Balcatta In Hot Form

With not a draw in sight, and a six-goal thriller to complete the round, it was yet another all-action state league round.

All reports courtesy Football West.

ECU Joondalup 0
Western Knights 2 (Simon Versaico 27’, 34’)
@ ECU Joondalup Campus

There was an element of luck about the Knights’ first goal, as Glen Thomas’ rather speculative effort from the left edge of the area took a couple of deflections before falling to Simon Versaico, who made no mistake from six yards.

But there was nothing lucky about their second after 34 minutes.

Montgomery received the ball just inside the Joondalup half and after playing a neat one-two with Branimir Mikulic, took the ball to the by-line before delivering a pinpoint cross which a diving Versaico headed into the back of the net.
Joondalup kept fighting, with Ian McMurray’s 65^th minute effort scrambled off the line by some desperate Knights defending.

In the end though, the visitors held out to leapfrog their opponents into outright second on the Premier League table.

Inglewood United 1 (Nolumba Makeche 27’)
Perth SC 3 (Craig Simpson 21’, Dom De Felice 48’, David Onoforo 76’)
@ 6PR Stadium

This game got off to a flyer with Perth forcing Oliver Taseski into a reflex save in the very first minute of the match.

Inglewood soon responded though as Paul Dugdale’s forced Devon Spence to tip his long-range effort over the bar.

The first goal came in the 21^st minute, as Craig Simpson headed in from a corner to put Perth up 1-0.

This only served to spur on the home side however, and they responded on 27 minutes with a cracking goal from Ndumba Makeche.

The forward broke into the box, duked defenders with a series of stepovers, then snapped the ball into the bottom corner to equalise.

Things would take a turn for the worst however when David McNally was given a straight red card for fouling David Onoforo, who had just the keeper to beat.

It took only three minutes of second half play for Perth to make the advantage count; Domenico De Felice whipping in a free kick which struck the right post, then an Inglewood defender, before nestling into the back of the goal.

Onoforo then sealed the three points for Perth on 76 minutes, when he slotted home into the bottom corner.

Armadale 0
Balcatta 2 (Stephen Burton 5’, Ashley Ronsindale 51’)
@ Alfred Skeet Reserve

Balcatta wasted no time getting on the scoresheet against Armadale on Saturday, as Stephen Burton nodded home after a great run forward and cross from fellow striker Ashley Rosindale.

Burton was in the thick of the action again just moments later, but couldn’t find a way to steer his header past Army custodian Cyril Sharrock.

The Balcatta striking duo was in the thick of it again in the second half, and this time it was Burton’s turn to be provider as he lifted a lovely ball over the Armadale defence and watched as Rosindale broke the offside trap to smash a left-footed strike into the roof of the net.

The match ended 2-0, and in the end Armadale had Sharrock to thank that the scoreline was not worse.

Mandurah City 1 (Andy Brown 90’)
Sorrento 2 (Shaun Timmins 46’, Todd Harnwell 64’)
@ Hyundai Stadium

Hyundai Stadium, one of the finest grounds in local state league football, was the setting for Saturday’s evening meeting of two clubs in the wrong half of the table.

An even first half ended with Mandurah in the ascendancy everywhere but the scoreboard – a problem that would come back to haunt them one minute into the second half.

Sorrento’s Shaun Timmins found himself with space on the left, and sent in a speculative cross which ended up beating everyone, creeping in at the far post to the delight of the travelling support.

On 64 minutes Todd Harnwell, brother of Glory legend Jamie, was played into the box by David Foster and struck truly to make it 2-0.

Sorrento were defending their lead well, and the game looked to be ending on that scoreline, when on 90 minutes Mandurah’s Andy Brown struck a superb long-range volley that gave Curtis Aspden no chance in the Sorrento goal.

The home crowd soon found their voice, but the Gulls hung on to record their opening win of the 2011 season.

Stirling Lions 4 (Scott Muirhead 32’, Jamie De Abreu 34’, Phil O’Callaghan pen. 68’, Jamie Watt 75’)
Bayswater City 2 (Own Goal 41’, Gustavo Marulanda 64’)
@ Macedonia Park

The final match of the round produced some great football, and just after half an hour Stirling found themselves 2-0 up.

First, former Glory player Ludo Boi played a hopeful cross field pass and Bayswater right back Alex Caniglia seemed to lose the flight of the ball with the sun in his eyes. S
cott Muirhead took full advantage of the defensive slip, bringing the ball down before lashing a powerful low drive into the far corner.

Then just two minutes later another Bayswater mistake allowed De Abreu a one-on-one opportunity with Gianni Papalia and the Stirling striker made no mistake, calmly rolling the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.

Soon though Stirling keeper Hugo was beaten from a corner, with George Tchami claiming what the referee ruled to be an own goal by a Stirling defender.

Despite trailing at half time, Bayswater refused to stop playing their passing game in their attempt to break down a stubborn Stirling defence.

They had a number of half chances before Marulanda pulled them level with a brilliant volley that cannoned off the inside of the near post before crossing the line.

But it was another Bayswater error that led to Stirling's third goal, with Tchami committing a clumsy handball to give the ref no option but to point to the spot.

O'Callaghan stepped up and coolly rolled the ball to Papalia's left as the goalkeeper dove to the right.

Watt made the points safe for the home team from another set piece, tapping home Brent Griffith's flick on from Muirhead's long throw into the area.

Finally, in the round’s NTC game, Cockburn City defeated the youngsters 2-0.

Round Seven
Friday: Floreat Athena v NTC
Saturday: Perth v ECU Joondalup
Saturday: Balcatta SC v Inglewood United
Saturday: Mandurah City v Bayswater City
Saturday: Western Knights v Cockburn City
Saturday: Sorrento v Stirling Lions
Bye: Armadale

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