Sorrento have continued their unbeaten start to the season after snatching a point in the 96th minute against Bayswater in a 4-4 thriller at Percy Doyle Reserve.
Sorrento opened the scoring with an early goal from Sean Canham. After Scott Bulloch beat his man out wide, Canham latched onto the end of the cross, putting the home side ahead in the 19th minute.
Sorrento doubled their lead just before half-time when Jack Salter beat his man after a precise through-ball and fired his shot into the bottom corner for a fantastic solo goal.
Bayswater started the brighter of the two teams in the second half, with Borbor Sam getting a goal back for his side after a quick counter attack.
Sorrento soon restored their two goal buffer, with Reece Vittiglia placing the ball into the corner of goal after a good piece of attacking play.
Nine minutes later Bayswater began their comeback. With a routine corner hit into the box, Jason Mirco managed to get to the ball first and bundle it over the line.
Things only got worse for Sorrento, with Ryan Pearson receiving his second yellow for a raised elbow when challenging for the ball.
Bayswater then pegged another goal back when the ball was crossed into the box, hitting the trailing hand of Jordan Brown, giving the referee no choice but to give a penalty as Gustavo Giron Marulanda gave Bayswater their third goal of the game.
With only minutes of injury time remaining, Luka Ninkovic would finish the comeback for Bayswater, scoring in the 93rd minute to give them the lead. His goal celebration unfortunately ended with him receiving a second yellow and being sent off.
Down to ten men and only seconds remaining, Bayswater gave a penalty with Griffiths receiving his second yellow card in the aftermath.
Scott Bulloch stepped up and gave Sorrento their fourth goal of the match, snatching a point for his side with the last kick of the game.
Despite his side throwing away a two goal lead, Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell was happy with his team’s late effort.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose that game, we were in control for most of it,” he said.
“The character the team showed going down 4-3 and coming back to draw, not many other teams can do that.”
In other round five matches, Inglewood United and Mandurah City also shared the points with a 2-2 draw at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium while Perth SC and Floreat Athena took full advantage of the Sorrento draw, moving to top of the table at the end of round five.
Perth came from one goal down to dispose of Perth Glory 2-1 at Dorrien Gardens, while later that evening Floreat left it late against ECU Joondalup winning 1-0 at E&D Litis Stadium.
Joondalup United continued their solid run of form with a 3-1 away win against Balcatta, a five goal first half gave Cockburn City a 3-2 win over Armadale at Alfred Skeet Reserve and Subiaco grabbed their first win of the season with a 3-1 win over Stirling Lions at Macedonia Park.
RESULTS
Saturday, March 18
Armadale 2 (White 15min, Tumoe 24)
Cockburn City 3 (Grant 20min, Albano 38 Pen, Lazzaro 43)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Perth SC 2 (Catarcione 52min, 61)
Perth Glory 1 (Knowles 4min)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Balcatta 1 (Zaw 73min)
Joondalup United 3 (Wild 21min, Howles 68, Marsden 78)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Stirling Lions 1 (Rubidge 38min)
Subiaco 3 (Candish 57min, Lawson 61, Feely 87)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Sorrento 4 (Canham 19min, Salter 42, Vittiglia 61, Bulloch 90+6)
Bayswater City 4 (Sam 57min, Micro 72, Marulanda 82, Ninkovic 90+3)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Inglewood United 2 (Woodall 60min, 90)
Mandurah City 2 (Thompson 42min pen, Bright 66)
FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
Floreat Athena 1 (Stynes 87min)
ECU Joondalup 0