Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

Striker Alex Tanevski scored a last minute equaliser to give Stirling Lions a 2-2 draw in the round 3 PS4 NPLWA catch-up game at the ECU Joondalup Football Stadium on Sunday.
 
The Lions were ahead early with Darren O’Riordan on target, but the hosts levelled before half-time through skipper Jon Higgins.
 
Gordon Smith marked his return to the starting line-up with a second half strike as Tanevski had the final say scoring on a quick counter attack to put a damper on the ECU 25th anniversary celebrations.
 
For Lions coach Rob Milevski it was a well-deserved point, in a good game of football in wet conditions.

“I thought we started the game really well and put a lot of pressure on them, I thought we were well worth the early lead,” he said.
 
“We should have been two up, but didn’t take our chances, but we gave away silly free kicks in key areas and we were level.
 
“We changed a few things at half time, and despite going behind we showed good character to hit back and claim a point, which I thought was a fair result, especially with the rain sweeping across the pitch at times.”
 
Milevski praised his sides fighting spirit and Tanevski on his late equaliser.
 
“We’ve struggled in recent weeks in the final third and we’ve worked really hard on that at training and it paid off today,” he said.
 
“I thought Moses (Kalau) and Daniel (Micevski) caused them problems down the flanks with their pace all afternoon, and they have since our win against Perth Glory.
 
“While Alex (Tanevski) has been exceptional for us, his work rate off the ball is outstanding, and he popped up with a quality finish to get us a point today.”
 
The Lions arrived into the game after surprising the league leaders Inglewood last week, and found themselves ahead after only eight minutes.
 
A corner from the left wasn’t dealt with by the ECU defence, and O’Riordan’s shot from the edge of the box, flew into the bottom corner of the net.
 
It was one-way traffic as Tanevski went close, but his shot on the run was pushed around the post by the alert Greenwood.
 
On 28 minutes the home side levelled with a superb Higgin’s curling free kick giving the goalkeeper no chance.
 
ECU started the brighter after the break, Gordon Smith had his shot disallowed for a close offside call early on and then Steven McGarry rattling the crossbar with a header in the 65th minute.
 
Two minutes later ECU capitalised when Higgins’ corner picked out Gordon Smith at the back post who headed home.
 
Perkins came to his sides rescue again on 72 minutes however went off injured after saving a low Nicol’s cross.
 
It looked like ECU would celebrate their 25th anniversary with a win but the Lions had other ideas.
 
ECU lost possession cheaply in their third final third and a long ball sent Tanevski racing clear down the left, he eased past his marker and finished clinically past Greenwood.
 
Both sides had late chances to win, the best falling to the home side with the final action of the match but Nicol’s could only find the side netting.
 
ECU Joondalup 2 (Higgins 28min, Smith 67)
Stirling Lions 2 (O’Riordan 8min, Tanevski 90)
Sunday July 23, 2017
ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Kick-Off: 2.30pm
Referee: Tom Glavovic

ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Rikki SMITH, 5 Graham DORAN, 7 Kevin MOON, 8 Declan HUGHES, 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 13 Jon HIGGINS (C), 14 Steven MCGARRY, 17 Jack JONES
Substitutes not used: RGK Jordan YOUNG, 6 Shane PICKERING 11 Keylun POLLARD 15 Ryan MCDARBY, 19 Cian HIRRELL
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil

Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS (RGK Lance ALAVAKIS 73’), 2 Michael PUGLIESE, 7 Miki VUJACIC(C) (4 Blamo QUAQUA 81’), 8 Alex SULESKI, 9 Alex TANEVSKI, 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 15 Shane CASSIDY, 16 Mathiang MATHIANG, 17 Darren O’RIORDAN, 18 Moses KALAU, 19 Cameron TEECE (12 Jason RUBIDGE 76’)
Substitutes not used: 6 Robbie MCNEILL, 13 Adam FALCONE
Yellow Cards: Vujacic 29, Suleski 52, Tanevski 71
Red Cards: Nil