Goals: 0:1 Garin Collins (6.); 0:2 Boima Karpeh (88.)

Floreat Athena are on the cusp of their first League championship since 1997 after they defeated nearest rivals Cockburn City 2-0 in a top of the table clash at Dalmatinac Park this afternoon. There can be no disputing the dominance of Athena in 2007; they have beaten all of their nearest rivals at least once, have the most potent attack with 56 goals with only 19 against and are currently undefeated with 14 wins and four draws. Cockburn went into the match knowing it was like an elimination final, with anything but a win for the hosts ensuring there would be no possible way to catch up to the leaders. But at the final whistle, Floreat had demonstrated why they are top of the division and how much the others sides will need to improve to catch them in 2008.

The trademark early Athena goal duly arrived in the seventh minute as one of the transfer signings of the season in Garin Collins latched onto a half chance inside the area following an Adam Bachiller cross and slotted home under Dino Pacella to take the lead. Cockburn, stunned by the goal, looked to hit back with Josh Kamasz forcing a low save from Vas Vujacic, while at the other end Collins had another attempt blocked by Liam Lilly. Cockburn threatened again with a wicked Adam Surjan cross punched clear by Vujacic after neat build up play with Michael Mirco and Kamasz.

On 28 minutes Cockburn almost snatched an equalizer but for some Vujacic brilliance to tip an Aaron Dos Santos curler onto the post after a neat one two with Mirco had presented the winger with the chance to shoot. On the stroke of half time Athena almost doubled their lead after a long ball from Julian Madaschi found Paul Vatistas through on goal but Pacella stood up well on the edge of his area to block the shot.

Cockburn came out in the second half with intent as Kamasz ran at the defence and fired a low effort from distance that forced Vujacic into a diving save. From the resulting corner Cockburn worked the ball out to captain Dom De Felice whose deep cross found the head of Lilly but his effort was disappointingly over the bar from five yards. A Cockburn attack turned into a Floreat counter on 68 minutes after a massive Ante Kovacevic clearance saw Karpeh with a clear run on goal but as he shaped to shoot, Shane Nunes came from nowhere with a tremendous block despite Karpeh’s appeal for handball against the defender.

Athena continued to press for the sealer, a sublime interchange between Karpeh and Bachiller allowed the former to shoot low but Pacella was equal to the task with a low save. Floreat Captain Bajo Savic was then stretchered off with a knee injury after going down in a 50-50 challenge with Mirco in the middle of the park.The visitors should have had their second on 81 minutes after Branimir Mikulic found Karpeh free in the area but the top marksman hesitated and his effort was blocked by Paul Natale with Collins follow up also forced wide for a corner.A short corner routine allowed substitute Miki Vujacic to curl towards the goal, Karpeh with the slightest touch on a header forcing Pacella into a fabulous reflex save from point blank range with Nunes clearing off the line. A late foul by Kamasz had the referee reaching for a yellow card until he realized it would have been his second for the day as the young striker received a reprieve from referee Nardi.

On the stroke of full time the champions elect put the icing on the cake with the second goal after a hashed goal kick landed at the feet of Collins, a perfect dink into the box found Karpeh but Pacella pulled off another point blank save from the volley. The rebound trickled across the line as Karpeh fooled Nunes with a sharp turn and fired into the net as Pacella recovered.

The final whistle saw the Athena fans celebrating on the pitch with the players as their dream is now just one win away. “That was a good game today against Cockburn. It’s a big relief to get over that game. We were sort of planning for that game two or three weeks away and the boys came through it really well,” said Roki. “Early goals are worth their weight in gold, I think it’s just the way the games have been flowing for us. We put a little bit of pressure early on, but we also get back behind the ball and try to make it hard for the opposition,” continued Roki. It was an ashen faced Scott Miller who saw his side finally concede the League title. “I think we blew it against Stirling. We had a good win in the Cup against Athena, lost to Stirling, had a good win against Italia (Perth) and lost to Inglewood, so we were hoping for miracles, but a class team today (Floreat) and I don’t want to take anything away from them,” said Miller.

Football West Match Reporter: Ben Fitzpatrick

Goals: 0:1 (17.)

Goals: 0:1 Andreas Oliveira (5.); 1:1 Anthony McStea (Penalty, 55.); 1:2 Antonio Naglieri (67.); 1:3 Andreas Oliveira (68.)

Perth SC’s Andreas Oliviera’s double strike sank a brave Swan IC 3-1 in today’s Football West Premier League clash at Francis Street, moving Graham Normanton’s side into second spot on the table.

Swans coach Carlo Scali made one forced change to the starting line up, that beat Stirling Lions 4-1 last week, with Damian Scali out with injury and he was replaced by Brendan Knox in the middle of the park.

The visitors opened brightly with Robbie Puca shining in the middle of the park, his low drive was saved by Daniel Agudelo in the Swans goal, and the young keeper was busy again moments later when he acrobatically tipped over an Antonio Naglieri long-range strike. The Perth pressure was rewarded from the resulting corner with the lead, Naglieri’s header was superbly saved by Agudelo but the rebound fell to Oliviera, and the former South Melbourne striker fired home from close-range on five minutes. Perth continued to dominate with Puca and Naglieri combined on the edge of the box, and former Perth defender Aaron Cole cleared Naglieri’s shot off the line. The Swans began to get back in the game and David Perich fired over from long-range and Anthony McStea’s free kick was cleared but it was Puca who was running the show. His long-range strike whistled past the post on the half hour and Oliviera’s first time volley was tipped over by Agudelo.

The home side began the second half well and Dom Ando found Damien Catalano in on goal and his snap shot was tipped around the post by an alert Gareth Deeg. Then Thomas Shepheard flicked on a McStea corner and Cole was only inches away from converting at the back post. But the home side were level on 58 minutes when Shepheard was bundled down in the box by Michael Ord and referee Steve Muldoon pointed to the spot, McStea kept his nerve to level from the spot.

The Swans were well on top and Ando fired inches wide from the edge of the box, and the home fans were up as one when youngster Michael Tronchin was felled in the box but referee Muldoon waved away their protests and Perth hit on the breakaway to immediately re-take the lead on 66 minutes. The Swans were caught in possession in midfield and were punished, Costa Socratous’ pinpoint cross found Naglieri at the back post who fired low past Agudelo. And two minutes later it was 3-1 and Naglieri was the supply this time, his free kick into the box found Oliviera who nicked in between young defender David McNally and Agudelo to fire home. Perth should have made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute, Oliviera sending defender Michael Icanovski clear, his shot cannoned back of the crossbar. The defender was in again two minutes later, this time Naglieri sent him clear but he fired wide.

To the Swans credit they pressed late on and should have scored in the 86th minute, great lead up work from Brendan Knox wide on the right, his cross found the unmarked John Monterosso at the back post but Deeg saved superbly to deny him. Both sides had chances late, with Perich sending David Foster clear but Deeg was out quick to save at the strikers feet, and Ord ‘s header was tipped over the bar by Agudelo, but Perth ran out 3-1 winners at the final whistle to re-take the ‘Spring in the Valley Cup’ .

Teams - Swan IC - GK Agudelo, Cole, McNally, Mouttet, Ando, Knox, McStea, Catalano (Foster 70), Perich, Shepheard, Tronchin (J. Monterosso 82) - Subs not used: Hugo, R. Monterosso

Perth SC - GK Deeg, Kay, Icanovski, Ord, Puca (Lord 90), Oliviera, Howarth (Trinca 74), Circati, Naglieri, Ross, Costas Socratous - Subs not used: Birrigetti, Chris Socratous, Myers

Referee - Steve Muldoon

Match report courtesy of Swan IC

Goals: 1:0 (29.); 1:1 (39.); 1:2 (51.); 1:3 (57.); 2:3 (60.); 2:4 (79.)

Goals: 0:1 Andy Brown (51.)

Stirling Lions held out a late rally from a gallant Western Knights side to record a 1-0 victory in a tight contest at Nash Field today. A 51st minute goal from striker Andy Brown was enough to give the Lions all three points despite the Knights piling on the pressure in search of an equalizing goal late in the final term. In a match featuring two of the League’s most exciting youngsters in Andrija Jukic and Ludovic Boi, neither side could construct a chance on goal with both defences solid. The pace of Boi and Danny Richman were early concerns for Knights coach Ronnie Campbell but defenders Cormac Dawson and Jon Mathers quickly shut the latter down. The first chance of the match fell to Boi just after the half hour mark when he found space on the edge of box; however, his drive was tipped away by goalkeeper Kevin Miller.

Jukic was a livewire for the home side and his crafty one-two with wing back Aaron Bahadori saw him through on goal with his powerful shot superbly palmed away by Stirling custodian Phil Straker After a dull opening half, both teams lifted the tempo in the second and only six minutes in the visitors took the lead when a dangerous long throw from Phil Arnold dropped delightfully for Andy Brown who tucked his shot in from close range. Arnold’s throws almost handed the Lions their second minutes later when Darko Ilomanoski rose high to send his header goal bound but Kevin Miller tipped it over the crossbar.

Andrija Jukic’s drive through the midfield was outstanding and he should have the Knights on level terms after an exciting exchange with Scott Bushby, but with the keeper to beat he dribbled his effort wide of the target.Coach Ronnie Campbell made a triple substitution with 15 minutes remaining replacing his attacking trio of Montgomery, Thornley and Cooke with Jennings, Skorich and Gavranich. Jennings was lively up front and had two golden chances in the final stages of the match with goalkeeper Phil Straker coming up trumps to deny the young striker before he blazed over a guilt edge chance with a goal seeming the only possible outcome.The Knights continued to surge forward in search of a goal but a well disciplined Stirling side held out to record their tenth win of the season.

Football West Match Reporter: Beau Crompton