NPL WA leaders Olympic Kingsway proved too strong for an extremely youthful PGFC Academy First Team on Saturday, eventually running out 6-1 winners at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
With a host of players away on WA State Team duty, the Academy’s resources were stretched for this Round 16 fixture and what always promised to be a tough task duly became a mountainous one as they conceded twice in the opening nine minutes.
Former Glory man Joe Knowles bagged the first, firing in a shot at the near post and Calum O’Connell then headed in number two.
Another ex-Glory player, Joe Hobson, curled home Kingsway’s third from the edge of the box and any prospect of a second-half fightback from the hosts all but evaporated when Knowles made it 4-0 with a 65th-minute penalty.
Glory were dealt another blow as Giovanni De Abreu received a second yellow card and was dismissed moments later and although Laat Mathiang reduced the arrears with a well-struck free-kick, the visitors proceeded to extend their advantage in the dying moments.
Another member of Kingsway’s ex-Glory contingent, Mitch Oxborrow, added a fifth from the spot and Tom Sallis rounded out the scoring in the final minute of normal time.
Neither the Under-18s nor the Under-20s were in action due to the WA State Team all-ups and their scheduled fixtures against Bayswater City next weekend have also been postponed.
The First Team will take on the Nerazzurri next Saturday (20th July), however, with kick-off at the Sam Kerr Football Centre set for 3pm.
(picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy)
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