Report by Peter Simcox

Photos: Peter Simcox

Tommy Amphlett hit a late equaliser to earn ECU Joondalup a 2-2 draw with Perth Glory at Inglewood Stadium yesterday.

The home side looked on course for back-to-back wins for the first time this season after Slobodan Vulin’s penalty and a Stefan Valentini strike either side of half time had given them a two-goal lead.

But substitute Paddy Doyle pulled one back for the visitors, before former Perth Glory midfielder Amphlett stuck late to earn his side a share of the spoils.

 
ECU coach Dale McCulloch said the character of his young side had shone through.

“It’s been a difficult season for us but today I thought the character of my squad was outstanding,” he said.

“We changed the formation after half time and we stopped their impact in the game. We gave away a sloppy second goal but we kept pressing and got our rewards in the end.”  

The coach was delighted with Amphlett’s all-round contribution.

“Many people have said if Tommy isn’t scoring goals he has a quiet game but that’s not right,” McCulloch said.

“The work he’s doing coming back the other way is important for us and today he battled back, won tackles, and at the end showed his class with a great finish.”

Perth Glory coach John Gibson, although disappointed to have let the win slip, thought his side were fantastic.

“It’s disappointing to concede so late, but we will use it as a learning moment as well, and we will have to show a bit more maturity to be able to kill off games when we’re in that situation,” he said.

“But credit to the opposition, they have struggled with injuries all season, so I thought they showed great character to come back and earn a point.”

Gibson said Glory had tweaked their formation in recent weeks.

“We have two out and out strikers at the moment, and both Nikola (Talimdzioski) and Stefan (Valentini) have scored recently, which is great,” he said.

“We’ll learn from this game and move forward. We were good at the back and our midfield was strong, but we got caught out in transition for both of their goals, which we will need to work on.”

ECU, whose injury crisis meant they went into the game with three teenagers in the back four, had the first real opportunity in a tight opening. Amphlett was on the end of Jon Higgins’ through ball, but his shot was saved by Jordan Thurtell.

But as the half progressed the home side began to take control. Dejan Spaseski saw his header superbly tipped over by Jamie Serra on the half hour, before Jacob Collard’s free kick was saved low at his near post by the ECU custodian.

Then in the shadows of half time Glory hit the front. Talimdzioski raced into the left hand side of the penalty area and was brought down by Kye Douglas.

Vulin stepped up and sent Serra the wrong way to give Glory the lead at the break.     

Both sides went close after the break; Higgins’ header was saved by Thurtell before Waliedin Ismail fired straight at Serra.

But as ECU looked like they were getting back into the game, Glory doubled their advantage.

Collard’s free kick was headed back to him, and his deep cross from the left picked out the unmarked Valentini at the back post, who fired home.

McCulloch changed his formation as ECU looked to get back in the game, and Higgins, who was moved to a more forward role, saw his first time shot well saved by Thurtell.

Then on 81 minutes they reduced the margin. The lively Josh Tucker, who was causing Glory problems down the right, crossed to Higgins, who flicked the ball on to Doyle, who bundled the ball over the line at the second attempt.

It was game on and the momentum was with ECU, who levelled four minutes later.

Joe Smith made space down the right and played in Amphlett, who raced into the area and finished clinically past Thurtell.

It was a frantic end to the game and both sides had late chances to win it.  Tucker fired wide after cutting inside the penalty area in stoppage time.

Then with the last kick of the day Collard’s powerful free kick was saved by Serra. But they had to settle for a point.

After the final whistle Glory midfielder Vulin was shown a second yellow card.

Perth Glory 2 (Vulin 42 mins (pen), Talimdzioski 66)
ECU Joondalup 2 (Doyle 79 mins, Amphlett 85)
Saturday July 26 2015
Venue: Inglewood Stadium, Inglewood
Referee: Ammar Timour
Assistants: Shane Skinner and David Pohlenz  

Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Gian ALBANO (15 Ross MILLARD 85’), 3 Jacob COLLARD (C), 4 Nathan COSTELLO, 5 Tom KING, 6 Calvin WHITNEY, 7 Waliedin ISMAIL (12 Sean TROUP 78’), 9 Nikola TALIMDZIOSKI, 10 Slobodan VULIN, 11Stefan VALENTINI, 16 Dejan SPASESKI
Subs not used: RGK Jordan FRANKEN, 13 Sam MACKEARAN, 14 Daniel STYNES
Yellow cards: Vulin 47’, 94’
Red cards: Vulin 94’

ECU Joondalup: GK Jamie SERRA, 2 Ryan LOWRY, 3 Jon HIGGINS (C), 4 Coire McGUIGAN,  5 Kye DOUGLAS, 6 Cian HIRRELL, 7 Paul MILLER, 8 Joe SMITH, 9 Josh TUCKER,  10 Bayley MONTGOMERY (11 Paddy DOYLE 46’), 13 Tommy AMPHLETT
Subs not used: RGK Andy BANKS, 12 Ollie ANNIS, 14 Ronald RIXER, 15 Damien SIMIC
Yellow cards: Montgomery 26’, Tucker 63’, Miler 67’, Amphlett 90’
Red cards: Nil