A last-minute strike by Matthew Ntoumenopoulos gave Inglewood United a share of the spoils from this afternoons National Premier Leagues encounter with Cockburn City.   It was looking as though Inglewood would go home from Dalmatinac Park with nothing to show for their efforts when Ntoumenopoulos added to Alex Salmon’s first half finish and earned a deserved 2-2 draw.

Inglewood rode their luck early on and could have found themselves a goal down if not for the quick-thinking of Alex Dunn, who raced off his line to thwart Daniel Robinson.   Having got over their nerves, the visitors seized the lead on 28 minutes when Jason Barrera and Chok Dau combined for Salmon to calmly tuck in his thirteenth goal of the winter.

And it was very nearly two-nil a few minutes after, Brian Woodall combining nicely with Salmon only for his goalbound finish to be deflected over the crossbar.   Central defensive pair Scott Blackmore and David Cyrus made sure Cockburn posed little threat going forward with the hosts only chance being Reuben Tristao’s hopeful long-range chip.

The game was turned on its head after the break with Robinson netting twice in the space of twelve minutes to put Cockburn in the box seat.   Substitute Ashley Rosindale went agonisingly close to getting Inglewood back on level terms with a fine angled shot that Luke Radonich somehow got a glove onto.

The frame of the goal twice came to Inglewood’s rescue as Cockburn pressed for a third goal.   With the final whistle nearing Dau set off down the left flank and squared to Adam Tong who, after fending off his marker, laid the ball into the path of Ntoumenopoulos who made no mistake side-footing into the net.

Match stats

Cockburn City 2 (Robinson 50, 62)
Inglewood United 2 (Alex Salmon 28, Matthew Ntoumenopoulos 89)

Cockburn City: Luke Radonich, Blake Adams, Euen Grant, Chris Thackaray, Joshua Kuser, Julian Teles (Losene Dulleh 84), Reuben Tristao, Cameron Edwards, Kenel Mouithys (Ryan Pratt 46), Harry O’Brien, Daniel Robinson

Inglewood United: Alex Dunn, John Migas, Scott Blackmore, David Cyrus, Jason Colli, Matthew Ntoumenopoulos, Jason Barrera (Adam Tong 71), Chok Dau, Brian Woodall, Kenny Keogh (Ashley Rosindale 46), Alex Salmon (Mark Pritchard 55)

Bookings: Kuser

Dismissals: Nil