Report by Matthew Corvi

An incredible goal from Michael Domfeh with the last kick of the game earned Perth Glory a point against Balcatta in a thrilling encounter at Ashfield Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Balcatta were 2-1 in front and on course for a first win of the season when Domfeh found himself free in the box and produced a sublime finish.

It was a harsh lesson for the visitors, who went down to Bayswater City in the opening week of the NPL season.

“It was a very good game and I think we deserved the three points; I’m very dejected about the goal at the end,” Balcatta coach Goran Stajic said.

“We’ve played two very good sides and we didn’t take our chances to close the game out. Clear one-on-one chances and we just haven’t been able to take them.”

Glory opened the game brightly and forced Kyle McDonald into two terrific saves. And buoyed by their keeper’s efforts, Balcatta went up the other end to take the lead on six minutes when Adriano Jelenovic fired past Jackson Lee from the edge of the box.

Early in the second half McDonald was called into action again, this time to thwart Glory striker Joe Knowles.

Glory finally found the equaliser in the 51st minute when Yacoub Mustafa finished off a fantastic solo run by shooting low past McDonald.

Balcatta would not stay behind for long, however, and Anton De Francesch got his second goal of the season in the 61st minute in similar fashion to Mustafa. After taking on three Glory players, De Francesch found the bottom corner to put his side back into the lead.

Balcatta thought they had the match won going into injury time, but Domfeh had other plans.

Glory coach John Gibson was happy with his team’s performance but rued two lapses of concentration from his side.

He said: “We created a lot of chances and had a lot of the ball, but we didn’t take those chances.

“Two crucial errors from us trying to play out from the back cost us and we got punished for it.”

Perth Glory 2 (Mustafa 51min, Domfeh 90)
Balcatta FC 2 (Jelenovic 6, De Francesch 61)
Saturday, 3rd March, 2018
Ashfield Arena
Kick Off: 5pm
Referee: Steven Gregory

Perth Glory: 1. Jackson LEE (GK), 2. Luca BODNAR, 3. Walter SCOTT, 4. Riley WARLAND, 5. Ollie ANNIS, 6. Callum TIMMINS, 7. Chok DAU (14. Michael DOMFEH 73), 8. Henry HORE, 9. Joseph KNOWLES, 10. Daniel STYNES (12. Jack LEECH 63’), 11. Yacoub MUSTAFA (13. Trent OSTLER 83')
Substitutes not used: 15.Daniel WALSH, 20. Nicolas SPECA (RGK) 
Yellow Card: Timmins 62 
Red Cards: Nil

Balcatta FC: 25. Kyle MCDONALD (GK), 2. Joseph MARINO, 3. Hayden STEVENS, 4. Calum O’CONNELL (C), 5. Tom PELLIZARRI, 6. Kris GATE (12. Anton DE FRANCESCH 58’), 8. Carmelo GIUFFRE,9. Dejan ANDRIC (17. Brody KENNEDY 63’), 11. Renee ALBA, 15. Adriano JELENOVIC, 24. Angel DEJKOVSKI (7. Mathew MCROBERTS-OLANSO 36’)
Substitutes not used: 1.Domenico SAVOLDELLI (RGK), 20. Shubham MOKALA
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil