Perth win six-goal thriller to keep title tilt alive

Report by Tommy Doleman

Gustavo Catacione bagged a hat trick as Perth Soccer Club beat Inglewood United 4-2 to move within four points on the leaders in the PS4 National Premier Leagues WA.

Five goals were scored in an exciting first half as Catacione and David Cyrus traded strikes, before Jordan De Leo and Catarcione scored either side of Mark Pritchard’s leveler from the spot.

The second period was just as enthralling, but the visitors had to wait until stoppage time to seal the result, when the former Balcatta and Bayswater man netted his 10th goal of the season.

Perth midfielder Dean Evans praised the striker’s performance and admitted that a new purchase may have helped him rediscover his form in front of goal.

“We were giving him some stick before the game because he’d bought some new boots and somehow he scored a hat-trick in them,” he said.

“But he deserved that today, he hadn’t scored in a few games and it’s really good for his confidence.”

Evans also praised outgoing head coach Gareth Naven who will be leaving the club in late June to take up a role at Melbourne Victory.

“Naves is well-drilled and demands a lot out of the players which has helped a lot of the younger boys,” he said.

“He’s driven and he wants the senior player to drive on those guys. We wish him well because he’s good enough to coach at that level.

“He’s done a lot for us and we thank him for that.”

Kenny Keogh hit a speculative effort from range early but then Perth had a succession of corners, which included instances where Adam Tong and Cyrus had to scramble clear.

They were rewarded for their bright start as Catacione capitalised on a lapse of concentration at the back to slide past Alex Dunn.

That woke Inglewood up and they leveled with their first real effort on target as Scott Blackmore headed Pritchard’s free kick across goal and Cyrus stabbed home from close range.

It set up a frantic ending to the first half as three goals were scored in the final six minutes with De Leo first to strike through a crowded area to restore Perth’s advantage.

Barely a minute later and Inglewood were all square again when hesitancy in Perth’s defence led to a penalty which Pritchard finished with aplomb into the bottom corner.

The visitors would remarkably go back in front for a third time before half time, though, as Catacione smashed home a loose ball to make it 3-2.

Perth would try and give themselves some breathing space after the break but Dunn made a terrific save low to his right to deny Milenkovic.

Francis Soale blocked Tong’s drive toward the near post before a fingertip save around a post denied Milenkovic for a second time in the half.

Tong blasted a free kick inches wide of a post before Blackmore picked up two yellow cards in the space of three minutes as the hosts went down to 10 men.

And with the extra man Perth added some late gloss to proceedings as De Leo squared for Catacione to complete his treble three minutes into stoppage time.

Inglewood coach Taki Nicolaidis admitted that the better team won on the day.

“Without a doubt. It’s fair to say we weren’t at the races today but credit to Perth they came out and were a lot more determined than we were,” he said.

“But one defeat doesn’t mean our season’s gone. We’re still top. Now we’ll get back on the bike, be positive and regenerate that through the group for next week.”

Inglewood United 2 (Cyrus 35min, Pritchard 43pen)
Perth SC 4 (Catacione 27min, 44, 90+3, De Leo 40)
Saturday May 28, 2016
Inglewood Stadium
Local kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Steven Gregory

Inglewood United: GK: Alex DUNN, 3. David CYRUS, 4. Scott BLACKMORE, 5. Adam TONG, 6. Calum O’CONNELL (17. Tim ROBERTSON 70’), 7. Kenny KEOGH, 8. Jason BARRERA, 11. John MIGAS, 14. Mark PRITCHARD, 18. Jason COLLI (12. Scott WITSCHGE 70’), 21. Slobodan VULIN (10. Ash ROSINDALE 60’)
Substitutes not used: 16. Paul ZIMARINO, 20. Mitchell PAPAS.
Yellow Cards: Blackmore 81’, Cyrus 90+1, Tong 90+5
Red Cards: Blackmore 84’

Perth SC: GK: Francis SOALE, 2. David FILLIPOU, 5. Dean EVANS, 6 Clark KELTIE, 8. Tom KING, 9. Gustavo CATACIONE, 10. Nicholas AMBROGIO, 12. Jordan DE LEO, 13. Rocco PIZZATA, 18. Andreas THEODOSIASDES (14. Dino TOPCAGIC 60’), 20. Matthew MILENKOVIC (7. Frank FURFARO 84’).
Substitutes not used: 17. Eric BIRRIGHITI, 23. Daniel PASSARELLI.
Yellow Cards: Topcagic 82’, Milenkovic 84’, Catarcione 90’, Ambrogio 90+5
Red Cards: Nil




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