Chok Dau scored the only goal of the game as Perth RedStar seized the initiative in the NPLWA – Men’s title race with a 1-0 win over Balcatta Etna.
The result put RedStar two points clear going into the final two rounds of the season after Stirling Macedonia conceded a stoppage-time equaliser at Bayswater City.
Callum Salmon’s side have won three games in a row and are unbeaten in six games. They will be crowned champions next Saturday if they win at Perth Glory and Stirling drop more points at home to Perth SC.
RedStar’s winner in Joondalup was scored on 20 minutes when Dau took advantage of Jon Corness’ short back-pass with the forward rounding Balcatta keeper Connor Campbell then slotting home.
Balcatta drop to eighth with defeat and are now seven games without a win. They sit three points above the bottom two ahead of home games with Armadale and Cockburn.
Striling looked set to stay on the same points as RedStar until Gordon Smith’s late equaliser earned Bayswater a 2-2 draw at Frank Drago Reserve.
Ian Ferguson’s team broke the deadlock on 63 minutes when Asher Nelson stood up a cross for Calvin Whitney to volley in.
But Bayswater have been in decent form since Gary Williams’ arrival as head coach and levelled when Joshua Anasmo lifted forward for Samuel Dweh to nod past James Bosdet.
Stirling led for a second time when Whitney’s deep cross was met by Nelson’s firm back post header. Smith had the final say, though, with goal number 12 of his season coming from close range after Kosta Sparta’s cross was missed by Hristijan Jankuloski.
Bayswater stay fifth but are now on the same points as Perth SC, whose 75th anniversary celebrations were ruined by Olympic Kingsway.
Kingsway’s 2-0 win at Dorrien Gardens means they all but lock away a top-four finish, given closest chasers Perth and Bayswater sit four points behind and face each other in the final round.
The visitors went ahead on 70 minutes when a combination of Luke Martino and Luke Collins brought down Lebib Lebib in the box. Striker Ciaran Byrne stepped up to dispatch the penalty and made it a dozen league goals this term.
Perth were also awarded a penalty and a golden opportunity to equalise when Zayd Farah’s drive hit the arm of Calum O’Connell. But David Ninkovich could not capitalise from 12 yards as Kingsway keeper David Keenan saved a second spot kick in three weeks, and then recovered to block the rebound.
Tyler Garner sealed victory in the final 10 minutes when Byrne’s shot took a wicked deflection and Martino’s save dropped to the feet of the midfielder who bundled in.
Max Blackshaw’s second yellow card meant the hosts finished with 10 men, but for Kingsway it was the perfect bounce back from last week’s home loss to Stirling as they made it eight away games unbeaten.
Perth SC celebrated their 75th anniversary on Saturday. Photo by Robert Lizzi
In the bottom half of the division, defender Chris Tilson netted twice as Inglewood United tightened up the relegation picture with a 3-0 win over Sorrento FC.
Andres Oliveira’s side started the day three points adrift of safety. But a first win at Percy Doyle Reserve since 2018 saw Inglewood move off the foot on goal difference and left Sorrento just a point above the relegation zone. The bottom seven teams are split by just three points with two games left.
Inglewood made an ideal start following the disappointment of last weekend’s Australia Cup Round of 32 exit to NPLSA side Metrostars. Matthew Ntumenopulous’ swung in a corner and Tilson forced over the line from close range to open the scoring against Sorrento for a second time this year.
Zech Dabbs fired a volley just over and Dean Cummings put wide in an even first half. But a triple substitution from Steve McGarry failed to swing the momentum and Inglewood burst clear with two quick goals midway through the second period.
Ntumenopoulos and Tilson combined again from a set-piece, with Tilson’s header across goal creeping inside the post. Then Rene Kisesa fed Benson Nsegeste, who kept his cool to score his second goal for the club since arriving from Adelaide Olympic earlier this year.
Floreat Athena are now bottom and occupy the automatic relegation spot after a 3-1 defeat at Armadale.
The hosts led at Alfred Skeet Reserve inside three minutes when Chris Jackson unselfishly nudged across for Pieter Jacobsz to score into an open goal.
Jacobsz stooped to head in his 11th goal of an impressive season from Amir Ajan’s cross. Alun Vernals’ dream start in his first game in charge of Armadale’s would continue when Sean McManus was punished for a handball and Chris Jackson scored a Panenka from the penalty spot.
Nick Ambrogio’s late header proved only to be a consolation for Athena, whose Australia Cup interest was ended by Western Sydney Wanderers in the week.
Alun Vernals oversaw a win in his first game as Armadale head coach. Photo by Cat Bryant Photography
Armadale are now sixth after ending a four-game losing streak and are three points clear of bottom two Inglewood and Floreat.
Perth Glory are seventh and level with Armadale having boosted their survival hopes with a 4-1 win over 10-man Cockburn at Dalmatinac Park.
The Cockerels had led on 12 minutes when Anthony Skorich lifted over Glory keeper Robbie Cook. But that was as good as it got for Steve McDonald’s team who are one point and one place above 11th-placed Inglewood ahead of their meeting next week.
Glory levelled eight minutes before half-time when Daniel Bennie crossed for Joel Anasmo to finish from six yards.
The turning point of the game came early in the second half when Euen Grant was shown a red card for handling Daniel Bennie’s shot on target, and Giordano Colli scored from the spot for a second successive game.
Bennie blazed home soon after, and Cockburn were consigned to defeat when James Overy stayed onside and slid past Michael Craggs for 4-1.
