Report by Navrin Secker

A last-minute goal from James Owen earned Floreat Athena a 2-2 draw against Sorrento on Saturday in a game both sides were desperate to win to ease their worries at the bottom.

The point lifted Sorrento out of the drop zone but it could have been so much better for Jamie Harnwell's side after they took the lead nine minutes from time through Reece Vittiglia's free-kick.

After a goalless first half at Percy Doyle Reserve, Keylun Pollard put Athena ahead on 57 minutes with a rocket from outside the area.

But Jordan Roberts levelled with a penalty on 72 minutes and the Gulls looked good for only their second win in eight matches when Vittiglia struck.

But Owen had other ideas as second-bottom Floreat, without suspended duo Dean Evans and  Calvin Whitney, picked up a first point in four games.

Gulls coach Harnwell didn't attemt to hie his frustration at the late setback. “Our first half wasn’t good enough; the second half was a bit better but a goal like that just sours everything,” he said.

“We should have been three or four up, the game should have been done and dusted, but we didn’t take our chances and we got bitten on the backside for it."

Floreat coach Howard Tweats looked forward to a more prosperous second half to the campaign.

“There’s still half the season to go, so there's still a lot of points available,” he said.

“(I'm looking forward to) picking up no more suspensions and getting the injury list clean, so that we can have 18-19 players to choose from rather than nine or 10."

Sorrento 2 (Roberts pen 72min, Vittiglia 81)
Balcatta 2 (Pollard 57, Owen 90)