Report by Aidan Shaw

Photo courtesy Brett Klucznik

Inglewood United went three points clear at the top of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues WA table with a 2-1 win over neighbouring Bayswater City at Inglewood Stadium on Saturday.

The result sees Inglewood retain a 100 percent winning record against the reigning champions in all competitions this year.

Inglewood’s Taki Nicolaidis brushed aside suggestions he holds the secret formula to defeating Bayswater, instead crediting a well-executed game plan.

“It is just perseverance I guess. And I think just belief in our playing group that you go out there with a plan and execute it well,” he said.

“Credit to all of them today, everyone played their part and the result was outstanding.”

The visitors started proceedings on the front foot, dominating possession and forcing errors in the Inglewood defence.

Inglewood were lucky not to find themselves a man down after nine minutes when Kenny Keogh collided heavily with Sam Mitchinson after arriving late to a challenge.

On the quarter hour mark a dominant run of play by Bayswater saw Lawrence Shuruma fire a shot that took a deflection and struck the crossbar.

The home side found the lead in the 21st minute through Brian Woodall, who has now scored in all three outings against Bayswater this year.

Kenny Keogh was seemingly fouled on the edge of the area and the ball fell to Woodall in space, who fired low to the left of Devon Spence.

Inglewood were awarded a penalty six minutes later when Ash Rosindale was clipped in the box by Mitchinson following a great run in from the left.

Mark Pritchard stepped up and swiftly doubled his side’s tally.

It could have been 3-0 five minutes later when Woodall’s powerful shot on the right forced a great reflex save from Spence.

Spence made several more crucial saves to keep his side in the match including a diving effort to deny Josh Pereira’s long-range thunderbolt in the 42nd minute.

It was Dunn at the other end who played hero in the second half, saving a well struck shot from substitute David Heagney in the 52nd minute.

John Migas played several sublime balls forward and seemingly impeded Jason Mirco at the other end with the Bayswater faithful appealing for a penalty.

Bayswater dominated possession and created a string of chances to get back in the game but Inglewood were resilient in defence as they sat back and looked to play on the counter.

Andrew Reale nodded home emphatically from a corner in added time to put his side on the board but it was too late to be any more than a consolation.

Bayswater’s Chris Coyne said it was a game of chances and rued his side’s inability to score when it mattered.

“I think we probably had 70 percent of possession there and once again we’ve come off and we can’t score,” he said. “Credit to Inglewood today, they’ve had chances and they’ve taken them.

“They’ve gone three points clear at the top and it’s now theirs to lose.”

Nicolaidis said his side possess focus and self-belief, and recognised there is a long way to go with seven matches remaining.

“We’ve just got to make sure that we treat each game as a cup final and we’ve got to win all these cup finals now.”

Inglewood United 2 (Woodall 21min, Pritchard 27 pen)
Bayswater City 1 (Reale 90+1min)
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Inglewood Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce

Inglewood United: GK Alex DUNN, 3. David CYRUS (c), 4. Scott BLACKMORE, 5. Adam TONG, 7. Kenny KEOGH, 9. Brian WOODALL (6. Callum O’CONNELL 84), 10 Ash ROSINDALE (12. Scott WITSCHGE 66), 11. John MIGAS, 13. Josh PEREIRA (8. Jason BARRERA 78), 14. Mark PRITCHARD, 18. Jason COLLI
Substitutes not used: RGK Scott WALLIS, 17. Tim ROBERTSON
Yellow cards: Keogh 10’, Migas 86’
Red cards: nil

Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 5. Andrew REALE, 6. Todd HOWARTH, 10. Jason MIRCO (24. David STOKOE 76), 13. Trent KAY (c), 14. Lawrence SHURUMA, 15. Brian FARRELL (2. Jack JONES 82), 16. Jamie COYNE, 19. Alex SALMON, 20. Sam MITCHINSON, 22. Nathan COSTELLO (21. David HEAGNEY 46)
Substitutes not used: RGK Fraser GREENWOOD, 8. Paul MCCARTHY
Yellow cards: Mitchinson 27’, Coyne 29’
Red cards: nil