Goals: 0:1 Garin Collins (9.); 1:1 Andreas Oliveira (20.); 1:2 Josip Magdic (26.); 1:3 Garin Collins (61.); 1:4 Boima Karpeh (66.)

Floreat Athena continued their march to the league title by disposing of fellow challengers Perth in a 4-1 hiding in the Football West Match of the Week at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday.

Michael Roki’s side showed exactly why they are sitting on top of the Football West State Premier League with a double from new signing Garin Collins and singles to Josip Magdic and Jerry Karpeh.

It was another horror day for Perth, coming off their cup loss against Stirling the week before and Graham Normanton was again seeing red as Barry Wood was sent off late in the second half for two needless yellow cards for dissent.

It took Floreat only seven minutes to open the scoring; Josip Magdic used his pace to beat Peter Lord on the byline before cutting the ball back to the penalty spot where Garin Collins was on hand to smash the volley home from 12 yards. Perth thought they had equalized only minutes later after enterprising work from Barry Wood stole the ball from Ante Kovacevic, the striker seeing Vas Vujacic off his line, used the outside of his right boot to chip the ball over and off the crossbar with the Floreat keeper stranded.

The equalizer did come for Perth on 18 minutes though after a Howarth corner was flicked on at the near post by Naglieri where Andreas Oliviera was lurking at the back to tuck home from close range.

Naglieri then found himself with a chance to put Perth ahead only minutes later but his shot from inside the area rolled wide of the upright.

Floreat hit back and regained the lead on 24 minutes after Trent Kay slipped and lost possession wide on the Athena right, Collins finding space to curl an inviting ball over. Goal machine Jerry Karpeh, who was being tightly marked by Michael Icanovski, slipped in the area but Josip Magdic was on hand to storm onto the bouncing ball and lash it over Deeg and off the cross bar from the edge of the area.

Stunned by the Floreat goal, Perth knew their season was on the line as they searched for the equalizer as the first half drew to a close.

Naglieri rounded the keeper on 37 minutes however his touch was heavy and the one time Glory man could only find the side netting from an almost impossible angle after a neat one-two with Oliviera on the edge of the box.

Perth came out determined to fight their way back into the match in the second half and defender Trent Kay had his side’s first chance but he could only direct his header wide of the post after Floreat failed to properly clear a corner. A delicate Naglieri touch then played Wood into the box but Vujacic was alert to the danger and raced off his line to block, the ball again spilling to Naglieri whose powerful shot from inside the area was somehow deflected clear by a combination of keeper and defender to preserve the Athena lead.

Karpeh should have extended his sides lead further on 56 minutes after he capitalized on a slip by Icanovski but with just Deeg to beat, rolled his shot past the back post.

The noisy Floreat fans didn’t have to wait long for the goal however, after poor communication between Puca and Icanovski allowed Karpeh to run to the byline and pull back for Collins to bounce a shot across Deeg and into the net, with the Perth keeper appearing to think the shot was headed wide.

Five minutes later and the game was all but over, a quick Floreat counter attack finding Collins wide left who advanced down the byline and played across the box where Karpeh was waiting on the back post to tap home unmarked from four yards. With 10 minutes remaining the day got even worse for Perth as Barry Wood was issued two yellow cards in the space of 10 seconds for dissent following a foul near the corner flag. Perth’s Michael Ord had a late goal ruled out for offside to make it a day to forget for the blues.

Floreat coach Michael Roki saw his side come away with a comprehensive win against a fellow league challenging side.

“Perth is a good side, everyone on the park worked extremely hard to get the result today and I think that is the reason we won the game” said Roki.

Roki was also delighted with new signing Garin Collins who was involved in all four of Floreat’s goals, scoring two and providing the assists for the others.

“He was an ace in the pack for us today, we thought he would be a bit of a wild card and be a bit a bit difficult to handle for the Perth defence and he certainly was, scoring two and setting up two, he was a real handful for them” he said.

Roki was quick to douse any suggestions the league is done and dusted however, claiming that his side need to take it week by week and put the points on the board.

“There are still plenty of games to be played, and points to be lost, and that’s the challenge. You just take it week by week and work for the three points again next time and make sure we don’t drop something and let someone else in because that’s how it works and nothings finished until the points are on the board” he said.

Perth coach Graham Normanton has seen his side lose twice in two weeks at home to concede any hopes the Dorrien Gardens side had of winning some silverware in 2007.

“I don’t think it was a 4-1 game by any stretch of the imagination, but you give teams who have got strikers who can score goals opportunities to score and they will score them and all four of their goals were immediately preceded by a mistake that we made. Within three or four seconds of us making the mistake it was in the back of the net and you can’t do that against teams like Floreat” said the Perth coach.

Normanton will again have to reshuffle his side for next weeks clash against second placed Cockburn after Barry Wood was needlessly sent off for dissent.

“Undisciplined and that just leaves me a player short for next week, two players short with Franco from last week, and we are short at a time of the season when you need everybody” he said.

Football West Match Reporter: Ben Fitzpatrick

Goals: 1:0 Ian McMurray (16.); 1:1 Shaun Kilkelly (19.); 1:2 Michael Baczynski (25.); 2:2 Shaun Kilkelly (Own goal, 33.); 3:2 Tommy Amphlett (36.); 3:3 Daniel Neiderberger (90+1.)

An injury time equalizer from striker Daniel Neiderberger has handed Inglewood a share of the spoils in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup today. In one of the most exciting matches of the season, five goals in 21 first half minutes had the crowd on the edge of their seats the whole time.

The game started in fast, flowing fashion and within minutes, Neiderberger and ECU striker Marc Anthony had come close to opening the scoring for their respective sides.

The local fans were excited by the skills and the hardness of John Higgins, who was playing his first home match at Joondalup since returning from the Western Knights.

On the quarter hour, ECU skipper Ian McMurray gave his side the lead when a diagonal ball across the area found the big striker in space and his wonderful one touch finish gave Oliver Taseski no chance.

It took just three minutes for the equalizer though with Shaun Kilkelly heading home from close range, before Inglewood had the lead on 24 minutes when a fantastic free kick from Michael Bacyzinski found a gap in the ECU wall to make it 2-1.

Just after the half hour mark, Kilkelly was on the score sheet again; this time at the other when Higgins’ shot rocketed off the upright and into the unfortunate Kilkelly who could only watch the ball deflect into his own net. Two minutes later, ECU had the lead, as Tommy Amphlett was able to add him name to the score sheet in the mayhem. After the break, normal business resumed after the goal fest of the opening 45 minutes, with players looking more circumspect as the match wore on.

As both teams started to tire, the gaps started to open up and Inglewood were unlucky not to have an equalizer on 73 minutes, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside. The pressure was mounting with Neiderberger and substitute Kevin Griffiths coming close.

It looked as if it would not be Inglewood’s day until the 91st minute when Neiderberger was set free on the counter and was able to finish past the goalkeeper to the delight of his teammates.

Football West Reporter: Raymond Bohan

Goals: 1:0 Keith Brown (10.); 1:1 Aaron Dos Santos (21.); 2:1 Steve Porter (50.); 3:1 Andy Brown (65.); 4:1 Kevin Henderson (85.)

A virtuoso performance from 16 year old Dannie Richman provided the catalyst for a second half Lion feast as Stirling belted second placed Cockburn City 4-1 at Macedonia Park on Saturday. The game was played in perfect weather conditions and was highlighted by a strong showing from Scottish import Alan Muir who backed up well after scoring the winner in the cup last week.

Coach Mike Lyons packed his side with experience starting Keith Brown, Steve Porter, Alan Muir and Phil Arnold in the midfield with all four players busy in the opening minutes. It took only 10 minutes for the Lions to get on the score sheet after a cross into the goalmouth by Porter was headed down by Andy Brown for Keith Brown to poke into the net from close range. Stirling applied further pressure with Arnold and Tom Jones combining well menacing the Cockburn defence with Shane Nunes and Liam Lilly working hard to repel the Lions attacking thrusts.

Cockburn countered with a great goal from Aaron Dos Santos who belted his left foot shot into the bottom corner from outside the box after an excellent build up and cross from Josh Kamasz in the 22nd minute. Stirling bounced back with Arnold going on a solo run in the 24th minute with his shot on the run going narrowly wide and soon after Muir’s in-swinging corner, only needing a touch in the crowded goalmouth, but the ball avoided all the lunges from the Lions attackers. At the other end of the park it was Nunes who went close with a dangerous cross from Paul Natale missing his diving head by inches in the 37th minute.

Striker Tom Jones limped off with a torn hamstring in the 40th minute and was replaced by dynamic midfielder Dannie Richman. Richman had an instant impact in the 44th minute when he went on a blistering solo run leaving two City defenders in his wake and then cutting the ball back to Keith Brown whose shot from the edge of the box was skied over the bar when the goal was at his mercy.

The Lions came out of the break hungry for goals and it wasn’t long before the lead was taken courtesy of a brilliant Muir through ball for Steve Porter to run onto and drill into the net past the advancing keeper Alan Dunlop in the 50th minute. It was a hungry Lion pack that were in a savaging mood as Steve Hesketh sent Richman through, out wide with his inch perfect cross finding Andy Brown who cleverly side footed the ball home on the turn in the 65th minute. As the half wore on the Cockburn side were reduced to kicking the ball long in the hope that Kamasz or Johnny Mirco could provide some forward spark, but without effect as the Lions defence were in a mean mood.

The icing on the cake for Stirling came from a well worked set piece with Phil Arnold’s long throw in neatly flicked into the goalmouth for Lions defender Kevin Henderson, who was quickest to react and put the fourth and final goal on the scoreboard for the Lions in the 85th minute.

Match report courtesy of Stirling Lions

Goals: 1:0 Shannon Dally (86.)

Armadale has recorded their most memorable win of the season, upsetting finals contenders Western Knights 1-0 in front of a passionate home crowd at Alfred Skeet Reserve.

A Shannon Dally goal four minutes from full time handed the home side all three points and in the process dented the Knight’s push for a finals appearance, in what was a relatively dull but even contest.

After a run of impressive showings and no reward, Billy Russell’s boys were looking for credibility in the form of a win and they came out firing in the opening stages of the first half.

Prized recruit Neil Gawley again showed his silky skills and will be a hot prospect when the transfer window opens at the end of the season.

The visitors settled into the match as the half elapsed but it was the home side with the first clear chance of the afternoon when a ball bounced delightfully for Darren Kingston in the penalty area, however, he dragged his effort wide of the target.

With five minutes remaining in the opening 45, Knights defender Jon Mathers shafted a wonderful chance to open the scoring when he blasted a volley over from point blank range after a great ball from Stuart Montgomery.

Billy Russell was dealt a blow before the 2nd half got underway with two of his attackers Jason Goodwin and the impressive Gawley both forced to the bench with injuries.

The Knights took control in the 2nd half with young midfielder Andrija Jukic lively down the centre, and they were unlucky not to pinch a goal with Michael Johnson’s deflected effort bouncing centimetres wide of the goal.

Armadale were defending desperately and as time ticked on, the tempo of the match lifted with both teams adopting a free flowing style to break through on the score sheet.

Tall forward Darren Kingston, who worked tirelessly all day, had a great chance to put Armadale in front with eight minutes remaining however he shot tamely into the arms of Knights keeper Kevin Miller.

Kingston’s presence was influential and he played a part as Armadale took the lead in the 86th minute when he ran hard onto a deft chip from Dusan Macura, forcing the goalkeeper into error and the ball spilled out to Dally, who finished into the empty net to hand Armadale their 4th win of the season.

They will take plenty of confidence into next week’s clash with ECU Joondalup, where they will look to take another scalp while the Knights will need to re-group ahead of a must win match against Wanneroo City.

Football West Match Reporter: Beau Crompton

Goals: 0:1 Gary Lynn (Penalty, 40.); 1:1 Dale Wingell (Penalty, 47.)

Fremantle Spirit and Sorrento gained a point each from their meeting at the WA Spanish Club which ended in a 1-1 draw. The match promised much in the excitement stakes, but failed to deliver with much of play taking place between the boxes and chances on goal a rarity. It took ten minutes for the first opening to be presented as Cisco Jorquiera delivered a low cross from the left to Vas Kalogeracos whose shot was saved by a diving Neil Young. Three minutes later Sorrento fashioned a opportunity through Glen Thomas’ corner which Todd Harnwell headed high of Steve Grant’s crossbar. Both sets of supporters were eager to see further chances on goal but a bumpy pitch and lack of options going into the final third ensured a quiet afternoon for both Grant and Young. Six minutes from the break Gary Lynn unleashed a 30-metre bomb which Grant spectacularly over at full stretch. Shortly after Glen Thomas’ shot was blocked by Grant and ricocheted into the hand of Jorqueira, leaving referee Hugh Best no option but to point to the spot from where Lynn blasted straight down the center as Grant went to his left. Fremantle had a penalty of their own just 16 seconds into the second half when Steve McDonald was deemed to have dragged down Kalogeracos, up stepped Dale Wingell who send Young the wrong way to bring the teams level. Coaches Marc Wingell and Steve Neville both went to their benches in an effort to improve the mix and spark life into their respective attacks. On 69 minutes Thomas had a free-kick tipped away by Grant. Fremantle were reduced to ten men eight minutes later following an altercation between Lynn and Sebastian Booysen who was issued a straight red card. The final opening was created by Jason Barrera who advanced down the right and fired in a low ball to Kalogeracos whose effort from outside the 18-yeard box was just beyond the bottom corner.

Goals: 0:1 Damien Catalano (12.); 1:1 Ben Yates (14.); 1:2 Damien Scali (31.); 2:2 Carl Harrison (71.); 3:2 Craig Cheeseman (86.)

Swan IC’s trip to Wanneroo City was unsuccessful giving the bottom side a dramatic 3-2 victory at Kingsway Reserve. Goals for the Swans were scored by Damien Catalano and Damian Scali, and on target for Wanneroo was Ben Yates, Carl Harrison and Craig Cheeseman, earning the Roos their first win in over twelve months, however, it was goalkeeper Jordan Conti who played the starring role with a series of saves that left Swan frustrated.

Wanneroo held much of the early possession but that counted for little on 10 minutes when Thomas Shepheard made his way down the right and squared the ball into the path of Damien Catalano to drive it into the net from five-metres. Parity was justly restored just three minutes later when Yates was allowed to angle across Cory Hugo and inside the far post after neat lead-up work by Craig Bowman and Cheeseman.

A terrific blocking tackle by Mark Donnelly prevented Shepheard from putting Swan back in front, while at the opposite end Yates was denied at point blank range by the legs of Hugo. Swan hit the lead on 29 minutes when Rory Mouttet sent a superb pass down the left which Shepheard laid back to Damian Scali whose sweetly struck shot dipped under the crossbar. The game would have been over by the break if not for Conti who acrobatically denied David Perich from seven-yards and later was quick off his line to smother at the feet of Shepheard after he snuck behind the defence.

Yates had the ball in the net within twenty seconds of the second half only for an offside flag to disallow out his effort. Swan’s hit back by laying siege on their opponents' goal but Scali, Dom Ando, David Foster nor Aaron Cole could find a way past Conti. The offside flag denied Yates for a second time on the hour when he poked a Cheeseman through ball past the advancing 'keeper. Eleven minutes later Wanneroo drew level as Cheeseman forced his way inside the 18-yard box and knocked a short pass to unmarked substitute Carl Harrison who rifled into the net from 10-metres.

A low angled shot by Foster was pushed wide by Conti at full-stretch, and six minutes later the Wanneroo custodian turned away Catalano's powerful drive. The Wanneroo faithful were finally given reason to celebrate on 86 minutes when Hugo's attempted clearance was blocked by Yates and deflected across the face of goal where Cheeseman rammed the loose ball into an empty net despite the best efforts of David McNally

Match report courtesy of Swan IC