Report by Jayden Lihou

Photo by FotoEnzo

Two headed goals from Anthony Skorich helped give Cockburn City a crucial victory in the scrap for the NPL WA title as they defeated Stirling Lions 3-1 at Macedonia Park on Saturday.

The win ensured Cockburn remained only three points behind leaders Bayswater City at the end of Round 15.

After a goalless first half, Chris Pratt opened the scoring before Skorich got his first to make it 2-0.

Substitute Ben Campbell pulled one back to give Stirling hope but Skorich’s second and a red card to Dhhors Chol put the result beyond doubt.

Cockburn coach Scott Miller praised the performance of Skorich.

“We probably weren’t as cohesive as we wanted to be in the first half but once we got the goal we started to believe in ourselves and never looked back,” he said.

“Anthony is an experienced player, he never gives the ball away and his build-up play is outstanding, so for him to get a couple of goals today is great.

“Today we went past the total amount of points we had last year and next week we have a massive game against Inglewood to try and keep that winning run going.”

In an open start to the game Cockburn were first to trouble the opposition keeper when Luccas Mello received the ball on the wing. The winger made his into the box and beat two defenders, only for his attempted cut-back to be intercepted by keeper Pasquale Gioffre.

The best chance for Stirling came at the end of the first half when a powerful long-range effort from Alex Suleski was kept out by Luke Radonich.

It was a different story in the second half, though, as the visitors sprang into life to score two goals in a seven-minute spell.

The first came in the 49th minute when a shot from Daniel Robinson hit the post before falling to Pratt, who found the back of the net.

And Skorich was the next to score after he headed a Mello cross past Gioffre.

The home side responded in the 66th minute when an over-the-top ball found Campbell who poked the ball past an onrushing Radonich.

Stirling’s chance of staging a comeback were dashed just five minutes later when a cross from Pratt at the by-line found Skorich at the far post and he headed the ball home.

Things went from bad to worse for the Lions as they were reduced to 10 men after Chol was given his marching orders for violent conduct in the 86th minute.

Lions coach Keegan Ashley gave credit to Cockburn, whom he said fully deserve to be second on the ladder. 

“At the end of the day errors cost us goals. We didn’t really threaten enough and Cockburn were the better side, so they deserved their win and good luck to them going forward,” he said.

Stirling Lions 1 (Campbell 65min)
Cockburn City 3 (Pratt 49, Skorich 56, 71)
Saturday, June 2
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant referees: Shane Skinner, Vraj Patel

Stirling Lions: GK. Pasquale GIOFFRE, 4. Alex SULESKI, 5. Liam HENDERSON, 6. Dhhors CHOL, 7. Dean CUMMINGS (C), 8. Dejan SPASESKI, 10. David MICEVSKI, 11. Alex TANEVSKI, 13. David FILLIPOU, 14. Steve SOKOL (18. Ben CAMPBELL 46), 15. Nathan DE ABREU
Substitutes not used: RGK. Lance ALAVAKIS, 12. Daniel MICEVSKI, 16. Nicholas ASHLEY, 17. David MOLINARI
Yellow cards: De Abreu 55, Campbell 94
Red cards: Chol 86

Cockburn City: GK. Luke RADONICH, 4. Euen GRANT (C), 6. Reuben TRISTAO, 7. Luccas MELLO, 8. Cameron EDWARDS (18. Adam ANFUSO 73), 9. Julian TELES, 11. Harry O’BRIEN, 12. Ryan PRATT (21. Samuel GARCES 82), 15. Daniel SANTICH, 16. Daniel ROBINSON, 19. Anthony SKORICH
Unused substitutes: RGK. Ryan BARKER, 2. Harry COLLINS
Yellow cards: Edwards 62, O’Brien 86
Red cards: Nil