BAYSWATER City ended Perth SC’s perfect start to the National Premier Leagues WA (NPL WA) season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Frank Drago Reserve on Saturday night.
Perth started the stronger of the two sides having multiple early efforts at goal, but Bayswater opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a goal from David Heagney.
Perth SC’s Adrian Madaschi equalised two minutes into the second half, but Bayswater, who won the Night Series just last month, were not level for long.
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READ NOWBor Bor Sam curled the ball into the top corner to take back the lead and condemn Perth to its first loss of the season.
Despite the positive result, Bayswater City coach Chris Coyne was not entirely happy with his team’s performance.
“I thought we were the side that had 70 per cent possession, but when you have that much possession you need to take your chances,” he said.
“I’m not happy, I want more and I don’t want to concede sloppy goals. A free header from four yards out isn’t acceptable.”
Perth SC coach Ramon Falzon was frustrated with his team’s performance, with the loss knocking it from the top of the ladder.
“We missed the early chances, which is ultimately what cost us,” he said.
“First half we missed four huge chances.
“We conceded an easy goal in the transition which we’ve been working hard to avoid. We should have been leading by two at half time.”
Round 4 of NPL WA kicked off on Friday night with Joondalup United claiming its first win in the top division of WA football with a 4-3 victory over Subiaco at Percy Doyle Reserve.
On Saturday, Sorrento took advantage of Perth’s slip to move to the top of the ladder thrashing Armadale 5-1 at Alfred Skeet Reserve, Balcatta sealed a third successive clean sheet on the road with a 4-0 win over Perth Glory at Ashfield Arena and ECU Joondalup beat Inglewood United 3-2 in a second-half fight-back at ECU Football Stadium.
Stirling Lions also claimed its first win of the season, beating Mandurah City 3-2 at Macedonia Park, while Floreat Athena claimed a 2-1 victory over Cockburn City at E&D Litis Stadium.
NPL WA Round 4
Friday, March 10 Joondalup United 4 (Maplestone 28min, 33; Sparrow 40; OG) Subiaco 3 (Feely 19(pen); Candish 53(pen); McMurray 67)
Saturday, March 11 Armadale 1 (King 44min) Sorrento 5 (Salter 18min, 78; Quinncroft 24, 36; Bulloch 65)
Balcatta 4 (Ghazali 4min, 30; Mello 21, 35) Perth Glory 0
ECU Joondalup 3 (Pickering 40min; Nicol 75, 80) Inglewood United 2 (Rosindale 8min; Salmon 16)
Bayswater City 2 (Heagney 25min; Sam 62) Perth SC 1 (Madaschi 46min)
Stirling Lions 3 (Daniel Micevski 62min, 67; David Micevski pen 77) Mandurah City 2 (Joseph O’Brien 82min; Jordan Rhodes 90 + 2)
Floreat Athena 2 (Stynes 38min; Wilson 77) Cockburn City 1 (Kuser 43min)