A last minute goal by Feisal Zaw earned Balcatta a 2-1 win over crosstown rivals Stirling Lions at Macedonia Park on Saturday.

The visitors recovered their form against a Stirling outfit who started proceedings on the back of a six-game winning streak.

Balcatta’s Marc Anthony said he was delighted with the result.

“It’s a tough place to come, they’ve been on fire recently, and we knew they would be a big threat,” he said.

“Credit to all the lads, we’re a very young playing group and we just kept going.”

Balcatta pressed hard early and opened their account in the 6th minute when Cameron Teece was given too much time at the edge of the area.

Teece fired at John Perkins who saved the initial attempt, but Gomo Dukully was on hand to bury the follow-up.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead in similar fashion in the 22nd minute, but this time Perkins was on hand to save Carlo Coelho’s follow-up attempt.

Stirling began to play some football of their own, and Blamo Qua Qua was unlucky not to draw his side level with his terrific long-range shot in the 40th minute.

Daniel Micevski and David Micevski had a chance each to score late in the first half but neither shot challenged Davies.

The second half consisted of end to end football with both sides having their fair share of possession and chances.

Stirling found their equaliser in the 82nd minute when David Micevski executed a trademark free kick to the elation of the home fans.

Daniel Micevski made a great run in to the box in the 87th minute and was seemingly brought to ground, but his appeal for a penalty was waved away despite cries of protest from the Stirling faithful.

It was the visitors who sealed the result in the last minute of regular time when Zaw tapped home following a great ball in from the left by Teece.

Zaw said his side has worked hard at training to recover their form, following recent defeats to Floreat Athena in round eight and Inglewood United in the Westfield FFA Cup quarter-finals.

“Lately the boys have really stuck together and it showed today against Stirling who are in good form,” he said.

Stirling coach Rob Milevski said he was disappointed but credited Balcatta on a strong performance.

“I think it was a fair result, they took their chances and are deserved winners,” he said.

“We’re just going to have to regroup and focus on the next game now, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

The result sees Stirling drop to third place, six points behind table-topping Inglewood United.

Stirling Lions 1 (David Micevski 82)
Balcatta 2 (Dukully 6, Zaw 90)
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Tom Glavovic
Assistant referees: John Taran, Hayden Frost

Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 4. Blamo QUA QUA, 5. Graham DORAN, 6. Brodie MARTIN (c) (7. Milorad VUJACIC 83), 8. David SESAY, 10. Daniel MICEVSKI, 11. David MICEVSKI, 12. Jason RUBIDGE (9. Robert PETKOV 55), 14. David MURPHY, 15. Shane CASSIDY, 17. Teeboy KAMARA,
Substitutes not used: 3. Paul DAVID, 13. Ben CAMPBELL, 20. Connor CAMPBELL
Yellow cards: Martin 13’
Red cards: nil

Balcatta: GK Clint DAVIES, 2. Hanafi GHAZALI, 6. John CORNESS, 10. Zelfy NAZARY, 11. Feisal ZAW, 12. Eamon McNELIS, 13. Cameron TEECE, 15. Carlo COELHO (16. Marc ELDRIDGE 68), 17. Kieran COLWELL (c), 19. Alan CARROLL, 23. Gomo DUKULLY (22. Scott NEWLAND 76)
Substitutes not used: 5. Carmelo GIUFFRE, 21. Damien STANOEVSKI
Yellow cards: Colwell 19’, Teece 62’, Newland 83’
Red cards: nil

Report by Aidan Shaw

Three extra-time goals to Brodie Martin, Blamo Quaqua and Jason Rubidge, who completed his hat-trick, was enough to put the home side into the next round.

Rubidge praised the composure of his team to pull through, while also praising the opposition’s resilience.

“They [Curtin] defended really well. They took their chances in attack; I think they only had a couple of shots and they made them count,” he said.

“We were told [after regulation time] to get back to the game plan. A couple of times in the first half particularly we went away from it and there was just too much fancy stuff. We needed to get back to basics.

“At the end of the day, at least we got through, that’s the main thing, being through to the semis.”

Stirling looked like they would make easy work of Curtin after a brilliant assist from Teeboy Kamara saw Rubidge slot one into the back of the net after just five minutes.

Curtin, however, were able to deal with constant attacking pressure from the home team, and with a rare opportunity up forward, Khaled Salhah managed to draw a free kick and convert with a powerful set-piece.

After what had been an open and very attacking first half, Stirling upped the ante early in the second with a flurry of quick attacking breaks, orchestrated primarily by Kamara’s speed on the wing.

However, there was plenty of frustration on the pitch and in the stands as Curtin’s miserly defence continued to force Stirling into offside traps.

The ball spent a lot of time in Stirling’s final third, and the result looked set in stone when the favourites kicked true in the 79th minute – a second goal to Rubidge – to bring the score to 2-1.

Curtin refused to be denied, though, a chain of precise passes through the middle of the ground saw the ball land at Arijan Stovrag’s feet and he fired it into the goal in the dying stages of regular time to force the crowd into hysterics and the game itself into extra time.

Stirling took their class advantage into the next stretch of play, and substitute Martin was able to convert with a break-through shot at goal in the 95th minute.

Rubidge completed his hat-trick early in the second half of extra time, while Quaqua sealed the deal in the dying seconds to see the home team walk away with a 5-2 win.

Curtin coach Campbell Ballantyne emphasised that while there was a case for mixed emotions, both coaches and players could hold their heads high.

“I said to the boys, I’m so proud of their performance today. To take Stirling Lions to extra time was phenomenal.

“We’ve just had a Stirling Lions supporter come up and say ‘Well done’. We’re a division two side. We’ve been a state league side for three years. Stirling have done it all, they’ve won the state title on a number of occasions. This is the furtherest we’ve ever been, so I’m happy.”

Stirling Lions FC 5 (Jason Rubidge 5′, 79′, 108′ Brodie Martin 95′; Blamo Quaqua 120’+1)
Curtin University FC 2 (Arijan Stovrag 21′; Khaled Salhah 91′)
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 5:30pm
Referee: J. Mannella
Assistant Referees: M. Jasinski, D. Cole

Stirling Lions: 1. Connor CAMPBELL, 2. Michael PUGLIESE, 4. Blamo QUAQUA, (6. Brodie MARTIN 95′), 7. Miki VUJACIC, 8. David SESAY, 10. Daniel MICEVSKI, 11. Daniel MICEVSKI, 12. Jason RUBIDGE (5′, 79′, 108′), 14. David MURPHY, 15. Shane CASSIDY, (16. Abdul SESAY) 17. Teeboy KAMARA, (20. Lance ATAVAKIS)
Substitutes not used: 3. Lukas DELIMA, 13. William KESSEL
Yellow Cards: 14. David MURPHY
Red Cards: Nil

Curtin University: 1. Jack KENNY, 2. Daniel YOUNG, 6. Dominic JACKSZUK, 7. Kye MIDDLETON, 10. Edward Tickoft, (12. Lee TAYLOR) 15. Kahled Salhah (91′), (16. Dilip Masrangi), 23. Kristian BEVAN, 29. Robbie NICHOLL, 30. Antony RUSSO, 40. Jonathon KRAWEC, (41. Brandon KAGARO) 46. Arijan STOVRAG (21′)
Substitutes not used: 3. Mark MATKOVIC, 27. Lewis HARVEY
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil

Guests will be treated to live music, cultural performances, guest speakers, soccer highlights, FREE cocktail food, wine and beer.

Prizes up for grabs & more surprises.

When: Saturday July 9th at 6.30pm
Where: Macedonia Park, 273 Albert St Balcatta
Tickets: $60
Dress: Cocktail

Purchase Tickets at Macedonia Park or online at http://MacedoniaPark30.EventBrite.com.au

Stirling Lions rose to third on the PS4 National Premier Leagues WA ladder after a 3-2 win over Floreat Athena at Macedonia Park on Saturday.

Captain Milorad Vujacic gave the Lions the lead in the 20th minute, along with a second half free kick from David Micevski and a Teeboy Kamara goal in the 73rd.

Lewis McMahon grabbed a second half brace for Floreat, including a penalty, but the visitors couldn’t overtake the Lions.

Stirling coach Rob Milevski said it was good to achieve some consistency despite the nail-biting end to the match.

“It’s lifted our confidence coming against some quality teams in the last few weeks and getting the results,” he said.

“However we let ourselves down in attack in the first half of the match, we should have been a bit more clinical and gone into the break a few more goals up.

“Hopefully we can keep the momentum up against Sorrento next week.”

Stirling led the charge in the first half releasing Kamara numerous times but after latching on to a long ball from a goal-kick, his 15th minute goal was disallowed.

The opening goal came five minutes later from Vujacic who confidently struck the ball past keeper Jason Saldaris.

Saldaris kept the visitors in the match with key saves throughout the half, closing down Kamara on the break and saving a free kick a minute after the opening goal.

But Floreat weren’t without their chances. Declan Hargreaves’ corner kick in the 18th minute found Blair Govan’s head, but was denied by keeper John Perkins.

The Lions doubled their score in the second half with a textbook free kick from David Micevski settling into the bottom right corner of the net in the 65th minute.

Floreat managed to get their first on the scoreboard eleven minutes later with McMahon capitalising on a penalty area scramble.

It was a momentary celebration as a minute later Blamo Qua Qua spotted Saldaris off his line and attempted a lob from the halfway mark, but the keeper scrambled just in time.

Kamara snatched possession back immediately after and finally scored the elusive goal he had been hunting for.

Tension heightened when Floreat won a penalty in the 83rd minute and McMahon converted it, but Stirling rode out the final minutes to seal the win.

Floreat coach Glen Grostate thought his side gave the game away from the very start.

“We weren’t good on the ball, our structure wasn’t right, and to be honest we almost gave them the three goals,” he said.

“We were creative enough to score goals, but every time we scored and gained some momentum we made another mistake.

“But we’re only into the sixth game of the season, so we just have to keep fighting, because we are a good team.”

Stirling Lions 3 (Vujacic 20min, David Micevski 65, Kamara 73)
Floreat Athena 2 (McMahon 76mins, 84)
Saturday April 30, 2016
Macedonia Park
Local kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant Referees: Oliver Allen, Liviu Katona

Stirling Lions: GK John PERKINS, 2. Michael PUGLIESE, 5. Graham DORAN, Milorad VUJACIC (C), 10. Daniel MICEVSKI, 11. David MICEVSKI, 12. Jason RUBIDGE (6. Ben CAMPBELL 84’), 14. David MURPHY, 15. Shane CASSIDY, 16. Lukas DELIMA (4. Blamo QUA QUA 46’), 17. Teeboy KAMARA.
Substitutes not used: RGK Connor CAMPBELL, 3. Jack MCMASTER, 8. William KESSEL.
Yellow cards: Delima 27’, Pugliese 84’, Qua Qua 86’, Murphy 88’.
Red cards: nil

Floreat Athena: GK Jason SALDARIS, 3. Blair GOVAN, 5. Bobby WILSON, 6. Clayton ARNEZ (4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO 57’), 8. Jonathan STYNES, 11. Dennis GALAN, 12. Declan HARGREAVES, 14. Ludovic BOI (c), 15. Christopher SALDARIS, 18. Phillip ARNOLD, 19. Lewis MCMAHON.
Substitutes not used: RGK Thomas CHUDY, 13. Aaron DELANY, 20. Kye DOUGLAS, 16. Sam KHANKHALILI.
Yellow cards: Wilson 21’, Arnold 65’, Hargreaves 76’.
Red cards: nil