Report by Aisling Lawless

Rory Patterson joined Gustavo Giron Marulanda at the top of the scoring charts after his four-goal blitz in Cockburn City’s 5 -2 win over home side ECU Joondalup on Saturday.

The Northern Irish international, who is now tied with Bayswater’s Marulanda on 20 goals, won and converted two penalties within seven minutes at the end of the second half.

He also scored from a free kick in the 26th minute and grabbed another goal in the 78th minute.

Stuart Montgomery and Tommy Amphlett both scored in the second half to bring ECU level, but their efforts were futile after they were reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute.

Patterson said Cockburn’s focus was to maintain fifth position although his teammates had reminded him about the possibility of finishing as top goal scorer.

“The lads were the ones who reminded me today and there was a few times the boys could have shot themselves but they were trying to give me the chances,” he said.

“If the results had gone against us we could have dropped to eighth and we knew we were better than that.”

Losses from Stirling, Balcatta and their nearest rival Inglewood put Cockburn three points clear with a 10 goal difference with one game remaining.

The opening goal in the 17th minute was a soft one. Feisal Zaw hit the ball towards the far post and David Araya knocked it into the net without any real challenge from the defence.

But Patterson’s unstoppable free kick from range eight minutes later was anything but soft and it flew past keeper Jamie Serra.

Cockburn coach Marc Anthony said Patterson has been a real asset to the side this season.

“As long as you’ve got Rory [Patterson] in your side you know if you can create chances he’s going to score them,” Anthony said.

Father and son duo Stuart and Bayley Montgomery pulled one back on the stroke of half time with the former knocking home his son’s rebound.

ECU were keen to celebrate their last home game of the season with a win and six minutes into the second half Amphlett impressively lobbed the ball over keeper Jack Adams to equalise.  

But the visitors had a different result in mind and in the 78th minute Patterson turned sharply on the right wing and confidently struck the ball off the far post and into the net.

Six minutes later he was brought down in the box by Charlie Comyn-Platt and after deliberation with the linesman the referee called a penalty. Last defender Comyn-Platt was red carded and Patterson stepped up to double Cockburn’s lead.

ECU coach Dale McCulloch was unhappy with the decision and said they had an equal penalty claim earlier that went unrewarded.

“It’s the decision that killed us in the end today,” he said.

“Once we had a man sent off the game was dead and buried. It’s heartbreaking for the boys because it should have been a penalty for us and that could have changed the game – I’ll stand by that.”

But a hat-trick wasn’t enough for Patterson and in the 91st minute he drew Serra into a challenge and won another penalty, which he confidently converted to seal the win.

ECU Joondalup 2 (S.Montgomery 45min, Amphlett 53)
Cockburn City 5 (Araya 15min, Patterson 26, 78, 84 pen, 91 pen)
Saturday 29 August 2015
Venue: ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Local Kick-Off: 3.00pm
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referees: Liviu Katona, Alex Kim

ECU Joondalup: GK: Jamie SERRA, 2. Ryan LOWRY, 3. Coire MCGUIGAN, 4. Charlie COMYN-PLATT (c), 5. Josh TUCKER 7. Paul MILLER, 8. Joe SMITH, 9. Ollie ANNIS (16. Jack CAIRNS 85min), 10. Stuart MONTGOMERY (12. POLLARD 80min), 11. Bayley MONTGOMERY, 13. Tommy AMPHLETT.
Substitutes not used: 6. Damien SIMIC, 14. Ronald RIXER, 20. Scott WALLIS.
Yellow Cards: B. Montgomery 68min, Serra 90, 
Red Cards: Comyn-Platt 83

Cockburn City: 23. Jack ADAMS, 2. Josh KUSER, 3. Jonathan CORNESS 4. Euen GRANT (c), 7. Harry O'BRIEN, 8. David ARAYA (6. Kernel MOUTHIS 82min), 11. Devon GIBSON, 10. Rory PATTERSON, 12. Feisal ZAW (17. Eamon McNELIS 72min), 13. Blake ADAMS (5. Alan CARROLL 78min), 14. Conor KAVANAGH.
Substitutes not used: 1. Eric CUTRI, Daniel ROBINSON,  
Yellow Cards: Nil 
Red Cards: Nil