Report by Chris Andrawes

Cockburn broke Floreat hearts as they stole a stoppage time winner to win 3-2, despite Athena fighting back from 2-0 down at E&D Litis Stadium on Saturday.

Cockburn coach Marc Anthony was pleased with his side’s performance but was frustrated that his team had allowed Floreat back into the game.

“Really happy with the result, but the second half performance was extremely below the standards that we set,” he said.

“We both went for it to get the winner. A draw was no good for either side. It could quite easily have been them that scored the winner. It’s just one of these games.

“Obviously they were always going to come and have a go in the second half and they were by far the better side in the second half to be honest.”

Pictured: Matt Barlow piles on the pressure. Photo: Chris Andrawes

Cockburn’s winner came two minutes into stoppage time as substitute Liam Murray received the ball in the box, turned, and fired it emphatically past Floreat keeper Tom Dixon.

Floreat probably should have won the game themselves having already fought back from 2-0 down to 2-2 but missed a slew of gilt-edged chances.

Striker Jamie Eames found himself in on goal but put his lobbed effort over the bar before Ashley Corker made a darting run into the box, only to see his shot brilliantly blocked by Cockburn keeper Dejan Aleksic.

Aryn Williams, who had scored the equaliser, found space in the box after Aleksic had come to clear a cross but he shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Cockburn had started the game on a strong footing with Connor Kavanagh heading home uncontested in the box after only five minutes.

The first half in general was slow paced with few chances until just before half-time when Matt Barlow popped up to head the ball past the keeper for 2-0.

Cockburn came out of the blocks fighting in the second half and got their reward with a goal for Ludovic Boi, who fired the ball home from close range following a nice cut back.

Williams found the equaliser following a tidy one-two on the edge of the box before firing the ball low past the keeper.

Athena rounded out the game with a badly timed challenge from Alex Govan, who received his second yellow card, leaving Floreat with 10 men for the final minute.

It was Cockburn’s third successive win and gave Anthony hope they could reach the finals.

“It’s still going to be difficult but it’s a springboard for us,” he said.

“We’ve won three straight now, so we just need to keep putting pressure on the teams above us. We’ve got a lot of hard games to come and we’ll improve and give it a go.”

Floreat Athena 1 (Boi 60’. Williams 65’)
Cockburn City 1 (Kavanagh 5’, Barlow 45’, Murray 90’)
Saturday 12th July 2014
E & D Litis Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Matt Skinner
Assistant referees: Josh Mannella, Daniel Cole
Attendance: 100 Approx.

Floreat Athena: 1. Tom DIXON, 2. Blair GOVAN, 3. Jack ALLEN, 8. Kye DOUGLAS, 9. Jamie EAMES (13. Nick PSANOUDAKIS 83’), 10. Aryn WILLIAMS, 14. Ludovic BOI, 15. Andrew SCALDAFERRO, 16. Ashley CORKER, 17. Callum FRANSZ, 33. Mark WALSH
Substitutes not used: 23. Jordan BARBAS, 4. Ryan PRETORIUS, 22. Yousri GHARASALLAH
Yellow cards: Govan 40’, 90’
Red cards: Govan 90’

Cockburn: 23. Dejan ALEKSIC, 5. Alan CARROLL, 7. Jesse FULLER (16. Julien TELES 83’), 8. David ARRAYA, 9. Eamon McNELIS, 10. Matt BARLOW, 11. Devon GIBSON, 12. Feizel ZAW (19. Kim MENGBONG 58’), 13. Blake ADAMS, 14. Conor KAVANAGH, 17. Paul NATALE (20. Liam MURRAY 70’)
Substitutes not used: 1. Struen HERD
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil