Perth RedStar 1-5 Balcatta Etna
by Ben Gilby (13/9/25)
Above: Balcatta Etna in the huddle. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
A stunning second-half performance that saw Balcatta Etna hit four goals in an 18-minute spell delivered Pete Rakic’s side their first Top Four Cup since 2018, and their fourth overall.
The game, played in wet conditions at the Sam Kerr Football Centre looked to be ominiously poised towards a fourth straight RedStar victory in the NPLW WA season ending Grand Final, as the holders led at the break, but that what followed in the second 45 minutes was a tale of two substitutions followed by scintillating display of attacking football, which saw Abbey Meakins claim four goals and an assist.
RedStar boss Chris Atturo named exactly the same starting line-up from the side that overcame league champions Perth SC in the Qualifying Final on penalties last weekend. Indeed, there was only one change among their substitutes list as well, with goalkeeper Jess Skinner out, and Jayde O’Donohoe coming in.
Conversely, Balcatta were without key attackers Lucy Jerram and Jaime Duncanson, but in the resulting reshuffle, Liana Cook came back into the starting XI.
Etna came out strongest in the early stages, with Meakins’ free-kick after three minutes coming in from the left, parallel with the 18-yard line, being caught by Gabby Dal Busco in the RedStar goal at the second attempt.
Shortly afterwards, Meakins saw another effort go wide after getting on the end of a move that began with Carys Davis, so impressive in Tuesday’s Qualifying Final win at Perth SC, sweeping through before feeding Cook on the right. The ball came to Alyssa van Heurck centrally, who saw Meakins available for that final shot.
Balcatta had one more chance in this spell, and it came from another free-kick on the left. This time, it was Izzy Foletta who lifted the ball in. Van Heurck rose highest, but her header went wide of the back post.
RedStar turned the tide just before the half-hour mark. Grace Monteiro played a well-weighted ball for Renee Leota to swing a shot in, but it lacked the necessary power to trouble Rebecca Bennett in the Balcatta goal.
Then, with four minutes of regulation time in the half remaining, RedStar struck. Foletta had her pocket pinched by Jayna Ridley, who found Leota in midfield. She, in turn, fed Caitlin Doeglas outside her. The former A-League Women star continued the move by playing the ball out for Kaitlyn Bellanca on the right. Her high ball into the box was met by the head of Leota, who beat D’Opera to put her side ahead.
RedStar started where they left off in the second half with Leota flashing a cross through, but Ridley couldn’t quite reach it. However, this was their last real opportunity.
Looking back after the event, two substitutions – one for either side – at this point of the game had a massive influence on what was to follow. For Balcatta, on came Janelle St. Pierre in, for her, a relatively unfamiliar attacking position in place of Cook. For RedStar, experienced striker Doeglas was replaced by Quyen Doan, usually a defender, albeit one with a penchant for getting forward.
Within two minutes, Balcatta were level. Ella Marwick’s cross from the right was met by the head of Meakins, who saw the ball rebound off Monteiro and fall perfectly for her to sweep home at the second attempt.
Just after the hour mark, Etna missed two great chances. First, Davis played Meakins in, but the resulting shot was held by the diving Dal Busco, and then Gale profited from Teixeira’s clearance attempt only to see her effort go wide of the right-hand post.
But with 20 minutes to go, Balcatta hit the front. Gale motored along the left before cutting inside to find Meakins, who smashed home from a central position on the edge of the area.
Shortly afterwards, there was an almighty scramble in the RedStar box as St. Pierre, whose arrival shook up the Etna front line, and Gale both saw efforts just about cleared before the referee signalled for a Balcatta free-kick on the edge of the area.
As she so often does in such positions, up stepped Meakins to lift the set-piece straight into the top of the net to complete a 16-minute hat-trick.
Now two goals down, how RedStar could have done with the attacking nous of Doeglas.
It was though to get far worse for the holders. Balcatta were not finished yet, as just two minutes later, they racked up their fourth. This time, Meakins was the provider as she slotted through a low pass for Gale to slide home another goal.
RedStar were stunned and totally helpless by this stage, and Meakins was able to claim her fourth goal from van Heurck’s lay-off that was gleefully smashed home with two minutes of regular time remaining.
It was so nearly six of the best for Balcatta in stoppage time when Mia Hargreaves received the ball totally unmarked in the box following Gale’s pass from the right, but the substitute lifted her shot over the top.
This was a phenomenal second-half performance from Balcatta Etna to claim their first Top Four Cup in seven years. Whilst the final month of their campaign turned into a grind with a mountain of postponed fixtures to play, leading them to face a period of ten matches in six weeks, there is now so much to celebrate for them.
Pete Rakic guided his team to all three cup finals in 2025 – winning two of them – the season-opening Night Series, and the finale Top Four Cup, and due recognition is required.
For Perth RedStar, this is a first season without silverware since 2021, but you just know they will be doing everything between now and March to put that right and come back powerfully in 2026.
Teams: PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Teixeira, Monteiro, Dunn, Woolley, C.Bennett, Bellanca, Coleman, Ridley, Leota, Doeglas. Substitutes: Doan (for Doeglas 56′), Lornie, Finnegan (for Woolley 89′), Mogridge (for Bennett 72′), Devitt (for Teixeira 89′), O’Donohoe.
Scorers: Leota 41′.
BALCATTA ETNA: R.Bennett, M. D’Opera, Foletta, Murray, Davis, Marwick, van Heurck, Jarvis, Cook, Meakins, Gale. Substitutes: Hargreaves (for Jarvis 82′), Britton, Gama, St. Pierre (for Cook 55′), Comito, Nikoloska (for Marwick 87′).
Scorers: Meakins 58′, 70′, 74′, 88′. Gale 76′.
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