A spirited second half fightback by Perth SC in sweltering conditions at Macedonia Park earned the Azzurri a well deserved point in an entertaining clash against Stirling Macedonia on Saturday.
Down 3-1 at half-time, the boys dug deep to secure a point on the road to remain unbeaten after three rounds of the 2025 NPLM league season.
Azzurri striker Gordon Perkins led the line superbly, putting in a massive shift and scoring two goals to cap off a man-of-the-match performance.
Young defender Luca Hirninger also continued his goalscoring form by getting the other goal for the Azzurri.
Ethan Banks continued his early season form, causing the Macedonia defence problems for most of the afternoon.
But it was a former Azzurri youth player who hit the back of the net for the home side first.
Josh Bilaloski put Macedonia up 1-0 in the 18th minute after a poor clearance from Perth SC goalkeeper Mark Birighitti was won by Kade Fearnall in midfield. Fearnall found Bilaloski in the box, who turned Hirninger and found space for a snapshot past Birighitti and into the net.
Perth SC were square four minutes later, when an exquisite ball from Banks played through Perkins who made no mistake firing through the legs of Stirling keeper James Bosdet.
However, Perth SC fell behind once again two minutes later, when a clever dummy in midfield by Stirling’s Danny Douglas set up Sam Wynne to play wide to Sam Dweh, whose cross from the right was finished by Bilaloski on the second attempt despite the best efforts of Perth SC defender Josh Cala.
Douglas then put Macedonia 3-1 up just before half time with a cracking volley from outside the box after his first attempt moments earlier had hit the crossbar.
The Azzurri signalled its intentions early in the second half when Hirninger hooked Banks’ cross over Stirling keeper Bosdet and onto the underside of the bar and into the net.
Both sides had great opportunities, with Bilaloski missing a chance for his hat-trick when he fired over the bar from close range and Banks shooting wide after Perkins set up a great chance for an equaliser. Bosdet also saved well from Perkins after some good play from Azzurri substitute Daniel Faichney on the left.
The equaliser came in the 71st minute. Perth SC substitute David Ninkovich broke through the midfield and played through Banks, who was stopped by a charging Bosdet. Banks retrieved the loose ball and squared to Faichney, who could not get his foot to it under pressure from the Stirling defence, but it then fell to Perkins who made no mistake from close range.
There were several chances for both teams in the last 20 minutes, the best falling to Macedonia substitute Alex Tanevski who fired wide after a stray pass out of the Azzurri defence.
Perth SC are in fourth position on the NPLM ladder after three rounds with seven points. The Azzurri travel to Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday to take on Sorrento FC.