LEWIS McMahon scored three goals in his first game of the year to help Floreat Athena to a 4-3 win against Armadale in round three of the National Premier Leagues WA at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday.
A spirited Armadale side managed to claw their way back late in the second half with Alex Salmon scoring his second in the 72nd minute and Jake Sardelic netting in the 78th.
However, Armadale failed to complete the comeback as they squandered big chances in injury time.
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READ NOWMcMahon’s hat-trick came after he missed the whole pre-season and his side’s first two games.
“To be honest I’m still miles away from being fit, but I’m absolutely delighted with the three goals,” McMahon said.
Floreat started the game on the front foot after a handball inside the area won them an early penalty.
McMahon stepped up and fired the ball past Armadale goalkeeper Alfie Brincat to open the scoring.
Armadale had the opportunity to level the score in the 34th minute when Salmon was fouled on the edge of the box.
Goalkeeper Jason Saldaris was up to the task though, as he made an acrobatic dive to save Ellis Healing’s well-struck free-kick.
McMahon made it 2-0 just before the break after connecting with Dennis Galan’s cross into the box.
Declan Hargreaves then fired home a third from the edge of the box after Brincat failed to clear the danger.Armadale’s hopes were kept alive, when Healing was brought down in the area by Clayton Arnez, before Salmon stepped up and coolly converted from the spot to make it 3-1.
The deficit was reverted back to three goals however, when McMahon’s clinical free-kick found the net to complete his hat-trick.
Armadale scored a mere four minutes later making it 4-2 when an unmarked Salmon tapped home a low-cross from 6m.
Sardelic ensured a nervous end to the match for the visitors when he made a run inside the box, found and scored to make it 4-3 in the 78th minute.
Alex Castiello could have earned his side a point deep into injury time but failed to capitalise from a long throw inside the box, shooting over the bar from 12m.
Despite conceding yet another four goals at home, Armadale coach Paul Price was not overly disappointed in his team.
“They had probably only five chances and ended up scoring four goals,” he said.
“We certainly had more chances than them, but we didn’t take them.
“The lads kept going to the end. I even thought we could have got the draw. They weren’t any better than us.”
The loss is Armadale’s third in a row and leaves them languishing in 11th place with goal difference alone keeping them above last-placed Subiaco.