Report by Peter Simcox

Cockburn City striker Liam Murray scored twice as the Cockerels beat Subiaco 4-1 in last night’s Round 3 National Premier Leagues WA catch-up game.

The big striker, who missed most of last season with a back injury, scored four minutes before half-time to give the home side the advantage before adding a second just after the hour.

David Araya and Devon Gibson added the other goals, while a superb solo goal by Subiaco defender Nathan Diaz was the visitors’ consolation.
 
“It’s a good three points for us, especially after our last league home defeat against Floreat,” Murray said.
 
“It was important for us to back up from the Sorrento game last week and we knew they would make it hard for us and they did for long periods of the game. But I thought we played well and deserved the points.”
 
Murray had a number of chances to complete a hat-trick without success.

“The lads are giving me some stick about not bagging a hat-trick but I’ll take two (goals) and three points any day,” he said.
 
Coach Marc Anthony was pleased with Murray’s performance and the win, which moved Cockburn to sixth on the NPL table with only goal difference separating them from fifth-placed Perth Glory.

“Liam held the ball up really well for us and he did the same on Saturday at Sorrento,” Anthony said.

“He gave their central defenders a hard time and finished well and I’m really pleased for him.

“We’re pleased to get the three points. They made it hard for us in the first half but we knew if we kept plugging away we would go on and win it and it proved to be.”
 
Both sides gave the ball away cheaply in the early stages before Ross Diamond’s shot from the edge of the penalty area crashed off the crossbar and away to safety in the 11th minute.
 
Subiaco, who were looking for their first win of the season, hit back and Diaz’s searching ball sent Matt Akehurst clear on the quarter hour but Cockburn skipper Paul Natale got back with a vital last-ditch tackle.
 
But five minutes before half-time the home side hit the front. Ryan Haslett found space down the left and whipped in a perfect cross for Murray, who lost his marker and headed home powerfully from 8m.
 
It was almost 2-0 two minutes later. Teenage winger Feisal Zaw danced past his marker and delivered a deep cross to the unmarked Haslett, who fired over with the goal at his mercy.
 
Two minutes into the second half former Cockburn striker Ian McMurray headed down to Alex Randell, whose goal-bound shot was deflected wide by Alan Carroll.
 
But seven minutes later Cockburn doubled their lead. There looked little danger when Araya received the ball in the middle of the park but his long-range shot slipped through the hands of keeper Sam Stone and into the net.
 
Subiaco were almost back in the game on 58 minutes when Randell was given far too much space on the edge of the penalty area and had his shot well saved by Cockburn keeper Dejan Aleksic.
 
Cockburn made it 3-0 four minutes later. Zaw received the ball on the right, turned his marker inside and out, got to the bye-line and crossed to Murray, who scored from close range.
 
To Subiaco’s credit they continued to push forward and it paid dividends with the goal of the night on 79 minutes.

Diaz picked up the ball up in the middle of the park and breezed past three Cockburn defenders before finishing clinically past Aleksic.
 
The points were wrapped up nine minutes from time when Conor Kavanagh’s ball found Gibson, who fired home from 10m.

It was the last action for Kavanagh, who was carried off on a stretcher with an ankle injury and Cockburn played the last eight minutes with 10 men.
 
Cockburn City 4 (Murray 40’, 62’, Araya 54’, Gibson 81’)
Subiaco AFC 1 (Diaz 79’)
Tuesday 29th April 2014
Venue: Dalmatinac Park
Attendance: 100 (Approx)
Referee: Tim Mihevc
Assistant: Pedro Vasquez and Stuart Reeves

Cockburn City: GK Dejan ALEKSIC, 5 Alan CARROLL, 7 Ryan HASLETT (19 Jonty TURNER 65’), 8 David ARAYA, 9 Eamon MCNELIS, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 Feisal ZAW (6 Papa KPATAR 79’), 14 Conor KAVANAGH, 17 Paul NATALE (13 Blake ADAMS 46’), 18 Liam MURRAY, 20 Ross DIAMOND
Subs not used: RGK Eric CUTRI, 16 Julian TELES
Yellow cards: Nil

Subiaco: GK Sam STONE, 2 Nathan DIAZ, 3 Rowdy YATES, 4 Alex RANDELL (7 Ger FITZGERALD 59’), 6 Brad MCDONALD, 8 Jordan RHODES, 9 Ian MCMURRAY (16 Owen COATES 59’), 10 Guy MCDONALD, 11 Matt AKEHURST (15 Brynn LAKEY 75’), 12 Mitch STEINBERG, 17 George TCHAMI 
Subs not used: RGK Henry DAVIES, 13 Jonas DORLING
Yellow cards: Rhodes 63’