Bayswater City claim McInerney Ford Top Four Cup

Report by Peter Simcox

Bayswater City have cemented themselves as the powerhouse club of 2017 after winning the McInerney Ford Top Four Cup against Perth SC in front of a packed crowd at Finance 365 Stadium on Saturday.

City, who also won the QBE Night Series and the PS4 NPLWA league this year, beat Perth 3-0 with second-half goals from Jason Mirco, David Heagney and Gustavo Giron Marulanda.

It was a tight first half with Perth dominating the play, but Jason Mirco scored soon after the break.

Substitute David Heagney added a second before Gustavo Giron-Marulanda wrapped up the game four minutes from time.

Despite the win, Bayswater coach Chris Coyne was unimpressed with his players’ performance in the first half.

“I couldn’t wait to get the boys in the dressing room at half time,” he said.

“You would have thought it was us who played (in the Semi Final) during the week, but after the break we found our feet.

“Credit to Ramon and his team, the way he got his boys up after a tough 90 minutes on Wednesday (against Inglewood United in the Semi Final) was fantastic.”

Coyne praised outstanding performances from Trent Kay, Todd Howarth and goalkeeper Devon Spence.

“I was really pleased for Devon today, he doesn’t get the credit he deserves and some games he doesn’t have much to do but he was great for us today,” he said.

“Likewise, Todd and Trent, along with Sam (Mitchinson) and young David Stokoe all blocked shots and put their bodies on the line for the team today.”
Spence produced three great saves to keep Perth at bay, but the modest keeper said he was just doing his job.

“That’s what I’m there for, but the boys put in a fantastic shift today,” he said.

“We were behind the eight ball at half time but we re-grouped and got the win.”

The stands were packed at kick off and it was tight opening, as Marulanda’s low shot was saved by Francis Soale early. Lewis Milne then sent Gustavo Catarcione in on goal but Spence stood tall to save.

Perth ended the half the better as Rocco Pizzata and Milne combined to set up Andreas Theodosiades, whose shot was pushed around the post by the alert Spence.

Just after the break, and with Coyne’s half time address still ringing in their ears, Bayswater hit the front. Howarth’s corner was flicked on at the front post and Mirco lost his marker at the back post to score.

Perth hit back and substitute Niccolo Sabatini had the perfect opportunity to level a minute after coming onto the pitch.

Catarcione broke the line and picked out Sabatini, who brought the ball down well, but his shot was superbly saved by Spence.

That save became more important, as five minutes later Bayswater doubled their advantage.

Perth had a free kick in the middle of the park, but a misunderstanding saw the ball played straight to Bayswater, with Heagney finishing clinically past Soale.

Still Perth pressed but Spence was at it again five minutes from time. Sabatini’s cross picked out Milne at the back post, but his header was superbly tipped on to the crossbar.

Bayswater sealed the game on 86 minutes as Marulanda flicked home the third at the front post after a corner from Howarth.

After the whistle, Todd Howarth was the announced the winner of the Gary Marocchi Medal as the best player on the day.

Perth assistant coach Marc Wingell was pleased with his club’s season but thought the players conceded early in the final.

“If you don’t take your chances in football you won’t win many games, but at half time we were pleased the way the lads were going,” he said.

“If we had taken our chances the game could have been over.

“(Bayswater) have been dangerous with their set-pieces all season, but we didn’t pick up any runners for the first goal and a lack of communication led to their second, and that probably killed the game for us.”

Perth’s U20 side had more to celebrate after they won the McInerney Ford U20 Top Four Cup after they defeated Cockburn City in a thrilling come-from-behind victory that was settled on penalties.

Perth were 2-0 down at the break after goals from Cockburn’s Losene Dulleh and James Oldfield but they drew level in the second half through Ali Nazari and Luke Garas before winning in the penalty shoot-out.

Bayswater City also claimed the U18 Cup with a 1-0 victory over Inglewood United sealed by Kieran Coyne’s first-half header.

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RESULTS:

MCINERNEY FORD TOP FOUR CUP FINAL

Bayswater City 3 (Mirco 50min, Heagney 66, Marulanda 86)
Perth SC 0
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Finance 365 Stadium
Kick-off: 2:30 pm
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referees: Josh Mannella, Daniel Cole
Fourth official: David Bruce
Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 6 Todd HOWARTH, 8 Paul MCCARTHY, 9 Gustavo GIRON-MARULANDA, 10 Jason MIRCO (16 Shaydon PASSALACQUA , 12 David STOKOE, 13 Trent KAY (c), 17 Borbor SAM (19 Luka NINKOVIC 82’), 18 Brent GRIFFITHS (21 David HEAGNEY 57’)
(84), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 23 Andrija JUKIC (81)
Substitutes not used: RGK Dejan ALEKSIC
Yellow cards: Kay 9’
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE (c), 3 Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4 Adrian MADASCHI, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10 Nicholas AMBROGIO (7 Aleks JOVIC 68’), 12 Jordan DE LEO, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 15 Harley ORR, 16 Kieran COLWELL, 17 Frank FURFARO (5 Niccolo SABATINI 60’) 18 Lewis MILNE
Substitutes not used: RGK Malek KUC, 2 Alex SILLA, 21 Paul ZIMARINO
Yellow cards: Pizzata 46’, Furfaro 59’, Colwell 90+1’

U20 FINAL

Perth SC 2 (Nazari 49, Garas 59)
Cockburn City 2 (Dulleh 25, Oldfield 32)
Perth win 5-2 on penalties

U18 FINAL

Bayswater City 1 (Coyne 32min)
Inglewood United 0