NPL WA: Olympic Kingsway and Perth RedStar continue winning ways at the top of the table

A two-way battle is emerging in the fight for this year’s NPL WA title, with Olympic Kingsway and Perth RedStar both winning to keep pace with one another up the top of the league.

Kingsway flexed their muscles with a big 6-1 win over Perth Glory, while Joel Chianese’s late strike delivered RedStar a 3-2 victory over Bayswater City.

The pair are locked on 36 points with six rounds to play, both boasting 11 wins from 16 games and are even points clear of third-placed Fremantle City, although Kingsway’s superior goal difference has them ahead.

They massaged said goal difference by thrashing the Glory, with Joe Knowles, Callum O’Connell and Joe Hobson giving them a 3-0 lead at half-time.

Young Glory star Giovanni De Abreu was sent off to compound matters as Knowles, Mitch Oxborrow and Tom Sallis added more goals after the break, while Laat Mathiang grabbed a consolation.

RedStar were forced to come from behind to beat Bayswater, who took the lead through Josh Bell before Theo Lemming equalised after the break.

Cameron Teece’s penalty restored Bayswater’s lead, but captain Blair Govan fired home from a corner before Chianese’s composed finish deep into the game sealed the comeback win.

Fremantle lost ground on the top two as they drew 2-2 with Stirling Macedonia at Hilton Park, with Pat Loughrey’s strike for the hosts cancelled out by Calvin Whitney and Luke Radonich before Shubham Mokala snared a point for Fremantle.

Kenny Lowe’s Perth SC moved seven points clear of last spot with a thumping 5-0 win over Balcatta Etna, as Gordon Perkins and James McNelis got the Azzurri off to a good start.

McNelis and Perkins grabbed seconds each after half-time before Sam Cook completed the rout in the second half.

Western Knights, who started the season strongly, succumbed to another loss as Pieter Jacobsz scored twice to give Armadale a 2-0 lead.

Inglewood remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder as Floreat won their third game on the trot 2-0, with Mohamed Al-Zaidy and Nick Ambrogio among the goals.

Watch every game of the NPL WA men’s and women’s seasons live on Streamer.