Petkov earns Floreat draw at Glory

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Report by Tommy Doleman

 

Photo by FotoEnzo

Perth Glory missed the opportunity to go four points clear at the top of the NPL WA table after Robert Petkov scored a late equaliser for Floreat Athena.

 

The visitors, under new first-team coach Garrett McDuling, were up for a battle against the pacesetters and took the lead when Ryan Malton bundled home.

 

Yacoub Mustafa and Michael Domfeh hit back quickly to give Glory the lead before half-time and they looked like they would hold on for three points, before conceding late on to Petkov.

 

The point restored Glory's gap at the summit to two points, which they had going into the weekend. But head coach John Gibson said it felt like a chance squandered ahead of next weekend's blockbuster away to Bayswater.

 

"We've spoken just now about how far we've come as a group. In years gone by we would have been happy with the result, but now we're at the top of the table it feels like a missed opportunity," he said.

 

"Fair play to Floreat, they're fighting for their lives. But we gave away two soft goals and that's tough to take."

 

Gibson, though, was proud with the response his team gave after conceding the opener to the visitors.

 

"We have a lot of character in this group," he said.

 

"We have provided a lot of opportunities to the young players and they're acquitting themselves so well and punching above their weight. But we went slightly away from our process and that's what's let us down today."

 

McDuling, who arrived at Athena in the week from coaching the Perth SC Under-20 team, was pleased with the performance of his side.

 

"It was a good showing. We know Glory are performing well week in and week out," he said.

 

"Today we set out to compete. I've inherited a quality team and it's about slowly learning their attributes.

 

"I think it's [our league position] surprised a lot of people, especially the players, but it's a wake-up call.

 

"The boys know they can compete with the best and we've shown that today, even when the going got tough at 2-1 down."

 

The game itself was a slow-burner with Glory on the front foot and calling on visiting goalkeeper Jason Saldaris to save well on a couple of occasions.

 

But Floreat struck against the run of play as Phil Arnold headed a free-kick back across goal, keeper Jackson Lee failed to collect and Malton bundled in from close range.

 

Glory showed title credentials in their response, though, and levelled five minutes later when Henry Hore swung in a corner and Mustafa headed in unmarked.

 

The hosts then led in the shadows of half-time, as Domfeh sneaked in behind the defence and touched the ball over Saldaris to make it 2-1.

 

Floreat's reserve goalkeeper Jordan Barbas became back-up linesman in the second half after referee Tom Glavovic withdrew with a muscle strain and his assistant took the whistle.

 

The visitors pressed in search of a leveller with the lively Keylun Pollard twice cutting inside and beating a man before firing wide.

 

Glory continued to look dangerous going forward, but couldn't carve out a meaningful moment and nearly conceded an equaliser as Arnold failed to lift the ball over Lee.

 

The goal did come for Floreat, though, as Petkov hooked in with his back to goal from close range to give the visitors a hard-earned point.

Perth Glory 2 (Mustafa 31min, Domfeh 44)
Floreat Athena 2 (Malton 25, Petkov 89)
Sunday, July 1
Ashfield Reserve
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Tom Glavovic

Assistant referees: Shane Skinner, Jamie West

Perth Glory: 1. Jackson LEE, 2. Luca BODNAR, 3. Walter SCOTT, 4. Daniel WALSH, 5. Harry QUIGLEY, 6. Zayd FARRAH (13. Ollie ANNIS 83), 7. Chok DAU, 8. Henry HORE, 9. Michael DOMFEH (12. Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY 68), 10. Michael MCDOUGALL, 11. Yacoub MUSTAFA

Substitutes not used: RGK. Nicholas SPECA, 14. Nic MCDONALD, 15. Jordan ABRAHAMS
Yellow cards: Bodnar 90+5
Red cards: Nil

Floreat Athena: GK. Jason SALDARIS, 2. Marco SANTALUCIA, 4. Andrew SCALDAFERRO (12. Ethan KERRIDGE 82), 6. Jesse FULLER, 8. Jon STYNES, 9. Robert PETKOV, 10. Calvin WHITNEY, 11. Dennis GALAN, 16. Ryan MALTON (14. Joseph TWEATS 56), 17. Dean EVANS (15. Keylun POLLARD 45), 33. Phil ARNOLD

Substitutes not used: RGK. Jordan BARBAS, 13. Tyler HOLDEN
Yellow cards: Petkov 90+5
Red cards: Nil

Last Modified on 01/07/2018 22:12

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