Armadale visit Macedonia Park on Saturday to take on Stirling Lions, and coach John O’Reilly is hoping they can maintain their unbeaten start to the season away from home.
The Reds have lost all four home games, but have performed well away from Alfred Skeet Reserve with two wins and a draw, including a 4-2 win away to Mandurah last weekend with a hat-trick from Kyle King.
“It was a tough game at Mandurah, they are always going to fight to the last,” O’Reilly said.
“But over 90 minutes the stats showed we deserved the win, more shots with 65% on target and ten more entries into the box.
“Kyle has worked hard on his individual game and last week that came to fruition, but the players are getting to know each other, which was exemplified by three different players assisting with Kyle’s hat-trick last week.”
O’Reilly said they are on the right track and go into Saturday’s game full of confidence.
“We will never take a game lightly, you can’t in this league, and the same applies for the Lions game,” he said.
“We have worked hard this week and enter the game prepared. We have set goals for the first half of the season and we are tracking very close to where we want to be.”
Lions coach Rob Milevski said Saturday’s game is important as they look to maintain their improving form.
Stirling are coming off a big win against Inglewood United in round six, and a 0-0 draw against Perth Glory last week; a game Milevski believes they had the chance to win.
“They (Glory) made us work hard in the first half, we finished the game strong, and we had a few really good chances late in the game,” he said.
“Their keeper made a couple of excellent saves to deny us, but it was pleasing to get another clean sheet.”
Milevski has been pleased the way winger Moses Kalau has been playing, and he is looking for another good performance from the whole team on Saturday.
“We are expecting a tough game on Saturday, and a performance and result like the Inglewood game would be nice, but we’re looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
“Moses has been in good form and is an important player in our forward line, and we are certainly creating a lot more goal scoring opportunities with him in the team.”
In other games on Saturday, Floreat Athena meet Balcatta at E&D Litis Stadium, Perth SC entertains Inglewood United at Dorrien Gardens, while ECU Joondalup welcome Subiaco to ECU Joondalup Football Stadium.
Bayswater City make the trip to Percy Doyle Reserve to take on Joondalup United, while Mandurah City host Cockburn City at the Securitas Protect Stadium.
On Sunday, league leaders Sorrento make the trip to Ashfield Reserve to take on Perth Glory, and Sorrento Coach Jamie Harnwell said it will be tough game.
“The Glory have impressed this season,” he said.
“We’ve had some tight tussles with them over the last couple of years, and I’m not expecting Sunday’s game to be any different.”
FIXTURES
Saturday, April 8
Perth SC v Inglewood United (Dorrien Gardens, 3pm)
ECU Joondalup v Subiaco (ECU Joondalup Football Stadium, 3pm)
Stirling Lions v Armadale (Macedonia Park)
Joondalup United v Bayswater City (Percy Doyle Reserve, 3pm)
Mandurah City v Cockburn City (Securitas Protect Stadium, 3pm)
Floreat Athena v Balcatta (E&D Litis Stadium, 3pm)
Sunday, April 2
Perth Glory v Sorrento (Ashfield Arena, 3pm)