Inglewood United jumped off the bottom of the league after winning 4-2 against Perth SC in Round 16 of the NPLWA – Men’s competition.
In an open encounter at Inglewood Stadium which saw both teams have penalties saved, Andres Oliveira’s side won for the first time since Round 11 to move a point clear of the automatic relegation place and two points from safety.
Defeat for the Azzurri means they have alternated wins and losses for the past six weeks and remain in the logjam of seven teams separated by four points in the race for finals.
The hosts hit the front on 16 minutes when Benson Nsegetse collected Dylan White’s pass and slotted into the bottom corner.
Perth were then awarded a penalty but Sam Cook’s effort was saved low down by Alex Dunn, and the visitors paid for that when they got in a defensive tangle and White hammered in from close range.
It could have been 3-0 but Michael Domfeh’s spot-kick was saved by Luke Radonich, only for Perth to pull themselves back into it with Cook’s looping header from Max Blackshaw’s cross.
Domfeh would net against his former side three minutes after the restart, and it was 4-1 when the striker got on the end of Nsegetse’s low cross with 13 minutes left.
Cook’s low drive and 11th of the season proved to be a consolation goal as Perth’s search for consistency continues, while Australia Cup Round of 32 entrants Inglewood earn a much-needed confidence boost.
United's win means defending champions Floreat Athena are three points off safety following their 1-1 draw with Balcatta Etna at E&D Litis Stadium.
Vas Vujacic’s team took the lead in first-half stoppage time when veteran Clark Keltie glanced in a debut goal from Nick Ambrogio’s free-kick.
But they would ultimately drop to the bottom of the league with only six games remaining as Balcatta made it back-to-back draws with 10 minutes left, Keltie inadvertently nodding into his own net from Kotaro Yamamoto’s cross.
Etna are two points clear of fifth-placed Kingsway having played a game more, but lost ground on the top two sides who both won on Saturday.
Perth RedStar remain top of the league on goal difference after two Daryl Nicol goals in the final 10 minutes gave them a 3-2 win at Cockburn.
Chok Dau got the opener when controlling and finishing Gomo Dukuly’s inswinging cross. But the Cockerels tied it up with a nice move down the right involving Jordan Dane and the two Skorichs up front, as Ivan finished Anthony’s pass.
But Nicol stepped up to keep the leaders at the summit with his 20th and 21st goals of the campaign. He stayed onside to run through, round the keeper and score for 2-1, before netting from Andy Higgins’ pass all in the space of six minutes.
Jesse Lazzaro’s late penalty narrowed the margin of defeat but Cockburn’s first loss in four see’s them drop to 10th and just two points clear of the relegation play-off spot.
Stirling Macedonia are level on points with RedStar at the top with a 2-0 win over Armadale extending their unbeaten run to four matches.
A goal in each half did the job with Asher Nelson firing low past Joel Driscoll for the first on 24 minutes.
They had to wait until the 93rd minute to seal victory with Daniel Faichney’s breakaway goal giving Ian Ferguson’s team a third win in four games, which means the top two opened a four-point buffer on third-placed Balcatta.
The game of the day was at Lark Hill as Perth Glory prevailed 5-3 in another high-scoring thriller with Sorrento FC thanks to Daniel Bennie’s hat-trick.
There have been 44 goals in Glory’s seven games at the venue, although it took half-an-hour for the scoring to start on Saturday, with Sorrento's Dean Cummings capitalising on a defensive error to run in and finish past Robert Cook.
The youngsters turned it around before the interval via returning Australia U17s attacker Bennie’s deflected strike, and in-form Matthew George’s tap-in after great work from Joel Anasmo.
Glory had a two-goal cushion when Bennie finished low across Patrick Hughes, but the Gulls would not go away and Shay Natalotto scored a first senior NPL goal from Gustavo Catarcione’s lay-off.
John Walmsley’s side were seemingly home when Bennie glided in to complete his treble, only for Natalotto to swipe in another late on.
Having scored a late winner in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, Khoa Ngo then came off the bench to make it 5-3 from Bennie’s assist and secure the win.
Glory move up to seventh place and a point off fourth despite having the worst defensive record in the league, while Sorrento slip down to ninth ahead of next week’s six-pointer at Floreat.
Finally, Bayswater City and Olympic Kingsway played out a goalless draw at Frank Drago Reserve with neither team able to take the three points which would have put them into the top four.
It was a missed opportunity for David Tough’s team who are now unbeaten in four, given they had the better possession and chances in the drab affair. Liam Murray’s curler whistled narrowly wide late in the first half, before Ciaran Byrne volleyed a presentable chance over the bar.
Mitch Oxborrow drove a free-kick over the bar after the restart as Kingsway stay fifth but pull level on points with fourth-placed Armadale with a game in hand.
Substitute Scotlan Morrison hammered into the side netting for the hosts who failed to muster a shot on target, but the draw keeps them one point off a finals place.
Round 16 results
Bayswater City 0-0 Olympic Kingsway
Cockburn City 2-3 Perth RedStar
Floreat Athena 1-1 Balcatta Etna
Inglewood United 4-2 Perth SC
Perth Glory 5-3 Sorrento FC
Stirling Macedonia 2-0 Armadale