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Stalemate a fair result for Coyne

Stalemate a fair result for Coyne

Bayswater City’s lead at the top of the table National Premier Leagues WA has been narrowed after they were held to a 0-0 draw against Inglewood United at Intiga Stadium.

The heavy rain in the CBD area made playing conditions difficult, with the pitch resembling a mud bath. But it was the home side who dominated the first half, and David Sesay should have done better when he met Teeboy Kamara’s cross after 11 minutes, but the crossbar came to the rescue for City.

The Bayswater keeper Devon Spence was in fine form and he saved well from Greg Sharland’s shot on the half hour, before David Perich was again denied by Spence moments later.

The best chance for the visitors came late in the half, when Gustavo Giron-Marulanda’s glancing header was cleared off the line by Scott Witschge.

Both sides had chances in the second half to break the deadlock but the keepers were in fine form. Sahr Musa’s shot was superbly saved by Luke Martino, before Spence deny Ryan Francis.

Inglewood almost grabbed the points late on when Francis pounced on a poor back pass, but his shot flashed narrowly wide, and the points were shared.

Inglewood coach Graham Normanton was delighted with his side’s performance in the poor conditions.

“It doesn't matter what conditions are thrown at you, you've got to play in them and we knocked the ball around beautifully in the first half,” he said. “It’s good to get back to some form at last. We’ve had a month where we’ve been indifferent but we should be playing like that every week.”

Bayswater coach Chris Coyne believed it was a fair result.

“The first half Inglewood could've been a couple up, they had most of the ball and played the conditions better than us, but we adapted and changed things around to suit the conditions,” he said.

“I think we're a bit disappointed with the draw because you want to win everything but looking back it was probably a fair result.”

Floreat Athena put a tumultuous week behind them to beat ECU Joondalup 4-1 at the ECU Football Arena.

In midweek they parted company with coach Peter Murphy, and they fell behind after only four minutes in this one.

Danny Dixon eased past two Floreat defenders before firing low past Tom Dixon. That was as good as it got for the home side and Lewis McMahon levelled before half time as the visitors began to dominate. After the break Ludovic Boi put Floreat ahead, before goals from Blair Goven and Andrew Scaldaferro made the points safe, and leapfrogged them over ECU on the table.

Stirling Lions consolidated fifth spot, after a come from behind 5-1 win against Perth Glory at Macedonia Park.

The Glory hit the front early, Slobodan Vulin firing low past debutant keeper Connor Campbell. The home side levelled on the half hour through Daniel Micevski, and the midfielder gave them the lead two minutes before the break, running on to Hayden Doyle’s through ball to fire low past Fraser Greenwood.

The Lions dominated the second half with goals from Dean Evans, Doyle and Rikki Smith meant they ran out comprehensive winners.

Balcatta moved up to second spot after a 2-1 win against Armadale at Grindleford Reserve.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring on 26 minutes, Danny Richman finding space in the penalty area to head home Jason Barrera’s cross. Their lead lasted for only three minutes, with the league’s leading goalscorer Gustavo Catarcione headed home from close-range.

Both sides had chances after the break Faustinho Machiochi’s long-range shot flashed wide of the target for Armadale, while Benny Kouakou’s shot was cleared off the line by Armadale skipper Billy Quinncroft. But the winner for Balcatta came on 74 minutes, Catarcione was picked out by Kouakou, and he fired low past Matthew Gould.

Sorrento moved level on points with Perth after they beat them 2-1 at Dorrien Gardens.

The visitors raced to a two-goal lead in the first half, Brodie Martin firing home from the edge of the penalty area on the half hour before former Hamilton Academical's midfielder Chris Reid doubled their advantage on 42 minutes.

Perth had the opportunity to reduce the margin in first half stoppage time, after Steve McDonald handled in the area, but Mark Pritchard sent the penalty wide of the target.

Perth pressed after the break and pulled one back on the hour through Mark Doninger and despite pressing late they couldn't find the equaliser.