Report by Peter Simcox

Photo by Peter Simcox
 
A late goal from Joe Knowles has given Perth Glory a vital 1-1 draw against ECU Joondalup at the ECU Joondalup Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
The powerful finish from the former ECU player cancelled out an early Shane Pickering goal for the home side with the result moving Glory up into 12th position on the table.
 
Knowles, who had been out injured for a number of weeks, said it was good to get on the scoresheet and said they deserved it.
 
“We weren’t switched on for their opening goal, but I thought we showed great character to come back and dominated for most of the game.
 
“I’ve had trouble with my right groin, and to be fair I’d been shanking them all day with my left, so I took a chance with my right and happy it went in.
 
“It’s my first 90 minutes in a while, so I’m glad to get that in my locker, but we have a big game next week and we’ll be doing all we can to get a result,” Knowles said.
 
Glory Coach John Gibson said it was a good performance from his young side and they need to start believing in themselves more.
 
“This young group showed great resilience again to get back in the game,” he said.
 
“But the lads need to show belief, they’ve got to be confident and don’t be scared to win, and that’s something that’s been a challenge for us, but they have grown up really quickly.
 
“It was a super point, but credit to the senior boys, Brandon (Wilson), Joe (Knowles) and Nick (Feely) they were magnificent for us today and we now move on to Cockburn next week.”
 
It was the home side who made the perfect start, taking the lead after only two minutes when Sam Pollard’s free-kick was finished low by Pickering.
 
Glory settled and started to take control of the game as Michael McDougall’s shot was saved low by Fraser Greenwood.
 
Moments later Daniel Stynes’ free-kick was well saved by the ECU custodian, and the follow up shot from Brandon Wilson was also saved low by Greenwood.
 
It was more of the same after the break as substitute Yacoub Mustafa was denied by Greenwood early.
 
Glory continued to push for the equaliser and it eventually came on 83 minutes.
 
Knowles won possession in the middle of the park before driving forward and finishing low past greenwood.
 
Glory head into next week’s game against Cockburn needing a win for survival, as rivals Balcatta and Mandurah meet each other in the other key relegation fixture.  
 
ECU Joondalup 1 (Pickering 2min)
Perth Glory 1 (Knowles 83min)
Saturday, August 19, 2017
ECU Joondalup Football Stadium
Referee: Tom Dowle
Assistant referees: Andre Ferreira, Vraj Patel
 
ECU Joondalup: GK Fraser GREENWOOD, 3 Ross MILLARD, 4 Steven MCGARRY, 5 Rikki SMITH, 6 Shane PICKERING, 7 Kevin MOON, 8 Declan HUGHES, 9 Daryl NICOL, 10 Gordon SMITH, 11 Samuel POLLARD, 17 Jack JONES
Substitutes not used: RGK Jordan YOUNG, 12 Fraser GARNAUT, 13 James OWEN, 16 Tom HOUGH,19 Graham DORAN
Yellow cards: Moon 48’
Red Cards: nil
 
Perth Glory: GK Nick FEELY, 2 Luca BODNAR, 3 Hayden STEVENS, 4 Cameron MURRAY, 5 Ollie ANNIS, 6 Callum TIMMINS, 7 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (14 Yacoub MUSTAFA 46’), 8 Brandon WILSON, 9 Joseph KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES, 11 Michael MCDOUGALL (12 Gomo DUKULY 67’)
Substitutes not used: RGK Kyle MCDONALD, 13 Jack LEECH, 17 Sam RIAK
Yellow cards: Timmins 42’, Knowles 68’, Wilson 74’
Red cards: nil