s a home game, it’s Easter Sunday, there’s a lot up for stake. In our minds we think we can do it which is the most important thing.”
Keogh reiterated Garcia’s optimism, particularly given Glory are equal second highest scorers in the league. “Of course we just go for it,” Keogh said. “It’s in our hands so it should be an enjoyable game to watch. It’s important because then you don’t have to do back-to-back away trips and it’d be nice for the people of Perth to have a home final as well.”
Despite securing a final appearance, Keogh revealed Glory are far from satisfied with their season. “Inconsistent. Great one week, not so great the other,” he said. “We’ve leaked too many goals as a team, not just as a defensive unit, but the whole team together ... It’s great playing all this attacking football but you can’t be scoring three or four every week to win games.”
13.4.2017
GLORY WEIGH UP RISK AND REWARD
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe says he will look at the bigger picture of finals football before deciding whether to risk a key quartet of players in Sunday’s home clash with Melbourne City. Star marquee Diego Castro and captain Rostyn Griffiths have trained this week, but are not 100 per cent fit.
Castro was substituted off five minutes into the second half of last week’s win over Brisbane Roar, while Griffiths was restricted to playing off the bench in his return from a quad injury. Chris Harold and Brandon Wilson were both used off the bench in that game and are regaining full fitness coming off injury lay-offs.
Lowe said his team would be gunning to score the four goals or more needed against Melbourne at Perth Oval to leapfrog the A-League’s glamour side on the table and snatch an improbable home final. But he said he would not risk any player unnecessarily knowing a knockout semifinal is waiting the following weekend.
“Rostyn is close,” Lowe said. “He’s trained this week. He’s still not 100 per cent. We’ve still got to sit and chat with him tomorrow, see how he feels, see where he’s at. There’s more games to come. You don’t put all your eggs in one basket and pick up some injuries for the following game.”
Glory have learned from past experience. They played Castro and Harold in the final home-and-away game last season as the pair returned from injury only to have the creative duo subsequently limp into a first-up finals loss to Melbourne. Lowe said Castro was not guaranteed to play this weekend.
“Cass came off and I think it was 1-1 and we’ve gone on and scored three goals,” Lowe said. “We’ve got enough firepower in the team to win the game and if that includes Cass, great. But if it doesn’t we’ve proven that we can do it also without Cass and we can save him for the following week.”
Glory have scored at least three goals in a game eight times this season, indicating the feat needed to secure a home final is not beyond them. Lowe said his players were buzzing at the challenge of needing to score four goals. “We’ve got nothing to lose,” Lowe said of the weekend clash.
“They (Melbourne) have got a home final in the bag - it’s for them to lose it. But it’s amazing what a little bit of pressure with a couple of early goals does. All of a sudden momentum swings and doubt starts to creep into people’s minds, so it’ll be an interesting time. We’re quite relaxed.”
11.4.2017
EDWARDS: PARTICK CAN BE IBROX HISTORY MAKERS
Ryan Edwards hopes history-making Partick Thistle can write another chapter in Firhill folklore and end their lengthy wait for three points against Rangers. The Jags guaranteed their highest league finish in 36 years as they clinched a top six berth with victory over Motherwell on Saturday.
Now Edwards’ side have set their sights on a famous win against the Light Blues when they make the trip to Ibrox this weekend. A 3-0 triumph in May 1993 was the last time that Thistle beat their Glasgow counterparts but they have turned in spirited showings in the two Premiership meetings this term.
And Edwards is relishing the chance to give fans another memory to cherish in what has been a terrific campaign at Firhill. “The confidence is there and we have spoken as a team about taking points off the top teams in the league,” said the midfielder.
“We got a point at Tynecastle, we beat Hearts at Firhill and we have got a draw at Parkhead. Celtic have been unbelievable this season so to get that result was remarkable. Now we want to continue that and get a result at Ibrox. We would love to end that run against Rangers and hopefully we can do that this weekend.”
“If you look at what this team has achieved this season, we have broken a lot of records. Kris Doolan has got his 100 goals and we have made history by getting into the top six. There is no reason why we can’t continue that and go one step further. It would be something special to win at Ibrox.”
“They (Rangers) are going for second and they have got a new manager in charge so they are playing for new contracts and their positions. It is not going to be easy. Rangers are one of the best teams in the country but we want to go there and put in a performance.”
10.4.2017
CHIANESE: LOWE WAS SCREAMING FOR MORE GOALS
Perth Glory forward Joel Chianese says a home final will be the target when they host Melbourne City in the final regular season round next Sunday. Glory put a poor March behind them on the weekend with a well-earned 3-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Perth Oval.
Glory can leapfrog Melbourne with a four-goal victory next weekend, while three points alone would be enough if Brisbane Roar lose heavily at home to Wellington Phoenix. “We had Kenny screaming at us from the bench to score more goals towards the end,” Chianese said. “We’ve got a team that scores plenty of goals, we’ve seen that all year.”
Chianese turned in his best performance in a purple shirt on Saturday night and said it was an “awesome feeling” to have sealed a top six berth. “We saw Wellington scored very late in their match so we knew the fate was in our own hands and the boys turned up for an awesome crowd,” he said. “We know we’re there (in the finals) but hopefully we can push for a home final now.”
9.4.2017
LOWE GIVES THE OKAY ON CASTRO
Perth Glory marquee Diego Castro is likely to be fit for the upcoming finals with coach Kenny Lowe stating his premature substitution was only precautionary. Castro limped off minutes into the second half of Glory’s 3-1 win over Brisbane Roar on Saturday night, having provided the assist for Richard Garcia's opener.
Castro appeared to injure his ankle after a heavy tackle from Jacob Pepper late in the first half. The reigning Johnny Warren Medallist limped through the remainder of the first half but was replaced shortly after the interval. Castro was just a precautionary measure,” Lowe said. “He landed awkwardly but we didn't want to risk him."
Castro’s fitness will be key for Glory with the win clinching their spot in the A-League finals. Glory, currently fifth, can still secure a home final, but would need to defeat Melbourne City by four goals next round when they meet at Perth Oval. If not, Glory will play either Brisbane or Melbourne away in the first round of the finals.
9.4.2017
DE VANNA SIGNS FOR SOUTH MELBOURNE
Matildas captain Lisa De Vanna returned to Victoria to sign for South Melbourne in the National Premier Leagues Victoria Women's competition this winter. De Vanna, 32, has had a nomadic career – as so many leading women players of her generation have been forced to do – playing in Australia, Sweden and the United States.
De Vanna played in the W-League last season with Premier's Canberra United, who were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions Melbourne City - a club De Vanna had, the previous year, helped win the W-League at their first attempt. She will play her first game for South Melbourne this afternoon against Bulleen Lions.
In addition to her on-field role, De Vanna will work for South Melbourne as a club ambassador. "This is a club with history and tradition," she said. "Developing the game and its culture is what I am passionate about … I want to push South and the players to the next level. I love the game and I want to grow the culture and support at South."
9.4.2017
GULLS FLY HOME WITH THE GLORY
Sorrento moved three points cleat at the top of the PS4NPLWA table after a 4-2 win against Perth Glory at Ashfield Reserve on Sunday afternoon. Against the run of play, Jack Salter gave the Gulls the lead early, but Daniel Stynes levelled on the quarter hour. Billy Quinncroft regained the lead for the league leaders but Jack Iredale levelled it up at half time. But second half goals to Alex Morgan and skipper Steve McDonald wrapped up the points and moved them three points at the top.
“We were really lucky to be in the game in the first 10 minutes, they gave us a bit of a battering,” Sorrento midfielder Brad McDonald told the NPL website. “It was hard work out there, they keep the ball well, but we worked really hard and it took its toll late in the game, but that was for both sides. But we stayed strong at the back and took our chances when they came.”
The home side were out of the blocks early and James Morgan had to be alert to deny Stynes, before Joe Knowles snap shot was also well saved by the Sorrento custodian. But in their first real attack on 10 minutes, Sorrento hit the front. Scott Witschge picked out Salter, who buried his shot from the edge of the box. But their lead only lasted for six minutes. Knowles free kick was headed down by Sam Riak and Stynes’ first time shot slipped through the hand of James Morgan.
It was an open game with both sides hitting the woodwork in a frantic three minute spell. Knowles’ free kick beat James Morgan, but the crossbar came to his rescue, then moments later Alex Morgan shot rattled the post at the other end. Sorrento hit the front again on 28 minutes. Salter unselfishly squaring the ball to Quinncroft who made no mistake. But the Glory levelled 1o minutes from half time, Knowles’ ball in the box caused problems and Iredale beat James Morgan to the ball and headed home.
The Glory should have hit the front early in the second half, Stynes’ shot was well saved by James Morgan, the rebound falling to Michael McDougall, but he fired straight at the keeper.
But on the hour mark Sorrento hit the front again. Jacob Shore crossed to Alex Morgan who headed home at the back post. The points were made safe for Sorrento on 70 minutes. Brad McDonald’s free kick from the left picked out Steve McDonald at the back post, and the big defender finished clinically past Thurtell.
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Riley WARLAND, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Cam MURRAY, 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Jamal REINERS (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 46’), 8 Sam RIAK (15 Callum TIMMINS 68’), 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 11 Kosta PETRATOS - Subs not used: RGK Stef KING, 13 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 16 Harry QUIGLEY
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (10 Scott BULLOCH 69’), 7 Alex MORGAN, 8 Ryan PEARSON (18 Jordan BROWN 77’), 13 Steve MCDONALD (c), 14 Scott WITSCHGE (6 Daryl PLATTEN 82’), 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 11 Tim HILL - Referee: Adam Fielding
8.4.2017
EDWARDS URGES PARTICK TO KEEP AIMING HIGH
Partick Thistle midfielder Ryan Edwards insists the Jags should continue looking up as they close in on a first Scottish Premiership top-six finish. Thistle fought back from a goal down to draw with champions Celtic on Wednesday and can secure a top-half place by beating Motherwell today.
Edwards' side have a four-point lead over seventh-placed Kilmarnock with two games until the league splits. "We need to focus on Saturday's game and put it to bed," said Edwards, whose team are three points behind Hearts, eight points off St Johnstone and 14 behind Rangers.
"Four points in between sixth and seventh, six points to play for, anything can happen in this league. Three points from fifth, you have to say, 'we have to look up'. We have to be really positive and say, 'yeah, why not? Why can't we go catch them?' But first and foremost, we have to win on Saturday."
Thistle were promoted to the top flight for the inaugural season of the Premiership in 2013 and have finished tenth, eighth and ninth. "When we missed out (on the top six) last season, it hurt a lot so we'll be giving everything to make sure it's in our hands and that we get the job done and make sure we win the game," said Edwards.
"The way this league's gone this season - us being last at Christmas and now we're sixth - it's never over until it's over. We've shown that we can take points from Celtic. Rangers and Hearts showed that they're beatable now. It's far from over but it's in our hands and it's important we beat Motherwell."
8.4.2017
WOODALL WINS IT LATE FOR THE WOOD
Inglewood United continued their good run of from with a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Perth SC at Dorrien Gardens. Harley Orr had given the home side the lead at the break, but Alex Salmon levelled on the hour, before Brian Woodall scored the winner two minutes from time. “I wouldn’t say we were the better team, but we were the one team that wanted to get out there and get three points,” Inglewood Coach Taki Nicolaidis told the NPL website. “Perth are a very difficult team to break down and we knew that it would have to take something special, which it did for both goals. For me it is another three points and a win, so there is a bit more confidence now moving forward.”
It wasn’t the best of starts to a game, with both sides giving away cheap possession, but on the quarter hour the home took the lead, but had a slice of luck along the way. An attempted clearance from keeper Alex Dunn hit the back of Orr, and the ball rebounded into the net. The home then suffered a blow when former Inglewood striker Aleks Jovic was stretchered off on the half hour, he was replaced by Nicholas Ambrogio. Tom King could have doubled the home sides before the break, but the former Perth Glory midfielder saw his shot flash narrowly wide.
The game was there for both sides to win, but they both struggled with quality into the final third. Adam Tong’s close-range header was well saved by Francis Soale, as the visitors lifted the tempo. The Perth fans were on their feet just before the hour, when Orr headed home Matthew Milenkovic’s cross, but the flag was up for offside. Then moments alter Inglewood levelled, Mark Pritchard found space on the left and his pass picked out Salmon who made mistake from close-range. Perth striker Gustavo Catarcione was having a quiet day, and he and the other Perth strikers wasted a couple of good chances to regain the lead. It looked like the points would be shared but Woodall had other ideas. Two minutes from time, second half substitute Chok Dau found Woodall, who finished well past Soale to win it. “It’s a long season, there are still 18 games to go, so from our side we need to very quickly regroup and start winning games,” Perth Coach Ramon Falzon said. “That is the only thing we should be focusing on this week.”
Perth: GK Francis SOALE, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (c), 7 Aleks JOVIC (10 Nicholas AMBROGIO 30), 8 Tom KING, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE (14 Cameron TEECE 76), 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC, 12 Jordan DE LEO, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR 16 Kieran COLWELL - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 2 Alex SILLA, 21 Paul ZIMARINO
Inglewood: GK Alex DUNN, 4 Scott BLACKMORE (c), 5 Adam TONG, 7 Kenny KEOGH, 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 11 John MIGAS (10 Ash ROSINDALE 81), 14 Mark PRITCHARD (19 Chok DAU 71), 16 Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS, 18 Jason COLLI (2 Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS 63), 23 Brian WOODALL - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 3 David CYRUS - Referee: David Bruce
8.4.2017
LIONS RIP ARMADALE APART
Stirling Lions have kick started their PS4NPLWA season with a 4-0 win against Armadale at Macedonia Park. Daniel Micevski and Alex Tanevski gave the home side the lead at half time, and further goals after the break from Moses Kalau and Steve Sokol gave them the points and ended Armadale’s unbeaten away start to the season.
The home side dominated early, but were wasteful in front of goal, but that all changed on 21 minutes when they hit the front. Alex Tanevski playing a one-two with Daniel Micevski on the edge of the box, and Micevski finished well past Michael Craggs. The home side doubled their lead five minutes later. Lukas De Lima played a great through ball to Micevski, who shot was blocked, the rebound falling to Tanevski, who made no mistake.
The home side were dominating and Craggs produced a great save to Deny Micevski, and the pair were at it again just before half time, and again the Armadale custodian denied the winger, but the Lions led 2-0 at the break. Craggs was in the thick of the action after the break too, saving bravely at the feet of Moses Kalua. Armadale needed a lift and they almost found one, but Jake Sardelic fired straight at Stirling keeper John Perkins.
Sardelic was in again moments later but his shot flashed over the top. But just after the hour the home side added a third. Blamo Qua Qua played in Moses, who finished well past Craggs. Moments later Tanevski and Micevski combined to set up substitute Sokol, who shot beat Craggs, but crashed off crossbar and away to safety. But in stoppage time the Lions added a fourth, Sokol pouncing on a knock down from Alex Suleski to seal a comfortable 4-0 win. “It’s very pleasing, it’s our third clean sheet and we worked very hard,” Lions Coach Rob Milevski told the NPL website. “We pressed from the front, created a lot of opportunities and scored four great goals.”
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2 Michael PUGLIESE (3 Alex SULESKI 73’), 4 Blamo QUA QUA, 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 9 Alex TANEVSKI (7 Miki VUJACIC 88’), 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 14 Lukas DE LIMA (8 Steve SOKOL 58’) 15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathaing MATHIANG, 17 Darren O’RIORDAN, 18 Moses KALUA – Subs not used: RGK Lance ALAVAKIS, 2 Jason RUBIDGE,
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 2 Dylan WHITE (16 Tristan TAYLOR 69’), 3 Jake SARDELIC, 4 Nathan COSTELLO, 5 Sam LOVELESS, 6 Beau RAHIM (10 Papa KPATAR 46’), 7 Charlie KENNA, 8 Jordan PAVETT, 9 Kyle KING, 11 Dannie RICHMAN (17 James ATKINS 74’) 14. David ANNALL - Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH - Referee: Sorousha Moayer
8.4.2017
BAYSWATER FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Bayswater City have ominously hit form, with a resounding 4-0 win against Joondalup United at Percy Doyle Reserve. David Heagney opened the scoring early, before Luka Ninkovic added a second before half time. The points were wrapped up with Jack Allen and Borbor Sam added the others after the break. “I think we need to be more clinical, because when you are in tight games and you get into the right areas you have got to take your chances,” Bayswater Coach Chris Coyne told the NPL website. “Today I think, without being disrespectful to the other team, there were about 7 or 8 that we should have scored, and that could be important at the end of the year if it comes down to goal difference.”
Joondalup keeper James Bosdet was bust early, making a number of fine saves to keep Bayswater at bay. But there was little the Joondalup custodian could do when Bayswater hit the front on 17 minutes, Sam teeing up Heagney to score. The home side hit back and Josh Whitmore’s shot flashed the wrong side of the post, but nine minutes before the break Bayswater doubled their lead. Heagney’s ball in from the left picked out Ninkovic, who made no mistake.
The home side need a good start after the break and they almost found it. Anthony Taylor’s ball in found Jay Marsden, but with the goal at his mercy the midfielder blazed over the top. Heagney was having an outstanding game and he was the supplier of Bayswater’s third on 76 minutes, crossing to substitute Allen to score, in only his second game back from injury. Bayswater wrapped up the scoring and the points seven minutes later, with Sam cutting in from the right to score. “I wanted to start the game at a high tempo, but we never really got going and Bayswater just showed their true quality,” Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings told the NPL website. “We are missing six starters, no excuse on that front, but we didn’t do ourselves justice today which is my main disappointment and they were just too good for us on the day.”
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 2 Joel LEDSHAM, 3 Rowdy YATES, 5 Joe STOCKER, 6 Guy MCDONALD, 8 Josh WHITMORE (C), 9 Richard HOWLES, 17 Luke SERRA (25 Greg PELLOW 61’), 18 Anthony TAYLOR (14 Jess COMPTON 81’), 19 Mike KENNY (12 Rob TARPEY 86’), 23 Jay MARSDEN - Subs not used: GK Jack NUNN, 22 Jai RAWLING
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2 Declan HARGREAVES (8 Paul MCCARTHY 57’), 10 Jason MICRO (3 Jack ALLEN 71), 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (C), 17 Borbor SAM, 19 Luka NINKOVIC (9 Gustavo Giron-MARULANDA 61’), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY, 23 Andrija JUKIC - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 15 Ayden DRAGRN - Referee: Tom Glavovic
8.4.2017
NINE MAN COCKBURN BEAT MANDURAH
A goal three minutes from time by striker Liam Murray has given a nine man Cockburn City a 1-0 win against Mandurah City at the Securitas Protect Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The visitors had skipper Euen Grant and Josh Kuser sent off, and it looked like the points would be shared, but Murray popped late to send the Cockerels home happy. “First half was a good performance for us. We missed a number of clear chances on goal,” Cockburn midfielder Calvin Whitney said. “We got a red card early in the second which was hard, and we were under the pump for a bit but I'm the last minutes we managed to take a chance and get the win.”
Both sides had plenty of possession in a tight first half, but clear cut chances were few and far between. The best chances fell to Alex Grayson on 22 minutes, his shot deflected off a Cockburn player wrong footed keeper Luke Radonich, but the crossbar came to his rescue. Cockburn created a number of good chances late in the half but they were unable to beat Brad Eiffe in the Mandurah goal.
It was more of the same after the break, with Mandurah pressing and Ryan Francis fired wide early, but Cockburn were then reduced to ten men when referee Nico Hoyle, after a discussion with his assistant, sent Kuser off for lashing out at a Mandurah player on the hour. The home side began to get on top and Grayson fired wide, before Andy Brown was thwarted by a great last ditch tackle from a Cockburn defender.
The visitors were hitting on the counter attack and Cameron Edwards’ shot was well saved by Eiffe, but they were reduced to nine men when Grant was shown a second yellow card by Hoyle. Mandurah were pushing men forward looking for the winner, and three minutes from time they were caught out. A under hit back pass put pressure on Eiffe, whose clearance went high, and Murray won possession off Oscar Thompson and finished low past Eiffe to win it. “We controlled the play for most of the game and got most of our decisions right, Mandurah Coach Dough Hesketh said. “Unfortunately our opposition got all of their decisions right, but that’s football.”
Mandurah City: GK Bradley EIFFE, 2 Oliver MCGEE, 3 Jeff BRIGHT 4 Matt STARES, 6 Oscar THOMPSON (13 Mitch FIRTH 89’), 7 Jack EADES, 8 Andrew BROWN, 9 Sean TROUP (17 Oriol FERNANDEZ 46’), 10 Jordan RHODES, 11 Ryan FRANCIS, 14 Alex GRAYSON (16Joe O’BRIEN 85’) - Subs not used: RGK Cyril SHARROCK, 5 Mark MCLAUGHLIN
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 2 Josh KUSER, 3 Daniel DOLS, 4 Euen GRANT, 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI, 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 11 Harry O’BRIEN, 14 Liam MURRAY, 16 Calvin WHITNEY - Subs not used: 9 Losene DULLETT, 12 Kenel MOUITHYS, 13 Blake ADAMS 15 Damien ROBINSON - Referee: Nico Hoyle
8.4.2017
SMITH AT THE DOUBLE FOR JACKS
ECU Joondalup Scottish striker bagged a brace as they beat Subiaco 4-1 at the eCU Football Stadium on Saturday. Daryl Nicol gave the home side the lead midway through the first half, before Steven McGarry doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time. Smith made it 3-0, before Carlin Feely pulled one back for the visitors, but Smith’s second wrapped up the points and give them back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
“It wasn’t a pretty game today, but we worked hard for the 90 minutes and got the result we wanted,” ECU defender Shane Pickering told the NPL website. “We deserved the win at Cockburn and we went into this game knowing a win was important to keep our momentum going, and I hope, like last season, we can kick on.”
Both sides went close early, Smith was denied by Ryan Montgomery on three minutes, and moments later David Perich’s header flashed over the top. The home side were convinced they had a penalty on 13 minutes, after Smith headed Nicol’s cross goalwards, but Alex Castiello got back to clear off the line, with his arm, but referee Steven Gregory waved away their protests.
That was all forgotten on 24 minutes, when the home side hit the front. Kevin Moon fed Smith, who played in Nicol on the left of penalty area, and he finished clinically past Montgomery.
Subiaco went close to the equaliser two minutes later, Rory Feely sent Perich in on goal, but Fraser Greenwood spread himself well to deny him. Greenwood had to be alert again moments later, as the home side failed to clear a corner and Perich’s first time shot was saved low by the ECU custodian. But in the last minute of the half ECU doubled their lead, McGarry curling a free kick around the wall and into the corner of the net. There was still time for Greenwod to produce a great low save to deny Rory Feely, and send his side to the break with a two goal lead.
It was more of the same after half time, Perich fired wide for Subiaco, before Moon and Smith did likewise for ECU. But home side added a third on 72 minutes, McGarry’s ball over the top sent Smith racing in on goal, he held off his marker and lobbed the on-coming Montgomery. Subiaco pulled a goal back four minutes later, Carlin Feely cutting in the penalty area and finished well past Greenwood. But the home side wrapped up the points ten minutes from time, Pickering’s cross from the left was headed home by Smith.
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 2 Stefan VRANESEVIC, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC, 6 Jon HIGGINS (C) (12 Danny MILNE 83’), 7 Kevin MOON, 9 Daryl NICOL (13 Tommy AMPHLETT 46’) (15 James OWEN 79’), 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Sam POLLARD, 14 Steven MCGARRY, 18 Cian HIRRELL - Subs not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 8 Declan HUGHES
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 John LOCKHART, 8 Mike LAWSON (6 Jonas DORLING 75’), 9 Rory FEELY, 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDISH (10 Owen COATES 71’), 14 Ross JARMAN (16 Ian MCMURRAY 62’), 17 Alex CASTIELLO 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: RGK Hamish ST GEORGE, 15 Henock BUTSHIRE - Referee: Steven Gregory
8.4.2017
ALL-SQUARE AT LITIS STADIUM
Floreat Athena missed the chance to close the gap on league leaders Sorrento after being held 2-2 by Balcatta at E&D Litis Stadium on Saturday evening. Jon Corness gave the visitors the lead early, but Bobby Wilson levelled before half time. Dean Evans put the home side ahead just after half time, but a late goal from Luccas Mello earned Salv Todaro’s side a point. “We’ll be happy with one point,” Todaro said. “The boys have been giving us the same effort the last couple of weeks and it’s sort of been coming, and I think it’s just desserts for them tonight.”
Floreat, who were without the Saldaris brothers, who only arrived back from the USA on Friday and were only on the bench, were on top early and they thought they had a penalty on eight minutes. Wilson’s header was cleared off the line by a Balcatta defender, and it looked like it was handball, but referee Tom Dowle waved away the Floreat protests. If that wasn’t bad, it got worse for the home side when Balcatta opened the scoring on 27 minutes, Corness scoring after Floreat keeper Jordan Barbas could only parry a shot. But Floreat hit back seven minutes later, Wilson heading past Domenico Savoldelli to level. Balcatta went close to led before the break, the lively Feisal Zaw’s shot was well saved by Barbas.
The home side opened brightly after the break, and their pressure was rewarded on 53 minutes. Evans found space in the area, and the skipper fired home give the Floreat the lead. But Balcatta weren’t to be outdone and created a number of half chances, and on 77 minutes they equalised, Mello firing past Barbas to earn his side a point. “It’s disappointing because you feel you’ve got to be winning these games just to keep your head above water while you have no players, and the two points meant we could have gone top tonight,” Floreat Coach Glen Grostate said post-match.
Floreat Athena: GK Jordan BARBAS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ, 5 Bobby WILSON, 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jon STYNES, 10 Kris GATE, 11 Dennis GALAN, (15 Christ SALDARIS 80’), 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY, 17 Dean EVANS – Subs not used: RGK Jason SALDARIS, 4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 16 Juma AWAKA, 20 Joe TWEATS
Balcatta FC: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Callum O’CONNELL, 5 Kieron STALLARD, 6 Jon CORNESS, 8 Patrick SARA, 9 Luccas MELLO, 11 Feisal ZAW, 13 Daniel HEPWORTH, (12. Kurt KOUAKOU 69’), 18 Ben MEREDITH, (23 Ismael BANGURA 64’) (19 Jaedon EWAN 80’), 20 Paddy QUINN – Subs not used: 21 Luke HUTCHINSON, 10 Dino TOPCAGIC - Referee: Tom Dowle
8.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND ONE – REVIEW
The State League Division One kicked off this weekend, and Ashfield were the big winners beating Forrestfield United 4-0 at Ashfield Arena. The home side made the perfect start and they were ahead on two minutes. Forrestfield failed to clear a corner and Tom Kennedy played the ball back into the box and Jamie Stewart was in the right spot to flick it home. Forrestfield looked to hit back but keeper Scott Rowe saved well to thwart Jordan Hart. Hart then blazed over the top. Ashfield almost doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, but Luke Martino was alert to save from Jay Lang, after he was sent one-on-one with the Forrestfield custodian. Martino produced a stunning save on the hour, tipping the ball onto the bar, but Gary Hill was quickest to react to score from the rebound. It was 3-0 on 78 minutes Dan Corbett out-muscled his marker from a free kick, and he finished well past Martino.
The icing was put on the cake six minutes from time, Cameron Sutton was sent down the right and he got in front of his marker and finished clinically. “A very good win by our boys especially after losing the week before in the cup,” Ashfield Coach Matt Wardle said. “All our boys had the best attitudes towards the game and the game plan and they went out and gave myself and Marco 100%. They deserved nothing more than the 3 points, down to the work rate they put into the game. Great result but now we look to next week’s challenge against Canning.”
A James Harmer penalty gave Rockingham City a 1-1 draw against South West Phoenix at Hay Park, while Gosnells City edged out Canning City 3-2 in the Frank Longstaff Trophy. On target for Gosnells was Scott Pereira, Dean Aplegren and Josh Metzger. Western Knights beat Joondalup City 5-0 at Nash Field, with Adriano Jelenovic scoring twice, with Paul Lloyd, Jamie Burns and Ryan Tucker, while UWA-Nedlands and Dianella White Eagles drew 2-2. The home side opened the scoring when a free kick from Robbie Black was turned home by skipper Josh Marocchi. But on 23 minutes the visitors levelled, Angel Andres losing his marker and firing low past the keeper. After the break UWA keeper Preece produced a great save to deny Andres, and it looked like the points would be shared but a late goal from Bojan Radinovic.
But UWA weren’t to be denied and hit back to draw immediately. A superb long ball forward from full-back Brandon Naude found Adam Kretowicz finished well to earn his side a point. UWA Coach Michael Janssen was pleased with the general performance and character showed by the squad. “After their very late second goal the team showed another immense quality, never to give up and to believe in the strength of the team," he said. "Scoring the late goal was well deserved and made it overall a fair result looking after 90 minutes," the head coach added.
8.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND ONE – REVIEW
Gwelup Croatia have started life in the State League with a 4-0 win against Quinns at Gumblossom Park. Gwelup’s first-ever State League fixture was threatened to be overshadowed by Zoran Vrteski's eighth-minute red card for a dangerous tackle early on, but Teeboy Kamara's tidy finish from a clinical through-ball on 25 minutes gave them the lead. It was 2-0 two minutes later Dejan Andric's tidy lob found the back of the net. Kamara rounded the keeper and two sliding defenders to make it 3-0 on the half hour. The scoring was completed seven minutes from time as Jordan Costanzo crossed for substitute David Sesay to bundle home with the aid of both the crossbar and a Quinn’s defender.
Wanneroo City started the season well and beat Curtin University 6-1 at Wanneroo Reserve. The home side were behind early, but doubles to Scott Johnston, Endalk Achamyeleh and Matt Franken gave them the win. “We went in at half time 3-1 up and something we weren't really good at in the night series and cup was putting the opposition to the sword but to the boys credit they played it out to the final whistle and were rewarded with a good win,” Coach Tim Kantor said. “Obviously it's very early days but we are starting to play the style of football that we are capable of. We now turn our attention to the Easter weekend where we play a rejuvenated Shamrock on Saturday then Southern Spirit on Monday in the cup.”
Shamrock Rovers beat Balga 3-2 at Princess Road Reserve. In a game of two halves, Shamrock started the match on top, and it was little surprise they went ahead in the 31st minute with a great header from a cross. The hoops went 2-0 up in the 39th minute with a fine shot into the top corner. Balga looked a different side in the second half, and dominated early, Dario Cristofalo headed home five minutes after the interval, while Liam Hunt equalised in the 67th minute when he lobbed the keeper. Balga continued their waves of attacks, and it looked likely it would be the black and greens that would get the winner. However against the run of play Shamrock scored into stoppage time from a break away after a one on one with the keeper. The game looked finish, however there was more drama to come when Balga were given a penalty. Hubert Hakizimana's strike from the spot was saved by the Shamrock keeper, the rebound fell to Hakizimana, who's second shot was brilliantly saved again.
In other games, Melville City drew 1-1 against Morley Windmills at John O’Connell Reserve, while Swan United beat Kelmscott Roos 4-3 at the Swan Italian Club. It was a game of two halves, with Swan dominating the first half, and they were ahead on 13 minute, John Monterosso was played in behind on the right cutting in to shoot. The keeper saved the shot but Monterosso followed up with a header to score. Ten minutes later Monterosso broke down the right again this time to cut the ball to James Shania who slotted home to make it 2-0. Then on the 35 minutes Dave Paone found himself in the box and slotted home in the bottom right to make it 3-0. The visitors pulled one back right on half time through Linden Powell. Kelmscott scored a second early in the second half with former Swan Owen Curtis scoring, but Swan added a fourth through Jordon Rossetto after being sent clear by Monterosso. Kelmscott pulled one back with eight minutes to go through Darren Kingston, but Swan hung on for the points. “As predicted it ended up being a tough game,” Swan Coach Matt Debarro said. “We were really strong going forward and punished Kelmscott early, but we did however let them back in the game when we should have killed it off. We will need to be better at that going forward. Overall a good result and a good first performance.”
7.4.2017
INTO THE LOOKING GLASS: STATE LEAGUE PREVIEW
The State League season kicks off this weekend in what should be another exciting year. State League Night Series finalists South West Phoenix and Forrestfield United are among the favourites to win the Division One championship, and likely promotion to the NPL-WA. Dianella White Eagles, Western Knights and Rockingham City should be the main challengers to Phoenix's and Forrestfield's title ambitions. At the other end of the table, newly promoted Joondalup City and Gosnells City will be desperately trying to avoid the drop.
Newly promoted Gwelup Croatia find thmeselves in State League Division Two for the first time and will be strong favourites for promotion this season, however the likes of Balga, Kingsway Olympic and Morley-Windmills will all be hoping to make the top four promotion play-offs. There will once again be relegation from the State League this season, with the team that finishes bottom heading into the Amateur competition. This week the footballwa.net team takes a look at the State League clubs, and are joined by author of "Paddocks to Pitches", Richard Kreider and Eamon Duffy, host of "Let's talk Football", in offering their thoughts on how season 2017 will pan out...
7.4.2017
GLORY NEED THE THREE POINTS AGAINST THE ROAR
Perth Glory slipped down to sixth on the Hyundai A-League table after their 1-1 draw against Adelaide United last Friday, and go into Saturday’s game at nib Stadium against Brisbane Roar knowing three points are a must, with Wellington Phoenix breathing down their necks.
There is still a chance the Glory can finish in the top four, but they need to win their last two home games, starting with the Roar on Saturday evening. They will need to improve defensively if that is to happen, and the make shift defence was caught out on a number of occasions against Adelaide, and were ripped apart by Sydney in their last home game. New signing Lucian Goian and Dino Djulbic need to be solid, especially with the likes of Jamie Maclaren’s pace. Joe Mills and Josh Risdon have been impressive going forward, but in Adelaide last week went missing on transition, and that is course for concern.
The Glory regain the services of skipper Rostyn Griffiths from injury, and he will be vital breaking down the Roar forward trusts in front of the back four, and Rhys Williams returns from suspension, and the Socceroo could slip into the back four or in the middle of the park. Glory Coach Kenny Lowe will be hoping Adam Taggart has recovered from injury, which forced him out of the starting eleven last week, but Brandon Wilson (back) and Chris Harold (calf) are in doubt and Aaron Williams and Nebojsa Marinkovic, who has a groin injury, will miss the game.
It’s a big game for Glory’s Spanish midfielder Diego Castro, who will play his 50th game for the club, and he said he will be doing all he can to give the club the opportunity to play finals football, and not where he will be playing next season. “My focus is this season and to win this season and produce the best outcomes for the whole team and the focus now is to be part of the finals,” he said. “First we need to reach the finals, and if we reach them, we will fight to win – I’m here to win for Perth Glory.”
Midfielder Richard Garcia is confident the Glory can get the job done. “Our form has been a little bit indifferent, but it’s a massive incentive to win those last two home games,” he said. “It’s exciting when it comes to finals time, the high pressure games are the ones you really want to play well in and do well as a team.”
The Roar will be in prime position to finish third, if they can the points, but John Aloisi have surprised many by resting a number of players, with their crucial ACL match against Kashima Antlers on Wednesday night at Suncorp. He has left Michael Theo, Thomas Broich, Avraam Papadopoulos and Thomas Kristensen at home. They will also be without Tommy Oar and Matt McKay with injury.
Perth Glory: GK Liam REDDY, GK Nick FEELY, 3 Marc WARREN, 5 Rhys WILLIAMS, 6 Dino DJULBIC, 7 Joel CHIANESE, 8 Rostyn GRIFFITHS (C), 9 Andy KEOGH, 11 Richard GARCIA, 14 Chris HAROLD, 15. Brandon WILSON, 16 Joe MILLS, 17 Diego CASTRO, 18 Mitch OXBORROW, 19 Josh RISDON, 22 Adam TAGGART, 26 Lucian GOIAN, 28 Joe KNOWLES - *two to be omitted* - In’s: Rhys WILLIAMS (returns from suspension), GRIFFITHS (returns from injury)
Brisbane Roar: GK Jamie YOUNG, GK Tomislav BILIC, 3 Luke DEVERE, 5 Corey BROWN, 7 Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8 Jacob PEPPER, 9 Jamie MACLAREN, 10 Brett HOLMAN, 13 Jade NORTH (C), 15 ARANA, 16 Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 19 Jack HINGERT, 20 Shannon BRADY, 25 Kye ROWLES, 26 Nick D’AGOSTINO, 28 Brandon BORRELLO, 29 Joe CALETTI, 46 Cameron CRESTANI - *two to be omitted* - In’s: KONSTANDOPOULOS (promoted), BRADY (promoted), ROWLES (promoted), CRESTANI (promoted) - Outs: 6. Avram PAPADOPOULOS (not selected), 22. Thomas BROICH (not selected)
7.4.2017
GLORY AIMING TO DEFY A-LEAGUE HISTORY
Coach Kenny Lowe's FA Cup heartbreak from 23 years ago is fuelling his belief that Perth Glory can defy history by winning this season's A-League title. No team has ever won the A-League title from outside the top-two, and that trend is tipped to continue this season as ladder leaders Sydney FC eye off a record-breaking season.
Sydney sit 17 points clear of second-placed Melbourne Victory, leaving Brisbane Roar, Melbourne City, Western Sydney and Glory in a four-way battle for the remaining two finals spots. Glory could secure a home final if they claim all the points from their last two games of the regular season, against Brisbane and Melbourne City.
Winning the title from outside the top two has proven impossible to date, but Lowe knows first-hand about the upsets soccer can produce. The year was 1994, and Lowe was part of a Birmingham City outfit expected to thrash non-league outfit Kidderminster Harriers in the third round of the FA Cup.
But Kidderminster tore up the script and overcame an early deficit to post a shock 2-1 win over the First Division club. The win left Birmingham players and fans shattered. And 23 years on, it's given Lowe hope that the likes of Sydney and Victory can be beaten during this season's finals.
"Sydney have been beaten already this year. And it's a Cup competition really," Lowe said. "It's a one-off game. Kidderminster were about five divisions below us when we lost to them. They were about four miles from where we lived, so we never went out the house for about ten weeks. So things can happen."
If Sydney and Victory reach the Grand Final, the team who finishes third will also secure an Asian Champions League play-off berth. Brisbane will be in prime position to finish third if they can beat Glory on Saturday night, when they'll be without Thomas Broich, Avraam Papadopoulos and Thomas Kristensen who have been rested for next week's ACL clash with Kashima Antlers.
Glory will also have to dig deep into their reserves due to a spate of niggling injuries. Captain Rostyn Griffiths (quad), Brandon Wilson (back), and Chris Harold (calf) are only expected to earn spots on the bench at best, while Nebojsa Marinkovic is out with a groin injury. But the return of defender Rhys Williams from international duties is a big boost.
7.4.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW
In round eight of the PS4 National Premier League WA, the Footballwa.net - Match of the Week - takes us to Dorrien Gardens with Perth SC entertaining Inglewood United. The home side lost the top of the table clash at Sorrento last week, while Inglewood United returned to the winners-circle with a come-from-behind 5-2 win against Joondalup United. The last time the two sides met at the venue in the league was in round 21 last season, when Inglewood came home with all three points after a 2-0 win. A goal in each half by Ashley Rosindale and Callum O’Connell gave Taki Nicolaidis’ side victory.
Nicolaidis, who spent two seasons as head coach at Perth SC, said last week’s win was much needed, and he said it was well-deserved three points. “Obviously very pleased with the win last week against a confident and unbeaten Joondalup side,” he said. ‘We have been very competitive I all our games this season, but haven’t been able to close out games, and last week I felt the playing group were very hungry to put things right.” Inglewood moved to fifth on the table after last week’s win and Nicolaidis said they need to start to get more consistency in their game starting on Saturday against a good Perth side. “They (Perth) are a very good playing group and always a very difficult side to break down,” he said. “We just need to focus on our strengths and abilities to ensure we put in a good performance.” In team new Brian Farrell pulled a hamstring last week and will miss the game, but they have Ashley Rosindale and Alex Livings back in the squad, while youngsters Chok Dau and Matthew Ntoumenopoulos will be pushing for a starting spot after impressing off the bench last week.
Perth young defender Kieran Colwell said last week’s defeat was hard to take after dominating most of the game. “Last week’s result was tough to take, I thought we dominated most of the game and created plenty of chances to score, but we weren’t good enough in front of goal,” he said. “It shows that you need to take your chances when you get them, just like Sorrento did, and it gave them the result.” Colwell said Saturday’s visitors have a very sloid squad and he is expecting another tough game. “They (Inglewood) have a strong team, and after tough start to the season they will come here looking to get a result,” he explained. “They will be hungry for revenge from last season’s Top Four Grand Final defeat, so I’m sure they will throw everything at us. We are just focused on out game and making sure we execute it on the day and maintain our good home record and bounce back from k]last week’s loss.” Perth goes in to the game at full strength, with only skipper Clark Keltie on the long term injury list. – Saturday (3.00pm) – Perth SC v Inglewood United - Dorrien Gardens – Referee - David Bruce
Subiaco were beaten for the first time in three games last week against Floreat Athena, and will be hoping to bounce back when they take on ECU Joondalup at the ECU Football Stadium. The Jacks were back in the winners-circle last week when they came home from Cockburn City with a well-earned 4-0 win, and winger Daryl Nicol said it was good all-round team performance, and made even more impressive with four players making their starting league debuts for the club. “It was a very important three points and the score line reflects how dominant we were in the game. Although we got beat the previous week our performance level seems to be picking up some consistency as I felt both games we played well,” he said. “The young lads came in and done brilliantly just as everyone within the camp expected them to. Although the manager's hand may have been forced to play them at the weekend, the young lads at this club are lucky to have a manager who is willing to give them a chance as has been the case already this season.” Nicol, who joined the club from Cove Rangers in Scotland last season, said Subiaco have been in good form and they will need to be on their toes from the first whistle. “It's another huge game and an opportunity to get back-to-back wins for the first time this season,” he said. “It's important we try and put a run together and pick up some momentum so nothing less than three points against a tough Subiaco team will do.” In team news Ross Millard, Jack Jones and Tommy Amphlett are still in doubt, while Nathan Diaz has left the club – Saturday (3pm) ECU Joondalup v Subiaco – ECU Football Stadium - Referee – Steven Gregory
Floreat Athena sits in second place on the table, and this week they entertain Balcatta at E&D Litis Stadium. Balcatta started the season well but are coming off three straight defeats, although they pushed Bayswater all the way last week before losing narrowly. Floreat have been ticking along nicely, and without a number of their first team squad, and they are coming off a big win against Subiaco last week. Midfielder Kris Gate said the performance last week showed the depth they have in their squad. “We are certainly missing a lot of big key players but that's what a squad is for, when players are injured others get a chance and so far the lads have taken it,” he said. “Having said that we do need a few more players because of we were to have anyone else get injured we would struggle to cover it so picking up points at Subiaco was a massive win. They have certainly improved from the Subiaco we played last time and can understand why they will start to take points off teams.” Gate will come up against former club this week, after spending a season at Grindleford Reserve, and he said they have good young side so they need to make sure they are switched on. “Balcatta started very well and have a very young squad so we will have to be at our best again to get the three points,” he said. “Balcatta have some great people at club and would love to see them do well, just after this weekend. I don't think we have anyone back from last week, so it's the barebones again but hopefully we have enough or the Coach might have to get his boot on.” - Saturday (6pm) Floreat Athena v Balcatta – E&D Litis Stadium - Referee – Tom Dowle
Armadale are on the road again this week when they make the trip to Macedonia Park to take on Stirling Lions. The Lions drew last week against Perth Glory and found keeper Jordan Thurtell in red hot form, while Armadale came home from Mandurah with the points. Striker Kyle King bagged a hat-trick in the win and he said it was great result for the club. “Yes we are very happy after the win against Mandurah but that has only wet our appetite and made us hungry for more successes,” he said. “We set ourselves a goal of seven points from the Perth, Mandurah and Stirling games and we feel we are on track to achieve that, so we are looking forward to Saturday's game.” King, who joined the club from Morley Windmills this season, said the trip to Stirling is one they are looking forward too and continuing their unbeaten run on the road. “It hasn't worked at home for one reason or another, but we have felt disappointed to not draw or win some of the games we have lost at home,” he said. “We take it one game at a time and John O’Reilly has a real knack for choosing the right tactics on the day. We go into Saturday's game with confidence of a win, but we do feel we will have to be at our best to do so. Stirling have some good players so we will have to limit their chances and take ours.” - Saturday (3pm) Stirling Lions v Armadale – Macedonia Park - Referee – Sorousha Moayer
Mandurah City are still searching for their first win of the season and they have home advantage this week when they host Cockburn City at Securitas Protect Stadium. Cockburn were well beaten at home last week by ECU, and Scott Miller will be looking for a response from his players this week, while Mandurah were beaten by Armadale. Coach Doug Hesketh said last week’s game could have gone either way, but it wasn’t their day. “After a good Night Series we did take a couple of big hits injury wise Trent Wood, Lance Louvie and Jimmy Duncan to name a few, but I think we have played well in all games although results hasn’t reflected that,” he said. “The result last week was disappointing of course, I think we do play some great football, a close range save and the underside of the bar may be the result would be different, but switch off in the this league and you get punished. We will continue working smarter and reduce the errors and we will get some results on the board as soon as possible.” Hesketh said that players have worked hard on the track this week and are looking to end their winless run, but he knows Cockburn are a very good side. “I saw the result for them last week and respect they are an established NPL squad but I think it's more important I focus on our team and playing our game and seeing games through as we are in transition to establishing ourselves at a level up from last year,” he explained. “We have lead in the last three games but come away with a point, so we need to improve on the little things and the results will follow.” - Saturday (3pm) Mandurah City v Cockburn City - Securitas Protect Stadium - Referee – Nico Hoyle
The final game on Saturday see’s Bayswater City heading to Percy Doyle Reserve to take on Joondalup United. City left it late to beat Balcatta last week, while United’s unbeaten start to the season came crashing down after a big loss at Inglewood. Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings said they never got going. “We knew Inglewood would come out quick and to be honest we could have been two or three down in the first 25 minutes,” he said. “But we had a chat at the drinks break and changed a few things around and the boys responded well and we took the lead. But after half time our defensive performance was sub-standard all around the park. Yes we were undermanned but that’s never excuse we use, and on the day they deserve it.” Jennings said he is really looking forward to taking on Bayswater. “To be honest when the fixtures came out this is the first game I looked for,” he said. “They are the powerhouse of recent seasons and I’ve watched many of their games as a football fan. It will be a massive challenge against their star packed team, but one I think we’ll definitely be up for, and hopefully a decent crowd for what will be an entertaining game.” In team news Joondalup welcome back Jay Marsden, Josh Whitmore and Mike Kenny, and Ross Edwards will face a late fitness test, while Gustavo Giron-Marulanda and David Heagney will be pushing for a spot in the Bayswater starting side. – Saturday (3pm) Joondalup United v Bayswater City – Percy Doyle Reserve - Referee – Tom Glavovic
League leaders Sorrento hit the road this weekend, with a trip to Ashfield Arena to take on Perth Glory on Sunday. Sorrento maintained their spot at the top of the table after 2-1 win against Perth SC last week, while the Glory had to work hard to earn a scoreless draw against Stirling Lions. Sorrento Coach Jamie Harnwell said they just about deserved the points last week in a tight game. “I felt we struggled to deal with Perth in the first half and never really had control of the game. However, the Perth goal just after half-time seemed to really galvanize us and we began to play the type of football we are capable of,” he said. “We had some good opportunities that we wasted, and Perth had a couple as well, but in the end felt we just deserved it.” Sam Byles made his first start for the Gulls in the game and the Coach said he put in a good shift. “Sam has settled really well into the club and was really pleased, not just with his goal, but his overall performance on the weekend,” Harnwell explained. “Sam was a little bit underdone when he arrived at Sorrento and so had to bide his time in the 20’s to build his fitness, but has taken the opportunity to claim a starting spot, and it's great to have players come in and do that.” The Glory did the double over Sorrento last season and Harnwell is expecting another tough game on Sunday. “It's another big game for us if we want to stay at the top of the table,” he said. “The Glory side have impressed and there are a number of young players who are looking to get an A-League contract for next season so they are motivated to do well. We have had some tight tussles with them over the last couple of years and not expecting Sunday’s game to be any different.” In team news Jordan Brown returns from suspension, and Scott Bulloch from injury, but they will be without striker Sean Canham and Recce Vittiglia - Sunday (3pm) Perth Glory v Sorrento - Ashfield Reserve - Referee – Adam Fielding.
7.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROUND ONE – PREVIEW
The State League Division One kicks off this weekend, and the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’ is the clash between South West Phoenix and Rockingham City at WML Stadium. The Phoenix, have been in great form in the pre-season and new coach Mauro Marchione led them to the Night Series Final win against Forrestfield United. Striker Lee Stewart said things are going well and they played some good football to win the pre-season competition. “Winning the night series was great for the club as a lot of work has been put in off the pitch this year and it's good to give everyone involved something to cheer about.” He said. “But it is just a pre-season trophy and means very little when the league begins on Saturday.” Stewart said where ever you play the opening game of the season is important to win it, and they hope to open it with three points, against a side who did the double over them last season. “Rockingham have been putting a side together to win this league over the past 12 months and by all accounts are one of the favourites to win it,” he said. “They beat us twice last season and will be favourites going in the game this weekend, but we will prepare for it as best we can and maybe we can cause an upset.”
Rockingham City only just missed out on a Semi-Final spot in the night Series, and Coach Rob Crerar said they head into the game hoping to start the season with three points. “We have picked up a few injuries to key players in the recent weeks which isn't ideal but the squad has plenty of depth to cover that,” he said. “We will go in with a plan and confidence in the playing group to execute on that.” Crerar believes the Phoenix are the team to beat in 2017, but they head their looking to start their season with a win. “The form they showed in the Night Series has them as new league favourites, the new recruit looks to have real quality and in Mauro they have one of the best coaches in WA,” he said. “We are confident like we are against anyone of getting a positive result on the day, so we’ll see what happens.”
In other games Joondalup City play for the first time in the First Division when they travel to Nash Field to take on Western Knights, UWA-Nedlands entertain Dianella White Eagles, while Canning City travel to Walter Padbury Reserve to take on Gosnells City in the Inaugural ‘Frank Longstaff Trophy’ Both clubs have worked together to promote, not just the match but football in general throughout the local community. Frank was a great servant at both clubs and a terrific football figure in WA football, and a great bloke as well. The trophy will be decided over the two league games between the two sides.
There is another big game at the Ashfield Arena when Ashfield entertain local rivals Forrestfield United. It’s been a disappointing start to Matt Wardle’s tenure at Ashfield, after an early exit from the Night Series and the FFA Cup. But Wardle has a new squad to work with and they will be very competitive in this one. Forrestfield lost in the final of the Night Series but defender Mark Barnett said the overall performance in the competition bodes well for the season. “It was a fantastic pre-season from the lads and everyone involved. We exceeded all expectations and met our goals in the competition,” he said. “It was an unfortunate game against Bunbury in the final, but to be fair they were the better team on the day and credit to them. We have all recovered well from the night series and we are feeling very fit, strong and confident entering the first round of the season.” Barnett, who has played for Inglewood United and Perth Glory in the NPL, said Saturday’s opponents have been at the top part of the league over a number of seasons, so they need to be at their best. “Ashfield of course is always a tough game away. They have a few strong players in keys areas and at times can be hard to break down,” he said. “We will head into the game just how we left off last season, nothing changes, we play our game and we look to get an early three points.”
7.4.2017
STATE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, ROUND ONE – PREVIEW
Gwelup Croatia begin life in the State League when they travel to Gumblossom Park to take on Quinns FC to start the Second Division season on Saturday in the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’. Gwelup striker Gavin Knight said the Night Series was a perfect preparation for the season. “We have a very good pre-season. We were a bit disappointed that we didn't make the semi-final, but we didn't let that affect our team,” he said. “So played few friendlies to keep the fitness up, and we had good results against Canning, and in the FFA Cup.” Knight said Saturday’s first ever Gwelup game in the State League will be tough, but they are looking forward to it. “This week will be tough game for the lads, as it our first competitive game in Saturday soccer. But with the players that Gwelup has we should be up there this season,” he said. “Quinns will be up for this game as there very physical and have a few decent players, and they would want to beat us, like all other teams want to do as we the new kids on the block.”
In other games Melville City entertain Morley Windmills at John Connell Reserve, Balga host Shamrock Rovers at Princess Road Reserve, and Swan United have home ground advantage when they take on Kelmscott Roos at the Swan Italian Club. Swan Coach Matt Debarro said the black and whites have had a good pre-season. “Yes it was a good pre-season for the boys, and I was very happy with their efforts and the work they all put in to prepare for a big season ahead,” he said. “We are always confident in our teams’ ability to play a strong brand of football but we are also aware of how difficult teams are in this division so we will be sure not to get ahead of ourselves and stay focused on nothing but the next game ahead being this weekend.” Debarro is expecting a tough game against a Roos side that impressed last season. “Kelmscott had a good season last year and we are going in with the mentality that they are stronger now again,” he said. “We will be hoping to play our best as nothing less will get us the result we are looking for. We all know a good start is crucial in any campaign to avoid playing catchup from day - We look forward to the challenge.”
In the final game of the round Wanneroo City hosts Curtin University at Wanneroo Reserve. Wanneroo Coach Tim Kantor said he’s happy the season has arrived. “It's been a long pre-season and I’m happy round one is finally here,” he said. “We have assembled what I think is a very competitive young squad, and we’ve had a very solid night series and the group are starting to grasp the shape and formation that we want to play. We had a good win in the Cup on the weekend against a solid Division 1 team in Canning so we go into the 1st game with some confidence and momentum. We have a few injury concerns to some key players but I guess every Club faces that dilemma and I think that depth in the squad will play a big part as the season progresses.” Kantor said Curtin are a well-coached side and is expecting a tough game. “First up we meet Curtin at home who were narrowly beaten by Division 1 top 4 side Forrestfield on the weekend, so that would suggest that we are going to have our work cut out for us,” he said. “Curtin are a well organised team and hard to break down but we go into the game with some confidence but having a lot of respect for the opposition. Looking forward to a tough encounter and getting our season off to a good start.” – Olympic Kingsway have the bye.
5.4.2017
ROUX PENS CONTRACT EXTENSION
Storm Roux has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at Central Coast Mariners until at least the end of the 2018/19 A-League season. Roux arrived on the Central Coast in 2013 and immediately worked his way into Graham Arnold’s starting side, making 25 appearances in his first season.
Roux’s impressive performances resulted in an A-League Young Footballer of the Year nomination, selection for the New Zealand national team and a call-up for the A-League All-Stars side that played Juventus in 2014. The 24-year old defender has shown leadership qualities beyond his years to wear the captain’s armband in the absence of Nick Montgomery this season.
Roux said that signing his contract extension was a special moment. “To be able to extend my contract here at the Mariners means a lot,” Roux said. “This club gave me my chance in professional football at 20-years old and I was thrown right into the starting team which was massive for me.”
“I’ve played a lot of games for this club and to captain a couple of games when Monty has been out is a huge honour. This is very special and I just want to see this club get back to where it should be which is fighting for a top six finish ... I’m desperate to get back to finals football, I miss it a lot and it’s something I want to be a part of next season.”
The coaching appointment of Paul Okon played a big part in Roux’s decision to stay on the Central Coast. “Paolo has come in this season and given our team direction and he’s a coach that I want to play for,” said Roux, who has featured 22 times this season, taking his Central Coast game tally to 94.
“Paolo will have a full pre-season under his belt, bring in the players he wants and we will compete. All the boys in this team feel as though we are building towards something, Paolo is a great coach with a great history as a player so he’s certainly taught me a lot as a player this season.”
5.4.2017
NOW OR NEVER FOR GLORY’S FINALS HOPES
Perth Glory have reached a critical juncture in their A-League campaign as the fight for a play-off spot goes down to the wire. Glory must win one of the next two home games — against third-placed Brisbane Roar on Saturday night and eight days later against fourth-placed Melbourne City — to be guaranteed a finals berth.
Successive wins may lift Glory into a final position as high as third. But if they squander both games Keny Lowe’s team could slide to seventh and miss the end of season play-offs. Glory looked set for the finals until they hit a poor run of form that has left them without a win in their past four games.
But veteran midfielder Richard Garcia is confident they can battle through. “Form has been a little bit indifferent but it’s a massive incentive to win those last home games,” Garcia said. “It’s exciting. When it comes to finals time the high-pressure games are the ones you really want to play well in and do well as a team.”
4.4.2017
GLORY'S CASTRO YET TO DECIDE ON FUTURE
Perth Glory veteran Richard Garcia is adamant the uncertainty surrounding the future of star duo Diego Castro and Rhys Williams won't distract the team from their title quest. Castro will wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future, while Williams has been linked to a move to either Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC.
If Glory can beat title contenders Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City over the final two weeks of the regular season, they could finish in the top four and earn a home final. But they are also in danger of slipping out of the finals mix altogether, with Wellington Phoenix making a late charge.
Garcia doesn't think the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Williams and Castro has affected the side. "The group hasn't really thought about it. It's more at a boardroom level that those conversations have been taking place," Garcia said. "If they don't stay next year, we have to take advantage of having them this year and enjoy the rest of the season and make sure we succeed."
Castro will notch his 50th A-League appearance in Saturday night's clash with Brisbane. "He's head and shoulders above anyone we've had in the A-League," Garcia said of last season's Johnny Warren medallist. "He's produced some fantastic moments, as well as goals and assists. Let's hope he has a good last few games, and then returns in the coming future."
Castro, speaking through an interpreter, said he would wait until the end of the season before making a call on his future. The 34-year-old Spaniard did the same thing at the end of last season. "My focus now is not on my future, it's just on this season and to win this season," Castro said. "It's been a wonderful experience for me and my family."
"I'm so grateful for all the things I've received from Perth Glory, the crowd, and all the people involved in my life. I'm very focused on finishing this season, to be at the top of the league, and then you will see next season." Williams (suspension) and Rostyn Griffiths (quad) will return against Brisbane in an important double boost for Glory.
3.4.2017
RUKAVYTSYA BAGS A WINNING BRACE
Forgotten Socceroo Nikita Rukavytsya scored a brace to help Maccabi Haifa to a vital 3-2 victory against Beitar Jerusalem. Rukavytsya, who scored either side of the break, was a constant menace for the defence throughout the Israel Premier League Championship Group clash.
Even so, Maccabi Haifa had to come from behind twice to seal all three points with the 29-year old former Western Sydney Wanderers and Perth Glory star proving decisive. "I really believe in him, he is an athlete and a good football player," manager Guy Luzon said of Rukavytsya post-game.
2.4.2017
WANTED WILLIAMS CLOSE TO FINALISING FUTURE
Rhys Williams insists he hopes to have his future "sorted out" by the middle of the month as he juggles offers from Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and an assortment of clubs in Asia. While the Perth Glory defender hasn't reveal the front runner for his services, Victory have been loudly touted as strong favorites to land the off-contract 28-year old.
"I have a few options to be honest ... and I am just trying to weigh up what will best for my future," said Williams, who is back on an even keel with his hometown team after what has been at times been a turbulent season. "I just need a good platform to stay in and around the Socceroos squad, and where that is right now I am not too sure."
Referring to the approaches made by Victory and Sydney, Williams said: "It's always nice when the top two teams in the country are showing interest. There are bits and pieces from around and it's now a question of sitting down with my agent and my family and friends and working out the best move going forward.
"A big thing for me is to be involved in the Asian Champions League ... everybody wants to play in such a competition, and I am no different. I want to reach the heights that I couldn't quite hit because of my injuries. I don't want to go somewhere and be happy finishing mid-table - I want to be at a club that can win trophies. Not many players in their career get to lift trophies and I haven't had the chance to yet."
Should, as expected, the elegant utility exit Glory, he will have no regrets or recriminations from his so-far 14-game stint. "I wouldn't take anything back and I have learned a lot about myself," said Williams, who was out of favour in January and might have left the club during the transfer window. "I feel everything happens for a reason."
"I came back and wanted to prove my fitness and feel I have done that to a certain extent. I appreciate Glory giving me the chance ... whether or not I stay, remains to be seen. I know what I have to do to succeed at this level now, they gave me the chance to step foot in the A-League and I've really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can now kick on again next year."
Reflecting on his international recall, as part of the squad that faced Iraq and United Arab Emirates, Williams expressed his surprise and delight. "It was great to be involved again ... I didn't expect to be there, with all due respect," he said. "I still don't feel like I am 100 per cent match fit, but it's always nice to be involved and be around camp."
"It was good to show that I am hungry for it again. It's interesting times and for me, now it's a matter of getting properly fit and next time (I'm selected) I want to play. It's a great feeling to have my foot in the door again, and if I keep my club form intact then hopefully everything else will fall into place."
2.4.2017
LOWE: I ‘CAN’T FAULT’ MY BOYS
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe is proud of the way his undermanned troops battled to a 1-1 draw at Adelaide United on Friday night. Missing the likes of team captain Rostyn Griffiths, attacking midfielder Nebojsa Marinkovic and Socceroo Rhys Williams, Glory were forced to settle for a draw which means they remain three points adrift of the top four.
“You want to win to get further up the league but I can’t fault what we did on the night,” Lowe said after the game. “There are a lot of guys who came in underdone. “ They were honest in what they did. Lucian (Goian) and Dino (Djulbic) dealing with the big boy up front (Baba Diawara) was difficult but they were game at it. I just thought it was a quality game.”
Glory’s marking at set pieces came into question after Adelaide defender Dylan McGowan nodded the opener into an empty net midway through the first half. The team in purple needed at least a point to remain a realistic chance of claiming a home final and got it courtesy of Diego Castro’s penalty in first half stoppage time.
Lowe said there was plenty of planning done to combat a side which scored twice from corners last round. “We went through it piece-by-piece to be truthful,” the Glory coach said. “At the end of the day … you can work on your set plays all day long but if (there) is quality delivery – and that was quality delivery – quality movement, great timing, (it’s) very difficult to defend against.”
2.4.2017
WESTFIELD FFA CUP THIRD ROUND (WA) – REVIEW
It was the third round of the Westfield FFA Cup on Saturday and there were a few shocks, with three State League teams bowing out to lower opposition. Division One side Gosnells City were bundled out by Amateur Premier Division side Kingsley, Balga were beaten 4-1 by Southern Spirit also from the Amateur Premier, while Canning City were beaten by Division two side Wanneroo City.
The home side started the game very brightly and created some really good chances early on, and on the half hour they were rewarded for our dominance when Scott Johnston unleashing a dipping shot which the keeper could only get a hand to. Then just before half time some great individual work from Endalk Achamyeleh saw him beat a couple of defenders and slotted a measured shot into the corner to give the home side a 2-0 half time lead. Canning hit back after the break and Darren Gamble reduced the margin with a curling free kick that gave home keeper Joey Smith no chance. Canning were on top but against the run of play Wanneroo added a third, and after some great combination play on the right saw Scott Johnston finish with a great first time shot. The home side had a goal disallowed for offside and with 15 minutes to go Canning pulled another one back, Callum Roberts’ glancing header beat Smith. The last 15 minutes was frantic and the game became a real cup tie, but Wanneroo defended well and hung on to the 3-2 win. “I’m very proud of the players for their work rate and effort and it was nice to claim a Division one scalp,” Coach Tim Kantor said. “We now turn our attention to game one of the State League season at home against Curtain University on Saturday night.”
Melville City made the long trip to Albany Bayswater and came home with a 7-0 win, with a hat-trick to Simon El Chami, two to Charlie Bush and another to Ally Campbell. Bussleton will be flying the flag for the Country side after they defeated Hammersley Rovers 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 3-3. Gwelup Croatia made light work of Dalyellup Park Rangers, winning 11-0, with Gavin Knight bagging a hat-trick, Jake Verini two, and singles to Nick Tatasciore, Teeboy Kamara, Noah Shamaki, Adbul Sesay and even keeper Tom Dixon got in on the act converting a late penalty.
Ashfield cup run came to an abrupt end when they were well beaten 5-1 by Dianella White Eagles. Angel Andres bagging a hat trick, while Vlad Naumovski and an own goal completed the big win. UWA Nedlands came away from Gumblossom Park with a 3-1 win against Quinns. Josh Marocchi opened, the score for UWA before Alex Kretowicz added a second. Gary Hamilton pulled one back for the home with a shot from the edge of the box, but Kretowicz added his second to win for UWA. South West Phoenix have continued their good run of form with a 6-3 win against Kelmscott Roos. Nicola Gazzola scoring another hat-trick, James McCleary two and Lee Stewart the other. Asa Sippits scored twice for Kelmscott with Darren Kingston scoring the other.
Forrestfield United were made to work hard by Curtin University, but came out on top 2-1 at Hartfield Park. The home side were left frustrated as a solid Curtin side kept them at bay, but three minutes from half time the home side made the break through Liam Merigan cut in from the left and played in Ben Rogers, who was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot. Rhys Loxley took the spot kick and fire low to the keepers’ right to send them into half time in front. But early in the second half the visitors levelled, a bad back pass was pounced on by Danny Todd, and he rounded Luke Martino to score. It looked like it would go to extra time with Curtin defending well, but five minutes from time the home side won it. Mitch Crocker played in substitute Jordan Hart, who turned his marker and fired low into the net. “A very tough game, played on the trainings pitch as the main one isn't ready yet,” Forrestfield Coach Rod Banjac said. “It’s small and narrow, and they defended deep and looked for the counter, but we managed to put two away and we’re into the next round.”
In other games Joondalup City beat Amateur Division Two club Ballajura 8-0, Woodvale beat Albany Rovers 10-1, Wembley Downs continue their winning form beating Joondanna Blues from the social league 1-0, and Swan United suffered a scare, but ending up beating Warnbro Strikers 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 3-3. United coach Matt Debarro said it was tough game. “We should have buried heaps inside the first 20 minutes, and those missed chances came back to bite us,” he said. “It wasn’t the best of pitches and it was a struggle from then on, but we got it done in the end.” Western Knights came home from Kingsway Olympic with a 3-0 win, Adriano Jelenovic scoring twice and Paul Lloyd the other. Morley Windmills beat Perth Royals 3-2 at Wotton Reserve. Goals from Anthony Lomma, Ben Reynolds and Lawrence Lewis gave Fremantle City a 3-0 win at Kwinana United. Rockingham run out comfortable 9-0 winners against Kalamunda United, James Harmer scoring four, with Brian Gwataringa, Gersh Rowland, Liam Hurst, Jason Pottier and Ryan Kennedy scoring the others.
2.4.2017
KEOGH TRIPLE THREAT SINKS JOONDALUP
A hat-trick from Inglewood United midfielder Kenny Keogh has given them a come-from-behind 5-2 win against Joondalup United at the Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Alex Salmon gave the home side the lead early, but a brace from Richard Howles gave Joondalup the lead at the break. But Keogh bagged two to give the home side the lead and Salmon added his second from the spot, before Keogh fired home three minutes from time to seal the win, end Joondalup’s unbeaten start to the season and complete his hat-trick.
“We had to work hard for the points, they a physical team, but I thought we overran them in the second half and I thought our fitness shone through,” Keogh told the NPL website. “It good to get back in the team, but more importantly we got the three points. It’s starting to click now, and playing up front with the quality we have up there is good, so there is always going to be chances and luckily I managed to bag a few today.”
The home made the perfect start and we’re ahead on six minutes. Keogh made space down the right and crossed to Salmon who headed home at the back post. Joondalup settled and they equalised on the half hour. A ball over the top caught Inglewood square at the back, sending Howles clear, he held off his marker and finished low past Alex Dunn.
Inglewood should have retaken the lead three minutes later. Scott Blackmore sent Salmon down the right, his cross picked out Brian Woodall, but with the goal at his mercy the striker blazed over from five meters. That miss came back to haunt Inglewood when Joondalup hit the front moments later. Sparrow’s corner was headed back across goal and Howles got in front of his marker to fire home from close-range.
After the break Jason Barrera fired just wide, before Mark Pritchard’s free kick was headed inches wide by Woodall. But Inglewood’s pressure was rewarded with the equaliser on 69 minutes. Barrera’s through ball picked out the overlapping Jason Colli on the right, and his cross found Keogh, whose shot on the turn beat Bosdet. Alex Dunn had to be alert moments later, the Inglewood custodian producing a superb save to deny Howles his hat-trick. Then five minutes later the home side regained the lead. Colli again down the right and his low cross was turned home by Keogh.
The home side added a fourth six minutes from time, when Woodall was brought down by Greg Pellow, and referee Adam Fielding pointing straight to the spot. Salmon stepped and sent Bosdet the wrong way to make the points safe. But three minutes later the icing was put on the cake, with a great team goal. Salmon and Woodall combined down the left, the latter cutting the ball back to Keogh to fire home, and complete a man of the match performance and his hat-trick.
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 4 Scott BLACKMORE (C), 5 Adam TONG (20 Connor BECSI 93’), 7 Kenny KEOGH, 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 11 John MIGAS, 14 Mark PRITCHARD (19 Chok DAU 67’), 15 Brian FARRELL (16 Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS 41’), 18 Jason COLLI, 23 Brian WOODALL - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 3 David CYRUS - Yellow cards: Nil
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET (C), 2 Joel LEDSHAM, 3 Rowdy YATES (18 Anthony TAYLOR 46’), 5 Joe STOCKER, 6 Guy MCDONALD, 7 Matthew SPARROW (14 Jess COMPTON 86’), 9 Richard HOWLES (12 David JAY 85’), 10 Alex WILD, 17 Luke SERRA, 54 Robert BAIN, 25 Greg PELLOW - Subs not used: GK Jack NUNN - Yellow Cards: Sparrow 10, McDonald 19, Bain 45+1, Wild 56 - Referee: Adam Fielding
2.4.2017
KING HAT-TRICK GIVES REDS THE POINTS
Armadale continued their good away form after beating Mandurah United 4-2 in an entertaining game at the Securitas Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Red striker Kyle King scored a hat-trick to help John O’Reilly’s side win, with David Annall scoring the other. Jordan Rhodes had given the home side the lead early, and Oriol Fernandez also scored, but the loss leaves the Dolphins still without a win this season.
“This win was credit to the coach, we changed our formation as we believed we could exploit Mandurah in certain areas and changed to two up top, having Jordan up there with me allowed me to play more of my natural game and it showed when I got my hat trick,” King said. “It's nice to get the three points along with three goals, and now we are looking towards next week to make it seven points from three games.”
It was a tight affair early, with both sides using the aerial route, but once the game settled down both sides played some good football, and it was the home side first on the scoreboard on the half hour. Matt Stares played a one-two with Ryan Francis, and then found Rhodes, who finished well past Michael Craggs. But the visitors hit back and were level ten minutes later.
Dannie Richman’s cross turned home by King from close-range. Mandurah went close to restoring their lead just before half time, Fernandez’s cross picked out Rhodes, but his header hit the underside of the crossbar and away to safety. But in stoppage time it was Armadale who took the lead, King finishing well to send them to the break with the lead.
Mandurah were back on level terms six minutes into the second half. Francis won possession in the middle of the park and sent Fernandez clear and he finished with aplomb. But it was Armadale who would go on and win this one, and Annall made it 3-2 on 76 minutes, before the Reds made sure of the points in the final minutes. Armadale striker Joshua Tumoe was introduced with an immediate impact, sending the ball over the top to put King in on goal, he rounded Mandurah keeper Cyril Sharrock and scored, sealing both his hat trick, and the match for Armadale.
“Obviously as a coach you want to watch pretty football, and (I wish) that all those passes were along the ground, but considering who we were playing against today, the tactics that we used were pretty effective, and we did get a lot of opportunities.” Armadale Coach John O’Reilly told the NPL website.
Mandurah City: GK Cyril SHARROCK, 2 Oliver MCGEE, 3 Jeff BRIGHT, 4 Matt STARES, 5 Mitch FIRTH (12 Thomas STRAKER 81’), 6 Oscar THOMPSON (7Jack EADES 46’), 8 Andrew BROWN, 9 Sean TROUP, 10 Jordan RHODES, 11 Ryan FRANCIS - Subs not used: RGK Brad EIFFE, 16 Alex CLARKE, 14 Mark MCLAUGHLIN - Yellow Cards: MCGEE 42’, BROWN 81’
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 2 Dylan WHITE (19 Beau RAHIM 89’), 3 Jake SARDELIC, 4 Nathan COSTELLO (c), 5 Sam LOVELESS, 7 Charlie KENNA, 8 Jordan PAVETT (12 Joshua TUMOE 65), 9 Kyle KING, 11 Dannie RICHMAN (17 James ATKINS 91’), 14 David ANNALL, 16 Tristan TAYLOR - Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 18 Milan OGNJENOVIC - Yellow Cards: PAVETT 54min, TUMOE 86 - Referee: David Bruce
1.4.2017
CLUBS’ OWN GOAL OVER JUNIOR FEE HIKES (by Liam Croy, thewest.com.au)
Perth’s top clubs have been accused of hiking up junior fees to fund their pursuit of top-flight glory. The 'West Australian' received several calls this week after a story about soaring junior fees and a lack of financial support from soccer’s governing bodies.
Neil Bennett, a coach at Northern Redbacks Women's Soccer Club and the father of Perth Glory midfielder Carla Bennett, said he was not alone in thinking clubs used juniors fees to prop up their senior team.
He said the fees had reached a point where some children were being priced out of the sport. Mr Bennett has been involved with two NPL WA clubs in the past. He said it was obvious to him that some clubs did things “behind closed doors” to flout the $75,000 salary cap.
NPL clubs must sign a statutory declaration each season outlining total player payments. A Football West spokesman said there had been no evidence of breaches since the cap was introduced in 2013. Football West launched a review of the NPL WA system this month which will include player payments and junior fees.
Perth SC president Gary Marocchi said he believed most clubs did the right thing. “There are obviously plenty of rumours that go around,” Marocchi said. “We can’t work out how some clubs can keep bringing in new players and stay under the salary cap.”
Mr Marocchi said any clubs breaching the cap should be “hauled over the coals”, but he had little faith in Football West’s ability to police it. “We’ve got a policy that we stick to the rules and we won the league last year with a younger team. It can be done,” he said.
1.4.2017
ATHENA END SUBIACO’S GOOD RUN
Floreat Athena have moved to second place on the PS4 NPLWA table after a 4-1 win against Subiaco at Rosalie Park on Saturday afternoon. Bobby Wilson gave the visitors the lead early, but Stefan Hill levelled before the break. But second half goals from Kris Gate, Jon Stynes and Andrew Scaldaferro gave Floreat a comprehensive win to keep the good start to the season going.
“The three points is always fantastic, we all know that we are undermanned but we fought hard today so hats off the boys,” Floreat Coach Glen Grostate told the NPL website. “Subiaco have been playing really well lately, they beat Stirling and Balcatta in recent weeks and that wouldn’t have been an easy feat, so credit to them they gave us a run but we just overtook them in the end.’
The visitors made the perfect start and were ahead on six minutes. Subiaco failed to clear their lines in a goalmouth scramble and Wilson pounced to fire home. Subiaco hit back and had a number of half chances and on the half hour they levelled. David Perich picking out Hill in the box and he headed past Jordan Barbas, who was making his first start of the season.
Floreat had the perfect opportunity to regain their lead five minutes before half time when referee Tom Glavovic spotted a handball in the area and pointed straight to the spot. Stynes stepped up, but Ryan Montgomery guessed the right way to save the resulting penalty and send the sides in level at the break.
It was an even second half with chances at both ends, but on the hour the visitors hit the front. Gate was given far too much time on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder finished well past Montgomery. It was a bitter blow for the home side, but it went from bad to worse two minutes later when Floreat added a third.
Shaun Timmions’ low cross was turned home by Stynes. Subiaco pressed late looking to get back into the game but the Floreat defence held firm and with the home side pushing men forward they were caught out in stoppage time with Floreat adding a fourth. Substitutes Joe Tweats and Andrew Scaldaferro combined the latter finishing clinically, wrapping up all three points.
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 John LOCKHART (3 Ger FITZGERALD 69’), 8 Mike LAWSON, 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDISH (10 Robbie HARDING 76’), 14 Ross JARMAN, 15 Henock BUTSHIRE (16 Ian MCMURRAY 64’), 17 Alex CASTIELLO 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: 6 Andy LESTER, 21 Nic SPECA - Yellow Cards: Perich 47’
Floreat Athena: GK Jordan BARBAS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ, 5 Bobby WILSON (20 Joe TWEATS 79’), 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathan STYNES, 10 Kris GATE, 11 Dennis GALAN, 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY (4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO 59’), 17 Dean EVANS (C) - Subs not used: RGK Aidan HOLLOUAT, 16 Ryan MALTON, 33 Juma AWAKA - Yellow Cards: Nil - Referee: Tom Glavovic
1.4.2017
NINKOVIC AT THE DOUBLE FOR BAYSWATER
Bayswater City returned to the winners circle after a 2-1 win against Balcatta at Grindleford Reserve on Saturday afternoon. When the team sheet was handed over, many were shocked that Coach Chris Coyne left strikers experienced strikers Gustavo Giron-Marulanda and David Heagney on the bench and gave a start to Luka Ninkovic, and the youngster never let him down by bagging a brace to seal the points. They had to come from behind to seal victory after Lucas Mello had given the home side the lead at the break.
“It was a close game, first half we had a lot more ball possession but weren't clinical in the final third, and we conceded a goal right before half time but when we came back on for the second half we started stringing passes and looking more dangerous,” Ninkovic said. “Balcatta had a few chances to go ahead but didn't capitalize on their chances, but we took ours. It was good to get my first start this season and because I had really good delivery I was able to score twice.”
It was tight affair in the opening minutes of the Italian derby and the visitors went close to the opener on seven minutes. Ninkovic raced clear down the flank and cut the ball back to Sam Mitchinson, whose header flashed over the top. The home side were struggling in the final third and to break down a Bayswater defence with Brent Griffiths and Trent Kay dominate. But they slowly began to get into the game and went close to the opener on 44 minutes.
Ismael Bangura, who had come on to replace Dino Topcagic on the half hour, raced into the box and rounded keeper Devon Spence, but Declan Hargreaves got back to clear the ball off the line. But in stoppage time of half time the home side managed to find the breakthrough. Bayswater failed to clear a ball into the box and Mello scrambled the ball home to send the home side into the break with the lead.
Borbor Sam was a constant threat for Bayswater after the break, but it looked like it was going to be one of those days for the visitors, with chances coming and not being taken. But on the hour their pressure was rewarded with the equaliser. Heagney had only been on the pitch for five minutes, when his teasing cross picked out Ninkovic, who made no mistake heading home past Domenico Savoldelli.
The visitors pressed and should have hit the front on 66 minutes, after Sam cut the ball back to Jack Allen, but the substitute fired over the top. Balcatta continued to take the game to Bayswater and a quick counter attack from Feisal Zaw down the left ended with a cross to Mello, whose shot beat Spence, but the post came to the Bayswater custodians’ rescue.
Then ten minutes from time substitute Kurt Kouakou had a perfect chance to regain the lead, after he was sent one-on-one with Spence, but the keeper stood tall and the striker fired wide of the target. That miss came back to haunt them as three minutes later Bayswater won it. Paul McCarthy found space down right and crossed to Ninkovic who rose highest to head home.
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Callum O’CONNELL, 6 Jonathan CORNESS, 8 Patrick SARA (12 Kurt KOUAKOU 56’), 9 Lucas MELLO, 10 Dino TOPCAGIC (23 Ismael BANGURA 29’), 11 Feisal ZAW, 13 Daniel Hepworth (14 Emmanuel MANSARAY 78’), 16 Kieron STALLARD, 20 Paddy QUINN (C) - Subs not used: 18 Ben MEREDITH, 19 Jaedon EWEN - Yellow Cards: Sara 6’, Bangura 42’, Stallard 70’, Onek 72’, Hepworth 77’
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2 Declan HARGREAVES (3 Jack ALLEN 46’), 10 Jason MICRO (8 Paul MCCARTHY 56’), 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (C), 16 Brent GRIFFITHS, 17 Borbor SAM, 19 Luka NINKOVIC, 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 23 Andrija JUKIC (21 David HEAGNEY 56’) - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 9 Gustavo Giron MARULANDA - Yellow Cards: Griffiths 62’, Heagney 87’ - Referee: Josh Manella
1.4.2017
GLORY AND LIONS SHARE THE SPOILS
Perth Glory and Stirling Lions have fought out an entertaining 0-0 draw at Ashfield Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Both sides had chances in a tense last 20 minutes which saw many chances created, but both keepers weren’t going to be beaten and they shared the spoils.
“We thought we were super today, they (Stirling) are a good side with some quality players and we thought we matched them every step of the way, and the attitude and work rate by the whole group was magnificent,” Glory Coach John Gibson told the Glory website.
“But we are disappointed because we could've been rewarded with more if we are more ruthless and cleaner in the front third. “That’s our first clean sheet of the season, particularly to the backend of the game where we scrambled and showed tremendous desperation in the frantic last 10 minutes of the game.”
The Glory opened brightly and Lions keeper John Perkins pushed Joe Knowles’ snap shot around the post early, before Jack Iredale’s back post header was cleared off the line. Jack Leech effort from the edge of the penalty flashed over the top, before Miki Vujacic’s curling free kick did likewise at the other end.
After the break it was a real arm-wrestle with both sides pushing for the opening goal and both went close as the game opened up. First Leech’s shot fell kindly for Iredale, but the central defender shot on the turn flashed over the top, before Vujacic’s shot from the edge of the penalty area drifted the wrong side of the post. Bayley Montgomery-Brown went close moments later, after he found room in the penalty area, but his shot was cleared by some desperate Stirling defending.
It was end-to-end football and Moses Kalau went close for Stirling but his volley was saved well by Jordan Thurtell. Then moments later, skipper Daniel Stynes saw his shot cleared off the line, and Michael McDougall snap shot was well saved by Perkins. Perkins then denied Montgomery-Brown as the Glory piled on the pressure, but the introduction of former Glory midfielder David Micevski gave the visitors a lift.
Thurtell saved well from David Micevski’s set piece, before standing tall to deny him again moments later. The Glory had one last chance to claim all three points, when Kosta Petratos’ low cross looked like finding Stynes for a tap in at the back post, but a last ditch tackle denied him and after a pulsating game the whistle sounded and the points were shared.
Perth Glory: GK Jordan Thurtell, 2 Riley Warland, 3 Luca Bodnar, 4 Jack Iredale, 5 Ollie Annis (12 Cam Murray 45’), 6 Jack Leech, 7 Michael McDougall, 8 Sam Riak (13 Jamal Reiners 64’), 10 Daniel Stynes, 11 Kosta Petratos, 15 Joseph Knowles (9 Bayley Montgomery-Brown 46’) - Subs not used: RGK Stef King, 16 Joseph Marino - Yellow Cards: Stynes 37’, McDougall 81’
Stirling Lions: GK John Perkins, 2 Michael Pugliese, 4 Blamo Qua Qua, 6 Dejan Spaseski, 7 Miki Vujacic (17 Darren O Riordan 78’), 10 Daniel Micevski, 12 Jason Rubidge (8 Steve Sokol 68’) 14 Lukas De Lima (11 David Micevski 81’), 15 Shane Cassidy, 16 Mathaing Mathiang, 18 Moses Kalau - Subs not used: RGK Lance Alavakis, 3 Alex Suleski - Yellow Cards: O Riordan 90+1’ - Referee: Matthew Southern
1.4.2017
CANHAM WINS IT LATE FOR GULLS
A goal six minutes from time from Sorrento’s striker Sean Canham has given them a 2-1 win in the top of the table clash against Perth SC at Percy Doyle Reserve. Gustavo Catarcione bagged his seventh goal of the season to give the visitors the lead early in the second half, Sam Byles levelled just before the hour. Both sides had chances to win it but Canham had the final word.
It was tense and tight first half with clear cut chances few and far between, the best came from long-range but James Morgan and Francis Soale weren’t really tested. But that all that changed after the break, with both sides going for the three points that would take them to the top of the table. It was the visitors who made the perfect start to the second half, scoring in the opening minute.
Matthew Milenkovic found space down the flank and cut inside his marker and cross low into the penalty area and Catarcione made no mistake past James Morgan from close-range. But Sorrento showed great character and hit back six minutes later. Billy Quinncroft turned his marker on the edge of the penalty area, his shot first time was well saved by Soale, but Byles was quickest to react to fire home the rebound, for his first goal for the club.
It was end-to-end football now with both sides going close to regaining the lead. Alex Morgan heading inches wide for Sorrento, before Catarcione’s long-range shot was well saved by James Morgan. Quinncroft was in again moments later this time his chip from the edge of the penalty area was tipped over by the alert Soale, before Aleks Jovic blazed over after good approach work from Hayley Orr and Catarcione.
It looked like the points would be shared, but on 84 minutes Sorrento scored the winner. Canham, who replaced Quinncroft 11 minutes early, found space down the right, drifted inside his marker and finished clinically past Soale. “The performance probably wasn’t what we wanted but we know we’ve got goals in us,” Sorrento Coach Jamie Harnwell told the NPL website. “So to grind out a result against a very good Perth side was very pleasing.”
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (9 Sean CANHAM 73), 7 Alex MORGAN, 8 Ryan PEARSON, 11 Timothy HILL, 13 Steve MCDONALD (c), 14 Scott WITSCHGE, 19 Jack SALTER (6 Daryl PLATTEN 54), 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES (4 Shaun KILKELLY 86) - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 3 Jackson DONGRAY - Yellow Cards: Shore
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (c), 7 Aleks JOVIC, 8 Tom KING, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (3 Andreas THEODOSIADES 73), 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC, 12 Jordan DE LEO, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR (14 Cameron REECE 85), 16 Kieran COLWELL - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 2 Alex SILLA, 21 Paul ZIMARINO - Yellow Cards: Madaschi - Referee: Steven Gregory
1.4.2017
ECU GET BACK ON TRACK AFTER WIN AT COCKBURN
ECU Joondalup have won for the first time on the road this after a 4-0 win against Cockburn City at Dalmatinac Park on Saturday afternoon. They were ahead at the break with Scottish striker Gordon Smith on target, and he added another after the break before substitute James Owen and Ben Johns gave Dale McCulloch’s side a huge three points. “Really proud of the performance from the lads today, we played last week without any reward, but today we were and well worth the win,” he told the NPL website. “All the players who came in today put in good shifts, it was their opportunity to show me what they are about and they never let me down.”
Cockburn should have taken the lead after only three minutes, when a bad back pass from Johns was pounced on by Liam Murray, and the striker was brought down in the box by Shane Pickering and referee Stuart Muldoon pointed straight to the spot. Murray picked himself up and took the resulting penalty, but Greenwood guessed the right way to push it away. The visitors pressed forward after that let off, and Cockburn keeper Luke Radonich produced a stunning save to deny Jon Huggins on 24 minutes, but there was little the keeper could do when ECU opened the scoring four minutes later. A ball over the top by McGarry was misjudged by Joshua Kerr, and Smith raced into goal, and finished clinically past Radonich. Conceding the goal seemed to wake Cockburn up, and they ended the half well. Calvin Whitney’s shot crashed off the crossbar, before Cameron Edwards’ shot was tipped over the top by the alert Greenwood moments later.
The visitors were out of the blocks early in the second and Radonich saved well to thwart Smith early, before the keeper produced a great save to deny Logan McIsaac. But on 69 minutes the visitors doubled their advantage. Daryl Nicol found space down the left and cut inside his marker, his deep cross picked out the unmarked Smith at the back post who headed home. They added a third eight minutes later. Smith sent in substitute Owen down the right of the penalty area and the youngster kept his composer and finished clinically. Cockburn continued to press and Greenwood produced two great saves to deny Aden Da Luz and Whitney late on, but two minutes from time ECU scored their fourth. Johns picked the ball up just inside the Cockburn half and raced at the home defence weaving in and out of tackles, before racing into the penalty area and finishing with aplomb, for one of the best individuals goals of the season.
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 2 Joshua KUSER (10 David ARAYA 67’), 4 Euen GRANT (C), 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI (12 Kenel MOUITHYS 75’), 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 11 Harry O’BRIEN (13 Blake ADAMS 60’), 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZARRO, 18 Aden DA LUZ, 19 Liam MURRAY - Subs not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 3 Daniel DOLS - Yellow Cards: Nil
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Logan MCISAAC, 6 Jon HIGGINS (C), 7 Kevin MOON (8 Declan HUGHES 85’), 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Sam POLLARD (15 James OWEN 67’), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 16 Cian HIRRELL, 19 Ben JOHNS - Subs not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 2 Stefan VRANESEVIC, 12 Keylun POLLARD - Yellow Cards: Nil - Referee: Stuart Muldoon
31.3.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND SEVEN PREVIEW
It’s Week 7 of the PS4 National Premier League WA, and the Footballwa.net – ‘Match of the Round’ takes us to Percy Doyle Reserve with Champions Perth SC making the trip to take on top of the table Sorrento. These teams have been there or there about in recent seasons, and this season is no different with only one point separating the two sides. The last time these two teams met at the venue was in Round 22 last season, when Perth came away with a 1-0 win to claim the league title. The only goal of the game was an own goal from Gulls defender Daryl Platten.
The home side are coming off a 3-2 win at local rivals ECU Joondalup last week, and midfielder Jack Salter was on the scoreboard, bagging the third, but he said it wasn’t their best performance of the season. “Last week was a disappointing performance, by far the worst we have played all year,” he said. “But winning games when you’re playing bad is how you win leagues, so the team were pretty happy to get the win especially in a local derby.” The New Zealander said the club are relishing Saturday’s clash with the Champions but he said it will be a huge challenge. “We go into the game full of confidence, and we’ve had a great start and are still undefeated,” he explained. “Perth are sitting just behind us on the table and have some talented players, but there's a real belief in the camp and this week will be another big test.” In team news Reece Vittiglia limped off with a hamstring injury last week, and will miss the game against former club, along with the suspended Jordan Brown. Scott Bulloch will face a late fitness test, but they do regain the services of Ryan Pearson and Sean Canham.
Perth SC lost top spot last week with a home scoreless draw against Armadale. Midfielder Harley Orr, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Tuesday, said they were frustrated with not taking their chances against Armadale. “It was very disappointed to only come away with a draw. We completed dominated the whole game but just couldn't take our chances,” he explained. “We could have been 3-0 up in the first half but unfortunately we just didn't have that finishing touch on the day, which was real frustrating.” Orr said any trip to Sorrento is a tough game and Saturday will be no different. “It’s a massive game this weekend against Sorrento, they haven't lost a game yet and have looked pretty impressive in the highlights so I'm sure it will be a really good contest,” he said. “It’s always tough to play at Percy Doyle (AKA Windy Hill) but hopefully we can put in a good performance, take our chances and come away with the three points.” In team news Niccole Sabatini looks set to return to the side against his former club, but they will still be without skipper Clark Keltie, but Francis Soale is fit after shaking off the injury that forced him off at half time last week. - Saturday (3pm) Sorrento v Perth SC – Percy Doyle Reserve - Referee – Steven Gregory
Subiaco play their first home game of the season when they welcome Floreat Athena to Rosalie Park. Glen Grostate’s side have struggling with injuries this season, but still are sitting third on the table with only one defeat. They won a hard fought point last week at Bayswater last week, and go into the game full of confidence. But Subiaco are on a good run of form winning their last two games, including a 3-0 win at Balcatta last week. Midfielder David Perich said his new look side are gelling well together and last week’s win was well-deserved. “I think it was a great win and has been a few games coming. The first time we've concentrated and delivered for a full game,” he said. “With late signings and injury - half the team played together for the first time in game one of the season. I think some clubs have expected us to be an automatic win, and are surprised for us to actually be pretty decent.” Perich, who had a year away from the NPL last season with North Perth United in the Sunday Amateurs, said Floreat have a good side and he’s looking to the game to see where they are at. “After two wins I think all the boys are excited to play a team near the top of table to see how good we are,” he said. “It's our first home game of the season and the first time playing at home for half the team, so hopefully we can start a winning run there.” In team news Mike Lawson, Ryan Montgomery, Alex Castello and Perich all pulled up sore after last week but should be available, while Floreat will be missing Lewis McMahon, who was carried off last week, and they will also be without Jason and Chris Saldaris, who are both unavailable, while Clayton Arnez will have a late fitness test. But they do get back Bobby Wilson and Andrew Scaldafarro after both missed last week. - Saturday (3pm) Subiaco v Floreat Athena – Rosalie Park - Referee – Tom Glavovic
Perth Glory has home ground advantage when they host Stirling Lions at Ashfield Reserve. Both sides are coming off big wins last week, the Glory winning on the road at Mandurah, while the Lions beat Inglewood United. The 2-0 for the Lions was their second win of the season and keeper John Perkins said it was a huge relief to get the three points. “It was an important result - we know we haven't really done ourselves or the club justice this season,” he said. “And we owed a big performance to the manager after our unacceptable performance the week before so it was good to come away with a clean sheet and three points.” The Irish custodian said the Glory youngsters have started the season well and they will need to be on their toes from the first whistle. “The result against Inglewood is in the past now so we haven't dwelled on it. We know Perth Glory present very different challenges to Inglewood and we are taking them very seriously,” he explained. “Our goal is always to win, regardless of who it is against or where it is. So we will be going there to put our heads down, work hard to put in a good performance and hopefully come away with three points.” Both sides go into the game at full strength. Saturday (3pm) Perth Glory v Stirling Lions – Ashfield Reserve - Referee – Matthew Southern
Cockburn City sits in fourth spot on the table and will be looking to keep the pressure on the top sides when they entertain ECU Joondalup at Dalmatinac Park. The visitors dominated Sorrento last week, but came away from the game with nothing, while Cockburn let a two goal lead slip to draw at Joondalup United. Cockburn midfielder Cameron Edwards said it was disappointing to concede late at Joondalup, and he said it felt like two points lost after the game, but on reflection said it was a fair result. “Disappointing to concede so late in the game but it was a game of two halves,” he said. “We played well first half and took our chances, and they played well second and took there’s, so a draw was probably a fair result.” The former Perth Glory midfielder said ECU have a good side, and can hurt you if you’re not switched on. “It’s great to be playing back at home, but we know ECU is always a tough team to play against,” he said. “It's early in the season so you can't judge a team based on league position at the moment, because anyone can win on their day, it should be good game.” In team news Aden da Luz and Ruben Tristao are back from injury for the home side, while Jack Jones, Nathan Diaz and Tommy Amphlett are struggling for the visitors. Saturday (3pm) Cockburn City v ECU Joondalup – Dalmatinac Park - Referee – Stuart Muldoon
The Final Saturday game takes us to Grindleford Reserve, for the Italian Derby between Balcatta and Bayswater City. Both sides have struggled to put a run of results together and sit in sixth and seventh place respectively. Balcatta have lost back-to-back home games, including a 3-0 loss against Subiaco last week, while Bayswater have only won once this season, but have drawn three including a 1-1 draw against Floreat last week. Bayswater striker David Heagney said they had the chances to beat his former club last week, but didn’t take them. “Yes Saturday was a hard game, and I think both sides had chances to win the game,” he said. “Floreat had been in good form and arrived after a good win against ECU Joondalup, but I thought we were unlucky not to get three points in the end.” Heagney believes they are playing well and are confident they can turn their season around, starting on Saturday. “Saturday is a must win for us, and we are going in to the game full of confident,” he said. “They (Balcatta) have started the season well, but anything other than a win on Saturday is going to be disappointing result for us.” In team news Brent Griffiths and Luka Ninkovic return from suspension for Bayswater, while Ismael Bangura, Kurt Kouakou and Patrick Sara will be pushing for a starting spot for Balcatta. - Saturday (3pm) Balcatta v Bayswater City - Grindleford Reserve - Referee – Josh Mannella
On Sunday Mandurah City will go in search of their first win of the season when they entertain Armadale at Securitas Stadium. City was edged out by a late penalty last week by Perth Glory, in their first home game off the season. They have played well but haven’t converted their chances, and Coach Doug Hesketh will be hoping that changes on Sunday. Armadale earned a hard-earned point with a goalless draw at Perth SC last week, and striker Kyle King said they could have left with all three. “It was a good point away from home against the league leaders’, considering it was off the back of three straight home defeats,” he said. “However we are disappointed slightly as we had chances to take all the points and probably should have been more clinical and will need to be moving forward to get the best return this season.” Armadale are unbeaten in their two away games this season and King said they will be doing all they can to keep that going. “Mandurah will be a tough game away from home, they will also be spurred on by the night series game where they stifled us,” he said. “We go into every game wanting to take 3 points whether it is by dominating the game, or by hitting teams on the break. John will have us set up with what in his mind is the best way for us to go there and take 3 points and I believe we can.” In team news Jake Sardelic should return from injury for Armadale, but Jackson Bealey is still out recovering from an ankle injury. - Sunday (3pm) Mandurah City v Armadale - Securitas Stadium - Referee – David Bruce
The final game is also on Sunday when Inglewood United host the undefeated Joondalup United at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium. It’s been a stuttering start for Inglewood, the same can’t be said for Joondalup who are unbeaten to-date. Inglewood lost 2-0 at Stirling last week, while Joondalup scored late to draw 2-2 with Cockburn. Alex Wild scored the first goal in the comeback, but he said they should have taken all three points. “To be honest I think we deserved to win the game against Cockburn, unfortunately we had a very slow start to the game which cost us two goals and effectively another two points and I believe anyone who watched the game would agree,” he said. “We showed everyone in the league just what this club is about and we came out in the second half and dominated proving even at 2-0 down against an established NPL side that we're not going to be an easy pushover.” Wild, who re-joined the club from Bayswater this season said he is expecting Inglewood to come out blazing after their poor start to the season. “Were taking every game as it comes and we're preparing for a battle against Inglewood,” he said. “Yes they've not had the best of starts, but we're aware of how good a footballing side they are. I know they've just signed Brian Farrell who I played with at Bayswater last year and he's a player you can't give anytime to as he'll run the show otherwise.” In team news Joondalup skipper Arran Maplestone will miss the game, while Luke Randazzo, Kenny Keogh and Ashley Rosindale will be pushing for a starting spot for Inglewood. Sunday (3pm) Inglewood United v Joondalup United - Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium - Referee – Adam Fielding
31.3.2017
WESTFIELD FFA CUP THIRD ROUND (WA) – PREVIEW
It’s Round 3 of the Westfield FFA Cup (WA Stage) with 19 intriguing ties across Western Australia. Kwinana United will fancy their chances when they host Fremantle City at Kelly Park on Sunday. Kwinana coach Kris Donnell said his players are looking forward to the challenge. “It’s a big game for the club, as Fremantle are a top side with some great players, but we have a game plan and will give it our best shot,” he said. “We are going into the game to win it and not sit back and defend. If we play the way we have been in pre-season then there is every chance for an upset.” Kwinana keeper Joe Page will be vital for the home side, while Brazilian Sheldon has impressed, while former Mandurah City midfielder Robbie Hamm is another who will need to be at his best if they are to cause an upset. Fremantle Coach Steve Plucknett said they had a good Night Series, but he’s expecting a tough game. “We recovered well after our first game in the Night Series, which was pleasing, but it doesn’t hold much weight as most clubs use it to look at new players,” he explained. “We played Kwinana two years ago in the same round and I’d say it was one of, if not the toughest game we had all season. So we know what to expect and we will treat the game with the respect it deserves.”
Another Sunday game see’s Warnbro Strikers host the 2003 and 2004 State League Cup winners Swan United at Gerogetown Oval. The Strikers beat Phoenix Glory in the first round and Coach Paul Daley said it was a tough game. “To be honest I didn't know what to expect from Phoenix, As I've never heard of them, but they came to defend and hit the long ball and it was 0-0 at the break,” he explained. “But I was really happy with how calm they were, and I just the players to carry on and it will come, which it did with goals from Tom Ryan and James Leten.” Daley will miss the game due to prior commitments, with his assistant Mark Purvis in charge but he believes they will give it a good go. “Swan United will be tough game, we know that but we really believe in the boys,” he said. “The better the team the better we will play in my opinion because of our style so I really believe we can get a result and hopefully get a Premier League side in the next round, that’s our aim. Skipper Jake Fellows and centre back Dave Warwick will be vital for the Strikers, while striker Jake Daley will be another to watch. Swan Coach Matt Debarro said they hope to take their Night Series form into the game. “It was a much better night series than last year, the boys were really pleasing to watch. It showed us what we needed to work on as a team and hopefully Sunday we will see our improvement,” he said. “I think it will be a tough game for us, we tend to find it difficult to play against these kinds of teams and no doubt they will throw everything at us. This is a chance to show ourselves that we are able to adapt and play our game against any kind of opponent. We look forward to the challenge.”
Another team looking to become a giant killer is Kalamunda United who make the trip to Lark Hill to take on Rockingham City. United who performed well in the league last year and earned promotion from the Metropolitan League south division four will be underdogs and Coach Matthew Brydges said they will have a good go. “We entered the FFA cup this year for a bit of fun and so hopefully one or two of us would be able to brag about scoring in the cup, but it suddenly became a bit more serious when our opponents in the first round forfeited – here we are playing against a team 10 divisions above us,” he explained. “We don’t even know if two teams this far apart have even played against each other before, let alone whether there’s been an upset of this size, so we’re playing with absolutely no pressure on us. Nobody is expecting us to get a result, which gives us a lot of freedom to just enjoy ourselves.” Brydges said the players are looking forward to the challenge. “It’s probably fair to say they're a better team on paper. However, the game isn't played on paper, it's played on grass. It’s also quite fair to say that they are a lot better on grass too so we expect this game to be pretty one sided,” he joked. “Seriously though, in the past couple of seasons we’ve dropped points in the league in the last 10 or 15 minutes of games when our fitness has let us down. We’ve been working very hard on that in pre-season, so if we can keep the ball out of our net and catch them on the break… who knows. The fitness training will also help in that we have a game in the Metropolitan cup on Sunday as well.” Keeper Aaron Gordon will be will be expecting to have a busy day, while in midfield Joe Yardley is important, while they have a secret weapon in Den Talbot who is turning 64 later in the year also packs their team with experience and a northern English grit.” Rockingham City Coach Rob Crerar said he will not be taking Kalamunda lightly in Saturday’s game. “We were disappointed with how we finished the Night Series, a poor performance and a defeat but over the four game we found out a lot about the group and took plenty of positives which we hope brings us success,” he said. “Saturday is a bit of the unknown for us, we have seen a few Amateur sides during pre-season over the last couple of seasons, and they always have a great attitude and high work rate,” he said. “We need to be prepared and have the right attitude on the day to ensure we aren't on the wrong end of a giant killing.”
Full Fixtures (3pm if not stated) – Saturday - Woodvale v Albany Rovers – Timberlane Park, Wanneroo City v Canning City – Wanneroo Reserve, Albany Bayswater SC v Melville City – Centennial Park, Busselton SC v Hamersley Rovers - Hay Park 1pm, Gwelup Croatia v Dalyellup Park Rangers – Croatuan Sporting Complex, Dianella White Eagles v Ashfield – Dianella Reserve, Quinns v UWA Nedlands – Gumblossom Park, Forrestfield United v Curtin University – Hartfield Park , South West Phoenix v Kelmscott Roos – Hay Park 3pm, Joondalup City v Ballajura AFC – Iluka Sports Complex, Olympic Kingsway v Western Knights – Olympic Kingsway, Rockingham City v Kalamunda United – Lark Hill, Gosnells City v Kingsley SC – Coker Park, Boulder City v Shamrock Rovers – Usher Park East – Sunday - Wembley Downs v Jonndanna Blues – Butlers Reserve, Warnbro Strikers v Swan United – Georgetown Oval, Kwinana United v Fremantle City – Kelly Park, Balga v Southern Spirit – Princess Road Reserve, Morley Windmills v Perth Royals – Wotton Reserve
31.3.2017
GLORY NEED THREE POINTS FROM THEIR TRIP TO ADELAIDE
Perth Glory hit the road this week, when they take on Hyundai A-League reigning champions Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium on Friday evening. It’s a massive game for Kenny Lowe’s side, especially after last week’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Sydney. That lose could derail their aspirations of a top three finish, so a win in the City of Churches is vital. The Glory sit four points behind fourth-placed Brisbane Roar and third-placed Melbourne City with three games to go, and they both are due at nib Stadium in the final two fixtures of the regular season, so three points this week could prove decisive in the race for a home final.
The Reds are on a good run of form, grabbing maximum points against Brisbane Roar and fellow struggles Central Coast in the previous two rounds. But the last the Glory met they put one of best performance of the season, as Diego Castro starred in a 5-0 demolition at Coopers Stadium. But Coach Kenny Lowe is upbeat heading into the game. “The drive and ambition to do well is massively there with the group, and on our form in the last 12 games we sit third, so we're in a good space," Lowe said. “They (Adelaide) won't want to finish with the wooden spoon after being champions last year, they will have their own personal and professional pride that they're fighting for.”
In Team news Rostyn Griffiths and Nebojsa Marinkovic have both been ruled out for the game but Lowe said they go into the game looking for a positive result. “We’ve got five players out that are probably five starting players in the first team, but we’ll cope,” Lowe said. “We’ll be really diligent and we’ll have a real goal to do really well. Griffo is not ready this week, Nebo not this week, but maybe Nebo might be back against Brisbane. I think if we’d played Sunday maybe Griffo could have had half a chance, so maybe next week Griffo might be around, but that’s not doom and gloom. Some lads are buzzing because they’re getting game time, so it’s great.” Brandon Wilson, Joe Knowles and Kosta Petratos have been added to the traveling party.
Adelaide Coach Guillermo Amor said sticking to the game plan will be crucial to securing the three points against the Glory. “The key is to play our game, to play as a team and to have the initiative,” Amor said. “To press well, to recover well without the ball and this is very important playing at home. We go for win tomorrow and these three points must be for us.” Adelaide will be buoyed by the return of midfielders Riley McGree and Marcelo Carrusca from international duty and suspension respectively, bolstering the centre of the field. Amor said he was delighted to have so many options at his disposal. “We have players and we can decide different options,” he said. “Everyone is very good and this is important for us.”
Adelaide United squad: GK Eugene GALEKOVIC (C), GK Daniel MARGUSH, 2 Michael MARRONE, 4 Dylan McGOWAN, 5 Taylor REGAN, 7 Jae-sung KIM, 8 ISAIAS, 9 Baba DIAWARA, 10 Marcelo CARRUSCA, 11 Sergio CIRIO, 12 Mark OCHIENG, 16 Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 17 Nikola MILEUSNIC, 18 Riley McGREE, 19 Ben GARUCCIO, 21Tarek ELRICH, 22 Ryan KITTO, 92 Eli BABALJ - *two to be omitted* - Ins: McGREE (returns from international duty), CARRUSCA (returns from suspension), 22. KITTO (promoted) - Outs: 14. George MELLS (not selected)
Perth Glory squad: GK Liam REDDY, GK Nick FEELY, 3 Marc WARREN, 6 Dino DJULBIC, 7 Joel CHIANESE, 9 Andy KEOGH (C), 11 Richard GARCIA, 14 Chris HAROLD, 15 Brandon WILSON, 16 Joe MILLS, 17 Diego CASTRO, 18 Mitch OXBORROW, 19 Josh RISDON, 20 Aryn WILLIAMS, 22 Adam TAGGART, 23 Kosta PETRATOS, 26 Lucian GOIAN, 28 Joe KNOWLES - *two to be omitted* - Ins: WILSON (promoted), PETRATOS (promoted), KNOWLES (promoted) - Outs: 5 Rhys WILLLIAMS (suspended – 1 match), 8 Rostyn GRIFFITHS (quad – 1 week) 10 Nebo MARINKOVIC (groin – 1 week)
30.3.2017
MCMURRAY LEADS SUBIACO FROM THE FRONT
Subiaco player/coach Ian McMurray has made an immediate impact at the Rosalie Park club and in his first season as first team coach he has the side playing some good football and they are coming off back-to-back league wins. The big Scottish striker learnt his coaching trade with the Subiaco Under 18’s for three seasons and he said the step up to first team football coaching has been huge. “It's been a massive step up, and the three years I spent with the under 18’s was more about coaching the young players and preparing them, getting them ready to play first team football and not such a great importance on results,” he explained.
“Yes it was great to have some success but wasn't the main goal. We know that having good juniors will benefit the senior team and having four players part of the First team squad on Saturday who have been through the ranks is great to see. Getting results on the park on a consistent basis and remaining in the NPL is a must and although it's been extremely tough time for a number of reasons, all the players, coaching staff and committee have been brilliant.
“The players all see what we are trying to achieve on the park and are all working hard to make this happen. It's only early into the season in a very competitive league but hopefully we can continue to grow as a team, strengthen as the year goes on and hopefully can earn enough points by the season end. It’s a hard job at times but I’m enjoying the challenge and hopefully i can continue to learn and help the team and club progress.”
Last week Subiaco returned home with all three points after a 3-0 win at Grindleford Reserve against Balcatta, and the Coach was very happy with the performance. “It was a great team performance last weekend and everyone played their part in the win,” he said. “Our back five were very good and helped pick up our first clean sheet of the year. Our midfields are working extremely hard and are sharing the goals with our strikers. We played some good football and scored some good goals as well as creating a number of other chances.”
McMurray, who has a C License and is doing his B license at the moment, continues to be involved on the pitch too, and he said he will continue to do that until his body tells him not too, and that continues against Floreat Athena on Saturday. “I’m still trying to contribute on the pitch if required, I’m injury free at the moment, just aches and pains from the old body,” he joked. “We know Saturday will be a very hard match against a very strong team. We are playing with some confidence which is great but we know if we lose concentration then a team with Floreat’s quality will punish us. We are looking forward to the challenge and I’m sure the boys will be keen to put in a performance in our first home match of the year.”
30.3.2017
GLORY'S GARCIA FOR RED DEVILS TESTIMONIAL
Richard Garcia will swap Perth Oval for Old Trafford after receiving a call-up to play in Manchester United star Michael Carrick's testimonial match. The Perth Glory midfielder will line-up on 4 June with long-time friend Carrick as well as Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Frank Lampard in an All Stars team against the Red Devil's Premier League title-winning side of 2008.
Garcia and Carrick played together as teenagers in West Ham United's successful youth team of the mid-to-late 1990's. That side, which also included Lampard and Joe Cole, lifted the 1999 FA Youth Cup with Garcia scoring in every round of the competition. Garcia and Carrick have remained close for the last two decades and were groomsmen at each other's weddings.
“We were never far apart from each other for a long time,” Garcia commented. “When we left playing together at West Ham, he went to Spurs and (I went) to Colchester around the corner in London so that was easy. And then it was the same when he went to Manchester and me to Hull — it's really close so we remained close.”
Garcia came close to convincing Carrick to follow other Premier League stars Robbie Fowler, Liam Miller and William Gallas into Glory colours. “It was looking really good there for a while," said Garcia. "There was a good chance he would have made the move had Louis Van Gaal stayed on at United but once that changed the lure of playing for the one club for so long and ending your career there was too much.”
30.3.2017
GRIFFITHS AND MARINKOVIC RULED OUT OF ADELAIDE TRIP
Perth Glory expect captain Rostyn Griffiths to be fit to return from a quad injury for their final two home-and-away matches before finals. Griffiths and Nebojsa Marinkovic (groin) have both been ruled out of tomorrow night’s away clash against Adelaide United.
Glory’s injury list has swollen, with Shane Lowry (quad), Alex Grant (foot) out for the season and Rhys Williams yet to serve a one-game A-League suspension. “We’ve got five players out that are probably five starting players in the first team, but we’ll cope,” Lowe said. “We’ll be really diligent and we’ll have a real goal to do really well.”
“Griffo is not ready this week, Nebo not this week. Nebo maybe not (back against Brisbane), last time he had this one he had three games off. I think if we’d played Sunday maybe Griffo could have had half a chance, so maybe next week Griffo might be around, but that’s not doom and gloom. Some lads are buzzing because they’re getting game time, so it’s great.”
30.3.2017
FAMILY AND FRIENDS RALLY BEHIND OLLIE
Ollie Rigler's family and friends have setup a gofundme account after the goalkeeper suffered a nasty leg injury during a pre-season friendly between Fremantle City and Balga on
18th March. It's hoped the WA football community will rally behind Rigler who will not be able to work for the next six months. To contribute please visit the gofundme page by
clicking here.
30.3.2017
MARINERS DON'T DESERVE WOODEN SPOON SAYS ROUX
No-one wants back-to-back wooden spoons. And that’s what’s driving Central Coast Mariners for the rest of the A-League season, starting with Brisbane Roar this weekend. The men from Gosford finished 13 points adrift at the bottom in 2015/16, but this season they’re just one point behind ninth-placed Adelaide United with three regular season games to go.
And New Zeland international Storm Roux says they’re desperate not to finish last again. “It’s our main focus now,” said Roux, who has turned out for Central Coast 93 times since joining them in mid-2013. “The gap is not as big as last season – that was a shambles of a season, if we’re honest about it – we know it was.”
“This season we’re showing signs of improvement and Paulo (coach Paul Okon) has come in here and done a good job. We’re going to be giving it all we’ve got in the last three games to get the points. We’re desperate not to get that wooden spoon and the way we’ve been playing this season, we don’t deserve it.”
29.3.2017
SAINSBURY: WHY ANGE'S SYSTEM WORKS
Socceroo defender Trent Sainsbury says playing in Ange Postecoglou’s new 3-4-3 formation during last night's win over United Arab Emirates allowed him to control the game and join the midfield. Sainsbury made a significant impact during Australia’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over the UAE.
The Inter Milan defender was composed on the ball and his dominance in the air led to an improved performance from the previous qualifier to help revitalise Australia’s campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Sainsbury said the new 3-4-3 formation allowed him make an impact on the contest.
“I like to be the one that controls the game and controls the tempo and playing in that system makes it a lot easier to inject myself into the midfield,” Sainsbury said. “I had two boys working hard either side of me and two boys working hard in front of me and Maty Ryan backing me up, who I knew that was a long way off his goal and that always helps.
“It was good playing in front of the home fans again. The boys looked a lot more solid tonight. Communication was on point which always helps and we got the three points. Any system that we play we have to adapt to. It doesn’t matter what system we play it’s all about the communication.”
Sainsbury switched from Chinese side Jiangsu Suning to Italian giants Inter Milan in January. However, he is yet to feature for the Serie A and with established defenders ahead him the 25-year old hopes to break into the Inter side ahead of June’s qualifier with Saudi Arabia.
“Off the pitch is where I’m going to have to most of my hard work,” he said. “It’s going to be really hard to get game time at Inter so I’m really going to have to put a lot of hard yards in off the pitch and keep myself fit and available.
“I’ll just continue doing what I’m doing at training and work hard and put my hand up to play at the moment I’m there to be a player for the team and that’s what I’m doing. It’s a lot quicker, obviously than the Chinese League. Everyone has made me feel very welcome over there so I’m adjusting to it and getting myself settled as become quite easy.”
28.3.2017
MAKAROUNAS HAD A TOUGH CALL TO MAKE
Adelaide United’s Jesse Makarounas had a decision to make during his three months in the selection wilderness. The creative midfielder started the season strongly, scoring on his Reds debut, but by mid-December he was on the outer as his team tumbled down the ladder.
Makarounas remained frozen out of the struggling side for 90 days, aside from a brief substitute appearance in last month’s 5-0 loss to Perth Glory. “There’s always a chance when players are in the position I’ve been in that they can become a bad apple,” 22-year old Makarounas said.
“But I decided I didn’t want to do that. I’ve tried to be a good influence around the group while not playing and did my best to support the boys as much as I could. You always have to put the team first and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”
Makarounas’ patience was rewarded on Saturday when he was recalled for Adelaide’s 3-2 win over Central Coast Mariners. The one-time Australian youth international impressed in a central role as he helped the Reds leapfrog Central Coast into ninth.
“It’s always good when you haven’t been playing to come back into the team and perform at a good level and help the team get the three points,” said Makarounas. “It was probably one of the most important wins of our season so far because it got us off the bottom of the table.”
Makarounas said the reigning champion’s rollercoaster season had reflected a personally challenging campaign. “There’s always ups and downs in football, and sometimes there’s more downs than ups,” said the former Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory player.
“But you have to learn is to deal with that. We’ve had a good team all season but we haven’t been performing like we should have been, and we haven’t been getting the results. Hopefully we can take that form into the final couple of weeks and finish the year on a good note.”
Out of contract at season’s end, Makarounas is keen to earn a new Reds deal and link up with the club’s exciting batch of youngsters. “I would love to stay here,” said Makarounas. “It’s been hard for me but I’ve enjoyed my time here. But that decision is not in my hands.”
28.3.2017
WANDERERS WILL KEEP CLIMBING ASSERTS NEVILLE
Following Western Sydney Wanderers second consecutive A-League win, defender Scott Neville says the confidence in the squad is high ahead of this weekend's clash with Newcastle Jets. After two fantastic back-to-back wins at home, Western Sydney are hitting form at the right time with only three regular season matches to go before the finals series begins.
Neville believes the way Western Sydney came from behind to defeat Melbourne City on Friday is a sign of how far his team has come. "It shows the spirit and fight that we have," Neville said. "The style of play we have been playing all year is really starting to come into fruition and we are capitalising on the chances we have been creating."
While the 3-1 win cemented Western Sydney in the top six, Neville says the focus is solely on Newcastle this Saturday. "We just go week-by-week and this week it's Newcastle," he said. "They had a pretty bad result last week against Wellington, so they'll be looking to bounce back at home ... so we’ve got to make sure we really switch on and keep climbing up that table."
Western Sydney go into the weekend looking for a third consecutive win, something they have not achieved since the end of last season. Neville says another three points will provide a massive boost to his team’s confidence. "It'll be huge, I think we are hitting form at the right time of the season," he said.
"We’ve got to continue this momentum and continue this style of play we are playing because it's a really attractive brand for us. It works well and we have worked hard all season. We want to make sure we are there come Grand Final day - that's what the goal is."
28.3.2017
CLUBS STRUGGLE DUE TO HIGH PLAYING FEES (by Liam Croy, thewest.com.au)
Perth’s football clubs are struggling to break even as they join a national push for more financial support from the sport’s governing bodies. Junior fees can be several times more expensive than the equivalent fees for Australian Rules football.
At the top levels of the game, registering a teenager to play in the National Premier Leagues WA can cost $1000. Boys and girls from under-12s to under-18s pay $460 and $420 respectively. But Junior NPL players are up for a registration fee of $960, partly because of requirements for a technical director and accredited coaches.
Those numbers might surprise parents familiar with the Australian Rules system, but they are prevalent at NPL clubs across the country. In Melbourne and Sydney, the fees can be as high as $2000. Balcatta president Peter Carlino said the clubs got little support from a national body which was focused on the world stage.
Although the round ball game is far from as lucrative as Australian Rules, Carlino said there should be some money trickling down. “The good thing that’s happened recently is that the NPL Australia-wide have formed a federation to basically combat these issues,” said Carlino, whose club recorded a slight financial loss last year.
Semi-professional NPL clubs have to pay their own annual fees to Football West, including $11,330 to register their club for the senior NPL divisions. The winner of the top league gets $12,000 in prize money. Football West also takes a chunk of junior player fees, from $63 for children under 12 to $147 for seniors.
In comparison, most Australian Rules clubs get an annual grant of more than half a million dollars from the West Australian Football Commission and there is funding available for facilities through WAFC and AFL. A WAFC spokesman said the average club registration fee for a youth player was about $140.
Representatives from 97 NPL clubs converged on Melbourne this month for the first meeting of the Australian Association of Football Clubs. Two of the AAFC’s objectives are to lobby for changes to the funding model and lower the cost of junior soccer.
Balcatta is one of seven Perth NPL clubs to join the AAFC. Balcatta seniors’ manager Gabriele Valentini said the FFA’s fixation on national teams could backfire. “There’s no money coming down,” Mr Valentini said. “We’re the grassroots ... We have to produce these Olyroos and Socceroos, but it’s all at our cost.”
28.3.2017
DAVIES EAGER TO FEATURE IN SEA GAMES
Matthew Davies wants to represent his adopted country, Malaysia, in his second South East Asian Games under manager Ong Kim Swee. The Malaysian FA and the Malaysian ministry of sports have set the target of gold medal in the football tournament, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur from late August.
Kim Swee has not revealed the make-up of his squad yet, but Pahang captain Matthew Davies is one players that's certainly in the running. A key member of the Malaysia senior team under Kim Swee, the 22-year old defender has made clear he's available for the under-23 tournament should a call-up be forthcoming.
He told Goal in an interview on Monday that he is very much interested in participating in this year's SEA Games, his second SEA Games, should he be called up. His first was in the 2015 edition, hosted by Singapore.
"Of course I'd be interested in competing at the SEA games, it was one of my major focuses for the year knowing the SEA games is being held in Malaysia," said Davies, despite the prospect of missing club football for an extended period. "I'd be honored to participate in another SEA games."
When asked whether four months is sufficient time for Kim Swee to assemble a competitive team for the tournament, Davies said he has no doubt about his coach's abilities and experience. "I don't think anyone is more qualified than Ong Kim Swee to lead another SEA Games challenge," Davies commented.
"He (Kim See) is very well respected amongst Malaysian players and of course has had success at the SEA Games before. What's most important is for the players to be playing consistently at club level. Playing week in week out is so crucial leading up to a tournament like this. So that should be the major goal for players hoping to be selected."
26.3.2017
FUTURE CAPTAIN ROUX SET TO RE-SIGN WITH CENTRAL COAST
Central Coast Mariners are poised to announce the re-signing of defender Storm Roux, who is seen as a future captain at the club. The club are also understood to be considering making an offer for goalkeeper Ben Kennedy from Newcastle Jets as a replacement for the departing Paul Izzo.
Roux, a former Sorrento junior, has made a tremendous comeback following a shocking triple injury which brought last season to an early end. The 24-year old defender suffered a broken leg, torn ankle ligaments and a dislocated shoulder in a game against Melbourne City after he went up for the ball and got his foot caught in the turf.
Roux has stood in as captain a couple of times this season when regular on-field leader Nick Montgomery has been unavailable. And now he could get the job on a full-time basis, as early as next season, since there is major doubt around whether 35-year old Montgomery will continue playing.
Central Coast chief executive Shaun Mielekamp refused to comment on the contract negotiations with Roux, saying it was club policy not to talk about deals until they are done. But it is understood that discussions on a multi-year deal are nearing completion and that Roux's re-signing will be announced before the end of the season.
26.3.2017
GLORY RIPPED APART BY SKY BLUES
Perth Glory’s hopes of a home final is hanging by a thread after a 0-3 loss against A-League Premier’ Plate winners Sydney FC at nib Stadium on Sunday evening. An own goal on 38 minutes from Glory debutant Lucian Goian, Brandon O’Neill’s sweet strike three minutes later and a Bobo goal in the 63rd minute sealed an 18th win of the campaign for Sydney. Perth coach Kenny Lowe was proud of his players despite the lopsided scoreboard. “At the end of the day, the third one (goal) killed it,” he said. “Was a bit of a momentum change, but the effort was there but maybe the class wasn’t today. You can’t fault the endeavour and work rate of the players.”
It was a costly loss for fifth-placed Glory’s bid for a top-four spot and a coveted home final. Perth trail third-place Melbourne City and fourth-place Roar by four points. The Sky Blues dominated the match from the start but were unable to penetrate Glory’s plucky defence, but in a cruel blow for the hosts, Sydney got the breakthrough when Glory’s recent Romanian recruit Goian deflected a corner past goalkeeper Liam Reddy and into his own goal.
Moments later, ex-Glory midfielder O’Neill doubled Sydney’s lead with a clinical right-foot shot from the edge of the box that gave Reddy no chance, and the youngster didn’t celebrate the goal. The Glory started the second half with more gusto and had a golden opportunity to peg back the deficit but acting captain Andrew Keogh misfired from close range. Sky Blues’ sharpshooter Bobo put the issue beyond doubt when he slid a shot past Reddy from 10 yards after a neat back heel from Alex Brosque. The visitor’s comprehensive victory was made even more impressive as they were without goalkeeper Danny Vukovic and fullback Rhyan Grant, who are on national team duty with the Socceroos.
Vukovic’s replacement Andrew Redmayne was barely troubled although Glory’s star Diego Castro hit the crossbar late in the match after a piercing long-range free-kick. The Glory rued several missed opportunities early in the match before the floodgates opened, most notably a chance from Goian that landed straight into the arms of Redmayne. Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold was thrilled with his team’s single-minded desire for sustained success. “It was a wonderful achievement to win the premiership,” he said. “For me, it was about attitude today. It was about standards. We’ve set high standards all year and it was about maintaining those standards. They (his players) wanted to win today, that’s all they were thinking - We totally dominated them.”
26.3.2017
PHOENIX TAKE OUT STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES
South West Phoenix have run out convincing 3-0 winners against Forrestfield United in the State League Night Series Final at Inglewood Stadium. Phoenix striker Nicola Gazzola was the star bagging a hat-trick and it gives the Bunbury based club their first ever cup win in the state league. “I’m very delighted, not because of the three goals, but because of the performance altogether,” Phoenix new coach Mauro Marchione said. “We looked very solid at the back and didn’t concede much. Nicola is an important player. When I can get players to come here from Italy I try to, to show the players in Bunbury what it means to play at this level and it lifts the rest of the team. He’s a good addition for us.”
The Phoenix opened well and went close to the opener after only three minutes. James McCleary was denied by Luke Martino’s feet, while at the other end Ben Rogers looked odds on to score when he met Jordan Hart’s cross, but he headed wide of the target. But the Phoenix opened the scoring on 25 minutes. They won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Gazzola curled the ball inside the near post.
Forrestfield made a triple change at the break to get back in the game, but three minutes in Gazzola doubled their lead. The Italian picked up the ball midway into the Forrestfield half, and raced past three defenders before finishing clinically past Martino. Then five minutes later he completed his hat-trick, latching on to a Lee Stewart through ball and finishing with aplomb past Martino. Forrestfield showed great character and continue to push forward, and Rhys Loxley long-range shot crashed off the woodwork, before Will Tshabangu forced Phoenix keeper Adam Guthridge into a great reaction save, but the damage had already been done.
“We had our chances and didn’t take them, while they did, but that’s the way it goes,” Forrestfield Coach Rod Banjac said. “I could go on and say that it wasn't our best performance, but that would be disrespectful to the opposition who proved to be an excellent opponent. They obviously did their homework on us and played well throughout the match while taking advantage of smallest of our mistakes. Mauro has done a great job with a quality team and we look forward to challenging them during the season.”
South West Phoenix: GK Adam GUTHRIDGE (c), 2 Carlo CHIELLINI, 4 Corey BARCLAY, 5 Jarrad MORT, 6 Ryan STEWART, 7 Lee STEWART, 8 Kieran QUINN, 9 Nicola GAZZOLA, 10 James MCCLEARY (18 Maxwell ABABIO 84’), 13 Jayden PROSSER (16 Giordano MASCIA 71’), 15 Abdulla KAJA (20 Bright ABABIO 63’) - Subs not used: 11. Christopher NORMINTON, 14 Dejan STOJANOVIC.
Forrestfield United: GK Luke MARTINO, 4 Mark BENNETT, 5 Kaan KARACAN (15 Milan VULIN 46’), 6 Mitchell CROCKER (12 Slobodan VULIN 46’), 7 Trevor LAURE (8 Dylan EASTTOUGH 46’), 10 Jordan HART, 11 Liam MERIGAN (c), 13 Scott BARKER, 14 Ben ROGERS, 21 Will TSHABANGU, 23 Rhys LOXLEY - Subs not used: 2 Day Day POE, 84 Ben PARRY - Referee: Stephen Knight
26.3.2017
AMATEUR NIGHT SERIES GOES TO WEMBLEY DOWNS (courtesy footballwest.com.au)
A spirited Wembley Downs side came from behind to defeat holders North Perth United and lift the Amateur Night Series Cup in an exciting encounter at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium. It was North Perth who dictated the early play with forward Mehdi Rabei running from the halfway line and avoiding a raft of tackles before agonisingly smacking the upright. A minute later he went one better when he collected the ball and went on another mazy run only to be pushed to the ground inside the box, with Ago Mujic keeping his cool and slotting home from the spot.
Wembley Downs didn’t crumble following their disappointing start, tightening up their backline and working themselves back into the game. They scored on 36 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty following an infringement from a corner and Anthony Jones stepped up making no mistake. North Perth made the perfect start in the second period when frontman Patrick Montgomery used his presence to play in Rabei who neatly finished to put them back in front.
Wembley boss Colm Costello rang the changes to get his side back in the match and his men responded. His side weathered the storm and dragged themselves level with Gavin Walsh centering for sub Ally McDermid to side-foot past the stranded keeper on 67 minutes. Wembley upped the tempo and found an extra gear, and on 78 minutes they hit the front with Stephen Geogheghan slamming home from the inside the box. Then minutes from the end Mark King out-jumped the North Perth defence and Jamie Serra in the goals to nod home and put the icing on the cake, sending out a warning signal to this season’s league challengers.
Costello praised his team’s never-say-die spirit. “It was amazing, a great performance,” he said. “This team are never beaten.”
North Perth assistant coach Brian Ward was downbeat following the loss, but hopeful of his side’s prospects in the season ahead. “It’s always disappointing to lose a final; we had a couple of injuries but Wembley were very good,” he said.
North Perth United: GK Jamie SERRA, 2 Niall MURRAY, 3 James STEEDMAN, 4 Keith MULLINS, 5 Patrick MONTGOMERY, 6 Kenneth NAAN (15 Darryl GREGORY 75), 7 Paul URBANSKI (13 Byron ANDREWS 46), 8 Ago MUJIC, 9 Mehdi RABEI, 10 Eamonn KELLY, 12 Richard DENDLE (17 Max BURKE 65) Subs not used: 14 Sean LAHERT, 19 Paul RAINFORD
Wembley Downs: GK Niall MCCARTHY, 3 Anthony JONES, 4 James LANIGAN, 5 Ken MCMAHON, 8 Blaine SLATER (6 Ian CLEARY 65), 9 Dean WALL (18 Briony MARIORITY 65), 11 Stephen GEOGHEGHAN, 12 Gary MCCARTHY (13 Ally MCDERMID 56), 16 Gavin WALSH, 17 Marty KELLY, 19 Mark KING Referee: Brendan Skinner
26.3.2017
ATHENA AND BAYSWATER SHARE THE SPOILS
Bayswater City and Floreat Athena have played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Frank Drago Reserve on Sunday afternoon. Dean Evans gave the visitors the lead at the break, but Gustavo Giron-Marulanda levelled just after half time, the drew meaning Floreat lose top spot on the PS4 NPLWA table. “With us being under-manned it was always going to be a tough match for us today,” Floreat Coach Glen Grostate told the NPL web site. “We started the game really well and we deserved our goal, but at the end of the day they deserved their goal too so I think the draw is a fair result. We have played six games now and have only been beaten once, but we know it’s a long season and we will just have to keep battling and keep fighting for points.”
Floreat were out of the blocks early, but there were chances at both ends with both sides knowing the importance of the opening goal, and it came for the visitors on 38 minutes. Lewis McMahon was brought down on the edge of the penalty area, and Evans took the resulting free kick and curled it around the wall and into the net. Bayswater pressed late in the half but they couldn’t find the equaliser. But five minutes into the second half the home side Bayswater did level. Andrija Jukic ball over the top sent Marulanda clear, and the Columbiana striker finished clinically. Floreat almost regained the lead on the hour, when McMahon found space in the penalty area, but Devon Spence stood tall and the English striker fired wide of the target.
Both sides pressed for the winner and it almost came for the home side late on. Another long ball over the top sent Marulanda clear, he rounded Jason Saldaris, but the big keeper got down to take the ball off the striker foot and secure a well-earned point for Floreat. Floreat suffered a blow in stoppage time with McMahon carried off on a stretcher. “I thought we were flat in the first half again and it was one-way-traffic in the second half, but we just need to be better in the final third,” Bayswater coach Chris Coyne told the NPL web site. “We got around the back of them and got into good areas but we just didn’t take our chances.”
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 8 Paul McCARTHY (2 Declan HARGREAVES 77’), 9 Gustavo Giron MARULANDA, 10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (C), 17 Bor Bor SAM, 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (14 Jamie MURPHY 91’), 23 Andrija JUKIC - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 15 Giordano COLLI, 16 Ayden DRAGUN
Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ (16 Ryan MALTON 30’ (11 Dennis GALAN 77’), 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathan STYNES, 10 Kris GATE, 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY, 15 Christopher SALDARIS, 17 Dean EVANS (C), 19 Lewis MCMAHON (20 Joe TWEATS 96’) - Subs not used: RGK Jordan BARBAS, 33 Ali NAZARY Referee: Michal Jasinski
26.3.2017
KALAU BRACE GIVES LIONS FIRST WIN
Stirling Lions won for the first time this season with a 2-0 win against Inglewood United at Macedonia Park on Sunday afternoon. A second half brace from Moses Kalau won it for Rob Milevski’s side. “We hit them on the counter a couple of times and got a clean sheet,” Milevski told the NPL website. “I’m very happy to get the three points, which is very much needed. Johnny Perkins, I thought, kept us in the game with a couple of great saves in the first half and Moses delivered with a couple of great strikes so I’m quite happy with the result.”
Inglewood opened brightly and their lack of finishing let them down. English striker Alex Salmon picked out Jason Colli at the back post on 21 minutes, but he dragged his shot wide of the target. They were in again seven minutes later Colli was the supplier this time crossing to Brian Farrell who wasted a golden opportunity firing over the top when well placed. Lions’ custodian John Perkins kept his side in the game producing a number of fine saves. First he saved well from Brian Woodall and then from Colli, before John Migas fired wide. Inglewood were running the show and five minutes before the break Salmon played in Mark Pritchard, whose shot was well saved by Perkins, the rebound falling to Colli, whose ball across the box was inches away from Salmon at the back post.
Whatever Milevski said at half time to the Lions worked. Former Inglewood midfielder David Micevski was thwarted by a good save from Alex Dunn. But on 56 minutes the home side hit the front. Kalau picked the ball up on the right of the penalty area and cut in and fired home, beating Dunn at his near post. It was a perfect start to the second half for the Lions, and it got better 11 minutes later. Kalau was sent clear, outpaced Adam Tong and Scott Blackmore and finished low past Dunn.
“I thought we were quite strong in the first half, but unfortunately it’s a 90 minute game and when you give opposition teams an opportunity, they put the ball in the back of the net,” Inglewood Coach Taki Nicolaidis told the NPL web site. “Goals change games, goals win you games and at the minute we’re leaking in too many and we’re scoring nowhere near enough. Everyone’s got views, everyone’s got opinions, but at the end of the day it’s what the coach’s views and opinions are and I think a few of the boys are going to get a big kick up the bum this week. It’s been the story of our season so far. We’ve been in positions to get in front or stay in front and we haven’t been clinical.”
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2 Michael PUGLIESE, 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 7 Miki VUJACIC (c), 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 11 David MICEVSKI, 12 Jason RUBIDGE (4 Blamo QUA QUA 83’), 14 Lukas DI LIMA, 15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathaing MATHAING, 18 Moses KALAU (17 Darren O’RIORDAN 73’) - Subs not used: RGK Lucas ALAVSKI, 3 Alex SULESKI,13 William KESSEL
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 3 David CYRUS (c), 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 5 Adam TONG, 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 11 John MIGAS, 14 Mark PRITCHARD (7 Kenny KEOGH 63’), 15 Brian FARRELL (12 Luke RANDAZZO 76’), 18. Jason COLLI (10 Ash ROSINDALE 63), 23 Brian WOODALL – Subs not used: 20. RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 13 Connor BECSI - Referee: Nico Hoyle
25.3.2017
LOWE SAYS SYDNEY THE BEST EVER - POSSIBLY
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe says it would be a feather in his team's cap if they can beat Sydney FC on Sunday, describing the Sky Blues as possibly the best team ever seen in the A-League. Sydney have put together an unbelievable season, losing once in 17 games to be on the cusp of securing the Premiers' Plate.
But while the Graham Arnold's team are on track to break all sorts of records this season, Glory are facing a scrap just to secure a home final. Glory sit fifth, but they face a tough run home that includes matches against Championship hopefuls Sydney, Brisbane Roar (home) and Melbourne City (home), as well as cellar dwellers Adelaide United.
Glory possess one of the most talented squads in the league, and Lowe hopes they can live up to their potential on Sunday. "We've shown we can beat anybody in the league on our day," Lowe said. "These are the games you want to play. Sydney are possibly going to be the best team ever in A-League history. So no better than beating them."
With the Premiers' Plate all but secured, Lowe hopes Sydney will lose some of their motivation. "They're going to win the league by a country mile anyway. It's a bigger game for us. So hopefully they come chilled out, and we kick on," Lowe said with a smile.
Striker Adam Taggart didn't train on Friday because of a tight groin, but Lowe is confident the fringe Socceroo will be fit to play against Sydney. Brandon Wilson (back) and Joseph Mills (hamstring) are also a chance to play after recovering from injury. And new recruit Lucian Goian is set to start on the bench.
25.3.2017
SORRENTO SMASH AND GRAB AT ECU
Sorrento moved to the top of the PS4 National Premier League WA table after a smash and grab 3-2 win against ECU Joondalup in the Northern Derby at the ECU Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Daryl Nicol gave the home side the lead early, but Billy Quinncroft levelled. The home side were wasteful in front of goal in the second half and hit the woodwork twice, but a stunning shot from Alex Morgan and a Jack Salter’s goal gave the Gulls the points, while Sam Pollard scored a late consolation goal for the home side. “A very decent result for us today, we were a bit slow in the first half, but we improved in the second half and got the right result,” Alex Morgan said. “It was unfortunate for Tiggs (Reece Vittiglia) but it was good to get on and even better to see one in the top corner to send us back to the top of the table.”
The home side made the best possible start and were ahead after only five minutes. Sorrento gave the ball away and Nicol pounced. He played in Gordon Smith, whose shot was well saved by James Morgan, his follow up shot hit the bar, but Nicol was on hand to bundle the ball over the line. Moments later Smith was in on one-on-one with the Sorrento keeper, who produced a great save to deny the Scottish striker. But on 12 minutes the visitors levelled. Scott Witschge raced down the left and whipped in a dangerous cross that Quinncroft headed powerfully into the corner of the net.
It was an entertaining game and both sides had late chances to take the lead into the break. First Witschge cross into the box caused problems, and with Quinncroft ready to pounce Fraser Greenwood saved well. Then Smith lost his marker on the edge of the box and his shot on the run was tipped around the post by James Morgan. The home side dominated after the break, Smith headed inches past the post, before Jon Higgins’ in-swinging corner crashed off the crossbar, before James Morgan produced a great save to deny Smith on the 55 minutes.
It was one-way traffic and Higgins hit the woodwork again on 66 minutes, his stunning long-range free kick beat the keeper but smacked off the crossbar and away to safety. Sorrento somehow kept the home side at bay and against the run of play they hit the front on 74 minutes, with one of the goals of the season. There looked little danger when Alex Morgan received the ball 20 meters from goal but his shot flew past Greenwood and into the top corner of the net.
Then two minutes later the visitors added a third. Alex Morgan slipping the ball into the path of Slater, and the Kiwi raced clear and finished clinically past Greenwood. The home side scored a consolation goal in the last minute of stoppage time, with Pollard firing home from close-range
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING (8 Jayden DRUMMOND 78), 6 Jon HIGGINS, 8 Kevin MOON, 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT (11 Sam POLLARD 66), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 17 Jack JONES, 16 Cian HIRRELL - Subs not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 5 Nathan DIAZ, 15 Declan HUGHES
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (4 Shaun KILKELLY 81), 10 Scott BULLOCH (21 Sam BYLES 61), 11 Tim HILL 13 Steve MCDONALD, 14 Scott WITSCHGE, 17 Reece VITTIGLIA (7 Alex MORGAN 19), 18 Jordan BROWN, 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 15 Spiro DIMITRIOU - Referee: Tom Glavovic
25.3.2017
MANDURAH PAY THE PENALTY
Perth Glory have come from behind for a 2-1 win against Mandurah City in their PS4 National Premier League WA game at the Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan Francis gave the home side the lead on 52 minutes with a wonder strike, but skipper Daniel Stynes levelled with a rebound on 69 minutes, and a penalty from Kosta Petratos after Joe Knowles was brought down - deep into stoppage-time won it for John Gibson’s side. “A very, very good performance from the boys,” Glory skipper Daniel Stynes said. “We created plenty of chances, credit to the boys’ character and resilience for getting back into the game and pushing until we got the win and right up until the final whistle.”
It was the Glory who began the better and had the home side on the back foot. Mandurah keeper Cyril Sharrock had to be alert to save Joe Knowles’ snap shot early, and tipped over Knowles header moments later. Stynes and Petratos were causing problems and the pair combined midway through the half. Stynes wriggled past two defenders and laid the ball to Petratos, who shot beat Sharrock, but the post came to the rescue of the Mandurah custodian. The home side went close just before the break but Jordan Thurtell produced a stunning save.
The home side started the second half well, and they were rewarded with the opener on 53 minutes. Francis was given too much room on the edge of the penalty area, and superbly curled his shot into the top corner of the net. But the Glory levelled on 70 minutes. Knowles’ long-range shot smacked against the post, into the back of Sharrock and Stynes was quickest to react to score from the rebound. The Glory began to dominant and Jack Leech’s cross picked out Stynes, who hit the post, before Michael McDougall shot from the edge of the penalty area also hit the woodwork.
Mandurah striker Oriel Fernandez had the perfect opportunity to give his side the lead on 84 minutes, after been sent in on goal, but Thurtell stood tall and he fired wide of the target. Fernandez had another opportunity two minutes later, a cross from Francis found him but his shot was superbly saved by Thurtell. It looked like it wasn’t to be the Glory’s day, after Montgomery-Brown and Knowles both hit the post as they pressed for the winner. But in stoppage time Knowles, whose endeavor and drive was superb all afternoon, was brought down in the penalty area and referee Steve Gregory pointed straight to the spot. Petratos kept his nerve and scored the resulting penalty to seal the three points.
Mandurah City: GK Cyril SHARROCK, 2 Oliver MCGEE, 3Jeff BRIGHT, 4 Matt STARES, 5 Mitch FIRTH, 6 Oscar THOMPSON, 7 Thomas STRAKER (17Oriel FERNANDEZ 62’), 8 Andrew BROWN (c) (16 Joe O’BRIEN 80’), 9 Mark MCAUGHLIN, 10 Sean TROUP, 11 Ryan FRANCIS - Subs not used: RGK Brad EIFFE, 12 Jordan RHODES, 14 Slade RULE
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Cam MURRAY, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Riley WARLAND, 7 Yacoub MUSTAFA (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 62’), 8 Jack LEECH, 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (c), 17 Kosta PETRATOS, 21 Callum TIMMINS (14 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN 80’)
Subs not used: RGK Stef KING, 13 Sam RIAK, 15 Callum DOBBS - Referee: Steven Gregory
25.3.2017
REDS SHARE THE SPOILS WITH CHAMPIONS
Perth SC missed out on top spot on the PS4 NPLWA table after they were held to 0-0 draw by Armadale at Dorrien Gardens. Despite dominating possession the home side couldn’t find a way past a resolute Armadale defence well lead by Sam Loveless and Nathan Costello. “Today was more about heart and effort, we weren’t going to outplay Perth but if we had a bigger heart than them we could hang in there and upset their day,” Armadale Coach John O’Reilly told the NPL website. “We were hoping to get a breakaway goal, that didn’t happen so second best we didn’t lose, and that’s what we needed to do off the back of two losses. What we do need to do though is polish up our game. We can’t base the season on blood and guts, there has got to be an element of clinical and tidy play.”
The home side started the brighter, buoyed by their come-from-behind win against Perth Glory last week, and Armadale keeper Michael Craggs had to be alert early to deny Andreas Theodosiades. They went close again on 25 minutes, when Gustavo Catarcione was sent through with a dink over the top, but Craggs stood tall to save. Armadale went close themselves just after the half hour. Charlie Kenna was brought down on the edge of the penalty area and the Armadale players thought it was a penalty, but referee Tom Dowle was on the spot. Kyle King stepped up to take the resulting free kick, but he fired wide of the target.
The home side lost keeper Francis Soale at the break, he was replaced by Daniel Passarelli, but in the opening minute of the second half the Perth supporters thought they had the lead, Tom King long-range shot flew into the net but the ball had deflected slightly off Catarcione, who was in an offside position. Tom King had another opportunity to open the scoring moments later, when Catarcione found him, but his shot flashed the wrong side of the post. Armadale, with import Jordan Pavett back in the side grew in confidence, as they looked to make it two wins on their two away games this season. They ended the game the better and Pavett’s free kick flashed wide of the target, and at the final whistle the points were shared.
Perth: GK Francis SOALE (23 Daniel PASSARELLI 46’), 2 Alex SILLA, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4 Adrian MADASCHI (c), 7 Alexs JOVIC (12 Jordan DE LEO 71’), 8 Tom KING, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR (10 Nicholas AMBROGIO 88’), 16 Kieran COLWELL - Subs not used: 20 Thomas JEBB, 21 Paul ZIMARINO
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 2 Dylan WHITE, 4 Nathan COSTELLO, 5 Sam LOVELESS, 7 Charlie KENNA, 8 Jordan PAVETT (20 Beau RAHIM 75’), 9 Kyle KING (18 Milan OGNJENOVIC 82’), 11 Dannie RICHMAN, 12 Jordan TUMOE, 16 Tristan TAYLOR, 17 James ATKINS (10 Papa KPATAR 80’) - Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 6 Faustinho MACHOCHI - Referee: Tom Dowle
25.3.2017
HOWLES LATE SHOW EARNS UNITED A POINT
Joondalup United continued their unbeaten start to the NPL, but they left it late with Richard Howles scoring in stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw with Cockburn City at Percy Doyle Reserve. Cockburn led 2-0 at the break with Liam Murray and Harry O’Brien on target. Alex Wild pulled one back for the home side early in the second half before Howles popped up with the equaliser. “We’ve done this so many times over the years, scored in the last minute, we’ll always go to the final whistle,” United Coach Nick Jennings told the NPL website. “We’re pleased to stay unbeaten but we battered them in the second-half and should have scored more goals.”
Cockburn arrived with only one defeat this season, and they made the perfect start scoring after only eight minutes. Cameron Edwards crossing to Murray, and the big striker made no mistake. Joondalup went in search of an equaliser but they couldn’t find a way past a well-organised Cockburn defence. Then in the shadows of half time Cockburn doubled their advantage. A corner from Edwards wasn’t dealt with by the Joondalup defence and O’Brien made them pay firing home from close-range to send them in to the sheds with a 2-0 lead.
The home side needed a good start after the break and they lifted the tempo and were rewarded on 52 minutes. Skipper Arran Maplestone raced down the left, and cross to Wild who headed past Luke Radonich. The home sides’ tails were up and they pressed for the equaliser, but they found Radonich in good form. The Cockburn custodian produced a great reflex save to thwart Jay Marsden’s long-range shot. It was all Joondalup and Cockburn were hanging on, and Luke Serra and Wild both had efforts scrambled off the line, as the Cockerels defended resolutely.
But in the second minute of stoppage time their luck ran out with Joondalup levelling. Howles was sent racing down the left, he cut inside and finished with aplomb past Radonich to set off wild celebrations from the home crowd. “Really disappointed with that second-half effort, we stole a point today,” Cockburn City coach Scott Millar told the NPL website. “First-half we bossed them, second-half they bossed us, and to be honest they’re unlucky not to sneak a win.”
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 2 Joel LEDSHAM (16 Ross EDWARDS 86’), 3 Rowdy YATES, 4 Arran MAPLESTONE (C), 7 Matthew SPARROW, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Richard HOWLES, 10 Alex WILD (19 Mike KENNY 85’), 17 Luke SERRA, 23 Jay MARSDEN (18 Anthony TAYLOR 74’), 54 Robert BAIN - Subs not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 22 Jai RAWLINSON
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 4 Euen GRANT (C), 7 Ali GHOLAMI (18 Daniel DOLS 61’), 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Gian ALBANO, 10 David ARAYA (14 Julian TELES 69’), 11 Harry O’BRIEN, 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZARRO (13 Blake ADAMS 61), 19 Liam MURRAY, 20 Joshua KUSER - Subs not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 12 Kenel MOUITHYS - Referee: Josh Nixon
25.3.2017
SUBIACO MAKE IT BACK-TO-BACK WINS
Subiaco have produced a good all-round team performance to beat Balcatta 3-0 at Grindleford Reserve and to make it back-to-back wins for Ian McMurray’s side. David Perich gave the visitors the lead in the first half, before Mike Lawson and Henock Butshire scored after the break to send Subiaco home with the points. "The last couple of weeks we’ve been working on that (midfield pressure),” McMurray told the NPL website. “I thought the whole team worked well to put pressure on Balcatta when they had the ball and we won it in some good areas.”
It was an even opening to the game with both sides going close early. First Lawson’s volley was well saved by Domenico Savoldelli, before Subiaco keeper Ryan Montgomery produced two good saves to deny Nathan Scully and Lucas Mello. Balcatta went close again on 20 minutes, with Justin Onek finding Feisal Zaw, whose shot was saved by Montgomery. But five minutes later it was the visitors who hit the front, Perich was picked out in the box and the former Inglewood and Stirling Lions midfielder finished well.
The visitors made a dream start to the second half, and three minutes in they doubled their advantage. A free kick on the edge of the box from Lawson beat Savoldelli. Balcatta went in search of a goal to get them back into the game but they couldn’t find a way past Montgomery and a defence well-marshalled by Alex Castiello. But on 76 minutes Subiaco wrapped up the points with a third. Perich found second half substitute Butshire who made no mistake.
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2 Hanafi GHAZALI (10 Dino TOPCAGIC 77’), 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Callum O’CONNELL, 5 Kieron STALLARD, 6 Jon CORNESS, 9 Lucas MELLO (12 Kurt KOUAKOU 46’), 11 Feisal ZAW, 13 Daniel Hepworth (23 Ismael BANGURA 60’), 16 Nathan SCULLY, 20 Paddy QUINN (C) - Subs not used: 8 Patrick SARA
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 Dylan ANDREWS, 8 Mike LAWSON (15 Henock BUTSHIRE 71’), 9 Rory FEELY, 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH (3 Ger FITZGERALD 88’), 13 Jordan CANDISH, 14 Ross JARMAN (16 Ian MCMURRAY 85’), 17 Alex CASTIELLO 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: 4 Alex TRIGLIVCANIN, 21 Hamish ST GEORGE - Referee: Anthony Walsh
25.3.2017
AUSSIES TOO GOOD FOR UNITED LEGENDS (courtesy manutd.com)
Manchester United's Legends suffered a 3-0 defeat against an Aussie Legends XI but the charity match provided a memorable occasion in Western Australia on Saturday. Goals from Nick Carle, Bobby Despotovski and Con Boutsianis gave the Aussie Legends a deserved victory against the ex-Reds, who lost Quinton Fortune and Paul Scholes to injury in the first half. But the result was ultimately irrelevant as United fans Down Under, who generated a terrific atmosphere and never stopped singing throughout, enjoyed themselves as a host of club icons dusted off their boots to raise vital funds for the club’s Foundation and DT38 Foundation. Although fundraising was the aim of the game, it was a competitive contest from the start at the nib Stadium as around 12,000 enthusiastic fans packed into the home of A-League side Perth Glory to welcome some of their heroes in Perth.
Manchester United Legends: Walsh; Gillespie (Beardsmore 36) (Thornley 61), Johnsen (Gillespie 50), Silvestre, Irwin (Robson 78); Poborsky, Scholes (c) (Martin 29), Fortune (Webber 25), Djordic; Yorke, Saha (Ritchie 64).
Aussie Legends: Milosevic (Petkovic 63); M Thompson, McKain (Evans 82), Zwaanswijk (Milicevic 51), Heffernan (M De Lima 79); Burns (L De Lima 82), Colosimo (c); McGarry (Gaspar 70), Bridges (Despotovski 41), Boutsianis (Carle 27) (Meredith 81); A Thompson (Harnwell 66) - Referee: Mathew Cheeseman
24.3.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND SIX PREVIEW
We head off to Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday afternoon for the Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’, with Joondalup United entertaining Cockburn City in Week six of the PS4NPLWA. It will be the first time the two clubs have ever meet in WA football, and it’s been a meteoric rise for Joondalup, who were only formed in 2000 and Nick Jennings and the other coaches at the club have worked extremely hard to reach the top flight of WA Football. Cockburn have gone under the radar this season, and currently sit in third spot, and Scott Miller has molded a talented squad and their results so far this season shows that.
Cockburn are coming off a hard fought 3-2 win against local rivals Armadale last week, and skipper Euen Grant, who popped up with a goal too, said it was good to bounce back from their loss against Floreat. “Derbies are always tough games and Armadale made it hard for us,” he said. “But it’s great to come back from being down twice to get the victory and keep our good form going.” Grant said Joondalup have made a flying start to life in the NPL and he’s expecting a tight game. “Both teams are going into this one in good form, so it will be a tight game,” he said. “They (Joondalup) have more than held their own against any opposition they have come up against, so we know it will be another good test for us.” In team news for the Cockerels Ali Gholami is line for a recall, while Harry O’Brien and Liam Murray retuned off the bench last week and will be both in line for a recall.
Joondalup midfielder Jay Marsden said last’s win at Balcatta, in their first away game of the season was well-deserved. “Last week’s win a great result and a good solid performance from the boys, every game is going to be a battle for us and we are prepared for that and we deserved it on the day,” he said. “We seem to be getting more confident by the week so hopefully we continue to improve on Saturday against a good Cockburn side.” Marsden, who joined Joondalup from local rivals ECU last season, said Cockburn have brought in some good players and will be a huge test for them, but he said they will be doing everything they can to keep their unbeaten start to the season going. “We know Cockburn will be a tough game but again we are prepared for that and know every game is going to be a tough one,” he explained. “But we know if we play like we have been and take our chances we can walk away with points.” In team news Matt Sparrow should return from injury, while Josh Booysen may return after travelling overseas. - Saturday (3pm) Joondalup United v Cockburn City – Percy Doyle Reserve – Referee – Joshua Nixon
After last week’s battle against Bayswater, Sorrento will be in for another one this week when they travel to the ECU Football Stadium to take on ECU Joondalup in the local derby. The 4-4 draw was one of the best games of the season to date, to keep the Gulls in the top three, while ECU were beaten by a late Jon Stynes goal at Floreat Athena. ECU assistant Coach David Tough said it was disappointing to let it slip late, but they had chances to win it. “It was one of those games which looked like it was going to be goalless, which over the 90 minutes I think would have been a fair result,” he said. “We missed a few good chances over the 90 which was disappointing and unfortunately another moment we switched off for a second and we're punished.” Tough said the Northern Derby is always a big game and Saturday will be no different. “I think the Sorrento game is perfect for us to bounce back with and kick start our season. We all know we haven't performed well so far but we're confident in the players we have in the squad,” he explained. “We've been working extremely hard in training and I'm sure we'll find our form soon. We know this is going to be a testing game but we'll be well prepared and ready.” In ream news Ryan Pearson is missing for the Gulls, after being sent off last week, while Rikki Smith is in line for his first start of the season for the home side, while Steven McGarry and Kevin Moon have shaken of knocks from last week and will be available. - Saturday (3pm) ECU Joondalup v Sorrento – ECU Football Stadium – Referee – Tom Glavovic
League leaders Perth SC have home ground advantage again when they host Armadale at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday. Perth had to come from behind to beat the Glory last week, while Armadale were edged out by Cockburn City, their third straight home defeat. Perth keeper Francis Soale said they had to work hard for the win last week. “No denying they dominated us for the most of the first half and deservedly led at the break, although I should've saved the free kick,” he said. “But to be fair we've changed a few things and came out in that second half a different side putting them under more pressure, which in the end they didn't cope with and we scored the two goals we deserved.” Soale said Armadale are a tough team to play and he said their second round win at ECU Joondalup showed they are a good side. “I think everyone within the league is well aware there's no more easy games with the threat (apparently) of relegation and playing for finals etc. The ladder's a hoax after only five games, we'll treat Armadale the same as any other opponent,” he said. “That being said we won’t accept another start to the game like we had last week, we're at home so we'll be expecting nothing less than a win and hopefully a first clean sheet for boys down back.” In team news Niccolo Sabatini should return to the starting line-up, but will be without skipper Clark Keltie with a broken foot. “To loss Clark is a big loss as he would be for any team in the competition, but there's nothing you can do we had similar all situations all of last year which didn't stop us,” he said. “Watch out for Paul Zimmerino and Tom Jebb, couple of our younger brigade banging on the door for a spot in the side, while Marco Santalucia has also just returned to training from his serious knee injury which has been great for him.” - Saturday (3pm) Perth SC v Armadale – Dorrien Gardens – Referee - Tom Dowle
Mandurah City will play their first home game of the season when they host Perth Glory at the Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium on Saturday. The Glory let a half time lead slip at Perth last week, while Mandurah conceded a last minute goal at Inglewood to draw 2-2. Defender Jeff Bright said despite the result it was a good performance. “It was pretty disappointing that we put ourselves in a position twice to win the match but just couldn't hold on. We did soak up a lot of pressure and I thought our defence was very good on the day,” he explained. “We have had a very experimental defence so far this campaign because of injuries and hopefully now we can all stay fit and stop leaking in soft goals because one mistake and you get punished in this league.” Bright said the Glory youngsters have been impressive this season and he said it will be a good game. “This is a massive game for us this week, especially our first home game in the NPL after five away matches and we will be aiming for our first win,” he said. “We have to make our ground a fortress and start picking up points, and the Glory will be a good test for us. They are a young team with guys who have ambitions of taking the next step so we need to get on top of them early and really finish off the game. The club is expecting a big crowd and I know a lot of hard work has been done off the pitch to make this happen so it's up to us as players and coaches to do the business on the park.” In team news Oriol Fernandez should return for the home side, but Lance Louvey is still out, while the Glory will be at full strength. - Saturday (3pm) Mandurah City v Perth Glory – Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium - Referee – Steven Gregory
The final game on Saturday is at Grindleford Reserve, where Subiaco travel to take on Balcatta. The visitors side won for the first time this season at Stirling last week, while Balcatta were beaten 3-1 in their first home game of the season. It was a massive win for Ian McMurray’s side and keeper Ryan Montgomery said it was a well-deserved win. “Last week’s performance was a complete team effort and a due reward for all the hard work we've put in over the last few weeks while things haven't been going our way,” he said. “We've picked up some quality players in the off season so it was always going to take a few games to gel but now we've got the first with hopefully we can kick on from last week’s win. Montgomery said Balcatta will be looking to bounce back from their lose last week so they will need to be on the ball. “This will be another test for us, and they will be looking to get back in the winner’s circle,” he said. “But I believe if we have the same attitude and work rate as last week there's no reason why we can't get another result.” In team news Mike Lawson and David Perich both pulled up sore from the win at the Lions, but should be fit to play. Meanwhile Daniel Hepworth, Nathan Scully and Emmanuel Mansaray will be pushing for a starting role for Balcatta. - Saturday (3pm) Balcatta v Subiaco - Grindleford Reserve - Referee – Anthony Walsh
On Sunday two teams who have struggled to start the season meet at the Macedonia Park, when Inglewood United visits Stirling Lions. The Lions were upset at home last week by Subiaco, while Inglewood need a stoppage time equaliser from Brian Woodall to draw with Mandurah. Lions’ skipper Miki Vujacic said last week was a real disappointment for everyone involved at the club. “It was a very poor performance by us, Subiaco totally dominated us in most aspects of the game and without a doubt deserved the points,” he said. “For us the quality and experience is there, we just need it all to click to get our season cracking.” The midfielder said they are looking forward to Sunday’s game to kick start their season. “I think in terms of opposition, Inglewood, are the perfect team for us to be playing this week. Facing off against a great team, with quality all over the park is something that will motivate our boys to perform,” he explained. “We thrive on playing against the top teams and with both teams having disappointing results last week, it will be an interesting game to watch. Both sides go into the game at full strength with Lions trio Will Pender, Darren O’Riordan and Alex Tanevski pushing for a starting role, likewise Luke Randazzo, Kenny Keogh and Mark Pritchard for Inglewood. Sunday (3pm) Stirling Lions v Inglewood United – Macedonia Park – Referee – Nico Hoyle
In the final game second placed Floreat Athena head to Frank Drago Reserve to take on Bayswater City. The home side conceded a 95th minute penalty to draw 4-4 at Sorrento, while Floreat scored late to beat ECU Joondalup. Midfielder Kris Gate said they deserved the win last week, and their never-say-die attitude shone through. “Saturday was a massive win against a very good ECU side. We knew there qualities and there threats and I thought we dealt with them very we,” he said. “We have players missing who have been a big part of Floreat’s success for a good few years including top goal scorer Lewis McMahon and gold medal winner Ludovic Boi, but I think we have to give credit to the boys and the way we have gone about business, and picking up some big points.” Gate said Bayswater may not have started the season well but they are a good side and they are expecting a tough game. “Bayswater are a quality side there is no doubting that, and there is no doubt come the end of the season they will be right up there,” he explained. “They went to Sorrento and grabbed a draw so maybe they are looking to kick start their season, but having said that we are in form and started the season well. I think we can give them a game no doubt and hopefully we come back with the points.” In team new McMahon, Boi and Phil Arnold will miss again, but Bobby Wilson will be putting his hand up after impressing off the bench in recent weeks. Bayswater will be without the suspended Luka Ninkovic and Brent Griffiths, but Paul McCarthy and Andrija Jukic will be pushing for a starting role. Sunday (3pm) Bayswater City v Floreat Athena – Frank Drago Reserve – Referee – Michael Jasinski
24.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES FINAL PREVIEW
Last weekend saw two tense Semi-Finals, and on Sunday evening South West Phoenix and Forrestfield United meet in the 2017 State League Night Series Final. Both sides needed late penalties to win their Semi-Final’s, Nicola Gazzola scored for the Phoenix to beat Ashfield 4-3, while Rhys Loxley converted for Forrestfield, as they edged out Dianella White Eagles 3-2.
Forrestfield went through Group C undefeated to top the group, and they won the point needed in the final game against Gwelup Croatia to move into the Semi-Final. Winger Rhys Loxley said the Dianella game was their toughest so far this season so far. “They (Dianella) really took the game to us and on another day the tie could’ve been over by half time, as they missed a host of clear cut chances,” he said. “However we were able to regroup at half time and after a couple of smart substitutions we finished off the stronger of the two teams resulting in two late goals to win it.
“I think the result shows the character and mentality within our squad, which may have seen us across the line. A special mention must go to 17-year-old Josh Kotio, who performed exceptionally, given the circumstances of the tie.” Loxley was given the responsibility of taking the last minute penalty and he was happy to have secured a final spot. “Theirs is always going to be added pressure given the nature of the situation – the last minute of a Semi-Final and the chance to win it – All I could really do is pick my spot and remain confident that the ball would end up in the back of the net, thankfully it did.”
The vice-captain said Sunday’s opponents are on fire at the moment and it will be another tough game. “They (Phoenix) will be high on confidence after a perfect campaign so far and after watching them play in the Semi-Final, it should prove to be a really tough game,” he said. “They play a really attractive style of football and have a number of players all over the park who are capable of making a difference. All we can do as a team is play our brand of football as best as we can and hope that it is enough to get us over the line.”
South West Phoenix skipper Adam Guthridge said their Semi-Final win, was a real battle. “Ashfield played well and definitely made us earn our spot in the final and it would've been a great game for the spectators,” he said. “They are a physical side and battled for 95 minutes which we knew would be the case, but credit to our boys for getting the result to put us into the final. Although it wasn't our best performance we showed character to grind out the win which will hold us in good stead for the final.”
Keeper Guthridge has been putting back into the game working for Football South West as Goalkeeper coach. “I played at Canning City juniors until 14, before heading to Busselton City FC until 18. Then to Western Knights for two seasons with Ronnie Campbell and Willy Kelly, then moved to Canada and played for West Vancouver FC in the VMSL, before returned to play my first season at Phoenix in 2016,” he explained.
“I run the Goalkeeping Hubs for Football Federation South West in Busselton Bunbury and Australind, and I am also Technical director for Australind Junior Soccer Club and currently coach an U12 team who plays in the Perth JBL. After playing for several years in the South West I felt the need to give back to the footballing community and now find myself within several roles trying to have a positive impact on the young footballers of the region which is a very rewarding experience.”
Guthridge said Sunday’s game will be another tight game, but New Coach Mauro Marchione has started life well at the Bunbury based club, and has brought professionalism to the club. “We know Sunday’s game will be a good technical and tactical display between two well coached sides, and I’m sure there will be some quality football on display,” he said.
“Being a final you'd expect a close game and it's clear both clubs are doing great things both on and off the pitch this year. Mauro has brought a huge amount of experience, knowledge and professionalism to a club that has been seeking a coach of this calibre for years. The playing group has responded well to Mauro in the last four months and the results of our hard work in training over this period have started to show on the pitch.”
24.3.2017
GLORY LOOKING TO SPOIL THE SKY BLUES PARTY
Hyundai A-League leaders Sydney FC head West this week to take on Perth Glory at the nib Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and it’s a must win game for Kenny Lowe’s side. A win will keep their top four hopes alive, but a win for the Sky Blues will give them the Premiership plate.
The Glory were belted last time out against Melbourne Victory, a result not many saw coming. After taking the lead the Victory took control on the scoreboard, although the Glory created a number of chances and in the end it could have been 5-5, but Kevin Muscat’s side are find form at the right time of the season.
Glory skipper Rostyn Griffiths said there run to the finals start on Sunday, and he believes they can get three points to kick start their finals campaign. “Our finals series is starting now, a little bit prematurely,” Griffiths said. “Every game is a must win for us – to set up our season, and everyone’s got to target the home final.
“They’re all winnable games for us, especially the home games, and Adelaide (away) obviously who haven’t been the same this season. Sydney FC has the opportunity to wrap it up this weekend with the minor premiership. It will be a huge game for them, but we want to create our own slice of history and be the team that can knock them off. It’d be good for our confidence to get a result.”
Brandon Wilson (Back) and Joe Mills (Hamstring) have both returned to training and could make a return to the squad on Sunday, while Rhys Williams is on international duty.
Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold is weighing up making a surprise selection for the game with midfielder Josh Brillante a chance to be dropped into the backline The Sky Blues are forced to make at least two changes to their starting line-up with defender Rhyan Grant and goalkeeper Danny Vukovic away with the Australian national team and Arnold eyeing a potential reshuffle of his starting line-up instead of promoting youngsters. With Seb Ryall on the comeback from a hamstring injury, there is no obvious replacement for Grant in the right full-back spot.
Arnold is yet to decide whether to start young centre-back Aaron Calver in his less familiar role out wide or drop Brillante from his regular position as defensive midfielder. "Seb is still probably another 10 days to two weeks away. We need to be careful with it because it's a hamstring [injury]. Probably today, he could play, but you always hold hamstrings back a couple of weeks," Arnold said. "Aaron Calver is 100 per cent fit. He's trained enormously the last two weeks and more. He hasn't been injured, he's just been on the bench or left out. He comes back into calculations. He's played right-back for us before and he's done a good job so he's a potential to play."
Arnold said the 16-day break was a welcomed chance to work on their finishing in front of goal.
"It was a great period to have off and it's given us a great opportunity to tidy up a few things we weren't happy with," Arnold said. "Look back against the Mariners, it was a 1-0 result that should have been five. It's about the gut feeling in front of the goal, when you feel the strikers have that feeling about executing, and when they get the execution right and get the combinations right, then we're a very good side."
23.3.2017
PLAYING THE RED DEVILS A GLORY DAY FOR HARNWELL
A timely text message has launched Perth Glory great Jamie Harnwell back on the pitch with some of his childhood idols. Harnwell could barely believe his eyes when an invitation came from his former Glory captain Simon Colosimo to play against the sporting giant who helped him fall in love with the world game.
39-year-old Harnwell will line-up for the PFA Aussie Legends against a Manchester United team of legends at Perth Oval on Saturday night. The Red Devils will be managed by Harnwell’s idol and hero, Bryan Robson, and includes other household names including Paul Scholes, Dwight Yorke and Denis Irwin.
“Pretty much when I was born,” Harnwell said of his lifetime support for the Manchester club. “My dad was a massive Manchester United fan, so from the time I could walk I had Manchester United shirts on and it has continued from there. It’s something that runs through me and I’ve passed it on to my kids as well.”
“Bryan Robson was my idol as a kid and I wanted to be captain of Manchester United just like him,” Harnwell said. “It’s going to be a special night. Unfortunately I’m not doing it at the peak of my career but I’m looking forward to it, my family is looking forward to it and I’m just hoping I can snag one of their shirts afterwards.”
Harnwell, who played 256 games for Glory, has a range of Manchester United memorabilia, including an old teddy bear - minus both eyes - wearing club colours. Saturday’s game will raise money for the Manchester United Foundation’s work with young people in England and a local organisation, DT38 Foundation.
23.3.2017
VILLA BOSS ADMITS HE MUST BE ‘BOX CLEVER’ WITH LYDEN
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has admitted he'll need to be “box clever” with Jordan Lyden following the midfielder’s return from long-term injury. 21-year-old Lyden, who made his first team breakthrough last season, has spent the majority of the current campaign on the sidelines with a quad injury.
Lyden finally made his return for Villa’s under-23s this month but Bruce is eager not to rush him back too quickly. “We have to err on the side of caution with the type of injury he has got,” Bruce. “He had one of those terrible muscle injuries. We have to box clever.”
“He has trained the last week and to be fair I have been very impressed with him. He’s a good player. The first thing he has to do is get fit and we are doing everything we can. If he gets fit then he has an outstanding chance of being in and around it.”
23.3.2017
VELAPHI OUT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
Goalkeeper Tando Velaphi will be out of action for at least two months after breaking his hand. Velaphi, who joined Japanese club Shonan Bellmare from Melbourne City last year, suffered the injury while trainng with the J2 League side last week.
"I broke my hand last week at training, so it was a little unfortunate," confirmed Velaphi, who was on the bench for this seasons opening three league game prior to injury. "I had the operation over the weekend so looks like a couple of months on the sidelines."
"It's been a little frustrating not to start the season but I felt I was training well and in good shape before the injury, and obviously felt ready to play if I was called upon. As a team we've started off strongly, which has been great, so it's a shame to have to miss out the next couple of months."
Velaphi began his senior career with Perth SC before A-League stints with Queensland Roar, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City. An Australian youth international, he made nine first-team appearances for Shonan Bellamare last season.
21.2.2017
JUFC WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME
Joondalup United has once again been left disappointed by the City of Joondalup’s decision not to develop a facility for the club after plans for Beldon Park were turned down in midweek. At the council meeting, a majority of Councilors and the Mayor followed the City’s recommendation to reject a proposal for the upgrade of facilities at the park which has been utilised by the club for a number of years. Unfortunately, the costs associated with the development were deemed too high.
United President Stephen Martin said it was the worst possible outcome. “Yes it was a disappointment, and when we saw the plans and expected cost of the Beldon proposal we did fear the worst but after being through the ringer twice already were just ready for this to be all over at the third time of asking,” he explained. “The fear of NPL and the scaremongering going on has been rather incredible throughout this whole process.”
The club would like to assure its members that the Committee will continue to fight for a permanent home base as the club goes from strength the strength. They have made great strides both on and off the pitch – Senior, Amateurs, Masters and juniors continue to grow, and you need the best facilities, but what have the council objected to, for knocking it back again? “For a club of our size and stature our facilities are embarrassing, in this instance it was the cost of the project which saw it get knocked back,” Martin explained. “With the need for two pitches, the earthworks required to facilitate this was rather excessive, so it’s back to the drawing board.
The club have been able to take their spot in the NPL playing at Percy Doyle Reserve this season and Martin thanked them for helping them out of the situation. “Percy Doyle was always a short term solution and we really thank Sorrento for helping us out, we wouldn’t be here without them,” he said. “It is however not sustainable long term due to things like hire fees and lack of income generation through food and drinks sales. As always we are working closely with the City of Joondalup Administration to find a solution that meets NPL requirements and also allows the club to generate more of an income from our home games to help cover our NPL running costs.”
It is imperative that councils supports a sporting club that has been successful both on and off the park while providing a healthy environment for both young and old. Despite tonight’s decision, JUFC will continue to play and train at Beldon Park as it is the home ground for both senior and junior teams. Beldon Park will also host the club’s annual Family Fun Day this coming Sunday which promises to be another fantastic event.
Martin said the performance of the NPL side this season has given everyone at the club a massive boost. “They have done really well so far, as with any league promotion the first goal you set yourself is survival so to start the way we have has been very pleasing,” he said. “With only a few additions to the NPL squad from outside the club it is great to see the lads who have been loyal to JUFC getting the chance to play at the highest level and so far holding their own.
21.3.2017
GLORY SIGN INTERNATIONAL ROMANIAN
Romanian international Lucian Goian has signed a short-term player contract as an injury replacement with Perth Glory for the remainder of the Hyundai A-League season. The 34-year old experienced central defender heads to Perth after playing for Indian Super League giants Mumbai City, where he was voted the league's best defender.
Goian, a Romanian Under-21 international, tasted considerable success in his homeland where he won the League Championship, the Romanian Cup and the Romanian Supercup with Dinamo Bucharest. Prior to playing in India, he spent three seasons in the Chinese Super League with Tianjin Teda and Beijing Baxy before spells at Romanian clubs FC Bracov and CFR Cluj.
Goian joins Glory following season-ending injuries to defenders Shane Lowry (quad) and Alex Grant (foot). The experienced defender has commenced training with Glory and is expected to be available for selection for this weekend's Round 24 game against A-League leaders Sydney FC at Perth Oval.
21.2.2017
FFA CUP 3RD ROUND DRAW SETS UP SOME BIG GAMES
The draw for the Third Round of the Westfield FFA Cup (WA Stage) was drawn on Monday and it’s set up some intriguing ties. Melville City face the long trip down south to take on Albany Bayswater City, while the 2015 quarter Finalists Gwelup Croatia start their journey with a home game against Bunbury based side Dalyellup Park Rangers.
Albany Rovers make the trip to Woodvale, Kalgoorlie based Boulder City host Shamrock Rovers, while Busselton SC entertain Hamersley Rovers. Graham Normanton’s first official game as Coach of Olympic Kingsway is a home tie against Western Knights, while Jonndanna Blues travel to Wembley Downs. The match of the round is at Dianella Reserve where Dianella White Eagles take on Ashfield, who were beaten in the 2013 State League Cup Final.
FFA Cup Round 3 – Game played on April 1 and April 2
Woodvale v Albany Rovers, Canning City v Wanneroo City, Albany Bayswater SC v Melville City, Busselton SC v Hamersley Rovers, Gwelup Croatia v Dalyellup Park Rangers, Dianella White Eagles v Ashfield, Quinns v UWA Nedlands, Forrestfield United v Curtin University, South West Phoenix v Kelmscott Roos, Joondalup City v Ballajura AFC, Olympic Kingsway v Western Knights, Rockingham City v Kalamunda United, Gosnells City v Kingsley SC, Boulder City v Shamrock Rovers, Wembley Downs v Jonndanna Blues, Warnbro Strikers v Swan United, Kwinana United v Fremantle City, Balga v Southern Spirit, Morley Windmills v Perth Royals,
21.3.2017
SAINSBURY: I'M CLOSE TO INTER MILAN DEBUT
Having tasted football's "creme de la creme" in Italy, Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury admits his next club move is going to feel like a step down, wherever he goes. But he is increasingly hopeful he won't have to make one.
Sainsbury believes he is close to breaking through for his Inter Milan debut after moving on loan to the Serie A powerhouse from Chinese side Jiangsu Suning in January. Sainsbury is yet to be used by coach Stefano Pioli despite making Inter's bench six times but said he was starting to feel like he belongs.
"I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. The biggest hurdle I have to climb is myself," Sainsbury commented. "Physically I'm OK. Tactically I have to get used to what the team is like - the Italians love defence. But if I wasn't near the right level I wouldn't be on the bench."
Sainsbury has lapped up the experience so far, enjoying all the fringe benefits that come with playing for one of Europe's most famous clubs - including the treatment extended to players' cars, which are cleaned, perfumed and topped up with petrol whenever they come back from away games.
The 25-year-old former Armadale junior has not played a competitive match since October last year, and Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said he took a punt on Sainsbury by including him in his squad for this month's qualifiers.
Sainsbury looms as a likely starter at centre-back against Iraq but with match minutes such an important commodity and so many important international assignments to come this year, Sainsbury concedes the clock is ticking.
"Game time is important - we all know that - so I just have to keep training hard and try to force the coach's hand," he said. "(If not) it definitely won't hurt my CV. Who's going to turn down Inter Milan?"
"Hopefully someone will see what I can offer their club and a move to (somewhere else in) Europe will be on the cards. I've tasted Europe before, Australia, China - Europe is where I get the burning passion to better myself."
SOCCEROOS CALL-UP HALTS WILLIAMS CONTRACT EXTENSION
Perth Glory could face another battle to keep talented midfielder Rhys Williams at the club because of his Socceroos recall. Williams’ contract is set to expire at the end of the season but if he plays a specified number of games a second year is automatically triggered.
However, his call-up for the World Cup qualifiers against Iraq in Tehran on 23 March and the United Arab Emirates in Sydney five days later, mean he cannot hit that mark even if Glory qualify for the Grand Final. Williams will miss two games while with the Socceroos and a third because of a ban after picking up his eighth yellow card against Melbourne Victory.
“After missing the next two rounds, no matter how many games he plays from now on he can’t trigger it,” Williams’ manager Tony Rallis told Fox Sports. “All I will say is that the number of games he has played, combined with the number of games he can still possibly play, including the grand final, will not trigger a new contract.”
Williams was out-of-favour earlier this year and left out of the Glory squad for five matches. The club refused to let the former Middlesbrough player move to a rival A-League team, but said at the time it might be prepared to open talks about a move overseas. He was chased by league leaders Sydney FC, who Glory play in their next game, tomorrow week.
After fighting his way back into the Glory side Williams, who has not represented Australia since a friendly against Costa Rica in 2014, said the dispute was behind him but admitted the Socceroos recall was a shock. Glory chief executive Peter Filopoulos said he did not want to comment about the speculation or individual contracts and said the team was focussed solely on making the finals.
The next four weeks will decide Glory’s finals fate as they line-up against three of the top four teams in the run home. After the Sydney clash, they travel to face cellar dwellers Adelaide United before home games against Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City. Glory are fifth, trailing Brisbane and Melbourne but with a game in hand over the pair.
19.3.2017
PHOENIX RISE TO THE FINAL
South West Phoenix moved into the Final of the State League Night Series after a thrilling 4-3 win against Ashfield at Wanneroo Reserve in the early game on Sunday evening. The Phoenix were ahead early through Lee Stewart, before Jamie Stewart levelled for Ashfield. Lee Stewart added his second, but again Ashfield hit back with Matt Bonasera on target. Jayden Prosser regained the lead for the Phoenix but once again Ashfield levelled with Jody Thompson scoring.
It looked like going to extra time but in the fifth minute of stoppage time Nicola Gazzola scored the winner from the penalty spot. “Ashfield gave us a battle for 95 minutes and are the perfect example of how hard you have to work to win games in this division,” Lee Stewart said. “We are delighted to make the final, but the preseason is a learning curve for everyone so we will need to continue to develop as a squad and ensure we are ready physically and mentally for the upcoming season.”
It was a classic Semi-Final with chances at both ends, but it was the Phoenix ahead at the break. Lee Stewart was sent clear by a long clearance from keeper Adam Guthridge and the Ashfield keeper Scott Rowe misjudged the bounce and the striker fired home into an empty net. But Ashfield lifted after the break and they soon levelled. Jamie Stewart was on the end of some neat build up play to side foot past Guthridge. But the Phoenix regained the lead when Lee Stewart fired home a free kick, but Matt Wardle’s side weren’t laying down and they levelled again. Matt Bonasera received the ball 20 meters from goal, and his half volley flew into the top corner of the net giving Guthridge no chance.
The big crowd were loving every minute of the game and it wasn’t long before the Phoenix again hit the front. Gazzola’s shot was well saved by Rowe, but Prosser was quickest to react to fire
home the rebound. But once again Ashfield hit back and made it 3-3, second half substitute Jody Thomson was given far too much room in the middle of the park and his shot flew into the bottom
corner of the net with Guthridge rooted to the spot. It looked like going to extra time, but in the 95th minute the Phoenix on it. Prosser fell in the penalty area and the referee pointed straight
to the spot. It looked a little harsh, but Gazzola stepped to score to send the Phoenix into the final against Forrestfield United next Sunday.
19.3.2017
FORRESTFIELD EDGE OUT DINAELLA IN SEMI-FINAL CLASSIC
Forrestfield United moved into the Final of the State League Night Series after a 3-2 win against Dianella White Eagles, in the late game at Wanneroo Reserve. Dianella were ahead on the half hour with Angel Andres scoring from the spot, but Forrestfield levelled on the stroke of half time with Liam Merigan on target. Dianella converted another penalty through Bojan Radinovic just before the hour to retake the lead, but Forrestfield again drew level on 68 minutes with Ben Rogers scoring. It could have gone either way but a last minute penalty from Rhys Loxley won it for Forrestfield.
“Very much our toughest opponent this year. They did their homework and credit to them they shut off key areas of the field that made us unable to play our game the way we wanted,” Forrestfield defender Mark Barnett said. “But we never gave up we have that never say die attitude amongst our group and we will fight to the death of every game. So huge credit to all the boys who took part in the game and we will have a solid week on the training park this week and look forward to a great final next weekend.”
It was a great game early and both sides played some great football, and there were chances at both ends, but on 35 minutes Dianella hit the front, Barnett mistimed tackle brought down Mwansa Musonda and the referee pointed to the spot. Spanish striker Andres made no mistake from the resulting penalty. But in the shadows of half time Forrestfield levelled, Trevor Laure and Josh Kotio combined down the right, the latter crossing into the box and Merigan finished into the corner of the net.
It was more of the same after the break with both sides pressing, and ten minutes in Dianella won another penalty, after Kaan Karacan and keeper Ben Parry combined to bring down Andres, and the striker picked himself up to score from the spot. Once again Forrestfield hit back and second half substitute Jordan Hart raced down the right and linked up superbly with Rogers, and the striker made no mistake.
It was anyone’s game but Dianella looked tired, and with extra time looming Forrestfield scored the winner in the final minute. Hart was a constant threat and he sent another substitute Day Day
Poe into the box and he was brought down by keeper Yann Castrec, and for the third time the referee pointed to the spot. Loxley kept his nerve to score the winner and send them into next week’s
Final against South West Phoenix next Sunday.
DJULBIC WANTS TO SPOIL SYDNEY'S PREMIERSHIP PARTY
Perth Glory defender Dino Djulbic is rallying his teammates to delay Sydney FC's prospective minor premiership celebrations. A win next weekend at Perth Oval could seal the Sky Blues the premiership but Djulbic wants that to be motivation for his team to strengthen their claim on a home final. "We don't want them to win the minor Premiership here so we gotta try to do our best to spoil it for them," Djulbic said.
Djulbic registered his 120th A-League appearance - and 80th in Glory colours - in last weekend's loss to Melbourne Victory. But the defender is focused on the team more-so than his individual achievements. "Ït's great for me but it was a bad result for us," he said. "We thought we'd go there and get a result but we made too many individual mistakes and it cost us in the end. We've got to make sure we don't do those again."
Glory have had the chance to rest and rejuvenate with a week off this due to the split round and Djulbic believes the break has come at an ideal time. "We have a couple of injuries so it gives them time to come back hopefully and obviously after our loss, it's good to regroup and kick on against Sydney next week," he said. "We've got three home games coming up and it's a good time to recharge the batteries a bit before the finals."
18.3.2017
ATHENA LEAVE IT LATE TO BEAT ECU
A goal three minutes from time from Jonathan Stynes, has given Floreat Athena a 1-0 win against ECU Joondalup at Litis Stadium on Saturday evening, the win moving them to joint top of the PS4NPLWA table. Both sides had chances in a tight game, but it looked like it was heading for a scoreless draw, before Stynes popped up with the winner. “Well it was a tough game as we expected, as ECU won last week and we knew they would be up for a big game,” Floreat midfielder Jackson Morgan said. “But the boys played really well from the start to the end and we got rewarded for our hard work throughout the game with the late winner.”
Both sides went into the game after big wins last week, but it was the visitors first to threaten. Tommy Amphlett was sent down the right by Jon Higgins, his cross to the back post picked out Daryl Nicol, whose volley was well saved by Jason Saldaris. The game came to life just before half time. Morgan tried his luck from long-range for the home side, but it was straight at keeper Fraser Greenwood. Moments later Shane Pickering played a great ball over the top for Amphlett, but the ECU wingers’ shot on the run was well saved by Jason Saldaris at his near post.
The game opened up and both sides had good late chances. First Stynes sent the overlapping Shaun Timmins down the right, and his shot from the angle was saved low by Greenwood, before Nicol blazed over the top after good work by Amphlett on the right. Floreat started to take control after the break, Stynes header was well saved by Greenwood, before Kris Gate shot dropped on top of the net.
Morgan was outstanding in the middle of the park, and he tested Greenwood again on the hour, but his shot was straight at ECU custodian. ECU lifted and Higgins’ in-swinging corner beat everyone and crashed off the crossbar and away to safety, before Gordon Smith’s header flashed inches past the post. But on 87 minutes the home side won it. A long ball into the penalty area picked out Wilson, who laid the ball off to Stynes, who finished clinically past Greenwood to win it. “We’ve had a lot of first team players out and our last four games have been a battle, but we have the players that can step in and tonight showed that,” Stynes told the PS4NPLWA website. “We knew going into the game the danger they (ECU) have in certain areas, and we worked hard at training during the week and we got the right result.”
Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ, 4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathan STYNES, 10 Kris GATE (5 Bobby WILSON 71), 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY,
15 Christopher SALDARIS, 17 Dean EVANS (C) – Subs not used: RGK Jordan BARBAS, 11 Ali NAZARY, 16 Ryan MALTON, 20 Joe TWEATS
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING (8 Kevin MOON 53), 5 Nathan DIAZ, 6 Jon HIGGINS, 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 13 Tommy AMPHLETT (11 Danny MILNE 82),
14 Steven MCGARRY, 17 Jack JONES, 16 Cian HIRRELL - Subs not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 7 Keylun POLLARD, 15 Rikki SMITH - Referee: David Bruce
18.3.2017
SUBIACO TRIPLE THREAT
Subiaco have won for the first time this season with a come-from-behind 3-1 win against Stirling Lions at Macedonia Park. Jason Rubridge gave the home side the lead at half time, but second half goals to Jordan Candish, Mike Lawson and Rory Feely won it for Ian McMurray’s side. “A great win for us today, I really believed we were going to get the three points and its one we well deserved we have been battling hard the past few weeks,” Subiaco defender Alex Castiello said. “So it was good to finally get a result, we had great composure going 1-0 down then wining 3-1 in the end.”
Subiaco were on the front foot early and pressed high and dominated the middle of the park and looked more likely to open the scoring, but didn’t convert their chances. But seven minutes before half time it was the home side who hit the front. Daniel Micevski made space down the flank, and he crossed into the penalty area and Rubidge headed home past Ryan Montgomery. The Lions went close to second before the break, Moses Alavakis sending Daniel Micevski in on goal, but Montgomery stood tall to deny the midfielder.
The visitors continued to look dangerous after the break and they were rewarded with the equaliser on the hour. A quick counter attack caught the Lions napping and Carlin Feely cut the ball back to Candish, who finished past John Perkins. Moments later Subiaco hit the front. Lawson wasn’t closed down in the middle of the park and his long range shot flew into the net giving Perkins no chance. Subiaco were well on top, and the Lions were holding on, and the visitors wasted a number of chances to put the game to bed, but three minutes from time they did.
A long ball over the top sent Rory Feely clear, and the striker lobbed over the on-coming Perkins to seal the victory. “For me the win is brilliant, but more importantly, the boys put in an outstanding performance today and played some great football,” Subiaco player/coach Ian McMurray told the PS4NPLWA website. “It was very sore on us to come into half-time one down, but I settled the boys down during the break and I told them if we kept going like that we would score goals and we did exactly that. This season we have a new set of boys, are playing a new style of football and are getting better every week, but we still know that we have a hard task ahead of us.”
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2 Michael PUGLIESE, 4 Blamo QUA QUA, 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 7 Miki VUJACIC (C) (17 Darren O’RIORDAN 70’), 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 11 David MICEVSKI, 12 Jason RUBIDGE
(9 Alex TANEVSKI 62’), 15 Shane CASSIDY (3 Alex SULESKI 88’), 16 Mathaing MATHIANG, 18 Moses ALAVAKIS – Subs not used: RGK Lance ALAVKIS, 19 William PENDER,
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 John LOCKHART (6 Kevin CASTLE 93’), 8 Mike LAWSON, 9 Rory FEELY (16 Ian MCMURRAY 88’), 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDISH (15 Henock BUTSHIRE 79’),
14 Ross JARMAN, 17 Alex CASTIELLO, 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL – Subs not used: 10 Dylan ANDREWS, 21 Nick SPECA
Referee: Josh Mannella
18.3.2017
JOONDALUP CONTINUE UNBEATEN START TO SEASON
Joondalup United continued their unbeaten start to life in the PS4NPLWA with a 3-1 win against Balcatta at Grindleford Reserve. On their first trip on the road this season Joondalup were ahead at the break with Alex Wild on target. Richard Howles doubled their advantage just after the hour, and although Feisal Zaw pulled one back for the home side Jay Marsden made sure of the points with a third. “It was a great win and great performance today,” Joondalup keeper James Bosdet said. “We started the game slow and scored against the run of the play, but after that we were the better side. It was a real good professional performance to take all 3 points and keep our unbeaten run going.”
It was a cagey opening with both sides coming off good wins last week. Joondalup were missing influential midfielder Matt Sparrow, and chances for both sides were few and far between, but that all changed on 21 minutes. Joondalup skipper Arran Maplestone raced down the flank and crossed low in to the penalty area and Wild made no mistake to score past Domenico Savoldelli. Balcatta were struggling to find holes in the Joondalup defence, which was led superbly by Ross Edwards, and at the break the visitors held onto their lead.
It was more of the same after the break, Balcatta struggling in the final third while Joondalup looked dangerous, and on 68 minutes they doubled their lead. Howles picked the ball up and raced at the Balcatta defence, beating two before finishing clinically past Savoldelli. The home side gave themselves a lifeline five minutes later. Jon Corness’ raced down the right and whipped in a cross and Zaw was on hand to finish low past Bosdet.
It was a game on and the home supporters thought a comeback was on the cards in their first home game of the season, but that was quashed on 78 minutes, when Joondalup added a third. Marsden picked the ball up wide and cut inside his marker and drilled his shot into the top corner of the net giving Savoldelli no chance. It could have been four late on after Rowdy Yates’ cross picked out Wild, but his headed flashed over the top. “It was a proper team performance,” Joondalup Coach Nick Jennings told the PS4NPLWA web site. “If you make mistakes in this league you get punished but we executed the game plan and got the rewards.”
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2 Hanafi GHAZALI, 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Calum O’CONNELL, 5 Kieron STALLARD, 6 Jonathan CORNESS, 9 Luccas MELLO, 11 Feisal ZAW, 12 Kurt KOUAKOU (13 Daniel HEPWORTH 83’),
20 Paddy QUINN, 23 Ismael BANGURA (13 Emmanuel MANSARAY 59’) - Subs not used: 16 Nathan SULLY, 19 Jaedon EWEN
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 2 Joel LEDSHAM, 3 Rowdy YATES, 4 Arran MAPLESTONE, 5 Joe STOCKER (54 Robert BAIN 69), 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Richard HOWLES (19 Mike KENNY 81), 10 Alex WILD, 16
Ross EDWARDS, 18 Anthony TAYLOR (17 Luke SERRA 80), 23 Jay MARSDEN - Subs not used: 21 Jack NUNN, 22 Luke DOYLE - Referee: Tom Dowling
18.3.2017
WOODALL LATE STRIKE DENIES DOLPHINS THE WIN
Mandurah City was denied their first win of the season after Inglewood United striker Brian Woodall scored a last minute equaliser in their Week five game at the Inglewood Stadium. Oscar Thompson, who returned from injury for the game, put Mandurah the lead at half time, before Woodall levelled on the hour. Jeff Bright regained the lead for the Dolphins and it looked like that would win it for them, but Woodall struck late to share the spoils. “I’m happy we got ourselves into a winning position twice against a very good team,” Bright said. “But it’s tough to take conceding very late because we did soak up a lot of pressure and I thought the defence held strong for the majority of the game, but we have to be fully focused for 90 minutes.”
Both sides had plenty of possession early, but clear cut chances were few and far between, despite both sides having a number of set-pieces in and around the box. But three minutes before half time the visitors took the lead. Ryan Francis burst into the box and was brought down by Adam Tong and referee Stuart Muldoon pointed straight to the spot. Thompson stepped up and converted the resulting penalty past Alex Dunn.
Inglewood opened the brighter after the break and Mandurah keeper Cyril Sharrock was busy, producing two good saves to deny Inglewood striker Alex Salmon, but on the hour the home side levelled. Salmon lost his marker in the box, his shot was well saved by Sharrock, but the rebound fell to Woodall, and the English striker made no mistake. It looked like Inglewood would go and win it and created a number of chances but they couldn’t find the goal. But Mandurah showed them how to do on 66 minutes. Good lead up play ended with Andy Brown who played in Bright and he raced into the area and finished clinically past Dunn.
Inglewood pressed looking for the equaliser and Woodall wasted two golden chances, but in the final minute he made emends. A cross in to the box by Scott Blackmore picked out the striker who beat Sharrock to the ball to head home. The home side almost nicked all three points late in the game, but Mark Pritchard’s free kick whistled just wide of the target in stoppage time.
“I felt that we had the better of possession and more chances, but in the end we were lucky to come away with the draw,” Inglewood defender John Migas said. “Mandurah were well organised and hard to break down in the final third, and whenever they went forward they were more clinical. But at the end of the day I think it was probably a fair result, but disappointing for us, as these are the games we have to win if we want to be title contenders again at the end of the year.”
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 3 David CYRUS (c), 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 5 Adam TONG, 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 10 Ashley ROSINDALE (14 Mark PRITCHARD 75), 11 John MIGAS, 15 Brian FARRELL
(12 Luke RANDAZZO 84), 18 Jason COLLI (7 Kenny KEOGH 64), 23 Brian WOODALL – Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 19 Chok DAU
Mandurah City: GK Cyril SHARROCK, 2 Oliver MCGEE, 3 Jeff BRIGHT, 4.Matt STARES, 5 Daniel DYSON, 6 Oscar THOMPSON (9 Craig TONE 78), 7. Mitch FIRTH, 8 Andrew BROWN (c), 10 Sean TROUP
(15 Joe O’BRIEN 70), 11 Ryan FRANCIS, 14 Mark MCLAUGHLIN – Subs not used: RGK Bradley EIFFE, 12 Jordan RHODES, 17 Oriol FERNANDEZ - Referee: Stuart Muldoon
18.3.2017
SORRENTO AND BAYSWATER PRODUCE AN EIGHT GOAL THRILLER
In one of the matches of the PS4NPLWA season, Sorrento and Bayswater City have fought out a stunning 4-4 draw at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Sean Canham and Jack Salter gave Sorrento the lead at the break, Bor Bor Sam pulled one back early in the second half, but Reece Vittiglia regained the Gulls two goal advantage on the hour. But Bayswater hit back to level with Jason Mirco and a penalty from Gustavo Giron Marulanda, and it looked like they had won it late when youngster Luka Ninkovic scored, but a penalty in the 96th minute from Scott Bulloch gave both teams a share of the spoils, while Ryan Pearson (Sorrento) and Brent Griffiths and Ninkovic (Bayswater) were sent off.
It’s always a huge game on the football calendar, and this one didn’t let anyone down. The home side went close early after a quick counter attack by Bulloch down the left, but his low cross was inches away from Canham and Salter at the back post. But on 19 minutes the Gulls hit the front. Bulloch shot was blocked on the line, but Canham was on hand to tap home the rebound. Bayswater found themselves two down on the stroke of half time. Bulloch was again picked out, and his first time ball sent Salter in one-on-one with Devon Spence, and he finished well.
Bayswater needed a good start to the second half, and they did when they pulled a goal back on 57 minutes. Sam received the ball on the right and cut inside two Sorrento defenders before curling the ball into the bottom corner giving Sorrento keeper James Morgan no chance. It was game on but the home side hit back three minutes later to regain their two goal lead. Scott Witschge raced down the right and cut the ball back to Vittiglia, who eased past his marker and finished low past Spence. Bayswater weren’t going away and they pulled another goal back on 72 minutes, Mirco heading home a corner.
Sorrento were reduced to ten men five minutes later, when Pearson was given a second yellow card by referee Matthew Southern, and Bayswater were level on 82 minutes, when Mirco’s cross hit the arm of Jordan Brown and Marulanda sent James Morgan the wrong way to level. Then in a dramatic finale, it looked like Bayswater had won all three points when Ninkovic headed home a corner three minutes into stoppage time. The young striker’s celebrations were cut short when he received a second yellow card and was sent off.
The Home side pushed forward and in the sixth minute of stoppage time they won themselves a penalty. A long ball into Steven McDonald caused panic in the Bayswater defence, and referee Southern spotted a foul by Griffiths, and pointed straight to the spot, and showed a second yellow card to Griffiths and sent him off. It was getting heated on the pitch and the touchline, but it didn’t affect Bulloch who stepped up and sent Spence the wrong way to level with the last kick of the match.
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2 Declan HARGREAVES (19 Luka NINKOVIC 67), 9 Gustavo Giron MARULANDA,10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (c) (23 Andrija JUKIC 67),
17 Bor Bor SAM, 18 Brent GRIFFITHS, 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (8 Paul MCCARTHY 53) – Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 22 Jamie MURPHY – Red Card: Ninkovic 90+3, Griffiths 90+5
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 8 Ryan PEARSON, 9 Sean CANHAM (5 Billy QUINNCROFT 58), 10 Scott BULLOCH, 11 Tim HILL, 13 Steve MCDONALD, 14 Scott WITSCHGE, 17 Reece VITTIGLIA (21 Sam BYLES 83),
18 Jordan BROWN, 19 Jack SALTER (2 Jacob SHORE 77), 20 Brad MCDONALD - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO,. Alex MORGAN - Red Card: Pearson 77 - Referee: Matthew Southern
18.3.2017
PERTH GO TOP AFTER NARROW WIN AGAINST GLORY
Perth Soccer moved back to the top of the PS4NPLWA table after a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens. The home side went into the game without injured skipper Clark Keltie and speedy winger Niccollo Sabatini and they were behind at half time with Joe Knowles scoring early. But a brace from last season’s top goalscorer Gustavo Catarcione early in the second half gave the home side the points.
“There is no doubt that we started a little shaky in the first half, but as a team we knew if we stuck to the game plan we practiced throughout the week we would achieve the desired three points,” Perth SC winger Frank Furfaro said. “The second half, we started off with three dangerous attacks which built momentum and later resulted in team combinations leading to our two goals.”
The Glory youngsters made the perfect start and were ahead on five minutes. Knowles was brought down on the edge of the penalty area, and the striker picked himself up to curl the ball around the wall and into the corner of the net. The Glory should have added to their lead Daniel Stynes’ long-range shot flashed inches wide of the post, while Knowles’ snap shot was pushed around the post by Francis Soale, and the dangerous Kosta Petratos fired wide after good work on the right.
Perth hadn’t one shot at half time, but that all changed at the break with Coach Ramon Falzon changing his formation and it had an immediate impact. Furfaro was sent down the left he outpaced his marker and crossed to Catarcione and the Brazilian made no mistake. Then on the hour the home side hit the front. Kieran Colwell found space down the left and whipped in an inviting cross to Catarcione, who headed home powerfully from five meters.
The Glory pressed late looking for an equaliser and substitute Michael McDougall, almost found one, after he was found unmarked on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot whistled the wrong side of the post. “We had to work hard for the three points, they are a very good footballing side and at half time they deserved to be in front, we didn’t play well,” Perth Coach Ramon Falzon said. “We spoke at half time about the things we’ve been working on in the week, and the players lifted their quality and executed the game plan and the result came, but it was a stressful day.”
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 2 Alex SILLA, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES (7 Aleks JOVIC 87’), 4 Adrian MADASCHI (C), 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (8 Tom KING 46’), 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC,
13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR, 16 Kieran COLWELL, 17 Francis FURFARO (12 Jordan DE LEO 79’) - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 19 Roberto DEL BORRELLO
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Walter SCOTT (13 Riley WARLAND 62’), 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Yacoub MUSTAFA, 8 Callum TIMMINS (14 Mitch
OXBORROW 61’), 9 Joe KNOWLES (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 77’), 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 11 Kosta PETRATOS - Subs not used: RGK Stef KING, 15 Sam RIAK - Referee: Michal Jasinski
18.3.2017
COCKERELS WIN A FIVE GOAL DERBY THRILLER
Cockburn City’s bright start to the PS4NPLWA season has continued after a hard fought 3-2 win against local rivals Armadale at Alfred Skeet Reserve. All the goals came in a frantic first half. Dylan White gave the home side the lead, but Cockburn skipper Even Grant levelled. The lively Josh Tumoe regained the lead for Armadale, but a Gian Albano penalty and a stunning free kick from Jesse Lazzarro gave Cockburn the three points. “It’s always a tough game at Armadale, and we knew they were going to make it hard for us, but we were able to match their intensity and score three good goals,” Cockburn’s Daniel Dols said. “Scotty has made sure that everyone knows their jobs, so it’s really good to see that convert into points on the board early on in the season.”
Cockburn, who lost for the first time at Floreat Athena last week, went close to the lead on 13 minutes, Calvin Whitney’s long-range shot was well saved by Michael Craggs. That save become more important as two minutes later the home side opened the scoring, Dylan White finishing well past Luke Radonich. But there lead only lasted five minutes, they failed to clear a corner and Grant bundled the ball home from close-range.
Armadale regained the lead, with one of the individual goals of the season. Tomoe found space on the half way line, and continued on a solo run which took him past the Cockburn defence, before finishing with aplomb past Luke Radonich. But Cockburn weren’t to be outdone and they levelled on 38 minutes, with Albano bagging his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot, after referee Tom Glavovic spotted a foul on David Araya.
But the visitors took the lead into the break after hitting the front two minutes from half time. Lazzarro’s stunning free kick from 20meters curled into the bottom corner of the net to end a fantastic half of football. Both sides defences were far stronger in the second half and clear cut chances were hard to find the nearest opportunity fell to Cockburn substitute Liam Murray, whose header flashed narrowly wide of the post. Armadale pressed late but couldn’t find a way past a tight Cockburn defence.
Armadale: GK Michael Craggs, 2 Dylan White, 4 Nathan Costello (C), 7 Charlie Kenna (19 Faustin Machochi 70’), 9 Kyle King, 11 Dannie Richman, 12 Josh Tumoe, 14 David Annall, 16 Tristan
Taylor, 17 James Atkins (10 Papa Kpatar 70’), 20 Beau Rahim (18 Milan Ognjenovic 77’) - Subs not used: RGK Alec Radonich, 21 Charlie White
Cockburn City: GK Luke Radonich, 2 Josh Kuser, 3 Daniel Dols, 4 Euen Grant, 6 Reuben Tristao, 8 Cameron Edwards, 9 Gian Albano, 10 David Araya (11 Harry O’Brien 56), 16 Calvin Whitney,
17 Jesse Lazzaro (13 Blake Adams 45) 18 Aden Da Luz (5 Liam Murray 77) - Subs not used: RGK Ryan Barker, 12 Kenel Mouithys - Referee: Tom Glavovic
17.3.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND FIVE PREVIEW
It’s week five of the PS4NPLWA and this week’s Footballwa.net ‘Match of the Week’ takes us to Percy Doyle Reserve where league leaders Sorrento entertain Bayswater City. Both sides were in
the winner’s circle last week, Sorrento thrashing Armadale 5-1, while Bayswater won for the first time this season with a 2-1 win against traditional rivals Perth SC. The last time the two
sides met in the league at the same venue the Gulls flew home with a 2-1 win. David Heagney gave the visitors the lead at half time, but Jordan Dodd levelled, before Ryan Pearson popped up
with a winner in the last minute.
Sorrento striker Billy Quinncroft bagged a brace last week at Armadale and he said it was a good solid team performance, and continued their excellent start to the season. “We have started
the season strong, and we are scoring goals as a team, which we struggled a little bit in front of goal last season,” he said. “The win last week was a good result for us, they beat us in the
third placed play-off in the Night Series, and no one likes going to Armadale, it’s a tough place to pick up points, but we were strong and came away with a convincing result to keep our unbeaten
start to the season.” Quinncroft, who briefly joined the Black and Blues last season, said Saturday’s opponents are talented but he said they are looking forward to taking them on at their home
ground. “We all know they (Bayswater) are a good side, and we are expecting a tough game, but with us in form, we are relishing the challenge, and with us in good form I think we have what it
takes to beat them, especially at our home ground,” he said. “We have to stick to our game plan and we can’t show them too much respect, otherwise they will take advantage of that. I’m really
looking forward to the game as it’s always a great contest between us.” In team news Shaun Kilkelly, Josh Tucker, Brodie Martin and Daryl Platten are all available for selection, so Coach Jamie
Harnwell will have a few selection headaches.
Bayswater’s David Heagney was on target last week against Perth, and the English striker said it was an important win, especially after their defeat at Cockburn. “We all knew Saturday was always
going to be a hard game, especially after our indifferent start to the season, but three points against are biggest rivals is a great result,” he said. “But at the end of the day it was a big
result for us, a good team performance and I thought we fully deserved the win.” The trip to Percy Doyle Reserve (AKA Windy Hill) is never easy, but Heagney believes they are determined to come
home with a result. “Sorrento is not the easiest place to go, and they have started the season very well too, but we will go in to the game with a great win under our belt and look to get
another win,” he said. “We have a fully fit squad and everyone is ready to go, with competition for spots are up for grabs, so we feel we have the team to get the job done.” Saturday (3pm)
Sorrento v Bayswater City – Percy Doyle Reserve – Referee - Matthew Southern
Perth SC will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they host Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens. The Glory arrives after a 0-4 loss against Balcatta, and Coach John Gibson will be looking for a response from his young side against the current Champions. Perth were edged out last week at Bayswater and defender Roberto Del Borrello said it was a game that could have gone either way. “The match against Bayswater was an unfortunate outcome for us as we put in maximum effort and didn't come away with any points,” he said. “Obviously in terms of the result it wasn’t our desired outcome, but this could serve as a good learning curve for us in the coming weeks and will keep us focused.” The 23-year-old defender, who has spent a number of years playing overs at Fluminense in Brazil, Estoril and Ribiera Brava in Portugal, Braintree in England and ACS Berceni in Romania, said the game against the Glory youngsters will be another tough game. “It won’t be an easy game as the Perth Glory A-League team don't have a fixture this weekend and we will prepare that a few of their guys will drop down and play,” Del Borrello explained. “Its three points that we are very motivated to grab, all teams are subject to a loss but it’s the reaction after that will be important. We will continue in pursuing our objective and follow our game-plan to the best of our abilities.” Both sides go into the game at full strength. Saturday (3pm) – Perth SC v Perth Glory – Dorrien Gardens – Referee - Michal Jasinski
Floreat Athena bounced back into the winners circle last week with a win against Cockburn City, and this week they host ECU Joondalup at Litis Stadium on Saturday evening. ECU won for the first time this season last week, with a come from behind 3-2 win against Inglewood, Daryl Nicol bagging a late brace to give Dale McCulloch’s side all three points. Floreat had Bobby Wilson to thank for their winner, and midfielder Jesse Fuller said they should have wrapped it up earlier. “It was a good game, which we should have put to bed in the first half and were unlucky to have a goal ruled off for offside,” he said. Their goal was very lucky and just allowed them to stay in the game, really, but I think we were well and truly the better side and deserved the three points.” Fuller, who joined Floreat from Armadale this season, said Saturday’s opponents have a good side, but he is confident they can get the right result. “That's a great win for ECU against Inglewood, but for us, I guess it's a matter of more of the same,” he said. “We're in good form and just need to focus on our game, each player doing their individual roles and should result in a positive result for us.” Floreat striker Lewis McMahon could return after a knee injury, while Bobby Wilson will be pushing for a start after his heroics last week. ECU striker Gordon Smith is in doubt with a shoulder injury, while Rikki Smith and Kevin Moon are in line for a recall to the squad. Saturday (7pm) Floreat Athena v ECU Joondalup – Litis Stadium – Referee - David Bruce
Balcatta made it back-to-back wins last week against Perth Glory and this week they host Joondalup United at Grindleford Reserve. Joondalup won their first game in their first season in the NPL, with a 4-3 win against Subiaco last week, with a brace from skipper Arron Maplestone and a man of the match performance from Matt Sparrow seeing them home. Balcatta blew away the Glory youngsters last week and winger Feisal Zaw said it was a great win for their confidence after a first up loss. “It was great to get back to back wins and more importantly three clean sheets in a row<’ he said. “After the 5-1 defeat at Sorrento our main goal has been trying to keep goals out as we always knew we were capable of creating chances in games. Now we can focus more on putting those chances away and making them count. We look to take that into Saturday’s game.” It’s the first home game of the season for Balcatta and Zaw said they are looking to make it a winning start. “It will be good to play a home game finally considering the pitch has been getting fixed up and no pre-season games were played at Grindleford, so it will be interesting to see how much of an advantage it really plays,” he explained. “Joondalup have shown that they're a formidable force and I think there will be a battle especially in the first few minutes on who dictates the game, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.” Balcatta will be at full strength, while Joondalup will again be without Josh Booysen, who is on his honeymoon, while Matt Sparrow will face a late fitness test on an injured ankle. Alex Wild has recovered from illness that kept him out of last week’s game and will be available. Saturday (3pm) Balcatta v Joondalup United – Grindleford Reserve - Referee - Tom Dowle
Subiaco make the trip to Macedonia Park to take on Stirling Lions, still looking for their first points of the season. The Lions on the other hand picked up their first points of the season with a 3-2 win against Mandurah City, with David and Daniel Micevski starring for Rob Milevski’s side. Subiaco fought all the way at Joondalup United and went down in a seven goal thriller, but defender Alex Castiello said they are improving each week. “I thought we played well in parts, and shut off for parts which killed us, but there have been good signs and I can't fault our work ethic,” he said. “The team is slowly starting to gel together and we are building momentum we will have a full side against Stirling.” Castiello, who joined Subiaco from Armadale this season, said they need to put in a full 90 minutes, and they will start getting their rewards. “I thought we really matched Inglewood in the first half against them and outplayed Joondalup in the second half, so we just need to keep that performance for the full 90,” he said. “But we’ve had a good week at training, and I’m confident we can snatch three points down at Macedonia Park.” In team news Will Pender and Alex Tanevski will be putting their hands up for a starting role after both coming off the bench last week for the home side, while Lukas de Lima will also be hoping for a recall. Subiaco coach Ian McMurray has a full squad to choose from and will have Henock Butshire, Ross Jarman and Robert Harding all pushing for a starting role. Saturday (3pm) Stirling Lions v Subiaco – Macedonia Park – Referee - Josh Mannella
Inglewood United let a two goal lead slip to lose at ECU Joondalup last week and they will be looking to get back in the winner’s circle when they host Mandurah City at the Inglewood Stadium. Mandurah were narrowly edged out at Stirling last week, but are still searching for their first win of the season. Inglewood’s English striker Brian Woodall was outstanding last week at ECU, but he said they took their foot of the pedal and let the home side back in the game. “It was very disappointed result, it felt like we dominated that game, we had by far the better chances but that's football sometimes,” he said. “At 2-0 up we had chances to finish them off but we failed to convert them and unfortunately for us they took theirs.” Woodall said they need to put last week disappointment behind them, and a win on Saturday will go a long way to doing that. “To be honest I don't think I have seen Mandurah play before, so it will be an interesting game,” he explained. “But the other players have told me they have some quality players so we will need to be at our best, and three points would be nice. We have a full squad to choose from for the game, so Taki will have a few selection headaches this week.”
Saturday (3pm) Inglewood United v Mandurah City – Inglewood Stadium – Referee - Stuart Muldoon
In final game it’s the local derby with Armadale hosting Cockburn City at Alfred Skeet Reserve. Both sides were beaten last week, with Cockburn suffering their first loss at Floreat, while Armadale were well beaten by Sorrento. Armadale midfielder David Annall said the past two home game defeats haven’t been ideal. “The past two weeks have certainly been disappointing, especially after the Joondalup win,” he said. “The game against Balcatta we felt we should have won considering the amount of chances we created, whereas the Sorrento game we looked completely out of sorts, and in all honesty we deserved what we got. Having four players out from the previous weeks starting eleven affected us big time and left us disjointed and unorganised. But we've learned from it, taken it on the chin and we hope to get back on track this week.” Annall said game against their local rivals, are always tight affairs and he said Saturday will be no different. “The last time we played Cockburn was down their way and we came home with a hard fought win,” he said. “They've got some talented young lads and we're expecting another good battle as Scott (Miller) always has them well drilled. But if we can get back to being more ruthless in front of goals like we have been in the games prior to Balcatta, I'm confident we can get our first home win on the board.” In team news David Araya and Daniel Dols will be pushing for a spot in the Cockburn starting eleven, but Armadale will gain be without Jordan Pavett and Jackson Bealey. Saturday (3pm) Armadale v Cockburn City – Alfred Skeet Reserve - Referee - Tom Glavovic
17.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES - SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW
The 2017 State League Night Series has reached the Semi-final stage and the four teams that have reached this stage are among the favourites to win the First Division title this season, so both ties will be entertaining encounters. The early game on Saturday evening at Wanneroo Reserve see’s Group B winners Dianella White Eagles take on Group C winners Forrestfield United (6.00pm). Eagles skipper Bojan Radinovic said the side is getting better with every game and said it was a tough group. “I’m happy we qualified for semi-finals, we managed to finish the group stage with four comfortable wins and only one loss in a close match against Western Knights - which could have gone either way,” he said. “We are still getting to know each other as a team with many new players and a new coach on board, but we are improving every game.” Radinovic said Forrestfield have looked impressive so far, so it should be a good game. “We are excited for Saturday night’s game against a really strong side Forrestfield - who many people are saying are the favourites to win the title for the upcoming season in division one,” he said. “We respect them and know that they have a good and organised team but I believe in our squad and our coaching staff and I know that we will give it our 100% to come out with a good result and make our fans happy.”
Forrestfield winger Rhys Loxley said they have a deep squad and they all got a run in the Group stage. “The group was really tough as there were no easy games, every game was challenging which in my opinion has provided us with a fantastic platform to progress throughout a tough pre-season campaign putting us in good stead for the upcoming season,” he said. “We played some really nice football at times and were able to blood some exciting youngsters into the first team against tough opposition, who are sure to give the gaffer a few headaches come selection time.” Loxley said Dianella will be another tough test, but one the club is looking forward too. “We know the game against Dianella this weekend is going to be tough. They have shown their quality by also progressing through a tough group and are going to be relishing the challenge,” he explained. “From our point of view, the game is an opportunity for us to test ourselves against arguably one of the favourites for this seasons division one title, and while it would be nice to reach the final for the second consecutive year, we have to consider the bigger picture - being to finish on top of the pile come the end of the season.”
In the late game the unbeaten Group D winners South West Phoenix take on Group A winners Ashfield (8.30pm) Phoenix’s Lee Stewart said they are working hard under new coach Mauro Marchione, and they are improving with every game. “It has been a very positive performance from the squad over the group stage. Five wins is great but it's been more pleasing to see we have been able to adjust to player rotations and different playing styles,” he said. “We haven't had too much in the way of player movements in the off season but the couple of lads who have come into the squad have settled well. Now the group is finished we can begin to focus on getting ourselves into the final and as a player those are the games you want to be playing in.” Stewart said Ashfield have been there or thereabout over the past three seasons and is expecting another battle against them on Saturday. “Ashfield have always produced good sides and we have played out some entertaining games with them over the past few seasons and I'm sure this weekend will be no different,” he said. “They will provide us with a very tough test this week and we will be making sure we are ready, after a good week at training.”
Ashfield finished equal in Group A with Wanneroo, but went through on fewer yellow/red cards. Skipper Gary Hill said it’s good to get to the semi-final, as they prepare for the league campaign under new head coach Matt Wardle. “We're obviously very happy to have qualified for the semi-finals, but we had a few ups and downs in terms of results, but feel the performances have been good we just need to cut out the few mistakes which cost us,” he said. “Importantly it’s been good to get minutes into everyone before the league starts and it's been great to see the new faces that have come in settling well into the side.” Hill said the Phoenix has looked impressive so far, but they are looking forward to the challenge. “The game against Phoenix will be a tough one, they are a very good footballing side and haven't lost yet or conceded many, I expect it to be a very evenly contested game between two good sides,” he explained. “But I feel confident that if we play the way we can and to our full potential we can get the win and progress to the final next week.”
17.3.2017
THE FINAL WORD
We sat down and spoke to the four coaches from the State League Night Series Semi-Final, and the Footballwa.net team looked at the players from each side that will be influential on the night.
Forrestfield United – Rod Banjac. "It's been a great night series for us so far, and to be amongst the top four teams in the state at this point, is a fantastic achievement, and a just reward for our hard working young squad, “ he said. “Now that we are in the semis the game has to be taken very seriously and we have done our research while analysing the opposition during their last qualifying game.
“Dianella White Eagles are definitely the most complete and by far the best side we have seen so far, but we are well prepared and very much looking forward to the challenge. Like us they topped a very tough group but they are also the highest scoring side with 22 goals in five games and seem to be scoring for fun. It should be a very interesting encounter as our defensive unit has proved to be the second most stingiest throughout the entire competition.”
Players to Watch – Forrestfield skipper Liam Merigan is a born leader, a box-to-box player, who reads the game well, and is lethal with both feet. Winger Rhys Loxley is quick and his delivery from set-pieces is excellent. Defender Mark Barnett has been outstanding in the group stage, good in the air and reads the game well.
Dianella White Eagles – Robbie Dunn “The game is a great one for the club to be involved in. Last year was a very stressful year for, the coaches and the players so to having now just topping a tough preliminary group and advancing to the semi-finals is a massive turn around in fortunes for us all,” he said.
“Forrestfield are the benchmark first division team and we know that this will be our biggest test yet. They are well coached and having been together for a few years now they know each other well and will be tough to break down. All the players can do is - keep improving and keep working hard for each other and if they do I can’t ask any more of them. Rod Banjac has my utmost respect and is a very good coach indeed and all kudos to him for getting his players to play such disciplined attractive football. If our players can match them in any of their play then I will see this as a great step forward for our players as we have only just been together for this current night series.”
Players to Watch – Spanish striker Angel Andres has been on fire in the group stage. His scoring ability is crucial to the team but he is only one part of the Eagles jigsaw. Skipper Bojan Radinovic is a very influential player for his team and his pairing with Yann Castrec in the centre of defence gives them the drive they need to press forward. Musonda Mwanza and Camilo Cardenas have not only created many opportunities for others but are chipping in with some great goals along with Sotiris Theodosiades.
Ashfield – Matt Wardle “It's great that we have made the semi-final of the night series and everyone wants to play and win these games,” he said. “I'm happy with the progress and performances our boys have put in so far but we have our sites set for round one of the season proper and this game will be great for us to continue our preparation with another competitive game.
“We all know South west Phoenix will be well organised, well drilled and they have smart players going forward, who can get into good areas in advanced positions and score goals, so it gives us a good challenge and one we’re all looking forward too.”
Players to Watch – Ashfield have a number of senior players who will be vital on Saturday and in their first division campaign this season. Skipper Gary Hill leads from the front and is vital in the middle of the park, while Vice Captain Ashley Corker delivery from the set-pieces and the flank is important. At the back Nick Davies add others!!!!
South West Phoenix – Mauro Marchione – “We have been very lucky to reach this point of the competition however, now that we are there we want to go all the way to the final. After the circus that happened three years ago with their relegation, now the club has acquired a renewed spirit and it’s ready to build again for the future,” he said. “To be in the semis is a dream for the boys and for the club. Of course, we all know that the other three teams are better than us in many ways, but we all also know that anything can happen in a knock out game so, we will enter the semis with the right attitude and conscious that if Ashfield wants to beat us they have to work very hard for it. In saying that, I believe that Ashfield is a strong, mature side with players who can make the difference anytime. They are well organised tactically (I can tell Marco is working there) plus they are very physical too. Moreover, now anyone can tell that they finally have a good structure, solid, with quality and with players playing in the right positions, not like in the past 2 or 3 years.
“I think Ashfield could be the surprise of the league this year as they have players with experience and class: I think of Ash who I brought from England four years ago but also the three strikers, in particular the one from Joondalup City. It will be interesting to see how my boys will play against a big team like this. Nevertheless, whether Ashfield or us won't win this competition, in fact whoever will win the other semifinal will be the winner of this NS. Dianella has spent a lot of money to build a high quality team and, besides many others, with Angel up front they have by far the best striker in WA. On the other hand, Forrestfield can count on the best coach in all the Saturday’s competitions and that could be the factor to win not only the NS but also the League. Let's see what happens.”
Players to Watch – Skipper Adam Guthridge has been in fine form between the sticks, while both Carlo Chiellini and Ryan Stewart have been solid at the back, Lee Stewart is their route to goal while youngsters Matt Postega, Claudio Mastinu and Dylan Wickeed are others to watch.
12.3.2017
O’NEILL THANKS ARNIE FOR SEASON IMPROVEMENT
After season when transfer speculation could have put his mind off football, Brandon O’Neill has showed everyone in the game the quality he processes, and he has continued his football education under the tutelage of Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold. All the reports were the 22-year-old was heading back to Perth to join the Glory, but he said a chat to Arnie was the most important thing that has happened to him in his football career, and he’s now holding down a starting role in the Sky Blues side.
“At the start of the season [Arnold] sat me down and he pretty much told me what I could do to be consistent,” O’Neill told Fox Sports. “Being a midfielder, you don’t have to be man-of-the-match every week like Ninko [Milos Ninkovic] can be. I want to do my job for the team and make sure we win football matches. I couldn’t be happier playing for Sydney FC at the moment.”
O’Neill began his football journey at ECU Joondalup, before joining Perth Glory, but for some reason he was unable to get a regular spot in the side and when Arnold came calling he jumped at the chance to move east. Sydney have one hand on the Hyundai A-League league Premiers' Plate, and they lead the table by 11 points, but O’Neill said there is still room for improvement.
Their last game was a hard fought 1-0 win against Central Coast Mariners, a game they weren’t at their best, but the pitch didn’t help, it was not up to A-League standards (something Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has had his say on ahead of the World Cup qualifies next week), but O’Neill believes that type of performance is another building block the Sky Blues.
“Graham (Arnold) keeps reminding us to be the greatest football team in A-League history – that’s every day, at lunch, in warm-ups,” he said. “Three point’s like that in hard conditions, against a good Central Coast Mariners team, goes a long way to doing that.”
With four A-League rounds remaining, and a trip to take on the Glory next week, Graham Arnold will use a 16-day break to work hard with his squad in a bid to prevent complacency sneaking into their title push. But that first inevitable piece of silverware in seven seasons has never been the target for Arnold, who is more intent on cementing best-ever A-League status by ratcheting up a record 58 points in the 10-team format.
12.3.2017
EDWARDS TURNS IT ON FOR PARTICK
Ryan Edwards has celebrated his Socceroos call-up by producing a big performance for Partick Thistle in the Scottish Premier League. 23-year-old Edwards set up Patrick’s opening goal 10 minutes after the break with his inch-perfect cross dispatched into the net by Kris Doolan.
It looked like that would be enough to hand Partick victory against Inverness, only for the visitors to equalise in the second minute of stoppage time. While the shared point was a disappointing outcome for Partick, Edwards did his chances of making Ange Postecoglou’s final 23-man squad no harm with another all-action performance.
12.3.2017
WA TRIO IN AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
The search for the next wave of Socceroos continues to be cast far and wide with a 22-player Australian development squad to assemble in Spain for a training camp from 20-28 March 2017. The nine day camp will be held in the Spanish region of Murcia at the Pinatar Arena and will also comprise two training matches against Austria and Finland’s national Under 21 teams, and three WA players have been included, with former ECU Joondalup trio Jayden Lyden, Cameron Burgess and Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the squad.
Lyden is currently playing for Championship side Aston Villa, Burgess is on loan at Bury Fc from Championship side Fulham, while Maynard-Brewer is at Charlton Athletic. Of the players selected by Socceroos Assistant Coach and Australian U23 Head Coach Josep Gombau and Young Socceroos Coach Ufuk Talay for the nine day camp, all except Newcastle Jets defender Nicholas Cowburn currently play in Europe.
With an array of young Australian players cutting their teeth in European leagues, the training camp provides an opportunity to unearth hidden gems, such as current Socceroos Massimo Luongo, Jackson Irvine and Bailey Wright who were relative unknowns playing abroad.
“A lot of players in this squad we haven’t worked with before so this camp allows us to bring them in and expose them to the national team setup and see the levels they are at and how they are tracking,” said Gombau.
“This is not just an Australian Under-23 squad, we are also bringing in some younger players and the main objective is to get to know all of them and see how they can fit into our system and bring them under the national team umbrella. During the last four months Ufuk and myself have been keeping an eye on them and trying to get footage of their games, and from that we have brought in the players that we think have a good level and can fit into the style of how we want to play.” “There is a five year gap between the oldest and youngest players coming into this camp so the main objective is to know these players and see if they can become potential Socceroos for the future.”
While Cowburn is the only current Hyundai A-League player in the squad, the likes of Thomas Deng, Alex Gersbach, Anthony Kalik, Awer Mabil and Stefan Mauk all plied their trade in the Hyundai A-league before heading overseas. The selection of 18-year-old Adelaide United midfielder Riley McGree for the Socceroos’ upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers illustrates the view of Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Ange Postecoglou and Gombau, who share a willingness to give young players the chance to prove themselves.
“This is an exciting process,” said Gombau. “Our job is to try to build a strong Socceroos team in the future and our job is to try and find the best Australian players from around the world, regardless of where they are playing. “We need to try to know every single Australian player with potential and work hard to bring them in.” “The most important thing is development and to see what these players can bring to the table.” Left back Callum Elder, currently playing with Barnsley in England, and former Melbourne Victory midfielder Sebastian Pasquali who is at Ajax in Holland, are both unavailable due to injury.
Australian Development squad for Spain training camp (20-28 March 2017)
Panos ARMENAKAS (Udinese, Italy), Jake BRIMMER (Liverpool, England), Cameron BURGESS (Bury FC, England), Nicholas COWBURN (Newcastle Jets), Thomas DENG (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Alex GERSBACH (Rosenborg BK, Norway), Thomas GLOVER (gk) (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Jordan HOLMES (gk) (Eastbourne Borough, England), Ajdin HRUSTIC (Groningen FC, Netherlands), Chris IKONOMIDIS (AGF, Denmark), Deni JURIC (HNK Hajduk Split, Croatia), Anthony KALIK (HNK Hajduk Split, Croatia), Josh LAWS (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany), Jordan LYDEN (Aston Villa, England), Awer MABIL (Esjberg fB, Denmark), Stefan MAUK (NEC, Netherlands), Ashley MAYNARD-BREWER (gk) (Charlton Athletic, England), Danijel NIZIC (gk) (Morecambe, England), Aiden O’NEILL (Oldham Athletic, England), Con OUZOUNIDIS (Everton, England), Milislav POPOVIC (FC Koln, Germany), Thomas PRINSEN (PEC Zwolle, Netherlands)
12.3.2017
LOWE: REF SHOULD'VE GONE TO SPECSAVERS
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe has taken a dig at the officiating on Saturday night after his team was denied two penalties in their 4-1 away loss to Melbourne Victory. Glory took an early lead against the run of play through Diego Castro, before Victory piled on two goals in each half to complete the rout.
And Lowe cut an angry figure on the sideline in the first half when referee Kurt Ams waved away penalty shouts from Castro and Andy Keogh who were both brought down in the box. In the latter case, Victory captain Carl Valeri had his arms wrapped around Keogh preventing him from attacking the ball.
“I’m a long way away but when I see Andy Keogh getting quite distraught, he’s a genuine kid, he plays the game the right way ... there’s got to be something in it, Lowe said post-game. “I looked at the screen once and saw a cheeky little rugby tackle ... if the ref’s four yards away and he misses that, I think Specsavers for the weekend for him.”
It was a morale-boosting win for Melbourne who had failed to defeat Glory in their past eight outings. Meanwhile Perth squandered a chance to go third on the A-League ladder and tie up an elimination home final but Lowe said the team remained positive going into the last four of the regular season.
While Lowe described Melbourne as “very efficient and clinical in the big moments," the Glory coach felt there were positives to come from the game. “Going forward we create chances, we score goals but defensively we just need to do away with really basic errors,” Lowe said.
“We’re in a good space, it’s been a good game today, it’s been end to end, they’ve been efficient and clinical and probably deserved the win. But again we’ve had opportunities in the game where we probably could have made it a little bit harder ... 3-2 makes it a little more interesting.”
12.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES – WEEK FIVE REVIEW
The 2017 State League Night Series Group stage has come to a dramatic conclusion across the weekend, with three groups going down to the wire. In Group A at Wanneroo Reserve, Swan United, Ashfield and Wanneroo City were still in the running to reach the Semi-Finals, and in the first game Swan United took on Shamrock Rovers. The Rovers were ahead early Adam O’Neil heading the opener, but John Monterosso levelled. Damian Porter gave the Rovers the lead again with a great long-range shot, before Declan Murphy added a third, heading home Peter Smith’s cross. Swan hit back and Monterosso scored twice to complete his hat-trick to bring it back to 3-3, but the draw wasn’t enough. “It was a disappointing performance unfortunately, and we are now paying for it by missing a chance to qualify for the semi-finals,” Swan coach Matt Debarro said. “But we will learn from it, and move forward, but well done to Shamrock.” This meant the winner of the group would come from the final game where Ashfield took on hosts Wanneroo City. It was Wanneroo who opened the scoring early. Matt Franken getting down the left wing and delivering a perfect cross to allow Scott Johnston to volley home. But Ashfield were level at the break, Jamie Stewart long-range free kick flew into the top corner of the net. Ashfield went back in front when Stewart pressured the Wanneroo defender and keeper and the ball was played into his own net. Wanneroo changed formation and went looking for the equaliser and it dually arrived late in the game. A cross into the box was dropped by the Ashfield keeper and Kye Douglas fired home from close-range. “Silly mistakes at the back and not finishing our chances cost us the three points,” Ashfield Coach Matt Wardle said. “I believe we outplayed them for most of the game controlling the pace and tempo, so we are now looking forward to our next challenge in the Semi-Finals against South West Phoenix at Wanneroo Reserve on Saturday evening at 6pm. – Joondalup City had the bye this week.
In Group B, Dianella White Eagles were in pole position going into the final games, but in the early game on Saturday night at Kingsway Reserve, Western Knights won a five goal thriller against Balga. The Knights were ahead early Paul Lloyd playing in Jack Rycroft and he calmly finished. Balga levelled on the half hour, Anton De Francesch made a darting run down the wing, and his cross found Nahom Michael who finished well. But the Knights regained the lead moments later, Lloyd finishing superbly from the edge of the penalty area. But with 20 minutes to go Balga levelled again, De Francesch made another run, and had only the keeper to beat. The Knights made a great save, and he then saved the follow up shot but De Francesch wasn’t to be outdone and he poked the ball home at his third attempt. It looked like the points would be shared but in the final minute the Knights won it. Kevin Ashwood made space down the left and crossed to Lee Theole to tap home from close-range. “We know Balga would sit in with plenty of players behind the ball, so we just had to be patient,” Lloyd said. “We dominated possession and should have been more clinical, and we’re a little disappointed with switching off and conceding silly goals when we were on top, but it’s been a decent pre-season run out.”
Dianella were up next and knew they needed a win against Quinns to qualify for the Semi-Finals, and they made a superb start and went into the half time break with a 5-0 lead. Spanish striker Angel Andres bagged four goals with Sotiris Theodosiades adding the other. Quinns hit back after the break with Danny Cain’s bullet like header reducing the margin, before Adam Buckley superb volley and Craig Tooley’s penalty reduced the margin, but the Eagles ran out 5-3. Dianella Coach Robbie Dunn said it was a good work out for his players. “Angel and Sotis goals were pure class and the lads did what was asked of them and I was very proud of their commitment to getting the job done,” he said. “We changed the team around in the second half and changed a lot of players’ positions to see how they could go in spots completely alien to them. But all credit to Quinns who took the game to us and scored an absolute cracking second goal and gave us a bit of a touch up to be honest.” The final game of the group was on Sunday at Kingsway Reserve, with UWA Nedlands taking on host Olympic Kingsway. If UWA won by 11 goals they would pip Dianella to the top spot. They did win the game but only 1-0, Lloyd Prout scoring the winner, from a cross from his younger brother Joel. Dianella will now take on Forrestfield United in the Semi-Final at Kingsway Reserve on Saturday evening (8pm)
In Group C at the Inglewood Stadium, Forrestfield needed a point to move through, but the opening game saw Morley Windmills beat Gosnells City 3-2. John Castrilli’s side were ahead on the quarter hour, after a short corner caught Gosnells napping and Scott Wrightson fired home from the edge of the box. Gosnells were level on the half hour with Jason Pottier pouncing on a keeper error. But Morley regained their lead ten minutes into the second half, a long ball sent Max Berenguer in, who outpaced his marker and finished clinically. Gosnells were soon on level terms again, when Salvi raced clear to score. But the winner came from the Windmills, after a quick break ended with Ben Wantee racing clear to score. “I’m happy with our progress over the three games,” Morley Coach John Castrilli said. “We’ve improved immensely and the signs for the start of the season are looking good.” In final game Gwelup Croatia needed a win and Forrestfield a draw to move through to the Semi-Finals. Gwelup made the best possible start and were ahead on 13 minutes, new signing James Sammut shot on the turn flying into the net, for his first goal for the club. But Forrestfield hit back in bazaar circumstances, a Gwelup defenders clearance hit Ben Rogers, and it flew over the top of the keeper. Forrestfield hit the front in the first minute of the second half, skipper Rhys Loxley’s in-swinging corner was met by Andy Harold and his bullet header flew into the net. But Jake Verini levelled for Gwelup in the 53rd minute, heading home a cross from the left. Both sides pressed but there was further scoring, so it’s Forrestfield through to the Semi-Final, where they take on Dianella White Eagles. “It was another fantastic hit out against a very well structured, mature, and technically superb opponent in Gwelup,” Forrestfield Coach Rod Banjac said. “We are slowly becoming a good squad with a lot of depth as we progressed through a very challenging group that greatly assisted us in preparation for season proper. There were no easy games where every opponent provided us with challenges of their own where our players dealt with them superbly.” – Rockingham City had the bye this week.
In Group D, South West Phoenix needed only a draw to move through to the next round and they beat Canning City 4-1 at Ashfield Reserve in Sunday’s early game. Phoenix raced to a three goal lead with an own goal, Duri Kaja and Corey Barclay on target. James Oliver pulled one back for Canning but the result was but beyond doubt with Carlo Chiellini adding a fourth. “We are happy to come out of the group with five wins, but this is just the beginning of the year and we still have a lot of work to do before the season begins,” Phoenix’s Lee Stewart said. “It has been good to build up some momentum and we will be looking forward to continuing a run of competitive fixtures in the semi-final next week.” – The Phoenix will take on Ashfield in the Semi-Final. Fremantle wrapped up the runners-up spot in the group with a 3-0 win against Melville City with Alec Robinson scoring all three goals. The final game of the group was at Kingsway Reserve with Kelmscott Roos and Curtin University fighting out a 2-2 draw. Asa Sippits and Vaughan Audrain were on target for Kelmscott, with Eddie Tikoft and Marc Hill scoring for Curtin. The Semi-Final draw is as follows: Saturday March 18 – Venue Wanneroo Reserve - Ashfield v South West Phoenix - 6pm, Dianella White Eagles v Forrestfield United – 8.15pm
11.3.2017
VICTORY TAKE THE GLORY
Perth Glory’s five game undefeated streak has ended with a bang after they were well beaten by Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday evening. It also ended the hoodoo the Glory had over Kevin Muscat’s side, and it was the first time in nine matches they had beaten the boys from the West. It started off so brightly with Diego Castro scoring after only five minutes, but Besart Berisha levelled before Ben Khalfallah gave them the lead just before half time. New Zealand international Marco Rojas added a third just after the break and James Troisi made it four with fifteen minutes remaining.
Kenny Lowe said they gave some poor goals away which hurt them. “I honestly believe we could probably beat anybody but we can’t give away the stupid goals that we keep giving away,” he said post-match. “We’re always going to create opportunities – you saw today 20 odd shots I think, more shots on target, 10 corners to four, you’re at that end of the pitch and your creating opportunities. Obviously today we didn’t take a few of the opportunities we had, but you can’t give – I won’t say cheap goals – make cheap errors that lead to goals.”
Lowe made the one change to the side that drew against Wellington Phoenix with Marc Warren coming into the side to replace the injured Joe Mills, and they made the best possible start. Andy Keogh crossed to Adam Taggart, his header was well saved by Lawrence Thomas, but Castro was on hand to fire home from the angle. The Victory supporters were saying – here we go again – but on 23 minutes they were cheering the equaliser. Rojas’ free kick picked out Berisha, and the Glory nemesis headed past Liam Reddy to level.
The Glory almost regained the lead on the half hour, Chris Harold was picked out by a short free kick, but the winger blazed over the top. The home fans thought they had the lead moments later, after Rojas shot past Reddy, but the flag was up for offside. The Glory had a penalty claim turned down by referee Kurt Ams, when Leigh Broxham brought down Castro, but the referee waved away their protests. Harold then volleyed over the top after being found in space in the penalty area, but three minutes before half time the Victory hit the front. Superb work by Berisha on the right ended with a cross to Khalfallah who rose above Josh Risdon to head past Reddy.
It was vital the Glory got off to a good start after the break, but it was the Victory who did and added their third. Khalfallah sent Rojas out on the right, he cuts inside Warren and superbly curled the ball in the net giving Reddy no chance. Both sides had good chances as the game opened up. First Rhys Williams shot from the edge of the penalty area whistled inches over the top, before Troisi shot was saved low by Reddy. Rhys Williams then headed straight at Thomas as the Glory looked to get back in the game.
But on 75 minutes the Victory wrapped up the points with a fourth. Man of the Match Troisi won the ball and ghosting past a couple of defenders before hammering the ball past Reddy who was left rooted to the spot. The Glory still pressed and Risdon’s close-range shot hit the side netting, Keogh’s header forced Thomas into a fingertip save, before Dino Djulbic then saw his header well saved by Thomas, as the Victory maintained their spot in second place on the table.
11.3.2017
LIONS HOLD OFF A FAST FINISHING MANDURAH
Stirling Lions opened their account in 2017 with a 3-2 win against Mandurah City at Macedonia Park. All the action came in the second half with Daniel Micevski scoring twice, before his brother David added the third, and it looked like the game was over. But Mandurah had other ideas and Joe O’Brien and Jordan Rhodes scored late for the visitors, but it was too little too late and the result gave the Lions their first points of the season. “We shouldn’t have let them (Mandurah) back into the game, which we were all disappointed with,” Lions’ defender Dejan Spaseski said. “Nevertheless it was a good to get the three points, after such a dominant performance, and to kick start our season.”
Both sides went into the game looking for their first victories of the new season and it was Mandurah who went close to the opener early. A cross into the penalty area found Craig Tone, who lost his marker, but his diving header flashed wide of the target. The Lions hit back and a good run and cross from Moses Kalau found David Micevski, whose shot whistled past the post. Clear cut chances were few and far between for the rest of the half but the game sprung to life after the break.
The Lions hit the front on the hour, Daniel Micevski picked the ball up on the left and cut inside and fired past Cyril Sharrock. The goal seemed to lift the Lions and they added a second seven minutes later. David Micevski was brought down on the edge of the penalty area and he picked himself up to score from the resulting free kick. The points looked safe on 77 minutes when the home side added a third in controversial circumstance.
There were players from both sides down injured, but referee Michael Jasinski played on, and Alex Taneski raced down the right. The former Perth Glory youth midfielder then played the ball into the penalty area and Daniel Micevski made no mistake, much to the anger of Mandurah coach Doug Hesketh. It looked game over but Mandurah weren’t done with and pulled one back eight minutes from time. O’Brien was sent one-on-one with Lions keeper John Perkins, who stood tall to save his first shot but O’Brien made no mistake with the rebound.
Mandurah pressed and were rewarded again in the second minute of stoppage time, second half substitute Rhodes found space in the penalty area to fire low past Perkins. But it was too little too late for the visitors and the Lions ran out winners. “We were all disappointed not to play last week at ECU Joondalup, as we were keen to get a positive result, but having a week off may have put a fire in our belly,” Daniel Micevski told the PS4NPLWA website. “Mandurah have some really experienced players and we knew it would be a challenging game, but I think we deserved the end result.”
Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2 Michael PUGLIESE,4 Blamo QUA QUA, 6 Dejan SPASESKI, 7 Miki VUJACIC (c) (13 Alex SULESKI 87), 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 11 David MICEVSKI,
15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathiang MATHIANG, 17 Moses KALAU (19 William PENDER 67), 18 Hasani SINCLAIR (9 Alex TANEVSKI 59) - Subs not used: RGK Josiah GODFREY, 14 Lukas DE LIMA
Mandurah City: GK Cyril SHARROCK, 2 Daniel DYSON, 3 Jeff BRIGHT, 4 Matthew STARES, 5 Oliver MCGEE (6 Mitchell FIRTH, 82), 7 Jack EADES, 8 Andy BROWN (c),9 Craig TONE
(16 Joe O’BRIEN 67), 10 Sean TROUP, 11 Ryan FRANCIS, 14 Mark MCLAUGHLIN (12 Jordan RHODES 67) - Subs not used: RGK Brad EIFFE, 14 Slade RULE - Referee: Michal Jasinski
11.3.2017
NICOL AT THE DOUBLE FOR ECU
ECU Joondalup produced a fantastic second half fightback to beat Inglewood United 3-2 at the ECU Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The visitors raced to an early two goal lead with Ashley Rosindale and Alex Salmon on target. Shane Pickering pulled one back for the home side before half time, before a couple of superbly taken goals from Daryl Nicol won it for ECU Joondalup. “A massive three point for us today to get our season going,” ECU defender Jack Jones said. “Even when we were 2-0 down I was confident we could get back into the game, and the goal just before half time really helped. We could have scored a few more after the break, but we’ll take the two and the three points.”
Inglewood arrived undefeated this season, and they were on the board after only eight minutes. A quick break down the right by teenage defender Alex Ishida-Livings ended with an inch-perfect cross to Rosindale, who headed past Fraser Greenwood to give them the lead. ECU looked for an instant response and Gordon Smith headed inches wide of the target, before Alex Dunn produced a good save to deny Nicol’s curling shot moments later. But on 16 minutes Inglewood doubled their lead from a set-piece. A corner was flicked on and Salmon lost his marker at the back post to head past Greenwood.
It should have been 3-0 on 39 minutes, the impressive Brian Woodall and Rosindale combined down the right before Salmon blazed over the top when well placed. But that miss came back to haunt Inglewood as sixty seconds later the home side pulled one back. Nicol found space down the right cut the ball back from the bye-line and Pickering rose highest at the back post to head powerfully home. Inglewood had another great chance early in the second half, Woodall made a great run down the right, and he found Salmon in the penalty area, but his shot was superbly saved by Greenwood low at his near post.
The home side began to get on top and Alex Dunn denied Nicol and Gordon Smith, but there was nothing Dunn could do when Nicol levelled on 75 minutes. A ball over the top sent Nicol racing down the left, he outpaced his marker, before finishing clinically past the Inglewood custodian. Both sides had half chances with the points still up for grabs, but on 80 minutes the home side scored the decisive third. A quick break ended with Smith, who cleverly played in Nicol down the left, again his pace took him clear, and he finished with aplomb. Inglewood pressed late looking for the equaliser, and Woodall was denied by a great last ditch tackle from Jack Jones in the final minute.
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Shane PICKERING, 5 Nathan DIAZ, 6 Jon HIGGINS (8 Declan HUGHES 81), 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH (2 Keylun POLLARD 90), 11
Danny MILNE (7 Jayden DRUMMOND 68), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 17 Jack JONES, 16 Cian HIRRELL - Subs not used: RGK Todd HOYLE, 15 Logan MCISAAC -
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 2 Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS, 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 5 Adam TONG (C), 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 10 Ashley ROSINDALE (14 Mark PRITCHARD 68), 11 John MIGAS,
15 Brian FARRELL (7 Kenny KEOGH 78), 17 Tim ROBERTSON (16 Matthew NTOUMENOPOULOS 68), 23 Brian WOODALL - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON, 18 Jason COLLI - Referee: Matthew Southern
11.3.2017
BAYSWATER TAKES OUT THE ITALAIN DERBY
Bayswater City has ended Perth SC’s perfect start to the PS4NPLWA season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in the traditional ‘Italian Derby’ at Frank Drago Reserve on Saturday afternoon. David Heagney gave the home side the lead at half time, but Floreat defender Adrian Madaschi levelled just after half time. Both sides had chances to win it but Borbor Sam scored the winner just after the hour. “It was a great win for us to get our season going,” Bayswater midfielder Andrija Jukic said. “It was a great team effort through the whole 90 plus minutes and I thought we dominated for most of the game and deserved the three points in the end.”
Perth arrived, top of the table and started brightly and created a number of clear cut chances that they failed to convert. Leading goalscorer Gustavo Catarcione thought he had scored early after he eased past his marker and his shot looked set for the net but Bayswater keeper Devon Spence produced a stunning save to deny him. The Brazilian striker then had another opportunity, after he was sent into goal, but his first touch let him down and the chance was lost and cleared by the Bayswater defence.
But Bayswater held firm and on 25 minutes the home side hit the front. Jason Mirco was sent down the flank, and played a low cross into the penalty area and Heagney was on hand to side foot home from close-range. Perth made the perfect start to the second half and they were level two minutes in. A corner picked out the unmarked Madaschi who powered home his header from four meters.
It wasn’t the start Bayswater were looking for but they regained their lead on the hour. The speedy Sam cut inside his marker and curled home superbly into the top corner of the net giving Francis Soale no chance. Perth pressed late and Spence produced another great save to deny Harley Orr. Then in stoppage time Aleks Jovic saw his effort crash off the post and away to safety. “I thought we were the side that had 70% possession, but when you have that much possession you need to take your chances,” Bayswater City coach Chris Coyne told the PS4NPLWA website. “I’m not happy, I want more and I don’t want to concede sloppy goals. A free header from four yards out isn’t acceptable.”
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 6 Todd HOWARTH, 9 Gustavo Giron MARULANDA (23 Andrija JUKIC 66), 10 Jason MICRO, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (c) 17 BorBor SAM, 18
Brent GRIFFITHS (8 Paul MCCARTHY 69), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (19 Luka NINKOVIC 80) - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 14 Jamie MURPHY
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 2 Alex SILLA (16 Kieran COLWELL 87), 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES (7 Aleks JOVIC 66), 4 Adrian MADASCHI, 5 Niccolo SABATINI, 6 Clark KELTIE (C), 9 Gustavo
CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (11 Matthew MILENKOVIC 82), 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15. Harley ORR, 19 Roberto DEL BORRELLO - Subs not used: RGK Daniel PASSARELLI, 14
Cameron TEECE - Referee: Steven Gregory
11.3.2017
GULLS FLY TO TOP AFTER BIG WIN AT ARMADALE
Sorrento moved clear at the top of the PS4NPLWA table after a 5-1 win against Armadale at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Jack Salter gave the visitors the lead early and a brace from former Armadale striker Billy Quinncroft made it 3-0, before Kyle King pulled one back for the home side just before half time. But further second half goals to Scott Bulloch and another to Salter gave the Gulls a comprehensive win. “It was great win and a great performance from the lads to keep us pushing on,” Quinncroft said. “It was also nice to bag a couple of goals against my old team mates, just for bragging rights. We are travelling well so far this season and we are showing that we aren’t messing around about this year. So hopefully we can keep this run going and on top at the end of the season.”
The Gulls opened brightly and had Armadale on the back foot, and they went close on 12 minutes. Ryan Pearson picking out Scott Witschge, but the former Inglewood United midfielder saw his shot deflected inches wide. Armadale went close to the opener five minutes later, with Milan Ognjenovic’s header well saved by James Morgan. But sixty seconds later Sorrento opened the scoring, Reece Vittiglia’s shot was parried by Armadale keeper Michael Craggs, but Slater was the quickest to react to fire home the rebound.
It was 2-0 six minutes later, when Witschge shot was deflected into the path of Quinncroft who made no mistake. Sorrento added a third on 35 minutes, Quinncroft doubling his tally firing past Craggs from Bulloch’s cross shot. In the shadows of half time the home side pulled one back, King firing home a free kick to give them hope at the break. The second half was a tighter affair with half chances at both ends, but it was Sorrento who added their fourth just after the hour. Quinncroft’s shot was saved well by Craggs, and Bulloch was on hand to fire home the rebound.
Armadale custodian Craggs was having a busy afternoon and he produced a great save to deny Vittiglia on 76 minutes, but he couldn’t do anything when the Gulls wrapped up a comprehensive win and performance with a fifth, 12 minutes from time, with Salter rounded the keeper and rolling the ball home.
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 3 Jake SARDELIC (2 Dylan WHITE 36), 4 Nathan COSTELLO (c), 5 Sam LOVELESS, 6 Faustin MACHOCI (10 Papa KPATAR 65), 7 Charlie
KENNA, 9 Kyle KING (8 Beau RAHIM 59), 12 Joshua TUMOE, 14 David ANNALL 16 Tristan TAYLOR, 18 Milan OGNJENOVIC - Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 15 Charlie WHITE
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (9 Sean CANHAM 63), 8 Ryan PEARSON, 10 Scott BULLOCH (7 Alex MORGAN 63), 11 Tim HILL 13 Steve MCDONALD, 14 Scott
WITSCHGE, 17 Reece VITTIGLIA, 18 Jordan BROWN (2 Jacob SHORE 80), 19 Jack SALTER, 20. Brad MCDONALD - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 32 Jackson DONGRAY - Referee: David Bruce
11.3.2017
ATHENA BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT COCKERELS
Floreat Athena bounced back from last week’s loss against Perth SC, with a hard fought 2-1 win against Cockburn City at Litis Stadium on Saturday evening. Jon Stynes gave the home side the lead seven minutes from half time, but Josh Kuser levelled for Cockburn just before break. But second half substitute Bobby Wilson scored the winner with his first touch after coming off the bench. “It was a positive response and result, considering our defeat last week, so it was good to get back in the winners’ circle,” Floreat midfielder Dean Evans said. “I thought we were good value for the three points and we roll on to next week against another tough ECU side.”
Cockburn went into the game unbeaten this season and coming off a big win against Bayswater last week, and it was a tight affair early, with both sides creating very few clear cut chances, but on 38 minutes the game sprung to life. Stynes received the ball just outside the penalty area, and he brought the ball down and hit a superb volley into the corner of the net. But Cockburn were level two minutes from half time. Cameron Edwards’ corner picked out Kuser at the back post and he headed past Jason Saldaris to send the sides in level at the break.
The visitors started the second half well, and Jason Saldaris had to be alert to save Adam de Luz’s shot early. But Floreat settled and started to take control, and Cockburn keeper Luke Radonich reacted well to push Kuser’s defensive header over his own bar. Moments later Zelfy Nazary thought the given the home side the lead, but his goal was disallowed by referee Tom Dowle, for a foul in the box.
Clayton Arnez then saw his long-range shot flash inches over the top, but on 77 minutes the home side scored the winner. Wilson, replaced Andrew Scaldaferro sixty seconds earlier, and he got on the end of a Nazary cross from the bye-line, and the former Notts’ County defender made no mistake. “Apart from feeling so unfit it was good to come on and help the lads,” Wilson told the PS4NPLWA website. “But I think we deserved the win, we had the chances, and the boys played awesome.”
Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ, 4 Andrew SCALDAFERRO (5 Bobby WILSON 76), 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathan STYNES, 10 Kris GATE, 12 Jackson MORGAN,
13 Zelfy NAZARY, 15 Chris SALDARIS, 17 Dean EVANS (C) - Subs not used: RGK Jordan BARBAS, 11 Dennis GALAN, 16 Ryan MALTON, 20 Joe TWEATS
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 4 Euen GRANT (C), 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI (3 Daniel DOLS 69), 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Gian ALBANO, 12 Kenel MOUITHYS (10 David ARAYA 62), 16
Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZARRO, 18 Aden DA LUZ (14 Andrew EMSAVANA 81), 20 Josh KUSER - Subs not used: RGK Ryan BARKER, 13 Blake ADAMS - Referee: Tom Dowle
11.3.2017
BALCATTA TAKE THE GLORY WITH FIRST HALF BLITZ
Balcatta made it back-to-back wins after a stunning first half blitz saw them beat Perth Glory 4-0 at Ashfield Reserve. They scored all four goals in the first 35 minutes of the game, with doubles to Hanafi Ghazali and Luccas Mello to move them up to fifth on the PS4NPLWA table. “It was tough conditions with the pitch and the heat, so we played a more direct style of football which worked well for us,” Balcatta defender Jon Corness said. “We created some good chances, and we were clinical in front of goal especially in the first half. The second half was all about staying compact defensively and seeing out the game, which we did.”
It was the worst possible start for the home side and they found themselves 1-0 down on four minutes, with a bazaar goal. There looked little danger when Ghazali received the ball in the middle of the park, but his long ball into the penalty area was caught by the wind and with Stef King off his line, the ball somewhat fortuitously dropped under the bar to give Balcatta the lead. The Glory lifted and Kosta Petratos fired wide, but on 14 minutes Balcatta doubled their advantage. Mello’s stunning shot flew into the net giving King no chance.
Balcatta then won a penalty on the half hour, but King guessed the right way to save Mello’s spot kick, but referee Nico Hoyle deemed the keeper had come off his line, and Mello made no mistake with the re-taken penalty. It was 4-0 five minutes later. Good lead up play from Paddy Quinn and Feisal Zaw ended with Mello, who made no mistake from close-range. The Glory began the second half better, with Balcatta sitting back defending their lead. Petratos fired narrowly wide on the hour, and Jack Iredale’s free kick deflected off the wall and just wide of the target.
They went close again when Michael McDougall found space in the penalty area but his shot flashed wide of the target. But Balcatta kept them at bay to take all three points. “It was a good first half,” Coach Salv Todaro told the PS4NPLWA website. “We took advantage of the opportunities we created. We were pretty clinical up top and we were reasonably OK at the back. I’m very happy with where we are at the minute. About four, five, maybe six weeks ago we were a little bit all over the place, but the boys that have come in are working really hard, they are taking to our game plan and our structure really well.”
Perth Glory: GK Stef KING, 2 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Walter SCOTT, 6 Sam RIAK (14 Callum DOBBS, 57), 7 Yacoub MUSTAFA (13 Riley WARLAND, 55), 8 Callum TIMMINS (
12 Jack LEECH, 35), 9 Michael MCDOUGAL, 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 16 Luca BODNAR, 17 Kosta PETRATOS - Subs not used: 15 Bleron WARLAND
Yellow cards: King 28’, Mustafa 55’, Warland 55’, Montgomery-Brown 74’, Iredale 87’
Balcatta: GK Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2 Hanafi GHAZALI, 3 Justin ONEK, 4 Calum O’CONNELL, 5 Kieron STALLARD, 6 Jonathan CORNESS, 9 Luccas MELLO (19 Jaedon EWEN, 78), 11 Feisal ZAW
(14 Carmelo GUFFRE, 90+2), 12 Kurt KOUAKOU, 20 Paddy QUINN (C), 23 Ismael BANGURA (16 Nathan SULLY, 51) - Subs not used: 13 David KAI - Referee: Nico Hoyle
10.3.2017
JOONDALUP WIN FIRST NPL GAME
Joondalup United have won their first ever PS4NPLWA game, after a 4-3 win against Subiaco at Percy Doyle Reserve on Friday evening. But the home side were made to work hard for it, with Subiaco hitting back late and almost nicking a point. Rory Feely put the visitors ahead from the spot early, but a brace from skipper Arran Maplestone and a stunning free kick from Matt Sparrow put the home in control at the break, before an own goal early in the second half looked like it had secured the points. But another penalty from Jordan Candish and another goal from player/coach Ian McMurray made the last 20 minutes a tight affair, but Joondalup hung on for the win. “It was a good win, but we made hard work of it for sure,” Joondalup keeper James Bosdet said. “We should have been out of sight but we switched off and conceded some sloppy. However if someone had said we would be unbeaten from our first three games in the NPL with five points we would have taken that.”
Subiaco made the perfect start and hit the front on 19 minutes. Referee Adam Fielding pointed straight to the spot after a clumsy tackle from Joel Ledsham, and Rory Feely converted the resulting penalty. The home side hit back ten minutes later Maplestone rising highest to head home Sparrow’s free kick. Maplestone then put the home side in front, after a quick break from Sparrow and Richard Howles, the latter playing the ball into the path of the skipper, who finished past Ryan Montgomery.
Subiaco looked dangerous from set-pieces, but couldn’t convert, and they found themselves 3-1 down five minutes before half time. A stunning free kick from the edge of the penalty area by Sparrow put the home side in control. The home side added a fourth five minutes into the second half, Sparrow’s cross was turned into his own net by a Subiaco defender, under pressure from Joe Stocker. Maplestone went close to his hat-trick moments later, but he blazed over from close-range.
But Subiaco found a lifeline after Stocker’s tackle in the box gave them another penalty and Candish converted from the spot. The visitors added a third on 67 minutes, when a well worked move ended with McMurray to score. It was game on and both sides had chances in a nervy final third of the game but Joondalup hung on to take all three points. “We didn’t see out the game, we completely switched off,” Joondalup coach Nick Jennings told the PS4NPLWA website. “It was always going to be a physical game. It was very competitive, even at this stage of the year, it was like a six-point game for us.”
Joondalup United: GK James BOSDET, 2 Joel LEDSHAM, 3 Rowdy YATES, 4 Arran MAPLESTONE, 5 Joe STOCKER, 7 Matthew SPARROW, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Richard HOWLES, 10 Alex WILD, 16
Ross EDWARDS, (17 Luke SERRA 74’), (18 Anthony TAYLOR 57’), 19 Mike KENNY, 23 Jay MARSDEN, (25 Greg PELLOW 86’)- Subs not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 6 Guy MCDONALD
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 John LOCKHART (3 Robert HARDING 78’), 8 Mike LAWSON, 9 Rory FEELY, 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDISH (15 Henock BUTSHIRE 86’),
16 Ian MCMURRAY, 17 Alex CASTIELLO, 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: 6 Kevin CASTLE, 14 Ross JARMAN, 21 Hamish ST GEORGE - Referee: Adam Fielding
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10.3.2017
BABALJ’S GOAL ENDS LONG INJURY COMEBACK
It was the goal that signalled the end of a 13-month injury nightmare. But for Adelaide United striker Eli Babalj, his late strike in the Reds’ 2-1 Asian Champions League loss to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning was the dawn of a new beginning.
“It was a big relief just to get back on the pitch again after so long out,” said Babalj, an 84th minute substitute against Jiangsu. “The goal was an added personal bonus but, after going through such a tough period, you cherish and enjoy every minute out there. Now I just want to make up for lost time.”
Babalj has endured a testing road back to fitness after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Adelaide against Brisbane Roar last January. The on-loan hitman initially returned to his parent club AZ Alkmaar, but mutually terminated his contract with the Dutch side to concentrate on his recovery.
He then funded his own seven-month rehabilitation at a clinic in Belgium, progressing from four hours of daily physio to balance, strength and conditioning work. Balalj later had a training stint with Belgian second-tier club Royal Antwerp. “I learned a lot about myself and my body while I was there,” Babalj said.
“It was a long-term investment in my body and I really took my time there. I didn’t rush anything because I didn’t have a contract with a club, so I wasn’t pushing quicker to get back on the pitch as fast as I could. The knee has been 100% for a while, so now it’s just about getting the body used to match intensity.”
Perth-raised Babalj burst onto the A-League scene as a teenager for Melbourne City, then known as Melbourne Heart, scoring 11 times in 33 games in his first stint with the club. He had a short spell with Serbian giant Red Star Belgrade, before returning to Melbourne and moving to the Netherlands where persistent injury curtailed his development.
“With all that I’ve been through with injuries and other stuff overseas, I feel much older than I am,” Babalj, 25, joked. “I’ve missed most of the past two seasons but it just makes you appreciate playing again more ... If I get five minutes or even if I start, I want to enjoy it and make an impact whenever I’m called upon.”
10.3.2017
LOWRY AND GRANT OUT FOR SEASON
Perth Glory have been dealt a major blow a month out from the finals with defensive duo Alex Grant and Shane Lowry ruled out for the rest of the season. Coach Kenny Lowe revealed the news today, with Grant struggling with a foot complaint and Lowry battling a quad injury.
Grant had been listed as two weeks away and Lowry one week off when the increasingly irrelevant squad lists were released yesterday, but Lowe confirmed the true extent of the problems. “Granty and Lowry are out for the season,” Lowe said. “They won’t participate anymore.”
Nebojsa Marinkovic will return from injury for tomorrow’s crunch clash away with Melbourne Victory. “We’ve scored eight goals in the last two away games, so that shows we’re doing something right,” Lowe said. “If we can go there and get a really good result, it sets us up moving forward.”
10.3.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND FOUR PREVIEW
The temperature has dropped from last week extremely hot weather in Perth and it looks like all the PS4NPLWA games will go ahead as scheduled this weekend. The Footballwa.net – Match of the Week – is
the Italian Derby at Frank Drago Reserve on Sunday afternoon, with Bayswater City hosting league leaders Perth SC. The last time the two sides met at Frank Drago Reserve was in round eight last season,
the home side running out 2-1 winners. A second half brace from Jason Mirco won the game for Chris Coyne’s side, while Dean Evans scored a last minute consolation goal for Perth.
It’s not been the start Bayswater were looking for, with only one point from their opening two games, and they are coming off a 1-2 loss at Cockburn City last week. Midfielder Andrija Jukic said
they had chances to win the game but didn’t take them. “Definitely a disappointing result, not the best of starts to the season considering our night series success,” he said. “But a slow start
against Cockburn had us chasing the game and not taking our chances let us down, and we hope to put that right on Sunday.” Jukic who played for Perth SC 2009, before heading to Perth Glory, said
the players are looking for a win on Sunday to kick start their season. “We know Perth this weekend will be another tough game, but the boys always look forward to these games,” he said. “The
rivalry and all that brings a bit more to the game, so we will be expecting a very hard game, but obviously wanting to win and kick start our season.” There could be changes this week with
Anthony Skorich and Paul McCarthy pressing for a spot in the side after both coming through under 20’s games last week.
It’s been a perfect start for Perth SC, and the Champions fought off a strong Floreat Athena last week to make it three wins from as many games, and defender Rocco Pizzata said it
was almost a perfect game. “We were very happy to get the three points, against a good Floreat side,” he said. “But as a defender, the only disappointing aspect was not keeping a clean
sheet. The boys put in a good shift and worked really hard on and off the ball and we got the result we wanted,” Pizzata said they head to Bayswater in good form, but every game against
their traditional rivals are tight games, and he’s expecting more of the same on Sunday. “The (Bayswater) are never an easy opponent and they will be looking to bounce back this week against
us, after an indifferent start to the season,” he said. “We’ve just got to make sure we are prepared and just keep performing like we have been and all the players are looking forward to what
should be a great game.” Game Details - Sunday (3.00pm) - Bayswater City v Perth SC – Frank Drago Reserve – Referee – Steve Gregory.
The first game of the weekend kicks off tonight, with Joondalup United hosting Subiaco at Percy Doyle Reserve. This game has a tasty sub-plot, with Joondalup winning the First Division
title last season, but then lost their place in the NPL after Subiaco lodged an appeal on their relegation, but Football West decided to expand the teams in the competition, so both sides
go into this one with an extra incentive. Subiaco have lost their opening two games, and are coming off a 3-1 defeat at Inglewood last week, so it’s a huge game for them to get their season
up and going. Joondalup are yet to lose this season, after two draws in their opening two games, and they missed out last week with their game against Perth Glory falling foul to the weather.
Joondalup striker Richard Howles has scored in both games, and he said the late equaliser by Mandurah in their last game was disappointing. “It was defiantly disappointing to concede a goal
late, and I feel like its two points lost,” he said. “We was the much better side for most of the game and we got punished late on for not taking our chances in the first half, but one points
better than none, and it continued our unbeaten start to the season.” Howles, who played for Boldmere Falcons in the Midland Football League Premier Division back in the UK, said all the hype
about the game has been around the club since the fixtures came out, but he said that’s all in the past, and three points is what they are looking for tonight. “It's a really big game for us
to prove what we are all about as a club, and what happened last season is in the past now,” he explained. “We are just going to go out and prove that we belong in this league and we are here
for good.” In team news Josh Booysen will be missing as the winger is on his Honeymoon – (Congratulations Josh from Footballwa.net) while Tony Taylor is in doubt and Matt Sparrow and Ross
Edwards have knocks but should be fit for the game. Game Details - Friday (7pm) Joondalup United v Subiaco at Percy Doyle Reserve – Referee – Adam Fielding.
ECU Joondalup have had a poor start to the new season, and are still looking for their first win, and this week they entertain Inglewood United at the ECU Football Stadium. Inglewood won for the first time this season last week, a 3-1 win against Subiaco, but it also maintained their unbeaten start to the season after two draws in their opening two games. ECU’s game against Stirling was called off last week due to the heat and Scottish striker Daryl Nicol said it something that’s never happened to him before, and they were itching to get back on the park after the Armadale defeat. “Yes that's a first for me, having a game cancelled due to the weather being too hot,” he joked. “But coming off the back of two poor results, all you want is the next game to come as quick as possible to rectify it and so it was incredibly disappointing to hear it had been postponed, but it's the players safety that is paramount and it looked the correct decision in the end.” “The Armadale game was hugely disappointing, regardless of playing with 10 men for most of the second half I thought we were very poor from start to finish and we the players must take full responsibility for that. Teams are now raising their game against ECU and we have to be prepared to deal with that.” Nicol, who headed down under from Scottish Highland Champions Cove Rangers last season, said the players are up for Saturday’s game to get their season back on track. “The Inglewood game is one we're all looking forward to, it's probably the ideal game to have after the poor start we've had as they are a top team and we know we'll need to be a lot better than previous weeks to even compete with them,” he said. “It will no doubt be a very tight game but we've worked extremely hard in training this week and hopefully we can turn that into three points.” In team news Tommy Amphlett is suspended, but Kevin Moon is back from injury and Andy Higgins is pushing for a spot in the squad after recovering from injury, while Inglewood go into the game at full strength. Game Details - Saturday (3pm) – ECU Joondalup v Inglewood United – ECU Football Stadium – Referee – Matt Southern.
On Saturday the unbeaten Sorrento heads to Alfred Skeet Reserve to take on Armadale. Armadale have lost both of their home games this season, and were beaten 0-1 by Balcatta last week, while Sorrento have won two and drew one, including a big win against Mandurah last week. Gulls defender Tim Hill was outstanding last week and won a spot in the ‘Footballwa Team of the Week’, but he said it was a tight first half and Mandurah played their part in an entertaining game. “To be honest last week was a pretty tough game, especially in the first half, and they (Mandurah) gave as good as they got,” he said. “But we grabbed the goal just before half time and we didn't really look back from there.” Hill, who joined the Gulls from Stirling Lions last season, said Armadale is never an easy place to go, but is confident they can come home with the points. “We played them in the 3rd place play-off in the Night Series, and they beat us which was disappointing,” he explained. “It’s never easy playing at their place, but we're confident if we play how we have been we can get something from the game, and keep our unbeaten streak going.” The Gulls welcome back Steven McDonald to their squad, while Sean Canham will be pushing for a starting spot after scoring twice off the bench last week. Armadale will be without James Aikins, who was sent off last week, and midfielder Jackson Bealey who limped off early last week through injury. Game Details - Saturday (3pm) Armadale v Sorrento at Alfred Skeet Reserve – Referee – David Bruce
Balcatta won for the first time this season against Armadale last week and they are on the road again this week when they take on Perth Glory at Ashfield Reserve. Lucas Mello gave Sal Todaro’s side the points last week, with keeper Domenico Savoldelli producing a Man of the Match performance, while the Glory’s game was postponed due to the high temperatures. The Glory won their opening game of the season but they were edged out by Floreat last time out, and keeper Jordan Thurtell said it would have been nice to get back on the park last week to get that defeat out of their system but rules are rules. “It was disappointing not to play last week due to the hot weather, but the governing body have a heat policy in place and it’s all about health and safety, so I think the right decision was made,” he told the Perth Glory website. “The boys had worked hard all week to get back in the winner’s circle after the Floreat defeat. We played well, and it was a very close game, against a really good Floreat side, the boys stood up and fought hard but unfortunately wasn't enough on the day.” Thurtell, who has signed an A-League contract with the Glory this season, said they will go into Saturday’s game looking for three points. “Like any game in this league, every team has good quality, and any team can beat anyone on their day,” he said. “But I have belief in our young squad, and I know they will give 100%, and I believe we can get a result this weekend and get back to winning ways.” Both sides go into the game a full strength. Game Details - Saturday (3pm) – Perth Glory v Balcatta – Ashfield Reserve – Referee – Nico Hoyle.
It’s been a disappointing start to the season for Stirling Lions, and they will be looking to open their account for the season when they host newly-promoted Mandurah City at Macedonia Park. Mandurah have begun brightly in the NPL, but are still looking for their first win, but Coach Doug Hesketh, who led the Lions to the League title in 2013, will be looking to end that on Saturday. The Lions have lost their opening two games, and had last week’s game v ECU Joondalup postponed, and midfielder Lukas de Lima said they deserved something from both narrow defeats. “I thought we played well against Perth and were unlucky to get a result. There have been incidents from the match that we've looked at and worked on in training, but also thought there were a lot of positives from the game,” he said. “As a team we were unhappy with the decision of postponing last week’s game, but that was out of our hands, the boys were all keen to play as we feel we're beginning to gel more as a team.” De Lima, who joined the Lions from ECU Joondalup two seasons ago, said it’s vital they get a win this week and is confident they can. “We've been working hard in training throughout the week and are looking to grab our first three points of the season. I think we've played well in the first two games but have been unlucky with the results, and are striving to get a crucial three points,” he explained. “However there are no easy games in the NPL, and despite Mandurah’s result last week, the game should be a tough one that we will need to be well prepared and focused on.” The home side welcome back Blamo QuaQua from suspension for the game. Game Details – Saturday (3pm) Stirling Lions v Mandurah City – Macedonia Park – Referee – Michal Jasinski
The final game is the top of the table clash when fourth placed Floreat Athena entertains third placed Cockburn City at Litis Stadium. Floreat lost for the first time this season last week, after a 3-1 defeat against Perth SC, while Cockburn maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a massive 2-1 win against title favourites Bayswater City. The Cockerels have been impressive, with new signing Calvin Whitney, Gian Albano both fitting in well, and they have been led superbly by skipper Euen Grant. The defender said last week’s win was well-deserved and showed how far they have come this season. “Last week was a tough game, but we worked hard as a team for the win,” he said. “To be fair we were under the pump for a bit, but finished strong and the score line was probably a fair reflection of the game and showed how far we’ve come this season.” Cockburn, who lost to Floreat in last season’s Cool Ridge Cup Final, and won and drew their league games, and Grant, believes it will be another huge challenge, but one, they are all looking forward too. “It always a tough game against Floreat but our boys are flying at the moment,” he said. “We will go up there looking to keep the unbeaten run going, and we’re confident we can.” In team news Bobby Wilson and Andrew Scaldaferro will be pushing for a starting spot after coming off the bench last week, while Cockburn are at full strength. Game Details - Saturday (3pm) Floreat Athena v Cockburn City – Litis Stadium – Referee – Tom Dowle.
10.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES - WEEK FIVE PREVIEW
It’s the final games of the State League Night Series group phase, with top spot still up for grabs in three of them. In Group A at Wanneroo Reserve on Saturday (6.30pm), and three teams can still make the Semi-Finals. In the early game Swan United take on Shamrock Rovers, needing a win to keep themselves in the hunt. The Rovers are yet to win in the competition, while Swan are level on the top, and are coming off a big win against Ashfield last week. United Coach Matt Debarro said last week was a good performance. “It was a huge win for us against a well-structured Ashfield team, my boys did deserve it, but in fairness I felt it was one of those games that could have gone either way,” he said. “Had the result been reversed then Ashfield would have been worthy of it as well with their performance. It was intense but well controlled by the officials, and both teams played well I'm glad we prevailed in end, it would have been great to watch.” Debarro, who is in second year at the helm of the Black and Whites believes Saturday’s opponents will be up for a big game to end the competition on a high. “I think this will be a tough game for us, we seemed to struggle last year against the unorthodox teams so we will need to be switched on and at our best,’ he said. “Qualifying will be a bonus for us but our focus is purely to keep playing better football each week in preparation for what is going to be a tough demanding season.” In the late game second placed Ashfield take on hosts Wanneroo City (8.30pm) and a win for either side will see them progress to the Semi-Final. Ashfield will need to bounce back from last week’s loss to Swan, while Wanneroo kept their hopes alive with their win against Joondalup.
The Group B games are to be played at Kingsway Reserve on Saturday and Sunday evening. This is another group that is going to the wire with three teams locked on nine points
at the top of the table. The early game on Saturday is between Balga and Western Knights (6.00pm) Balga have struggled in the group, and were beaten heavily by Kingsway last
week, but they will be looking for their first win on Saturday, while the Knights need to win big and hope other results go their way to make the semi-final. The Knights
bounced back from their loss against UWA to beat Quinns last week and winger Paul Lloyd said it was much improved performance. Lloyd said all they can do is go
out and get the result against Balga and wait and see on the other results. Dianella White Eagles are in pole position with a good goal difference but they need all three
points against Quinns on Saturday. Quinns are yet to win so far but will looking for a good performance against the Knights. Dianella thrashed UWA last week to keep their
semi-finals hopes alive and a win will almost certainly see them into the next phase. The final game of the group is on Sunday, also at Kingsway Reserve when UWA Nedlands
take on hosts Kingsway Olympic (7.00pm). Kingsway were impressive last week against Balga, and Graham Normanton will be looking for another performance like that in the
final game. UWA were thrashed 5-0 last week by Dianella, and will know the results from the day before, but a big win could see them qualify if results went their way.
In Group C the games will be played at the Inglewood Stadium tonight, and in the opening game Morley Windmills takes on Gosnells City (6.30pm) Both sides are still looking for a win in the tournament, but Morley have showed good signs in recent weeks by drawing with both Forrestfield and Gwelup. Gosnells have lost all three games so far, but are coming off the bye last week and will want to end the tournament with a win. In the late game its winner take all when Gwelup Croatia takes on Forrestfield United (8.30pm) Rockingham City, who have the bye this week, lead the group, but they will be overtaken after the result of Friday’s game. Forrestfield bounced back from a 2-2 draw against Morley to set up a Semi-Final spot and striker Ben Rogers said they got their mojo back. “I think after last week’s draw, we went back to basics and played some very good football,” he said. “It was a massive win against one of our biggest rivals over the last couple of years and it’s good to get the year off to a good start.” Rogers, who has returned to football after a number of years out of the game, said Friday’s opponents will be good test. “I think Gwelup will be a great test for us, I haven't seen too much of them but have only heard good things,” he said. “It’s always good to come up against a good side in a pre-season competition, and it only do us good in preparation for the year ahead.” Gwelup left it late last week to draw with Morley and defender Steve Purton said it showed the character and resilience they have in the side. “There were mixed emotions, it was a great end to the game and it shows that we have the mental strength to push to the final whistle but also we felt disappointed that it took that us so long to get going,” he said. “Alek (Vrteski) motivated us at half time to go out and fight because you never know what was going to happen in the later game and luck would have it we still have a chance to qualify.” Purton said Forrestfield are a side on the up, and he said that’s direction Gwelup want to be going in. “The direction Gwelup are going as a club, we want to be tested by the best clubs in higher divisions, Forrestfield no doubt will be one of the favorites for Division One, so it will be great bench mark to see where we are as a group,” he said. “Management have set us our goals and expectations, we have a strong squad with players fighting for positions so there’s been a competitiveness all pre-season, we know what we need to do to win and no doubt Forrestfield will be ready too, should be a great match.”
In Group D the first game will be played at Ashfield Reserve on Sunday afternoon/evening. South West Phoenix are all but certain of a semi-final spot, and they are involved in the early game when they meet Canning City (4.00pm) The Phoenix only need a point to make certain of a place in the next round and are coming off a hard fought 2-0 win against Melville City last week. Canning, who still have two games to play in the Group after their game against Kelmscott Roos was postponed last week, lost for the first time in the Group in week three, a 0-4 loss against Fremantle City and assistant Coach Peter Lord said it was a poor performance. “Last week against Fremantle we were the second best team on the park, only for a few minute were we playing anywhere near where we can, it was disappointing but definitely happy to get a defeat in before the start of the season as it’s all about how you react to tough results that matter,” he explained. “It’s easy to feel confident after a win but not so after a loss and to be fair it should have been 6 or 7 to Freo. The attitude and commitment of the players is what we are assessing at the moment to see the reaction. Fremantle are a good team and a club that has the highest of goals in this sport and that can only be admired.” Lord said Sunday’s opponents have been the benchmark so far in the competition, so it will see where they are at. “This week will be a tough game for us, they (Phoenix) are flying on all cylinders and are playing good football with and without the ball,” he said. “If we play to what we are capable of then we will get a positive result and we are happy to go in as the underdog in this game.” In the late game Melville City takes on Fremantle City. Melville will be looking to add to their one win to date, while Fremantle go into the game with a faint hope of reaching the Semi-Final. They must win well and hope Canning City do them a favour against Group leaders Phoenix. The final game is at 5.00pm also on Sunday, but at Kingsway Reserve, when Kelmscott Roos take on Curtin University. Both sides have struggled in the tournament, Kelmscott are still searching for their first win, while Curtin have only won the one, but both sides will be looking to end the Group stage with a strong performance ahead of the new league season.
9.3.2017
PARTICK'S EDWARDS 'INCREDIBLY HONOURED' BY SOCCEROOS CALL-UP
Partick Thistle’s Ryan Edwards says that it is a dream come true to have been called up by Australia after he was named in the Socceroos squad. Edwards has been drafted into coach Ange Postecoglou’s 30-man pool for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
Edwards has been a stand-out performer for the Jags this season, being named the club’s player of the month on three occasions. The all-action midfielder admits it was an emotional moment to receive a call that he has working tirelessly towards for years. “I didn’t expect it to be honest,” Edwards said.
“There are so many clichés you can say about it being incredible and such an honour, but they are all true when the call actually comes. I can hardly describe the feeling that went through my body. I had a mad rush of adrenaline and my heart rate was pumping, so it was brilliant.”
“I’m very happy ... It means the world to me. It’s the highest honour in anyone’s career to be called up for the senior national team. I’ve really wanted to be involved, and the criteria was that if you were playing with your club’s first-team and you were in form then you would be in with a shout.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to play for and captain the under-23’s, and that’s been brilliant, but this is a whole other level of excitement and feeling of pride. You think of all the hard work you have put in over the years and to finally achieve something like that is amazing.”
Edwards, who played for Reading and Perth Glory, always had faith that moving to Scotland would benefit his career. “I’m a big believer that hard work will always pay off in the end, and if you have to wait a bit longer and go through a bit of heartache, once the good news does come it makes it all the more worth it,” he said.
“With each game and each performance, I just wanted to keep knocking on the door and hopefully be heard. I took confidence from Australian players that have come to this league previously and then made the national team. Tom Rogic and Jackson Irvine are perfect examples of that.”
Despite his initial euphoria at his call-up, Edwards faces an anxious wait to see if he makes the final cut, with coach Postecoglou eventually whittling the 30 players down to 23. “The way the coach has done it is that he picks his provisional squad and then he watches the weekend games and makes a final decision after that,” Edwards said.
“That will probably put a little bit of extra pressure on me leading into the Inverness game, but once you’re on the pitch whatever is going on in the background is irrelevant and you just go and play. It will probably give me more adrenaline to use throughout the 90 minutes so it will work out better for everyone!”
8.3.2017
ISHIDA-LIVINGS VOWS TO STAY GROUNDED (courtesy inglewoodunitedfc.com.au)
Alex Ishida-Livings is determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground following a whirlwind start to his first National Premier Leagues campaign. Promoted to the senior squad late last season, Ishida-Livings entered 2017 with hopes of an occasional first team appearance as he gleamed all he could from his more experienced teammates.
But things don't always go to plan and in the space of four short weeks Ishida-Livings has gone from the fringes of first team selection to being a key member of Taki Nicolaidis' starting line-up. On the weekend the 19-year old defender celebrated his third straight start by putting away his first senior goal in the 3-1 defeat of Subiaco AFC.
Not bad going for a player that a month ago had not made a first team appearance. "Coming into the season I never expected to start the first three games let alone getting on the scoresheet in one of them," commented Ishida-Livings, captain of last year’s Under-20s and recipient of the 2016 Rising Star award.
"To be honest, I'm honoured just to be a part of the squad with any first team game time a bonus. I have to thank Taki and his coaching staff for giving me these opportunities and the lads have been fantastic in welcoming me to the team and giving me advice when I need it. For that I'm really appreciative."
"It's been an amazing start to my first team career but at the same time I know I can't get too far ahead of myself as I'm still young and have plenty to learn. I need to keep focussed, work hard in training and hopefully keep on coming up with good performances on match day whenever I'm given the chance."
8.3.2017
WILLIAMS REWARDED FOR GOOD FORM WITH SOCCEROOS SELECTION
Perth Glory’s Rhys Williams good recent form in the Hyundai A-League has seen the defender/midfielder rewarded with selection in Ange Postecoglou’s 30-man squad for the up-coming Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and UAE. The 28-year-old's rise back onto the international recognition, is miles away from earlier in the season when he was left of Kenny Lowe’s side after reportedly requesting a transfer to Sydney FC.
Glory held firm in their refusal to let Williams go to an A-League rival, with the war of words between Williams' manager and the club ensuing. But the former Middlesbrough man insists he's moved on from that and has his sights set on rekindling his Socceroos career. “It was well documented me being left out and what not," Williams told Four, Four, Two magazine. “We've put that behind us now. It's great to be playing again. These (Glory) boys have been great and helped me along."
Williams has been unlucky with injury his football journey, and he thought his international career was over when he tore his Achilles tendon for a second time in early 2015. But a return back to the west and catching up with family and friends has done wonders for him, and he’s putting back into the sport too, by helping out as assistant Coach at PS4NPLWA side Floreat Athena. So after being told of his selection he was understandably over the moon, and giving him the chance to work with Postecoglou again and a chance to add to his 14 caps.
“My last (Socceroos) game was Ange’s first game, so we've got a lot of ground to make up," Williams explained. “He's one of the best managers I've been with. The way he likes to try to play football suits me down to the ground. I was really looking forward to his reign, and it just hasn't worked for us both. But he's done great with the boys, with the Asian Cup and stuff like that. It's been hard to watch and miss out on it. Now I've just got to get my head down, work hard, and try to get in that 23."
The Socceroos' squad will be trimmed from 30 to 23 after this weekend, meaning Williams will need to impress in Saturday's clash with Melbourne Victory if he is to make the final cut. Eighteen-year-old Adelaide United midfielder McGree is the surprise selection in the squad, the midfielder selected on the back of just 710 minutes in the A-League. Former Glory keeper and now Sydney FC custodian Danny Vukovic and Sky Blues right-back Alex Grant have also been rewarded for their career-best form with Sydney FC as Postecoglou upheld his pledge to include more A-League players.
The trio are part of seven uncapped players alongside Denmark-based duo Mustafa Amini and Awar Mabil, James Jeggo, who plays in Austria and Scotland-based Ryan Edwards. Cahill and Tomi Juric are back while Asian Cup hero James Troisi returns for the first time since 2015 and Williams and Brisbane captain Matt McKay have been recalled. Celtic’s Tom Rogic is absent through injury while China-based central defender Matthew Spiranovic is the biggest casualty from the last squad.
Jamie Maclaren, Apostolos Giannou, Glory defender Josh Risdon and the injured Adam Federici also miss out, though Postecoglou kept faith with attackers Robbie Kruse and Nathan Burns despite their seasons in Asia only just starting. Australia sit third in their qualifying group and have five matches to secure a top-two finish and automatic qualification for Russia 2018. “We have named an extended squad with a few notable returns but we will make a final decision after this weekend’s matches around Australia, Asia and Europe,” Postecoglou said.
“With the Asian leagues and some countries in Europe only just starting I wanted to have another look. There is also recognition for some players who have been in good form in the A-League and have the characteristics to fit in with some of our experienced players as we move into an important stretch of qualifying. “It is encouraging to have the experience of Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Mass Luongo, Mitch Langerak and James Troisi back in the squad but we also have some players who have been on the fringe who have been knocking on the door of both the squad and the starting side.”
Full Squad: Mustafa Amini, Aziz Behich, Nathan Burns, Tim Cahill, Milos Degenek, Ryan Edwards, Alex Gersbach, Craig Goodwin, Rhyan Grant, Chris Ikonomidis, Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, James Jeggo, Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse, Mitch Langerak, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Awer Mabil, Riley McGree, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Mathew Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Brad Smith, James Troisi, Danny Vukovic, Rhys Williams, Bailey Wright
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8.3.2017
GLORY WANT HOME FINAL AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BERTH: GARCIA
Midfielder Richard Garcia says the carrot of a home final and Asian Champions League qualification is motivating the Perth Glory squad ahead of a season-defining run of games. Glory are currently fifth on the standings with third spot guaranteeing a home elimination final, and a likely Asian Champions League berth.
Glory's title aspirations will be put to the test on Saturday when they travel to second-placed Melbourne Victory. After that, Glory take on Sydney (home), Adelaide (away), Brisbane (home), and City (home) in a run of matches that could make or break their title hopes.
"We definitely want a home final, and Champions League spot is another ambition of the group," Garcia said. "So we want that third spot, and if possible higher. The opportunity to play against different oppositions from different parts of the world (in the ACL) is a massive carrot."
Garcia captained Glory last season but he has been cast into the role as a spectator for much of this campaign. The former Socceroo notched his first minutes of the season when he came off the bench in the 77th minute against Wellington Phoenix on the weekend.
Garcia, 35, is coping well with his demotion, taking over as coach of the club's Under-20s side and used as a sounding board by senior coach Kenny Lowe. Garcia has ambitions to focus on coaching down the track but for now he's hoping to earn some more playing opportunities.
"I'm still training every day and still feel like I've got a lot to offer on the park," Garcia said. I know age is not on my side (and) if I have to take my boots off and delve into coaching, I'd enjoy that as well. I'm happy the club's seeing me as a long-term transition guy that's going to train, coach, and be a coach of Glory."
7.3.2017
CASTRO PUTS CONTRACT CALL ON HOLD
Johnny Warren medallist Diego Castro will wait until the season has ended before deciding whether to recommit to Perth Glory for a third year. Glory have signalled they will not push Castro for an immediate answer despite having entered contract negotiations with their marquee star.
Castro will return home to Spain during the off-season for a three-month holiday where he will contemplate his future in the A-League. Glory will leave a vacant spot on their roster to accommodate Castro in the event the former La Liga player chooses to re-sign.
Club officials are quietly confident he will extend his stay in Western Australia, having been buoyed by Castro’s recommitment in similar circumstances last year. The midfielder’s wife and two children are understood to now speak relatively fluent English, with the family far more settled after two seasons in Perth.
The 27-round nature of the A-League, with just one game a week, also suits 34-year old Castro. His longevity and ability to physically continue playing near the peak of his powers will be a consideration in whether he extends his career in Australia.
Glory owner Tony Sage said they would not force the issue. “In the end, it’s just about his desire and what he wants and what’s best for his family,” he said. “We’re not going to push him. It’s his decision. We’ll start to really discuss it hard in July after he’s had a month or so back at home and then he’ll make up his mind.”
Castro has hit a purple patch of form to spearhead Glory’s charge towards a top-three spot and a home final. The attacking midfielder has scored five goals in as many games, including converting a stunning free-kick from the edge of the box to snatch a crucial point for Glory in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Wellington Phoenix.
Central defender Rhys Williams is on track to reach the required number of regular season games to automatically trigger the option of a second season with Glory. Andy Keogh, Adam Taggart and Chris Harold are already contracted for next season, ensuring the Glory will keep most of their strike weapons together.
5.3.2017
GUTSY GLORY HIT BACK FOR A POINT OVER THE DITCH
Perth Glory showed great character to fight back twice from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw against Wellington Phoenix in the ‘Long Distance Derby’ at the QBE Stadium in Auckland. Gui Finkler and Roy Krishna had given the home side a 2-0 lead, but Andy Keogh pulled one back before half time. Kosta Barbarouses made it 3-1 early in the second half, but goals to Adam Taggart and Diego Castro levelled things up. The Glory had chances late to win all three points, but they couldn’t convert, and had to do with a share of the spoils. “I think we showed a lot of character, dominated the game, had chance after chance, and should have actually won,” Glory Coach Kenny Lowe said. “For 20 minutes (Wellington) were good value, we probably didn’t match them as much as we should, but after that it was us. “For 70 minutes we were just the better side. And we were untouchable in the last 30.”
The point means the Glory have now only been beaten once in 11 matches as their bid for a home final continues to gather pace. With only six rounds remaining in the regular season, Lowe is still refusing to look beyond next weekend’s trip to Melbourne Victory. “You can’t get carried away. In such a tight league things can change,” he said. “If you start looking six games ahead, you can find you’re six games behind.” Lowe made just the one change from the side that beat Western Sydney Wanderers last week, with Brandon Wilson missing out due to injury and he was replaced in the starting line up by Aryn Williams, meaning Rhys Williams moved into the middle of the park.
It was a lively opening with both sides going close early. Chris Harold’s quick break ended with Adam Taggart on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was straight at Glen Moss. Moments later Krishna found Barbarouses in the penalty area, but Joe Mills got back with a last ditch tackle to deny him. But on ten minutes the home side hit the front. The Glory were caught short at the back from a quick break from the Phoenix, and the ball made it Finkler and the Brazilian fired home, via a deflection of Mills, giving Liam Reddy no chance.
It went from bad to worse for the Glory when the home side doubled their lead on 25 minutes. A long ball from Matthew Ridenton found the run of former Glory striker Shane Smeltz, who was able to hold the ball up before finding Krishna, who eased past a tackle from Rhys Williams and the Fijian striker’s shot flew low past Reddy to double their advantage. This wasn’t in the script, but nine minutes later the Glory pulled on back. A long ball out of defence from Dino Djulbic picked out Keogh, and the Irishman controlled it superbly on his chest, on the run, and he finished with aplomb past Moss. The Glory almost levelled before half time, Castro’s corner was met by Djulbic, but he headed straight at Moss who saved.
It was a perfect start to the second half for the Phoenix and they made it 3-1 after only two minutes. Krishna passing to Barbarouses, who curled it home from the edge of the box. It looked all over for the Glory but they showed the ‘Mongrel’ that Lowe was asking for in midweek and went in search of a goal to get back into the game, and it dually arrive just after the hour. Second half substitute Joel Chianese crossed from the right and Taggart’s first header was superbly saved by Moss, but Taggart reacted the quickest to fire home the rebound from close-range.
They almost levelled moments later when another second half substitute Marc Warren’s cross shot was heading for the top corner of the net, but Moss got back to tip the ball over the top. But on 81 minutes the equaliser came in spectacular fashion. The Glory earnt a free kick on the right hand of the penalty area, and Castro lifted the ball up and over the wall, curling into the top corner of the net over the outstretched hand of Moss. The Glory had the opportunity to take all three points late on with Castro racing clear from Taggart’s through ball but instead of going for goal the Spaniard looked to pass it back to Taggart and the Phoenix cleared.
5.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES - WEEK FOUR REVIEW
It was week four of the State League Night Series and in Group ‘A’ on Saturday evening it was off to Wanneroo Reserve, and in the opening game Swan United beat Ashfield 3-2. All the goals came in a frantic second half. Ashfield hit the front when Dan Corbett finished off at the back post from a free kick. But Swan were back in the game five minutes later, John Monterosso finishing after going one-on-one with the Ashfield keeper. The black and whites were ahead moments later, Spiro Nenadicc, finishing from close-range after Ashfield failed to clear a corner. The Swans added a third when Monterosso’s cross to the back post was turned home by Marco Trimboli. Ashfield pulled on back through Jamie Stewart and pressed late but Swan hung on for the win. “It was an awesome game to watch that could have gone either way. Ashfield looked very good going forward and showed a lot of quality through the centre of the park,” Swan Coach Matt Debarro said. “Some good defending by us was important in edging the win and thankfully we were the ones who got our noses in front late on. Well don't to Matt, Marco and their players on a strong performance, I really liked how they play football. The result certainly makes it interesting next week. Well done to my guys on a hard fought win.”
In the late game Wanneroo City bounced back from last week’s loss to beat Joondalup City 2-1. Joondalup were ahead just after half time, when the Wanneroo keeper spilled a Joe McQuade free kick and Rhys Booth followed in to finish. But Wanneroo hit back and Scott Johnston scored a brace to give them the win. "It was great to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Swan last week where we just couldn't find the back of the net. The boys were certainly up for this game and we created chance after chance early on and much like the previous week we couldn't find the net,” Wanneroo Coach Tim Kantor said. “I told the boys at the breaks that if we continued to play the way we were playing, we would eventually score, and Scott scored two after some very good forward moves which gave us the win. We now meet Ashfield next Friday and the boys are really looking forward to the challenge of upsetting the group favourites. A win could see us progress to the semis depending on other results. Going to be a very exciting finish to the group stage." – Shamrock Rover had the bye this week.
In Group B at Kingsway Reserve on Friday evening, Dianella White Eagles put an end to UWA Nedlands perfect start to the competition by beating them 5-0 in the early game. Angel Andres chipped in a superb opener, along with two crackers from Sotiro Theosadies, and one from Musanda Mwanza and Captain Bojan Radinovic scored the fifth from the penalty spot. “Our players went into this game knowing we had to win to have any chance of winning the group. Not only did the players achieve this they absolutely bossed the game and could have ended up winning in double figures if not for the cross bar, the post and their keeper,” Dianella Coach Robie Dunn said. “UWA put up a good fight but our players were irrepressible and they are starting to gel into what could be a pretty good side. The players are really working hard at their individual and collective game and they look like they are really enjoying themselves which is great to see. Once again we changed many players into many positions to test them out and the lads showed just what they are capable of.” In the late game Kingsway Olympic beat Balga 6-0. On Sunday,
Western Knights beat Quinns FC 3-1. Brian Patterson scored in the first half for the Knights, while Jamie Burns went on to score twice.
The Group C games were at Inglewood Stadium on Sunday, and in the early game Morley Windmills and Gwelup Croatia drew 1-1. Morley were ahead three minutes into the second half through Yves Mwila, and it looked like they would take the points, but Gwelup levelled in the final minute, with Gavin Knight converting with only the keeper to beat. In the late game Forrestfield United beat Rockingham City 3-1 in a very entertaining game. Forrestfield hit the front on the half hour, Ben Rogers received the ball from Mitch Crocker, and his shot on the turn flew into the bottom left corner. It was 2-0 on the hour Liam Merigan picked the ball up just inside the centre circle and went on a mazy run past a number of Rockingham defenders, and unleashed a vicious curling shot into the top corner of the net. The points were made safe on 75 minutes, Rogers received the ball just outside the box after good build up play down the right, and his shot had too much power for the keeper, who couldn’t prevent the striker scoring his second. Rockingham pulled one back five minutes from time with Ryan Kennedy scoring from the penalty spot, but it was too little too late. “It was crystal clear from the very beginning that we were in for a tough workout, and I'm sure nobody was disappointed with the quality of football the two sides delivered for most of the game,” Forrestfield Coach Rod Banjac said. “With four weeks until the season opener, we are very pleased with the way our squad is progressing where we looked the part for about 70 minutes of the game. We needed a challenge in order to properly assess our progress and as always Rocky provided a workout that we were looking for, and needed at this point in time. I remind all that it's not easy to play for Forrie as a win must come on the back of quality football and last night the boys did just that for majority of the game, so we are very pleased and look forward to the next Night Series game on Friday.” – Gosnells City had the bye this week.
The first game in Group D was on Friday night at Edinburgh Oval, where Fremantle City beat Curtin University 4-2. Fremantle hit the front early, when Ben West's diving header beat the Curtin keeper from a corner. It was 2-0 on 20 minutes, Mark Lawrence-Lewis was brought down in the box when clean through, and Alec Robinson put away the penalty. It was 3-0 on the half hour, with West rising highest to head home, and he should have completed his hat trick moments alter but he headed straight at the keeper from point blank range. Curtin hit back and reduced the margin three minutes before half time with a well taken free kick from Eddie Tikoft. But Fremantle made it 4-1 before the break, a quick counter attack by Alec Robinson saw him race into the penalty area and he was pulled down, and Robinson picked himself up to score the resulting penalty. Fremantle then had Danny Clapham sent off after picking up his second yellow card ten minutes into the second half, but Curtin couldn’t find a way back into the game. They did add a second in stoppage time, Adrian Cinanni worked hard to steal the ball from Fremantle centre back to set up Tikoft to tap into an empty net. “It was good to get another win in our build up to the season, and again we created many chances on top of the goals which was a good sign,” Fremantle Coach Steve Plunkett said. “However it was disappointing to not keep a clean sheet, both goals were from not being alert to situations and this will cost us against the stronger sides if we are not switched on at key moments.” The next games were at Ashfield Reserve, but the first game between Kelmscott Roos and Canning City was postponed due to the hot weather, while South West Phoenix beat Melville City 2-0 in the late game with Lee Stewart and Carlo Chiellini on target.
4.3.2017
KUSER GIVES THE COCKERELS THE POINTS
Cockburn City maintained their unbeaten start to the season after a 2-1 win against Bayswater City at Dalmatinac Park on Saturday evening. Gian Albano gave the home side the lead at the break, but Borbor Sam levelled on the hour, but a last minute goal from Josh Kuser gave the Cockerels all three points. “It was a great performance by the boys, and we knew Bayswater are a really strong team so we really needed to step up and I feel we did,” Cockburn midfielder Calvin Whitney said. “We were strong in the first half getting a good goal to take the lead, but in the second half we started off slow, but dug deep to get the win in the end.”
It was a tight opening to the game with both sides still trying to come to terms with the hot weather, but it was the home side who hit the front on 14 minutes. A great through ball from Rueben Tristao sent Albano clear, and the former Perth Glory player finished with aplomb past Devon Spence. It was his third goal of the season and he thought he had another on the half hour, but his goal was ruled offside by referee Nico Hoyle.
Bayswater were lethargic and couldn’t get into the game but they went close on 36 minutes. David Heagney picked out Jason Mirco out wide, and continued his run and when Mirco crossed into the box, Heagney’s header flashed over the top. Cockburn had another opportunity in stoppage time, but Jesse Lazzaro’s free kick, was straight at Spence, but at the break Cockburn led 1-0.
The visitors needed a good start to the second half and they went close early, Heagney header just flashing over the top three minutes in. Moments later Heagney and Mirco combined and the latter’s cross found Sam, but he headed over the top. Cockburn keeper Luke Radonich then had to be alert to save Sam’s effort as Bayswater went in search of the equaliser. Cockburn still looked dangerous and Whitney’s free kick flashed over the top, but on 65 minutes Bayswater levelled.
Sam beat his marker, cut inside and finished past Radonich, for a superb individual goal. It looked like Bayswater would go on and win it, but both sides had good chances as the game heated up. First Heagney’s header was saved by Radonich, before Whitney’s shot was saved by Spence. But in the final minute it was the home side who scored the winner. A corner from Cameron Edwards wasn’t dealt with by the Bayswater defence and Kuser back-heeled the ball past Spence to set of wild celebrations on and off the pitch.
Cockburn City: GK Luke RADONICH, 2 Josh KUSER, 4 Euen Grant, 6 Reuben TRISTAO, 7 Ali GHOLAMI, 8 Cameron EDWARDS, 9 Gian ALBANO (14 Andrew EMSAVANA 76), 12 Kelen MOUITHYS
(10 David ARAYA 63), 16 Calvin WHITNEY, 17 Jesse LAZZARO (13 Blake ADAMS 84), 18 Aden DA LUZ - Subs not used: RGK Ryan Barker, 3 Daniel DOLS
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 6 Todd HOWARTH, 9 Gustavo Giron MARULANDA, 10 Jason MICRO (19 Luka NINKOVIC 76), 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (c)
(22 Jamie MURPHY 90), 17 Bor Bor SAM, 20 Sam MITCHISON, 21 David HEAGNEY, 23 Andrija JUKIC - Subs not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 8 Giordano COLLI, 16 Ayden DRAGUN - Referee: Nico Hoyle
4.3.2017
LAST MINUTE WIN FOR BALCATTA
A last minute goal from Lucas Mello has given Balcatta a 1-0 win against Armadale at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday evening, and securing their first win of the PS4NPLWA season. Armadale had plenty of chances but couldn’t find a way past a resolute Balcatta defence. “It was a good, tough battle down at Armadale, but we have been training hard all week and we were confident, like we always are,” Balcatta keeper Domenico Savoldelli said. “The boys worked for each other and never gave up which is why we came away with all 3 points. We're happy to get our first win of the year, and are looking forward to the next challenge at hand.”
Buoyed by last week’s win on the road at ECU Joondalup, Armadale opened brightly and had Balcatta on the back foot, but clear cut chances were few and far between. The best chance of the half came in the final minute. Josh Tumoe eased past two Balcatta defenders, his shot was deflected and the ball looped up to Armadale striker Kyle King, but his header was kept out by Balcatta keeper Savoldelli with a great reflex save
The lively Tomoe was causing the Balcatta defenders all sorts of problems and he was sent clear on the hour, and went one-on-one with Savoldelli. The Balcatta custodian stood tall to save, but the rebound fell to Tumoe, and with the goal at his mercy the striker blazed wide of the target. Balcatta began to get more into the game and went close punishing Armadale profligacy in front of goal, with a chance of their own. Kurt Kouakou’s first time shot on 76 minutes was well saved by Michael Craggs.
Armadale continued to waste opportunities, and moments later a long ball found Jake Sardelic, who raced clear, but again Savoldelli saved well and King fired the rebound over the top. It looked like the points would be shared, but Mello had other ideas. A quick counter attack saw second half substitute Nathan Scully pick out Mello, who found the bottom corner of the net to win it. It went from bad to worse for the home team with James Atkins sent off in stoppage time.
“On the balance of play overall I thought we deserved the win, especially since we were away from home,” Balcatta Coach Salv Todaro told the PS4NPLWA website. “The boys were fantastic tonight - they have worked very hard over the last couple of weeks and put in a good shift during the game. Our shape was very good, and as a team we defended very well so I am very pleased with everybody tonight.”
Armadale: GK Michael CRAGGS, 3 Jake SARDELIC, 4 Nathan COSTELLO (C), 5 Sam LOVELESS, 8 Jordan PAVETT, 9 Kyle KING (2 Dylan WHITE 77’), 10 Jackson BEALEY (12 Josh TUMOE 6’),
11 Dannie RICHMAN, 14 David ANNALL (6 Faustin MACHOCI 83’), 16 Tristan TAYLOR, 17 James ATKINS - Subs not used: RGK Alec RADONICH, 18 Milan OGNJENOVIC
Balcatta FC: GK. Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2. Hanafi GHAZALI (16. Nathan SCULLY 71’), 3. Justin ONEK, 4. Calum O’CONNELL, 5. Keiron STALLARD, 6. Jonathan CORNESS, 9. Lucas MELLO,
11. Feisal ZAW (14. Jaedon EWEN 84’), 12. Kurt KOUAKOU, 20. Paddy QUINN (C), 23. Ismael BANGURA - Subs not used: 10 Dino TOPCAGIC, 17 David KAI - Referee: Stuart Muldoon
4.3.2017
GULLS TO STRONG FOR MANDURAH
Sorrento continued their unbeaten start to the PS4NPLWA after a stunning 5-0 win against Mandurah City at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday evening. Kiwi Jack Salter gave the home side the lead late in the first half, but the Gulls dominated the second half and after Andy Brown’s own goal the floodgates opened with second half substitutes Alex Morgan and Sean Canham, who bagged a brace, giving Sorrento a comfortable win. “Mandurah were quite well drilled and we struggling a bit in the first half defending a diamond,” Salter said. “But I thought once we got going especially in the second half we played some great football and scored some great goals and won well in the end.”
It was an even contest with both sides having plenty of the ball but there wasn’t any clear cut chances early. Jordan Rhodes was instrumental in the middle of the park for Mandurah, and the now Mandurah under 18’s coach sent some good balls into the final third, but they couldn’t take advantage of any of them. Then in the shadows of half time Sorrento hit the front. Billy Quinncroft crossed to Salter, and he side-footed home past Brad Eiffe. Mandurah almost levelled immediately, Joe O’Brien’s shot flashed wide of the target.
It was still anyone’s game after the break with half chances at both ends, but on 66 minutes Sorrento doubled their lead. Scott Witschge’s cross was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Mandurah Captain Andy Brown. It was a huge blow for the newly-promoted Mandurah and three minutes later it got worse when Sorrento added a third. Gulls substitutes Canham and Alex Morgan combined, the latter finishing with aplomb past Eiffe.
Sorrento went in for the kill and added a fourth in the final minute, Canham finishing well past Eiffe, before the English striker added his second and Sorrento’s fifth from the penalty spot in the last minute of stoppage time, to wrap up convincing win for Jamie Harnwell’s side. “We tried to be too clever in the first half and needed to show Mandurah more respect,” Harnwell told the PS4NPLWA website. “But in the second half we kept it simple, moved the ball quickly and made a lot of space for ourselves. We’ve got a few new players who have gelled well, and if you want to be successful, which the club is trying to work towards, then you need to have these unbeaten runs.”
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (9 Sean CANHAM 60’), 8 Ryan PEARSON, 10 Scott BULLOCH (7 Alex MORGAN, 67’), 11 Tim HILL, 14 Scott WITSCHGE
(21 Spiro DIMITRIOU 74’), 17 Reece VITTIGLIA, 18 Jordan BROWN, 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD - Subs not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 2 Jacob SHORE
Mandurah City: GK Brad EIFFE, 2 Mitch FIRTH, 3 Jeff BRIGHT (12 Alex CLARKE 75’), 4 Jordan RHODES, 5 Daniel DYSON, 8 Andy BROWN, 6 Joe O’BRIEN (14 Mark MCLAUGHLIN 75’),
7 Jack EADES, 9 Craig TONE (13 Slade RULE 81’), 10 Sean TROUP, 11 Ryan FRANCIS - Subs not used: RGK Cyril SHARROCK - Referee: Steven Gregory
4.3.2017
SALMON AT THE DOUBLE FOR INGLEWOOD
Inglewood United won for the first time in the PS4NPLWA this season after a 3-1 win against Subiaco at the Inglewood Stadium on Saturday evening. All the action came after the break with Alex Ishida-Livings opening the scoring before Alex Salmon bagged a brace to put the home side in control. Rory Feely pulled one back for Subiaco late on but the damage had already been done. “Overall the lads are delighted to get our first win of the season. On another day, I believe we could have scored a few more but Subiaco made it tough for us so credit to them,” Ishida-Livings said. “Hopefully we can now build on this win as a team, develop a bit of momentum and produce the results to show for it in the coming weeks.”
Inglewood were well on top from the first whistle, but found it difficult to beat Subiaco keeper Ryan Montgomery. He had to be alert to keep out Brian Woodall’s back post header early. Then mid-way through the half Montgomery was out quick to punch clear Tim Robertson’s cross, but the rebound fell to Ashley Rosindale, who shot was cleared off the line. Moments later Rosindale blazed over from 12 meters, after Montgomery had parried a shot.
After the break it all changed and five minutes in the home side took a well-deserved lead Adam Tong’s inch perfect cross picked out Ishida-Livings who made no mistake. It was a perfect start for the home side, and it got better five minutes later, when they added a second. Robertson was the provider this time, picking out Salmon who latched on to his pass to finish. Two became three, sixty seconds later, Salmon scoring his fifth league goal of the season after he wriggled his way in the box to finish past Montgomery from Rosindale’s ball, to make it three goals in six minutes.
Salmon almost completed his hat-trick moments later, but Montgomery saved well from the English striker’s free kick. Subiaco were shell-shocked but they defended well to keep Inglewood ay bay, and pulled a goal back on 76 minutes. Second half substitute Jonas Dorling played a neat through ball to Feely, who finished well past Alex Dunn, but it was too little too late. “We didn’t play that bad in the first-half but we were sloppy at times in the back third,” Inglewood Coach Taki Nicolaidis said. “At half time the message was get in the box and have a shot and we did by playing two-touch football and moving and passing. The way we broke them down was very impressive.”
Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 2 Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS (12 Luke RANDAZZO 79), 4 Scott BLACKMORE, 5 Adam TONG, 8 Jason BARRERA, 9 Alex SALMON, 10 Ash ROSINDALE, 11John MIGAS,
15 Brian FARRELL, 17 Tim ROBERTSON (18 Jason COLLI 70), 23 Brian WOODALL (19 Chok DAU 70) - Subs not used: RGK Riley STEPHENSON 14 Mark PRITCHARD
Subiaco: GK Ryan MONTGOMERY, 7 John LOCKHART, 8 Mike LAWSON (10 Jonas DORLING 57), 9 Rory FEELY, 11 Carlin FEELY, 12 Nathan SMITH, 13 Jordan CANDLISH (15 Henock BUTSHIRE 69),
14 Ross JARMAN (6 Kevin CASTLE 79), 17 Alex CASTIELLO, 18 David PERICH, 19 Stefan HILL - Subs not used: RGK Hamish ST GEORGE, 16 Ian MCMURRAY - Referee: Tom Dowle
4.3.2017
CHAMPIONS TOO STRONG FOR ATHENA
Reigning PS4NPLWA champions Perth SC maintained their perfect start to the new season with a 3-1 win against Floreat Athena at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday evening. Gustavo Catarcione opened the scoring early, before Andreas Theodosiades doubled their advantage early in the second half. Kris Gate pulled one back for the visitors, but the points were made safe by Niccol Sabatini. “We set up to start the game bright and look to score early, so going a goal up in the first 10 minutes was exactly what we wanted,” Perth skipper Clark Keltie said. “We knew Floreat would be lively going forward but I thought we dealt with that quite well. I thought it was another solid performance from the boys and it's obviously great to have nine points on the board from the first three games.”
It was a perfect start for the home side and they were ahead after only eight minutes. Roberto Del Borrello raced down the right and played the ball into the box and Catarcione pounced for his fourth goal of the season. It was tight affair with not many clear cut chances, but Floreat went close twice to the equaliser on the half hour, but Jesse Fuller and Jon Stynes failed to find the target.
Floreat went close again just after half time, Clayton Arnez’s cross was only inches away from Stynes at the back post. But on 53 minutes the home side doubled their advantage. Former Floreat midfielder Theodosiades got on the end of Sabatini’s through ball and finished past Jason Saldaris. It looked game over, but Floreat hit back and reduced the margin six minutes later. Andrew Scaldaffero, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, crossed into the penalty area and Gate bundled the ball home.
But their hopes of a comeback were all but ended on 70 minutes, Catarcione was the supplier this time, slipping the ball through to Sabatini, and the former Sorrento winger made no mistake. Floreat weren’t finished and Perth custodian Francis Soale had to be alert to save Stynes’ shot seven minutes later. He did even better moments later saving superbly to deny Gate a second, with a fingertip save onto the crossbar. “Three wins in three games is a really good start,” Perth Coach Ramon Falzon told the NPLWA website. “The boys stuck to the plan from the start and I think we hit them on the counter really well. But on the other hand, we can’t get away from that goal we are conceding in every game. We need to get back to work because we haven’t had a clean sheet yet.”
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES (11 Matthew MILENKOVIC, 55), 4 Adrian MADASCHI, 5 Niccolo SABATINI, 6 Clark KELTIE (C), 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE,
10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (20 Paul ZIMMARINO, 88), 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR, 16 Kieran COLWELL (2 Alex SILLA, 71), 19 Roberto DEL BORRELLO - Subs not used: RGK Daniel
PASSARELLI, 14 Cameron TEECE
Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 2 Shaun TIMMINS, 3 Clayton ARNEZ, 6 Jesse FULLER, 8 Jonathan STYNES, 10 Kris GATE (C), 11 Dennis GALAN (5 Bobby WILSON, 71), 12 Jackson
MORGAN, 13 Zelfy NAZARY, 16 Ryan MALTON (4 Andrew SCALDAFFERO, 55), 33 Chris SALDARIS - Subs not used: RGK Jordan BARBAS, 18 Patiente ILAHAMBAYE, 20 Derek Data - Referee: Josh Mannella
3.3.2017
PS4 NPL-WA ROUND THREE PREVIEW
It’s round three of the PS4NPLWA, but the extreme hot weather has taken its toll on the fixtures again this weekend, with Perth Glory’s home game against Joondalup United and ECU Joondalup’s home game against Stirling Lions have both been cancelled and to be played at a later date. The Footballwa Match of the Week is the top of the table clash, with Perth SC hosting Floreat Athena at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday evening (8.00pm). Both sides have begun the season well and won both opening games, and Sunday’s game should be another tight encounter. The last time the two sides met each other in the league at the venue, was in round five last season, when they fought out a 1-1 draw. Chris Saldaris opened the scoring, but Tom King levelled to give both sides a point.
Perth won on the road last week, with a hard fought 2-1 win against Stirling Lions, with Niccolo Sabatini and Gustavo Catarcione on target. It was another outstanding game from the 2016 Football West Keeper of the Year Francis Soale, who produced a number of fine saves to earn them the victory. The keeper was a little modest and said it was a great team performance. “I thought we were good value for the three points. We worked hard, defended well and created a lot of good goal scoring chances which is a positive,” he said. “It’s great for our confidence to start the year with two strong performances and two wins.” Soale is expecting Floreat to be on a high after two good wins, but he’s confident they get the three points. “It’s a huge game this week, and a great chance for us to keep our momentum going from the first two games and establish our position at the pointy end of the ladder,” he explained. “We've got Andreas Theodosiades coming back into the side, who I know loves playing against Athena - we'll bring the same hard working attitude we always do and hope for a good a result.”
Floreat edged out Perth Glory last week, with Chris Saldaris scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win. Former Glory defender Jackson Morgan has joined Floreat this season, and he said they had to work hard for the win. “It was a hard game, but it was good to come out on top, and it was also good to see my old team mates,” he said. “Glory came out strong, and they were moving the ball a lot, but in the second half the boys adapted and we started to play our own game and we got the right result.” Morgan is really enjoying his time at Floreat and he said Sunday’s game is going to be a big challenge, but one they are all looking forward too. “I have settled in well, Glen and the boys and everyone at the club have all welcomed me and I love it here,” he said. “We all know Sunday will be a hard game, because both teams are fighting to be on top, but we have to stick to our game plan and we should get the win.”
Armadale surprised many last week by beating ECU Joondalup on the road, and this week they host Balcatta at Alfred Skeet Reserve. Balcatta earned their first point of the season with a solid display at Cockburn, and this one will be another tight affair. Armadale defender Tristan Taylor said the win at Armadale was well-deserved. “It was important for us to get the three points after a disappointing result against Glory last week,” he said. “ECU are a quality side with some fantastic individuals but we were able to put into practice what we had been working on all week and rectify our errors from the Glory match and that’s what got us the result in the end.” Taylor joined from Division One side UWA Nedlands and he said he’s enjoying the new challenge. “I think the move into NPL has been a huge step up from Division One. Whilst there are some talented players and sides in the first division it doesn’t compare to the intensity of NPL football,” he explained. “John O’Reilly and some of the senior players like Nathan Costello have helped out massively with the transition for me. It’s definitely more challenging, but I’m keen on helping out the squad to achieve our goals.” Taylor said last week’s win will be worth nothing if they can’t take three points on Saturday. “It’s important for us to build on the ECU performance this weekend against Balcatta. Obviously they’ve had a lot of late change this pre-season but we’re still aware of the quality they possess and they’ll be hungry,” he said. “We’re heading into a stretch of three home games in a row, so it’s vital that we work hard at training and try to get on a bit of a run.”
Sorrento conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 at Inglewood last week, and they will be looking to make emends when they host Mandurah City at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday evening (7.00pm). Sorrento Shaun Kilkelly said it’s been a good start the season, but last week was two points lost. “It was disappointing to concede a late goal, but I thought we started very well and controlled and deserved to be in the lead, but we dropped off at the end of the first half,” he said. “But in the second half we played well and we thought we had done enough to take the three points. It felt like a loss conceding that late, but a point is a point and I think a lot of teams will be happy with a point away to Inglewood this year.” Mandurah played at the same venue last week, and also scored late, when they drew 1-1 with Joondalup United, and Kilkelly said they are a good side and they will have to be at their best to get the win. “They (Mandurah) will be another tough test for us, with them having a lot of experience players that have played in the top league for years,” he said. “If we can put a full 90 minutes together I think we will take the points and continue our unbeaten start to the new season.”
Bayswater City had last week off due to their game against Subiaco was called off due to the extreme heat, and this week they hit the road to take on Cockburn City at Dalmatinac Park on Saturday evening (7.00pm) The Cockerels have made an unbeaten start to the new season, but had to do with a point last week against Balcatta, a game striker Gian Albano said they should have won. “It was a bit of a disappointment seeing as we played so well the week before against Subiaco,” he said. “I thought we dominated the game and I felt like we should have taken the three points, but we didn't take our chances and that's what killed us. Positive from the game we kept another clean sheet so a credit to the defence.” Albano played as a defender when he was at Perth Glory Youth side, but his enjoying his role as striker this season and is hoping to add more goals on Saturday against Bayswater, who he believes will be looking to bounce back. “I've found the transition from defence to a forward position a very easy one as this is the position I've playing most of my career, and I think this suits my attacking style of play, and I’ll be doing all I can to add another goal on Saturday,” he said. “They (Bayswater) had a good night series campaign, but I thought it was unlike Bayswater to let a two goal lead slip so it sets up a big game this weekend, and we’re looking forward to it, and both teams will be looking to bounce back.”
In the final game of the round sees Inglewood United host Subiaco at the Inglewood Stadium on Saturday evening (7.00pm). Inglewood has started the season with two draws, while Subiaco lost their opener and last week their game at Bayswater was postponed due to the extreme heat. Subiaco new coach Ian McMurray said they are looking to improve on their first up defeat. “The first round loss was disappointing, all three goals were very poor from our perspective. The first goal hurt us especially so early in the game, but the boys continued working and just couldn't manage to break down a well organised Cockburn team,” he said. “As long as we learn from them and continue working hard in training, growing as a team, I know we will get better and I have no doubt we will start picking up points soon.” McMurray knows the quality Saturday’s opponents have in their squad but he said they are ready to give a good account of themselves. “We’re under no illusions it will be very hard match this weekend, against a very good Inglewood team,” he explained. “They have recruited very well with Salmon and Farrell adding to the very good, experienced team and will be very dangerous. We know it's going to be extremely tough conditions, but the lads are working hard and will be focused and ready to go on Saturday.”
3.3.2017
STATE LEAGUE NIGHT SERIES - WEEK FOUR PREVIEW
It’s week four of the State League Night Series and in Group A the chase for top spot is heating up. The games will be played at Wanneroo Reserve on Saturday evening, and in the early game Ashfield meet Swan United. Swan beat Wanneroo last week to get their first win, while Ashfield had the bye. Swan Coach Matt Debarro said it was good to rebound from their first loss in the competition. “It was a good win, especially after our first game defeat,” he said. “But credit to the boys for executing the things we had worked on in training. Wanneroo played really well but I felt we deserved it in the end creating some better clear cut chances.” Debarro said games against Ashfield are always tight affairs and Saturday will be no different. “Yes it's always a tough intense game, we expect nothing different this time round. We will approach it as another opportunity to test ourselves and keep working towards our goals,” he explained. “We've talked a lot about the kind of team we want to be this year and Saturday will be an indication of where we are at in that regard - the boys and I are looking forward to the challenge.” In the late game Wanneroo City will look to bounce back from their loss against Swan last week when they host Joondalup City (8.pm) – Shamrock Rovers have the bye this week.
In Group ‘B’ the first game is at Kingsway Reserve tonight, with group leaders UWA Nedlands taking on Dianella White Eagles (6.30pm) UWA beat Western Knights last week to maintain their perfect start to the competition, while Dianella bounce back from their loss to the Knights with a win against Kingsway Olympic. Dianella head Coach Robbie Dunn said it was a good performance against a good Kingsway side. “I was extremely proud of the lads’ efforts against a very good group of players at Kingsway and the result shows just how good we can be if we concentrate and do what we work on together at training,” he said. “We changed a few players after the loss the week before and the playing group responded very well and looked like they really enjoyed themselves against Kingsway. The result could have been a lot bigger but we are very happy with five goals and a clean sheet that’s for sure.”
Dunn said Friday’s game will be a challenge but they are looking forward to it. “We have to win this week to have any chance of topping the group, UWA have done well to date and good luck to them, they deserve their success so far and we will work hard to try and slow them down a bit,” he explained. “I’m enjoying the fact that our players really want to get better each week and a pressure game like this one against UWA will test them out but more importantly this contest will show the coaching staff just where we are at in our pre-season progress. Hopefully it will be a good game on a good pitch which the fans enjoy and we come away with the three points, and that would make the last round very interesting indeed.” In the late game on Friday Kingsway Olympic hosts Balga (8.30pm) Kingsway lost heavily to Dianella, while Balga were held to a draw by Quinns, and both will be desperate to gain the three points. The final game in the group takes place at Kingsway Reserve on Sunday when Western Knights take on Quinns (5pm) The Knights will be looking to bounce back from defeat last week, while Quinns go in search of their first win in the competition,’
In Group ‘C’ games will be played at the Inglewood Stadium on Sunday. First up Gwelup Croatia takes on Morley Windmills (5.00pm) Morley drew with Forrestfield last week to pick their first point, while Gwelup had the bye. Gwelup Coach Aleks Vrteski said they worked hard during the break. “We’ve worked hard on a few areas of our game and we were supposed to play Ashfield, but due to the heat we couldn't get the game sanctioned therefore had to cancel,” he explained. Vrteski said Sunday opponents will be tough, but he said they are going out to keep their finals hopes alive. “It will be a tough task, I didn't look into their first game against Rockingham as they would have been trying a totally new team,” he said. “For us it's another opportunity to work on our objectives and cement our behaviours, and it should be an exciting game with a positive result keeping our hopes alive for a finals berth.”
In the late game traditional rivals Rockingham City meet Forrestfield United (7.00pm) Rockingham thrashed Gosnells last week, while Forrestfield were held by Morley. Rockonghan new striker Ravi Kuppusamy said last week was a good team performance. “It was a great result for the boys last week,” he said. “Gosnells made it hard for us and we were a bit slow to get started, but we battled through and we’re happy to come away with the points and maintain the great start.” These two teams have built a great rival in recent seasons and Kuppusamy said Sunday will be no different. “Sunday will definitely be a tough game, Forrestfield are a good side and we are looking forward to the game,” he said. “The lads have been working hard in training and everyone is up for the challenge.” - Gosnells City have the bye this week.
In Group ‘D’ the first game takes us to Edinburgh Oval tonight when Curtin University host Fremantle City (8.30pm). Both sides are coming off good wins last week, Fremantle convincingly beating Canning City 4-0, while Curtin edged out Melville City 2-1. The next games will be held at Ashfield Reserve on Sunday. In the early game Kelmscott Roos take on Canning City (4.00pm). Both sides lost last week, Canning losing their first game in competition to Fremantle, while Kelmscott are still without a point, after losing 3-1 to the Phoenix. In the late game group leaders South West Phoenix take on Melville City (6.00pm) Phoenix’s Jaydan Prosser said it wasn’t their best performance but they will take the win. “It was obviously good to get another win on the board, but we made very hard work of it,” he explained. “Despite the win we didn't play anything like we wanted to and the boys know so we will keep knuckling down at training and hopefully get a good result this weekend.” Prosser said they are going into every game focused and are looking forward to continue their improvement. “We need to go into every game as if it's a cup final,” he explained. “In this league anyone can beat anyone on their day so it's important we head out there with a positive mentality and do the right things in order to get the win.”
3.3.2017
LOWE’S LOOKING FOR MORE MONGREL FORM THE GLORY
Perth Glory will be looking to consolidate third place on the Hyundai A-League table and maintain their unbeaten run when they take on Wellington Phoenix in the ‘Long Distance Derby; at the QBE Stadium in Auckland on Saturday afternoon. Last week’s 2-0 win against Western Sydney Wanderers made it one defeat in their last ten games, and Kenny Lowe’s side are peaking at the right time of the season, and with only six games to go three points over the ditch is vital.
Last week Joe Mills showed many why Lowe brought the 27-year-old defender but to WA, and the former Burnley trainee said it took a while to settle. “Since I’ve come in obviously it took me a while to hit the ground, but I kind of expected that with the different conditions, different style of play,” he said. “But I feel I’m getting close to where I want to be and going with the team [it’s] good to be improving especially towards the back-end of the season.”
Mills said they head to Wellington in a good space, but is expecting a tough game after they broke their losing streak last week. “You’ve just got to look last week, they (Wellington) Brisbane at Suncorp, which is a massive result,” he said. “We’ll analyses them, look at their strengths and weaknesses, but at the same time we need to focus on ourselves. We’re in a good vein of form at the moment and we’ll be hoping to take that and impose ourselves on them and get our game plan across.”
Lowe has urged his players to maintain their mongrel as the club attempts to lock down third spot in the A-League. Lowe said it's the group's desire and hunger that will ultimately decide whether Glory can keep hold of third spot. “It's a mindset game. Players have got a choice -- they can actually make that choice to stay where they are," Lowe said. “That extra little bit of desire and mongrel to get them over the line comes from within. That's got nothing to do with ability. It's about character and attitude."
Wellington Phoenix will welcome trio Roly Bonevacia, Tom Doyle and former ECU Joondalup skipper Ryan Lowry back into the selection fold after last week being banished for breaking team protocol. The trio were left out of the Nix side which travelled to Brisbane, due to failing to meet team standards. Nix coach Des Buckingham revealed on Tuesday that the trio would be welcomed back into the fold. “They’ve apologised to the playing group and they’re back into selection, same as everyone else,” Buckingham said. “They trained all last week and this week. All three have applied themselves back to professional standards and got on with the job they should be doing.”
SQUADS - Wellington Phoenix GK Glen MOSS, GK Lewis ITALIANO, 4 Roly BONEVACIA, 5 Ryan LOWRY, 6 Dylan FOX, 7 Gui FINKLER, 8 Alex RODRIGUEZ, 9 Kosta BARBAROUSES, 11 Hamish WATSON, 12 Adam PARKHOUSE, 15 James MCGARRY, 17 Vince LIA, 19 Tom DOYLE, 21 Roy KRISHNA, 22 Andrew DURANTE (c), 23 Matthew RIDENTON, 25 Sarpreet SINGH, 99 Shane SMELTZ - *two to be omitted* - Ins: BONEVACIA (promoted), LOWRY (promoted), FINKLER (returns from paternity leave), ITALIANO (returns from injury) - Outs: 2.Jacob TRATT (suspended – 1 match)
Perth Glory: GK Liam REDDY, GK Nick FEELY, 3 Marc WARREN, 5 Rhys WILLIAMS, 6 Dino DJULBIC, 7 Joel CHIANESE, 8 Rostyn GRIFFITHS (c), 9 Andy KEOGH, 11 Richard GARCIA, 14 Chris HAROLD, 15 Brandon WILSON, 16 Joe MILLS, 17 Diego CASTRO, 19 Josh RISDON, 20 Aryn WILLIAMS, 22 Adam TAGGART, 23 Kosta PETRATOS, 28 Joe KNOWLES - *two to be omitted* - Ins: GARCIA (promoted), PETRATOS (promoted) - Out: Nil
3.3.2017
GRIFFITHS JOINS BAYSWATER
Former Perth Glory defender Brent Griffiths hopes to use his international experience at Malaysian Super League side Penang to help Bayswater City improve on last year’s disappointing fifth place finish in the PS4NPLWA. The 26-year-old has joined Chris Coyne’s side on a two-year contract, and he is hoping his stint at Penang can help the club to success. The defender also played for Perth Glory, Wellington Phoenix and most recently the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League.
He and older brother Rostyn, who is the captain of Perth Glory, spent their youth days at Blackburn Rovers in England’s northwest. Griffiths said the transition from Penang to Bayswater had been a “culture shock”. “Penang was an interesting place, Malaysia in general is an interesting place,” he said. “I think the football was probably on par or better here at Bayswater.”
Griffiths said he rejected the temptation to play at other overseas clubs because of his Perth-based partner. “To be honest, I had a couple of offers come through to other countries such as Borneo, Iraq and Bahrain,” he said. “Since been playing in the A-League and Penang, I have come and trained here in the off-season to keep fit since. I have had a pretty good affiliation with Chris (Coyne) and with the majority of the team from the beginning.”
Griffiths said Bayswater’s style of play was similar to A-League clubs. “I started watching the boys in the off-season and saw their actual views and tactics are similar to the A-League and that was what stood out most against the other teams,” he said. “The idea was to come and play and bring my experience to the team as well.” The English-born Griffiths said it would be nice to play in the A-League again but was focused on playing with City.”
1.3.2017
FARRELL AIMS TO KNOCK OUT THE RUSTINESS (courtesy inglewoodunitedfc.com.au)
Irish midfielder Brian Farrell is pleased to have played his part in Sunday's draw with Sorrento, but admits there is still a lot for him to improve on following his first outing with Inglewood United. Farrell, 29, joined the club over the summer but an administrative delay postponed his Inglewood debut until last weekend.
"It's nice to get my first game for Inglewood under my belt," Farrell commented. "I wasn't overly pleased with my performance, I felt a bit rusty after missing the last couple of weeks. But it was good to get 80 minutes into my legs and I'm looking forward to the challenge of being part of a new club."
"I felt we could have easily won Sunday's game against Sorrento. I thought we played well as group, created the bulk of the chances and on any other day we would have scored a few more goals. But to give Sorrento their credit, they are always a very competitive outfit and they made it difficult for us throughout the game."
Dublin-born Farrell began his career with hometown side Colaiste Ide before a study opportunity in the United States led to a five-season spell with the University of Memphis. After a short stint with Shelbourne he headed to Perth where he played a season with Shamrock Rovers before switching to Bayswater City.
"It's been a difficult couple of weeks but I've put all that behind me and I'm happy to be an Inglewood player," Farrell said of his move to Inglewood. "The boys at the club are a great bunch, not only on the field but off it as well. Everyone gets along really well so it makes being part of the team all that more enjoyable."
1.3.2017
ASIA BECKONS FOR IN-FORM GLORY
Asian Champions League qualification is now firmly in the sights of Perth Glory. Kenny Lowe’s team have a chance to consolidate third spot on the A-League ladder when they take on Wellington Phoenix on Saturday. Glory have risen steadily up the table with just one loss in ten games and head to New Zealand fresh from a 2-0 win against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Striker Joel Chianese, who broke his drought after coming off the bench to score the late second-half goal, said the ACL was now a reality. “Kenny (Lowe) has being saying for the last two or three weeks that Asian Champions League is a real possibility,” Chianese said. “It’s basically up to us. We’re there right now, it’s for us to lose and what a great chance to play against the best teams in Asia.”
Chianese feels Wellington will be confident after beating Brisbane Roar last round. “There will be no excuses,” he commented. “Phoenix will be confident. They are going to be raring to go, they are going to be hard to beat. It’s a big game for us, but we’re full of confidence and we’ve got the team that can go there and enjoy our football and keep the roll going.”
1.3.2017
GALLOWAY: EVERY GAME LEFT IS A FINAL FOR CENTRAL COAST
Defender Scott Galloway says that Central Coast Mariners are treating every game left in the A-League season like it is a final. Central Coast kept their slim hopes of making the top six alive after a 1-1 derby draw with Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon, result which keeps them four points behind Western Sydney Wanderers.
And Galloway knows that his team cannot afford to make any more mistakes. “There’s six games left in the season, all six games for us are finals,” Galloway said. “We want the points and we need the points to make that top six which is our goal. For us we take it one game at a time, this week we’ve got Melbourne City so this is our first final of six.”
“We at least got a point out of the (Newcastle) game, but it’s two points lost as well. We wanted the win, but to still come away with something, whereas maybe in the past we might not have come away with anything. A point away from home in a derby is good, but for us it’s not good enough.”
Galloway scored his team’s stunning long-range equaliser against Newcastle. “As soon as it came to the edge of the box I knew I was just going to hit it first time,” he added. “We had quite a few number of corners before, so I was praying for one to kind of fall to the edge of the box for me and lucky enough this one did.”
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This page was last updated on the 25th February, 2017