Report by Tristan Wheeler

Photo by Peter Simcox

 

An extra-time penalty handed Perth Glory a win over last-placed Mandurah City in a closely contested PS4 NPLWA encounter at Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Daniel Stynes and Kosta Petratos were enough to seal Glory’s second victory of the season, with Mandurah’s Ryan Francis providing some consolation for the home side with a scorching strike.

The match saw periods of dominance from both sides, with Glory unlucky not to go ahead after a dominant first half. Mandurah keeper Cyril Sharrock was busy and denied Glory with a series of spectacular saves.

His best was in the 15^th minute, diving to his left to stop a flicked Glory header from finding the net.

Mandurah started the second half with a renewed sense of vigour and took the lead in the 53^rd. Francis collected the ball outside the box and hit a curling shot into the left side of the net.

Conceding seemed to waken Glory and they began to regain the momentum. Eventually, they equalised in the 70^th minute. A long-range shot hit the post, deflecting into the back of Sharrock, and Stynes was on hand to score.

Mandurah striker Oriel Fernandez squandered two clear chances to put his side ahead. After being played clean through on goal in the 84^th, he could only manage to shoot wide. In the 86^th, a cross from Francis found him at point blank range to goal, however, he lobbed it over the keeper and the bar.

The deciding moment occured in the 90^th minute. Joseph Knowles darted into the box and was pulled down, gifting Glory a penalty. Petratos stepped up and hit the ball into the bottom corner, sealing the game for the Glory.

Glory coach John Gibson saw the penalty as a just reward for his team's dominance.

“We penetrated that area quite a bit, and there was always going to be a penalty or something coming from that,” he said.

Gibson was particularly complimentary of the character that his young team displayed, especially against a physically stronger Mandurah City side.

Mandurah coach Doug Hesketh felt his side was unlucky to lose.

“I thought they were fortunate with their first goal, it bounced off the post, into the back of [Sharrock’s] head, and then got given the penalty in the last minute,” he said.

“Although they were pretty with the ball and played efficiently, I thought the two goals that they scored were fortunate.”

The result sees the Glory pick up their second win of the season, while Mandurah is yet to win a game.

 

Mandurah City 1 (Francis 53min)

Perth Glory 2 (Stynes 70, Petratos 92)

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium

Kick-off: 3:00 pm

Referee: Steven Gregory

Assistant Referees:  Stuart Reeves, Arvin Shanmuganathan

Assessor: Giuliano Cantoni

Mandurah City: 1. Cyril SHARROCK, 2. Oliver MCGEE, 3.Jeffrey BRIGHT, 4. Matthew STARES, 5. Mitchell FIRTH, 6. Oscar THOMPSON, 7. Thomas STRAKER (17.Oriel FERNANDEZ 62), 8.Andrew BROWN © (16. Joseph O’BRIEN 80), 9. Mark MCAUGHLIN, 10. Sean TROUP, 11. Ryan FRANCIS.

Substitutes not used: 12. Jordan RHODES, 14. Slade RULE, 21. Bradley EIFFE.

Yellow Cards: Bright 38, McGee 93.

Red Cards: nil.

 

Perth Glory: 1. Jordan THURTELL, 2. Cam MURRAY, 4. Jack IREDALE, 5.Riley WARLAND, 7. Yacoub MUSTAFA (Michael MCDOUGALL 62), 8. Jack LEECH, 9. Joseph KNOWLES, 10. Daniel STYNES ©, 17. Kosta PETRATOS 21. Callum TIMMINS (Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN 80).

Substitutes not used: 13. Sam RIAK, 15. Callum DOBBS, 20. Stef KING.

Yellow Cards: nil.

Red Cards: nil.