Floreat miss the chance to go top
Report by Jayden Lihou
Photo: Sabata Creatives
Bayswater City and Floreat Athena played out a 1-1 draw in round 6 of the PS4 NPLWA season at Finance 365 Stadium on Sunday.
Floreat would have topped the league ladder had they won the match, but the draw has put them in 3rd place while Bayswater now sit in 7th place with a game in hand.
Despite both sides creating genuine goal scoring chances in the final stages of the match, none could find the decisive goal.
Floreat coach Glen Grostate said he was happy with his side’s performance and the final result.
“With us being under-manned it was always going to be a tough match for us today,” he said.
“We started the game really well and we deserved our goal, but at the end of the day they deserved their goal too so I think the draw is a fair result.
“We have played six games now and have only been beaten once, but we know it’s a long season and we will just have to keep battling and keep fighting for points.”
Bayswater coach Chris Coyne thought his side should have won the match, even though he was disappointed with his side’s finishing.
“I thought we were flat in the first half again and it was one-way-traffic in the second half, but we just need to be better in the final third,” he said.
“We got around the back of them and got into good areas but we just didn’t take our chances.
“I’m disappointed, it’s another two points dropped but we’ll keep going, we’re doing things properly and playing good football so it’s just a matter of time before the goals come.”
Floreat started the first-half positively and found the breakthrough in the 38th minute when Lewis McMahon was fouled just outside the box.
Captain Dean Evans stepped up to take the free-kick and curled the ball around the wall and into the back of the net.
Bayswater found the equaliser early on in the second half when Andrija Jukic played an over the top ball to Gustavo Giron Marulanda.
The long ball caught the defensive line off guard and Marulanda had the composure to make it 1-1 in the 50th minute.
The away side had a golden chance to take the lead yet again in the 61st minute when a deflected pass found McMahon in the box.
The striker had time and space inside the area but fired his shot at the post, keeping the scores level.
After some end-to-end football, Bayswater had an opportunity to claim all three points in the dying stages of the match when another long ball played Marulanda on through with the keeper.
This time the striker opted to take the ball around the keeper instead of shooting early and as a result keeper Jason Saldaris was able to claim the ball and secure his side a point.
The match ended on a sour note for Floreat with McMahon being stretchered off the pitch just before the final whistle.
Bayswater City 1 (Marulanda 50min)
Floreat Athena 1 (Evans 38min)
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Finance 365 Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Michal Jasinski
Assistant Referees: Eamon Mcdonnell, Adrien Liechti
Bayswater City: GK. Devon SPENCE, 8. Paul McCARTHY (2. Declan HARGREAVES 77’), 9. Gustavo Giron MARULANDA, 10. Jason MICRO, 11. Devon GIBSON, 12. David STOKOE, 13. Trent KAY (C), 17. Bor Bor SAM, 20. Sam MITCHINSON, 21. David HEAGNEY (14. Jamie MURPHY 91’), 23. Andrija JUKIC
Substitutes not used: RGK. Michael COHEN, 15. Giordano COLLI, 16. Ayden DRAGUN
Yellow Cards: Sam 83’
Red Cards: nil
Floreat Athena: GK. Jason SALDARIS, 2. Shaun TIMMINS, 3. Clayton ARNEZ (16. Ryan MALTON 30’ (11. Dennis GALAN 77’)), 6. Jesse FULLER, 8. Jonathan STYNES, 10. Kris GATE, 12 Jackson MORGAN, 13. Zelfy NAZARY, 15. Christopher SALDARIS, 17. Dean EVANS (C), 19. Lewis MCMAHON (20. Joe TWEATS 96’)
Substitutes not used: RGK. Jordan BARBAS, 33. Ali NAZARY
Yellow Cards: Timmins 44’, Malton 71’
Red Cards: nil
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