Report by Peter Simcox

New Cockburn City attacking midfielder Craig Tone scored a stunning second-half volley to give the Cockerels a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Stirling Lions to send his side into Saturday’s Night Series Final.

Cockburn will face Floreat Athena, who beat Perth SC 3-1 in the other semi-final at Percy Doyle Reserve.

Pictured: Cockburn's Jonathan Corness on the attack. Photo: Football West News

Stirling striker Robert Petkov gave his side the lead midway through the first half before Lions keeper Connor Campbell saved Conor Kavanagh’s penalty in first-half stoppage time. But after a stern half-time address from coach Marc Anthony the Cockerels showed their claws, and Liam Murray equalised early before Tone won it.  

“They made it hard for us in the first half but we got into the game in the second half and took our chances,” match-winner Tone said. “I was told by the coach to push on a bit more, as I was playing a little too deep, and I was lucky enough to hit it sweetly for the winner, which is always pleasing.”

Anthony said he had harsh words at half time and thought his players responded well after the break.

“We were pretty sloppy in the first half and I let the players know about it at half time,” he said. “They have a good side and we couldn’t give them time on the ball. I thought we gave them too much respect in the first half and it wasn’t to the standards we’ve set in this tournament. But in the second half they did just that.”

Cockburn opened brightly against a new-look Stirling Lions and  Murray went close early after being sent clear by skipper Eamon McNelis. Campbell came to his side’s rescue before Friday Zico’s scissor kick flew over the top. But against the run of play the Lions hit the front. Benny Kouakou made space down the flank and his cross into the penalty area found Petkov, who made no mistake from close-range.

After dominating early, Cockburn then struggled to break down the Lions defence which was well marshalled by new signing Nathan Bowden-Hasse.

Zico was a constant threat and on the stoke of half time his surging run down the left ended with a cross into the penalty area which struck the arm of Loic Anga, and referee Michal Jasinski pointed straight to the spot. Kavanagh stepped up to take the resulting spot kick but Campbell guessed the right way to save.  

Whatever Anthony said at half time seemed to work as Cockburn levelled 11 minutes in. It was Zico again who began the move, the former Perth SC winger crossing to Murray, who bundled the ball home from close-range. It was game on and Cockburn keeper Curtis Aspden had to be alert to tip over Miki Vujacic’s corner on the hour, before Zico fired into the side netting moments later.

But on 67 minutes, Cockburn hit the front. There looked little danger when Kavanagh’s deep cross picked out Tone, but his sweetly struck volley from the edge of the penalty area gave Campbell no chance and flew into the net. The Lions never dropped their heads and Aspden had to save smartly from Petkov, before the Cockburn custodian pulled of a stunning one handed save to deny Kouakou.

But at the final whistle it was Cockburn celebrating.

Cockburn City 2 (Murray 56 mins, Tone 67)
Stirling Lions 1 (Petkov 28 mins)
Sunday 15th March 2015
Venue: Percy Doyle Reserve, Duncraig
Referee: Michal Jasinski

Cockburn City: GK Curtis ASPDEN, 3 Jonathan CORNESS, 4 Euen GRANT, 5 Alan CARROLL, 6 Craig TONE, 7 Friday ZICO, 9 Liam MURRAY (10 Rory PATERSON 68), 12 Fiesal ZAW, 13 Blake ADAMS (11 Devon GIBSON, 14 Conor KAVANAGH (16 Julian TELES 71), 17 Eamon MCNELIS (C)
Subs not used: RGK Dejan ALEKSIC, 15 Monty GRIGO
Yellow Cards: Nil

Stirling Lions: GK Connor CAMPBELL, 3 Brodie MARTIN, 5 Viktor ATANASOVSKI, 7 Miki VUJACIC (C), 8 Tim HILL, 9 Robert PETKOV (12 Teeboy KAMARA 84), 10 Daniel MICEVSKI, 13 Benny KOUAKOU, 14 Lawrence SHURUMA, 16 Loic ANGA, 18 Nathan BOWDEN-HASSE
Subs not used: RGK Lance ALAVAKIS, 4 Boas MTWALE, 11 Brian WOODALL, 15 Vlad NAUMOVSKI
Yellow Cards:  Atanasovski 87, Bowden-Hasse 38)