FALCONS RESERVES INTO PRELIMINARY FINAL

THE reserves began a massive day for West Perth at Claremont Oval on Sunday by continuing its good form beating East Perth to advance to this Sunday's preliminary final.

The Falcons reserves finished the home and away season in outstanding form winning seven straight matches to end up finishing in fourth position on the ladder and setting up a first semi-final derby at Claremont Oval on Sunday.

West Perth then advanced to this Sunday's preliminary final back at Claremont Oval up against a Perth team who might have finished as the minor premier in the reserves, but has lost its last two games both against South Fremantle.

The Falcons finished right over the top of the Royals on Saturday morning kicking five goals to three in the final quarter to end up winning 11.6 (72) to 10.3 (63).

The Falcons got off to a bright start at the super early bounce down time of 9.05am kicking four goals to one in the opening quarter to hold a handy 19-point lead at quarter-time.

However, East Perth fired back in the second term with four goals to one of its own to cut West Perth's advantage at the main break to just two points.

It was a low-scoring and tight third quarter with the Royals kicking two goals to the Falcons' one to see East Perth up by five points at the last change.

It was all West Perth in the final quarter, though, with the Falcons booting five goals to three to secure the nine-point win to stay alive in season 2013.

Ruckman Frank Stockley again led the way for West Perth as he has admirably all season long finishing with 21 possessions, seven marks, 37 hit outs, four inside-50 entries and a goal.

Corey Chalmers, Joe Morrow and Matt Johnson also kicked two goals apiece for the Falcons with Jack Thrum gathering 18 possessions, Brayden Antonio 17, James Batterham 16, Cameron Branch 14 and Aidan Lynch 14.

The West Perth reserves have now won eight straight matches heading into the preliminary final against Perth where the Falcons will be trying to join the league side in the grand final for 2013.

West Perth and Perth's reserves teams met twice during the home and away season with the Falcons winning by 10 points at Arena Joondalup in Round 10 and then by 52 points at Lathlain's Brownes Stadium in Round 21.

The reserves clash will also be back to the regular time slot of 11.35am this Sunday.

WEST PERTH 4.2 5.3 6.4 11.6 (72)

EAST PERTH 1.1 5.1 7.3 10.3 (63)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Johnson, Morrow, Chalmers 2; Antonio, Stockley, McNamara, Rohde, Money.

Best: Stockley, Thrum, Embley, Antonio, Batterham, Lynch.

EAST PERTH – Goals: Locantro 4; Warrell, Brookes 2; Gordon, Boyes.

Best: Boyes, Grover, Higgins, Payne, Locantro, Hart.

BY CHRIS PIKE