Report by Ryan Borrett

Photo by Tom McCarthy/@tom_mc_c

Perth Glory had the NPL WA title snatched from their grasp on the final day of the season after they went down 1-0 against Subiaco at Rosalie Park.

Adam Carlino scored the only goal 13 minutes from the end as Glory failed to claim the point they needed to secure the championship.

Instead the glory went to Perth SC, whose 2-0 victory over Joondalup United at Percy Doyle Reserve gave the Azzuri their second title in three years.

It was heartache for Glory as Subiaco’s fight to avoid automatic relegation was rewarded in the 75th minute when Carlino scored at the end of a scramble inside Glory’s six-yard box.

Glory piled forward in the closing minutes in search of an equaliser, although their efforts weren’t helped by being reduced to 10 men when Callum Timmins was sent off in the 83rd minute after picking up a second yellow card.

Victory was enough to ensure Subiaco avoided automatic relegation, at least for the time being. Now they must wait to see whether Gwelup Croatia or Rockingham City win the State League Division One title before learning their fate.

If Gwelup Croatia, who cannot go up, win the league then Subiaco will face Rockingham in a play-off match to see who will be in the NPL next season. However if Rockingham are champions then Subiaco will be relegated.

The two teams meet next week, with Gwelup three points ahead of their rivals in the table.

All of which is of no concern to Glory coach John Gibson, who admitted he was gutted to have let the title slip on the final day but said their recent results also played a big part.

“We’re deeply disappointed with the performance we put forward today,” he said.

“I’ve said we were always going to be facing challenges and today was no exception.

“We’ve had opportunities along the way, it wasn’t just about today it was the previous five or six weeks where we should have potentially locked it up.”

Subiaco coach Basil Lenzo was pleased with the result but said he had mixed emotions with their survival still to be decided.

“At the end of the day we got the result and we deserved the result,” he said.

“It was an amazing effort, the boys played like absolute winners today and that’s what we challenge them to do.

“You sort of wonder where it’s all been to be honest.”

The match started at a fast tempo but neither side could fashion many chances early on.

Subiaco striker Ian McMurray came close to giving the home side the lead in the 30th minute but his header from a free-kick was tipped over the bar by diving Glory keeper Jackson Lee.

Subiaco threatened again in the 34th minute after Manase Abandelwa’s cross found Mitchell Bath unmarked at the far post but Bath sprayed his shot over the bar.

It seemed as though the occasion had got to the young Glory side as they struggled against a dogged Subiaco in the opening period.

But they came into the game more in the second half and in the 64th minute Michael McDougall found space on the edge of the box to get a shot away but his effort was saved well by Ryan Montgomery.

The breakthrough for Subiaco goal finally came after Anthony Topini broke down the left wing and he fired a shot that Lee partly saved only for the ball to bounce to the onrushing Carlino, who followed in and finished from near the goalline.

Panic set in for the Glory and their search for an equaliser was hit after Timmins received a second yellow card in the 83rd minute.
 
The away side, watched by their A-League coach Tony Popovic, sent all bodies forward in the final minutes to try and find the goal but Subiaco’s defence held firm and they deservedly took the three points.

Gibson’s side had chances to wrap up the league in recent weeks but draws against Inglewood United and Cockburn City have proven costly.

Now Glory must dust themselves down and look to gain some compensation in the Top Four Cup, with a match against Perth SC next weekend.  

Subiaco 1 (Carlino 75min)
Perth Glory 0
Saturday, August 25
Rosalie Park
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant referees: Adrien Liechti, Mitchell Barrington

Subiaco: 1. Ryan MONTGOMERY, 5. Manase ABANDELWA (4. Robert HARDING 73), 6. Jackson DONGRAY, 8. Mitchell BATH (11. Jack PAINTER-ANDREWS 89), 10. Alex CASTIELLO, 12. Nathan Smith, 13. Jonas DORLING, 14. Ross JARMAN, 15. Anthony TOPINI, 18. David PERICH, 19. Ian MCMURRAY (9. Adam CARLINO 61)
Unused substitutes: 3. Vasco DA SILVA, 21. Teophile BROWN
Yellow cards: Jarman 29, Bath 76, Topini 81
Red cards: Nil

Perth Glory: 1. Jackson LEE, 2. Luca BODNAR (14. Jordan ABRAHAMS 61), 3. Nic MCDONALD, 4. Daniel WALSH, 5. Zayd FARAH, 6. Henry HORE, 7. Chok DAU, 8. Callum TIMMINS, 9. Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (13. Gomo DUKULY 80), 10. Michael MCDOUGALL (15. Abias BUKURA 80), 11. Yacoub MUSTAFA
Unused substitutes: 12. Jack LEECH, 20. Nicholas SPECA
Yellow cards: Timmins 23, Brown-Montgomery 38
Red card: Timmins 83