Kenny Keogh’s match-winning performance in Sunday’s National Premier Leagues defeat of Joondalup United has been applauded by coach Taki Nicolaidis.   Keogh celebrated his return to the starting eleven with a characteristically terrier-like performance that reaped a deserved hat-trick and guided Inglewood to a 5-2 victory.

Nicolaidis was delighted with the way Keogh continually teased and tormented the Joondalup defence across the opening stages of the weekend game.   “Kenny was great for the first 20 minutes, but drifted out of the game,” Nicolaidis said of Keogh, who was provider for Alex Salmon to head Inglewood into a 5th minute lead.

A half-time chat with Nicolaidis provided Keogh the spark he needed to reassert himself on the game.   “I had a few words with him at half-time and he got his second wind,” he said.   “He’s been working hard to get his fitness levels up and he was in the right place at the right time to score a hat-trick.”

Although Salmon had Inglewood on the scoreboard early, it was Joondalup that went into the break ahead through Richard Howles’ double.   Keogh brought the teams level midway through the second period then scored twice more in a frenetic final ten-minutes during which Salmon again found the back of the net.

“It was the story of our season.   We play some really good football and one mistake costs us a goal,” said Nicolaidis, whose team leapt from eighth to fifth on the competition ladder following the win.   “But I asked for a response at half-time and I got it, which is pleasing … hopefully that’s the kick start to our season.”