Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox

A goal in the last minute from defender Adam Tong gave 10-man ECU Joondalup a 3-3 draw against Belt Up Cup winners Armadale in an action-packed NPL WA Round 21 game at Alfred Skeet Reserve.
 
In wet and heavy conditions, the home side went 2-0 up through penalties from Ali Gholami and Chris Jackson either side of half time, before the visitors hit back thanks to goals from Gordan Smith and Daryl Nicol.
 
Smith was then sent off and it looked like Gholami had won it for Balcatta with a deflected long-range strike five minutes from time, but Tong had the final word.
 
Armadale coach John O’Reilly said it was a good game and he was a little disappointed they couldn’t hold on to the points.
 
“We were playing against one of the better teams in the league and when you have the lead you want to hold to it,” he said.
 
“We’ve been on a good run and yes disappointing we didn’t get the three points, but it wasn’t meant to be today.”
 
Gholami said conditions were tough and a point was probably a fair result.
 
“It was a good game. It was disappointing to let it slip late, especially when they went down to 10 men,” he said.
 
“We’ve been on a good run lately in the league, and it was a scrappy game at times, but a draw was probably a fair result.”
 
It was the visitors who opened the brighter and they went close to the opener on 20 minutes. Andy Higgins sent Ross Millard down the left, whose low cross was met by Nicol, who beat Sam Hutchings but the crossbar came to the rescue of the Armadale keeper.
 
But the home side lifted and Ryan Haslett's shot was saved low by Johnny Perkins, before Jackson headed straight at the keeper moments later. But 10 minutes before half-time Armadale were awarded a penalty.
 
Perkins was trying to clear a ball when Billy Quinncroft stood in front of him and the keeper was adjudged to have fouled the Reds skipper by referee Julian Serra. Gholami stepped up to score the penalty, despite Perkins getting a hand to it.   
 
The home side doubled their lead three minutes into the second half with another penalty. The Jacks lost the ball in the middle of the park and Charlie Kenna raced into the box and was brought down by Shane Cassidy, and the referee pointed straight to the spot. This time Jackson stepped up to score.
 
ECU switched their formation and three minutes later they were rewarded with a goal. Steven McGarry’s cross from the left found Smith at the back post and the Scottish striker made no mistake.
 
The rain abated although the pitch was very heavy and both sides had half-chances as the game became more open. And on 66 minutes the visitors levelled.
 
A ball over the top sent Nicol racing down the right and his shot skidded off the wet surface and wrong-footed Hutchings and flew into the bottom corner of the net.
 
ECU were now on top and Nicol’s shot from the edge of the box was saved low by the keeper. Moments later Nicol fell in the penalty area and the ECU players were sure it was another penalty, but the referee waved away their protests.
 
In the ensuing strong conversation between referee and ECU players, Smith was shown a straight red card, much to his amazement.  
 
ECU continued to press looking for the winner and Higgins’ inswinging corner was scrambled off the line by Hutchings. Armadale were holding out and hitting well on the counter attack with Jackson and Michael Rizidis a constant threat.
 
Then on 85 minutes Armadale regained the lead with a real goal of the season contender. Gholami picked the ball up 20 meters from goal and unleashed a stunning long-range shot, which took a slight deflection off Josh Whitmore and flew into the top corner of the net while giving Perkins no chance.
 
It looked like the winner, but ECU had other ideas and in the final minute Higgins’ corner was spilled by Hutchings and Tong was on hand to fire the rebound into the roof of the net.
 
Then in the fourth minute of stoppage time the ten men almost won it. They gained a free kick just outside the penalty area and Nicol’s curling shot looked destined for the top corner, but Hutchings produced a stunning save to deny, and give both sides a share of the spoils.
 
ECU coach Dale McCulloch, whose side are chasing a top four finish, said: “I thought we deserved more from today’s game but we probably didn’t get the rub of the green with the decisions today.
 
"We dominated them today and could have won it late, but with results else where it could be a good point for us.”
 
Armadale 3 (Gholami pen 35min, 85, Jackson pen 48)
ECU Joondalup 3 (Smith 51, Nicol 66, Tong 90)
Saturday July 21
Alfred Skeet Reserve
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Julian Serra
Assistant referees: Peter Kaiser, Mitchell Barrington

Armadale: GK Sam HUTCHINGS, 3 Delan DE SILVA, 5 David ANNALL, 7 Charlie KENNA (70), 17 James ATKINS, 9 Billy QUINNCROFT (C), 10 Chris JACKSON, 11 Michael RIZIDIS, 12 Dannie RICHMAN, 15 Ali GHOLAMI, 21 Beau RAHIM, 22 Ryan HASLETT (20 Friday ZICO 80)
Substitute not used: RGK Duncan LENNON-BLACK, 13 Luke TESTER, 16 Charlie TESTER
Yellow cards: Rahim 90, Richman 94
Red cards: Nil

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 2 Cian HIRRELL, 3 Ross MILLARD (12 Brad MCDONALD 72), 4 Steven MCGARRY, 5 Adam TONG, 9 Daryl NICOL (C), 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Andy HIGGINS, 16 Lukas DE LIMA (8 Josh WHITMORE 50), 17 Shane CASSIDY, 18 Tom HOUGH (13 Ethan BROOKS 85)
Substitutes not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 6 Kieron STALLARD
Yellow cards: Millard 17, McGarry 36, Cassidy 47, Hough 48, Tong 65
Red cards: Smith 69