Round 3 – West Perth v Subiaco Match ReportSunday, April 2, 2017 - 11:00 PM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO and West Perth games rarely fail to deliver and Saturday's clash at HBF Arena was another tight affair with Ben Sokol proving the difference as the Lions won by 11 points.

West Perth finished the first half on fire with five goals in 11 minutes to lead by eight points at the main break.

But Sokol caught fire kicking four goals to start the third term to put the Lions on top and that was enough to set up the eventual 13.9 (87) to 11.10 (76) victory.

Sokol was the star for Subiaco kicking five goals from 25 possessions, 11 marks and five tackles.

Liam Ryan also kicked two first quarter goals for Subiaco. But that was with his opponent for the day Kody Manning off the field. The rest of the day Manning held him goalless while having 23 possessions himself.

With Damon Guiness absent for Subiaco, Lachlan Delahunty moved back into his more familiar ruck role and did well with 24 possessions and 19 hit outs. 

But Seva Mozhaev battled hard for West Perth too with 12 touches and 34 hit outs.

Chris Phelan was tremendous through the middle for the Lions racking up 31 disposals, nine inside-50 entries, five marks, five tackles and a goal.

Leigh Kitchin also finished with 28 possessions and seven tackles for Subiaco while Kyal Horsley had 25 touches, Max Walters 21 and Joel Latham 20.

Subiaco's defence held up well led Declan Jackson keeping Michael Lourey goalless.

Trent Manzone continued to emerge as a star in the midfield for West Perth racking up 35 possessions to go with seven marks and five inside-50 entries.

Shane Nelson gathered another 33 disposals while Kris Shannon finished with 27 touches, Corey Chalmers 26, Luke Meadows 21, Blake Wilhelm 20, Scott Nelson 18, Mark Hamilton 17 and Andrew Strijk 17.

Tyler Keitel stood tall in the forward-line for West Perth booting four goals from nine kicks and five marks.

It took eight minutes for the first goal of the game and that came Subiaco's way thanks to Kitchin. West Perth replied thanks to Shannon before the Lions booted the next two. 

Both came to Ryan with Manning taking a spell off the ground and they opened a two-goal advantage.

The Falcons then responded with the next two thanks to Tyson Moulton and Chalmers as the home team drew level but the Lions took a six-point lead into quarter-time after Bailey Matera kicked truly.

Subiaco threatened to blow the game open after the opening two goals of the second term to Clancy Wheeler and Phelan. That saw the Lions' lead grow to 14 points but again the Falcons responded.

West Perth got on a roll with five goals in 11 minutes with Keitel booting two and Strijk, Meadows and Hamilton one a piece to see them lead by eight points at the long break.

West Perth might have had the momentum heading into half-time but Subiaco quickly reclaimed it with five goals inside the first 19 minutes of the third quarter.

It was Sokol who was the star kicking the first four of them before Brad Stevenson got in on the act to make the lead 21 points.

A couple of late goals before three quarter-time from Keitel did keep the Falcons within tough and just nine points behind though.

Sokol's fifth goal again gave Subiaco some breathing room and while West Perth had a sniff late with a goal to captain Jay van Berlo, the Lions held on to win by 11 points.

Following two home games, West Perth takes on South Fremantle on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Subiaco returns to Leederville Oval on Saturday for a grand final rematch with Peel Thunder.

SUBIACO        4.2    7.4    12.5    13.9    (87)
WEST PERTH        3.2    8.6    10.8    11.10    (76)

SUBIACO – Goals: Sokol 5; Ryan 2; Nelson, Matera, Wheeler, Stevenson, Phelan, Kitchin.
Best: Sokol, Phelan, Delahunty, Kitchin, Horsley, Jackson, Walters.
WEST PERTH – Goals: Keitel 4; Strijk, Meadows, Chalmers, J van Berlo, Moulton, Shannon, Hamilton.
Best: Manning, Manzone, Shane Nelson, Keitel, Chalmers, Shannon.