Report by Kalon Harrison

Cockburn City made a statement of intent early in the inaugural National Premier Leagues WA season by beating last season’s league winners Stirling Lions 3-0 at Macedonia Park yesterday.

Goalless at the break, Cockburn kicked into gear in the second half with three goals in a 17-minute spell, to the delight of coach Marc Anthony.

“We scored three goals without a recognised striker,” Anthony said. “Julian Teles has come in and done a fantastic job for us and Devon (Gibson) has grabbed a great goal.”

Gibson opened the scoring three minutes after being moved from right back into a central striking role, picking the ball up between the centre backs and, like a natural goalscorer, slotting past Aleks Vrteski in the 68th minute.

The makeshift striker was involved in the away side’s second, too, challenging with Vrteski for a long ball into the box. The keeper dropped the ball, which fell to David Araya, who shot into an open net with nine minutes to play.

The points were secured five minutes from time when substitute Papa Kpatar snuck in at the back post to finish off a ball in from the left from fellow substitute Ryan Haslett. Gibson was again involved by making a dummy run, which gave Kpatar more space than he might have expected.

The first half saw Stirling miss two opportunities that might have changed the game.

Vladamir Naumovski missed a one on one chance with Dejan Aleksic after being played through by Jack Salter on the half hour mark.

Naumovski found himself with time in the penalty area seven minutes later after a clever turn but his chipped effort was tipped away by a fully stretched Aleksic.

Stirling assistant Daniel Stoitis said that missing 11 senior players through injury was putting pressure on the squad but the young guys were performing well.

“We’re having a few challenges at the moment in terms of personnel,” he said. “We don’t want to use that solely as an excuse but we are having to play a lot of the younger boys. Whether it’s prematurely or not, I’m not too sure, but this is the opportunity they get.

“Normally in these situations you look to your senior players to get the young guys through and unfortunately on this occasion the senior players have made errors that have resulted in a Cockburn goal.”

Cockburn lost this fixture last season 2-1 in the opening round, which could be seen as an indication of the growing strength of the club.

Stirling Lions 0
Cockburn City 3 (Devon Gibson 68’, David Araya 81’, Papa Kpatar 85’)
Saturday 15 March, 2014
Macedonia Park, Stirling
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Michal Jasinski
Assistants: Mat Southern, Tom Dowle

Stirling: 1. Aleks VRTESKI, 2. Rikki SMITH, 3. Michael DE LIMA, 4. Ali GHOULAMI, 5. David FILLIPOU, 6. Hayden DOYLE, 8. Ross DIAMOND (15. Howard NEIGHBOUR 54’), 9. Vladamir NAUMOVSKI (7. Miki VUJACIC 54’), 10. Josh BOOYSEN, 11. Dennis GALAN, 14. Jack SALTER (12. Tim HILL 84’)
Substitutes not used: 13. Daniel DOLS, 24. Conor CAMPBELL
Yellow cards: Diamond 40’, Smith 80’
Red cards: Nil

Cockburn: 23. Dejan ALEKSIC, 17. Paul NATALE, 11. Devon GIBSON, 8. David ARAYA, 14. Conor KAVANAGH, 5. Alan CARROLL, 4. Euen GRANT, 12. Feisal ZAW (6. Papa KPATAR 81’), 9. Eamon McNELIS, 3. Blake ADAMS (7. Ryan HASLETT 69'), 15. Julian TELES (2. Shazalee RAMLEE 65’)
Substitutes not used: 1. Struan HERD, 7. Ryan HASLETT, 18. Liam MURRAY
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil