Report by Alex Vlahos

Photo by Annie Green

Balcatta broke a run of six straight losses with a dismissive performance against Forrestfield United at Grindleford Park on Saturday.

A first-half brace from striker Alex Wild delivered Balcatta a 2-0 victory over a United outfit who were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half with the dismissal of Jamie Street.

Forrestfield made a horror start, with Wild executing a precise chip over keeper Luke Martino to open the scoring in the first minute.

Forrestfield responded immediately and had two early chances to equalise. However Street’s towering header went inches wide and Rhys Loxley was denied by a superb save from Balcatta stopper Kyle Mcdonald.

From then on it was all Balcatta, with forwards Wild, 18-year-old Asher Nelson and Lawrence Shurama proving difficult for the United defence to contain.

Clever lead-up play from Shurama and Nelson should have led to a second goal on 23 minutes but Wild’s close-range strike was blocked by a desperate Forrestfield defence.

There was no stopping Wild on the half-hour mark, though, as the youngster coolly slotted home right-footed after finding himself on the end of more delightful midfield play.

Balcatta continued to pepper the Forrestfield goal and Tom Pellizzari almost extended the advantage when his header cannoned off the crossbar just prior to half-time.

The second-half lacked the intensity of the first as Forrestfield again struggled to make inroads into the Balcatta half.

Balcatta coach Goran Stajic introduced right-winger Nicholas Challot just after half-time and the 19-year-old provided plenty of skill and flair, getting in behind the Forrestfield defence.

It was Balcatta’s first win since May 2 and they remain second from bottom. However just one point separates 13th and ninth and Saturday’s performance suggests better times await Stajic’s side, who face crucial matches against Subiaco, Armadale and Joondalup United over the next three weeks.

“It’s good to see the boys are getting what they deserve,” the Balcatta coach said.

“We have been copping it but we know what we are doing.

“We are not far off, I have no doubt we will be up there come the end of the season and I’m so pleased for the club, because it’s a great club.”

“We are a really young group, we are only going to grow and get better.”

Forrestfield didn’t shirk the task, but any hope of a comeback was extinguished when Street was sent off for a dangerous tackle on 66 minutes.

Banjac gave full credit to Balcatta post-match by stating they fully deserved the win, admitting his own four-week suspension had affected his group.

“I take full blame for the losses,” Banjac said.

Despite never seriously threatening a goal, Banjac’s side did display quality in patches, with Hasani Sinclair and Wilbert Tshabangu impressing at times.

The defeat leaves Forrestfield third from bottom and they face Perth SC next week before matches against Joondalup United, Cockburn City and Inglewood United.

Balcatta 2 (Wild 1min, 30)
Forrestfield United 0
Saturday, June 23
Grindleford Park
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant referees: A Paraskevas, W Ciotti

Balcatta: 9. Alex WILD, 7. Asher NELSON (11. Nicholas CHALLOT 55), 4. Calum O’CONNELL, 8. Carmelo GIUFFRE, 3. Hayden STEVENS, 10. Jonathon CORNESS, 25. Kyle MCDONALD, 14. Lawrence SHURAMA (6. Kris GATE 86), 18. Robert DEL BORELLO, 20. Shubham MOKALA, 5. Tom PELLIZZARI
Substitutes not used: 15. Adriano JELENOVIC, 1. Domenico SALVODELLI, 21. Bleron MAMUDI
Yellow cards: Wild, Jelenovic (on bench)
Red cards: Nil

Forrestfield United: 12. Callum DOBBS (8. Mitchell CROCKER 61), 9. Hasani Sinclair, 15. Jamie Street, 6. Kristian Despotovski (Jordan HART 55), 4. Leslie MARI (14. Antoine LEMARIE 46), 11. Liam MERIGAN, 1. Luke MARTINO, 23. Rhys LOXLEY, 5. Scott BARKER, 2. Tom SOUTHGATE, 3. WILBERT TSHABANGU
Substitutes not used: 18. Benjamin PARRY
Yellow cards: Mari, Southgate, Loxley
Red cards: Street 66