Report by Daryn McCleave

Ludovic Boi grabbed a stunning hat-trick as Floreat Athena thumped ECU Joondalup 5-1 to keep pace with Bayswater at the top of the PS4 National Premier Leagues WA.

Boi's tally included a 40m wonder strike early on, before he completed his treble with a scissor kick in the dying minutes.

In between, ECU Joondalup leveled through Tommy Amphlett, before Clayton Arnez, Boi and Bobby Wilson had the game wrapped up inside 25 minutes.

Floreat coach Glen Grostate was delighted with his players, as his team sits one goal behind Bayswater in second place, with both teams on 16 points and a +10 goal difference.

"The boys put in a performance against a very good team,” he said.

"What we did was outplay them. They deserved the goal at the beginning, but when we got going we were very good.

“We're slowly building a decent squad and we're getting a good run going."

Grostate was quick to praise the whole team, but reserved special mention for his skipper.

"Ludo Boi is a player who gives you everything all the time. When he's on fire watch out, when he's not, be careful.”

Boi opened the scoring in the third minute with an audacious effort. He spotted ECU goalkeeper Jamie Serra off his line from inside half way and struck with precision to leave the visitors stunned.

"I have tried a few times (long range shots) so it's good to see one of them go in,” said Boi on his goal.

“I looked up and saw the keeper off his line and thought, why not go for it.”

ECU Joondalup bounced back though, and were level six minutes later, as Amphlett slammed home after Jon Stynes’ header came back off the crossbar.

But three goals in eight minutes from Floreat effectively killed off the game. Arnez squeezed a shot past Serra at the near post following hesitancy in defence to restore their lead.

Boi then added his second as he waited just inside the box from a corner, and was on hand to punish the partial clearance with an emphatic finish.

And Wilson made it 4-1 after showing a neat turn and low finish inside the area following a free kick that was nodded down to him.

ECU Joondalup had a couple of half chances after the break that Dejan Aleksic was more than equal to, but in truth they never looked likely to force a comeback.

Boi then completed his treble and claimed the match ball in the 88th minute with a superb scissor kick that bounced high into the net.

ECU Joondalup coach Dale McCulloch was understandably fuming, having made a triple substitution at half time, as he lambasted his side's "brain lapse" in the first half.

"We didn't defend well enough and got punished for it. That's football,” he said.

FLOREAT ATHENA 5 (Boi 3 mins, 20, 88, Arnez 17, Wilson 25)
ECU JOONDALUP 1 (Amphlett 8 mins)
Saturday May 9, 2015
E & D Litis Stadium
Referee: Michal JASINKSI
Referee's Assistants: Zach PICCICACCCO, David POHLENZ

FLOREAT ATHENA; 23 (GK). Dejan ALEKSIC, 3. Jack ALLEN, 4. Aryn WILLIAMS, 5. Bobby WILSON, 6. Clayton ARNEZ (9. Jason POTTIER 90+1'), 10. Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 11. Dennis GALAN, 12. Kris GATE, 14. Ludovic BOI, 18. Vincent WIKTORA, 19. Steve BURTON (13. Raz GELOO 67')
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 1. Nicholas FELEKIS, 15. Matt FRANKEN

ECU JOONDALUP; 1. Jamie SERRA, 2. Ryan LOWRY, 3. Jon HIGGINS, 4. Charlie COMYN-PLATT (7. Paul MILLER 46'), 5. Carl RODGERS, 6. Jon STYNES, 8. Joe SMITH, 9. Guy McDONALD (18. Stuart MONTGOMERY 46'), 10. Andy HIGGINS (12. Josh TUCKER 46') 11. Rowdy YATES, 13. Tommy AMPHLETT
SUBSTITUTES NOT USED: 17. Harry BISSETT, 20. Ash MAYNARD-BREWER
YELLOW CARD: Miller 48'