A stoppage-time goal from Beka Mikeltadze consigned Glory to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle Jets in Saturday’s ISUZU UTE A-League Round 2 clash at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Click HERE for full match highlights.
After hitting the crossbar in the first half through debutant Ben Azubel, Glory fell behind on the hour-mark when Jordan Elsey headed home a Carl Jenkinson cross.
Elsey then saw red for a recklessly high challenge on David Williams in the box which allowed substitute Aaron McEneff to level things up with a confidently-taken penalty.
But as the visitors piled on the pressure against the ten men, Jaushua Sotirio led a rapid breakaway which culminated in Beka Mikeltadze converting from close range.
The defeat was harsh on Glory who looked significantly more cohesive and threatening than was the case in last weekend’s season-opener against Western Sydney Wanderers.
And Head Coach Ruben Zadkovich felt that his charges were victims of their own eagerness to push on and claim a victory.
View his full post-match media conference HERE.
“I felt like we deserved something from the game for sure,” he said.
“If not a point, then probably three.
“It was very disappointing.
“[With] the context of the club and the position that the club finds itself in, there’s a real eagerness there to win that game and we almost wanted it too much.
“A few boys out there lost sight of the game-management side of the game and there were those little signs of naivete.
“They were going gung-ho for the three points because that’s what they want, that’s what they want for the Members and fans and for the club.
“They’ve worked so hard today to try and get three points and it’s just a lapse in concentration and a little bit of naivete [that has cost us].
“There are some massive positives to take away and some massive areas for improvement… today I thought we created enough chance to win the game.”
A slow burner of a first half started to ignite midway through when former Glory skipper Brandon O’Neill fizzed a low shot narrowly wide and the club’s current captain, Mustafa Amini, responded with two shots in a matter of seconds, both of which were blocked.
And the goalmouth action continues two minutes short of the half-hour when Azubel cut in from the right channel and curled in a shot which beat Michael Weier in the home goal only to cannon back off the bar.
Glory’s Israeli import was then denied by the Newcastle ‘keeper shortly before the break as his shot on the turn was tipped around the post.
The opening exchanges of the second half saw the Jets applying some concerted pressure for the first time in the game and they duly hit the front when Jenkinson picked out Elsey whose powerful header gave Liam Reddy no chance.
The Jets’ centre-back swiftly turned from hero to villain, however, needlessly conceding a penalty which McEneff duly despatched.
At that stage, Glory looked poised to push on and claim all three points, but instead they were hit by a late, late sucker punch as Mikeltadze applied a composed finish to win it for the Jets.
Match Details
Newcastle Jets 2 (Elsey 59′, Mikeltadze 90+4′) Perth Glory 1 (McEneff (pen) 73′)
Half-time: 0-0
McDonald Jones Stadium
Referee: Daniel Elder
Newcastle Jets: 20. Michael WEIER (gk), 4. Jordan ELSEY, 6. Brandon O’NEILL (c), 7. Trent BUHAGIAR (11. Jaushua SOTIRIO 74′), 8. Beka DARTSMELIA (14. Mohamed AL-TAAY 90′), 9. Beka MIKELTADZE, 10. Reno PISCOPO (5. Matthew JURMAN 74′), 24. James McGARRY (3. Jason HOFFMAN 82′), 25. Carl JENKINSON (co-captain), 32. Angus THURGATE, 33. Mark NATTA
Substitutes not used: 1. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 17. Kosta GROZOS, 18. Daniel STYNES
Yellow Cards: Elsey, Mikeltadze
Red Cards: Elsey
Perth Glory: 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 5.Mark BEEVERS, 7.Ryan WILLIAMS, 8.Mustafa AMINI (c), 9.Bruno FORNAROLI (18.David WILLIAMS 63′), 10.Salim KHELIFI (23.Mitch OXBORROW 82′), 11.Ben AZUBEL, 19.Zach DUNCAN (6.Aaron MCENEFF 63′), 20.Giordano COLLI (12.Luke IVANOVIC 84′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 37.Jacob MUIR
Substitutes not used: 2.John KOUTROUMBIS, 14.Jack CLISBY, 30.Pierce CLARK (gk)
Yellow Cards: Amini
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
