Inglewood United booked themselves in for a Grand Final re-match with Perth SC by out-shooting ECU Joondalup 6-5 on penalties in this evening’s Preliminary Final. The advantage was with Joondalup at the break but an inspired second half display highlighted by goals to Adam Tong and Brian Woodall sent a thrilling game at Inglewood Stadium to extra-time.
Joondalup retook the lead only for Woodall to make to three-all late in the second additional period, and with no further addition to the scoring the referee took proceedings to the spot. Goalkeeper Alex Dunn then stepped into the spotlight by saving two penalty attempts before Jason Barrera secured victory by converting Inglewood’s ninth spot-kick.
A lively opening had Brian Woodall’s shot cleared behind for a corner before Tommy Amphlett flashed wide at the opposite end of the park. Michael McDougall fired another warning shot on 20 minutes, calling Inglewood custodian Alex Dunn into action for the first time, while Kenny Keogh and Ashley Rosindale were unable to direct headed opportunities into the net.
It was looking as through the half would finish scoreless when Joondalup struck twice in quick succession. With 40 minutes on the clock Michael McDougall was afforded time and space to lash into the top corner from 25-metres. And three minutes later Paddy Doyle glanced in after meeting Daryl Nicol’s in-swinging free-kick.
A quiet start to the second half prompted Taki Nicolaidis to go to his bench, a decision that would turn the game in Inglewood’s favour. Adam Tong had been on the park just a couple of minutes when he latched onto Rosindale’s ball over the defence and delicately lobbed ‘keeper Lewis Italiano to half the deficit.
Tong was involved again eleven minutes later, a foul on the big defender leading referee Matthew Southern to point straight to the spot from where Woodall made no mistake. The momentum was now with Inglewood and Keogh came agonisingly close to deciding the game late in regulation time when he fired into the side netting.
Extra-time commenced with Keogh shooting wide and Calum O’Connell straight at Italiano. Inglewood suffered a setback on 101 minutes when Tim Robertson was issued a straight red carded for his shirt pull on Nicol. And things worsened shortly after when Andy Higgins’ corner allowed Bayley Brown-Montgomery to put Joondalup back into the lead.
Inglewood’s refusal to concede the game was rewarded five minutes from the end, Scott Witschge cutting the ball back from the byline to Woodall, who displayed great poise in levelling. A dramatic shoot-out had both teams squander chances to win before Dunn saved Jayden Drummond’s effort, after which Barrera coolly slotted in the decisive goal.
Match stats
Inglewood United (Adam Tong 66, Brian Woodall 77, 115)
ECU Joondalup (Michael McDougall 40, Paddy Doyle 43, Bayley Brown-Montgomery 104)
Inglewood United: Alex Dunn, Jason Colli (Tim Robertson 59), Scott Blackmore, David Cyrus, Calum O’Connell, Josh Pereira (Adam Tong 64), Jason Barrera, John Migas, Kenny Keogh, Ashley Rosindale (Scott Witschge 99), Brian Woodall
ECU Joondalup: Lewis Italiano, Cian Hirrell, Rikki Smith, Ryan Lowry, Andy Higgins, Tommy Amphlett (Bayley Brown-Montgomery 99), Steve McGarry, Shane Pickering, Michael McDougall, Daryl Nicol, Paddy Doyle (Jayden Drummond 79)
Bookings: Cyrus (8), Doyle (31), Blackmore (59), Nicol (90), Brown-Montgomery (111)
Dismissals: Robertson (101)