Report by Peter Simcox

Action from Glory's 0-0 draw with ECU. Photo by Peter Simcox

Perth Glory and ECU Joondalup fought out an entertaining scoreless draw in Round 17 of the NPL WA at E&D Litis Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Glory dominated possession but failed to capitalise in front of goal, while ECU were content to sit back and hit on the break. In former Glory strikers Joe Knowles and Bayley Brown-Montgomery, they possessed a constant threat.

The result didn’t help either side on the league table, with Glory losing ground on the top four and ECU still in the mix at the foot of the table with the bottom four sides separated by only two points.

“It’s good point today, and it kept our unbeaten run going and against a talented Glory side,” ECU Assistant Coach Ross Edwards said.

“We kept out shape really well today and the lads worked extremely hard, with and without the ball. We’ll take the point and move on to Bayswater next week, another important game for us.”  

With Glory A-League Coach Tony Popovic in the stands to watch, it was a lively opening from the Glory youngsters and they went close to the opener on 15 minutes, when Daniel Walsh’s header was well saved at full stretch by Johnny Perkins.

The Jacks' first chance fell to Knowles 10 minutes later, but his free kick flew over the top. Then moments later Glory had a penalty appeal turned down when Gabriel Popovic was brought down by Shane Cassidy, but referee David Bruce waved away their protests.

Both sides had late chances to take the lead. First Knowles shot into the side netting when well placed, before Luke Salmon fired inches wide after being picked out at the back post by Trent Ostler.  

It was the visitors who started the second half the better and from Andy Higgins’ cross, Brown-Montgomery’s glancing header flashed inches past the far post.

Glory were desperate to end a six-game run without a win, and they almost broke the deadlock in this one on 72 minutes. Salmon, who bagged a brace in the sides' first meeting this season, burst in to the penalty area but his shot on the run was pushed around the post by the alert Perkins.

ECU had two big chances as the game opened up. First Knowles’ curling shot whistled inches past the far post, before Glory keeper Jackson Lee produced a finger tip save to keep out Ollie Annis’ free kick.

Glory pressed late and Perkins stood tall to deny Salmon, the rebound hitting the arm of Cassidy, but the referee was well placed to wave away their penalty claims.  

Then in stoppage time Salmon's shot on the run flew wide and both sides had to be content with a share of the spoils.

Star player: Josh Whitmore (ECU Joondalup)

Perth Glory 0
ECU Joondalup 0

Saturday, June 27
E&D Litis Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistants: Matthew Southern, Josh Mannella

Perth Glory: GK Jackson LEE, 2 Zayd FARAH, 3 Ethan BROOKS (13 Jordan ABRAHAMS 53’), 4 Daniel WALSH, 5 Alessandro CICARTI, 6 Luke BODNAR, 7 Trent OSTLER, 8 Josh SAMSON (12 Cameron MURRAY 53’), 9 Luke SALMON, 10 Liam MURRAY, 11 Gabriel POPOVIC (19 Gomo DUKULY 58’)
Substitutes not used: RGK Nicholas SPECA, 17 Sasa NJEGIC
Yellow cards:  Samson 30’
Red cards: Nil

ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 2 Nicholas KOEFLER, 4 Henry DURR, 5 Shane CASSIDY, 6 Oliver ANNIS (11 Lukas DE LIMA 83’), 7 Joe KNOWLES, 8 Josh WHITMORE, 9 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY (13 Fraser DUNLOP 75’), 10 Andy HIGGINS, 14 Ewan FAWCETT, 15 Tom HOUGH
Substitutes not used: RGK Joseph POLLARD, 3 Kian McGUIGAN, 12 Ryan McDARBY
Yellow cards: Annis 18’, Whitmore 67’, Popovic 88’
Red cards: Nil