The PGFC Academy First Team moved to the top of the Football West NPL table following a thrilling 5-3 win over ECU Joondalup at the ECU Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Michael Domfeh gave Glory the lead in the first minute, before an own-goal put the hosts back on level terms. Yacoub Mustafa duly restored the visitors’ lead after the break and ECU were then reduced to ten men when defender Cian Hirrell was shown a second yellow card.
But the drama was only just beginning, as the final seven minutes remarkably produced five more goals. Michael McDougall claimed a brace, with Bayley Brown-Montgomery also getting on the scoresheet, while Daryl Nicol and Ethan Brooks both found the net for ECU during a frantic finale.
The result saw Glory assume pole position in the table, two points clear of Bayswater City, but Head Coach John Gibson insisted that no-one inside the camp is getting carried away.
“I was pleased with the overall performance,” he said, “especially with ten to 12 players from our roster missing and I was delighted for 17-year-old Zayd Farah who made his starting debut for us today.
“But we’ve still got many difficult challenges ahead. We were unhappy at conceding three really soft goals today and losing our concentration which isn’t like us, but it’s fantastic to come here and get a result and win for the first time ever against ECU.
“We are not getting distracted by our league position. We still have eight rounds to go and will continue to drive and demand higher standards. It’s about improvement and becoming better which will lead to consistent performances.”
Gibson’s sentiments were echoed by midfielder McDougall who capped an impressive display with two well-taken goals.
“It was a good to get the win,” he said, “but we are really disappointed by the way we let some poor goals in late on and we were complacent. But to win here for the first time shows we are going in the right direction.
“We have maintained our standards and we know every team in the league are coming for us now as we are on top of the table. We need to stay focused and keep up our performances going and we have been told by the coaching staff that the hard work starts now.”
On a perfect afternoon for football, Glory made the best possible start as inside the opening minute, McDougall threaded a neat ball in to Domfeh and the striker finished well past Johnny Perkins in the home goal.
But ten minutes later, ECU were gifted an equaliser when Bodnar sent a regulation backpass towards Jackson Lee, only for the ‘keeper to slip and allow the ball to roll past him into an empty net.
Despite both sides creating a string of chances, the next goal did not arrive until the 70th minute as a short corner caught ECU napping and the unmarked Mustafa sent a looping header past Perkins.
Hirrell’s dismissal then left the hosts a man down and Glory took advantage three minutes from time, with Hore’s near-post free kick being glanced home by McDougall.
3-1 became 4-1 a minute later, Harry Quigley’s cross finding second-half substitute Brown-Montgomery who calmly applied the finish.
Smith then teed up strike partner Nicol to reduce the arrears, before McDougall added his second at the other end, racing in on goal from a Brown-Montgomery through-ball to make it 5-2.
And there was still time for substitute Brooks to claim another consolation goal for ECU before the final curtain was brought down on a memorable contest.
In Saturday’s other games, meanwhile, the Under-18s continued their impressive form with a 1-0 win, while the Under-20s suffered a 4-1 defeat.
All three sides return to action on Sunday when Floreat will be the visitors to Ashfield Arena.
The Under-18s will kick things off at 11am, with the Under-20s in action at 1pm and the First Team at 3pm.
Match Details
ECU Joondalup 3 (Bodnar (o.g.) 11′, Nicol 89’, Brooks 90+4′) Perth Glory 5 (Domfeh 1’, Mustafa 70’, McDougall 87’, 90+3’, Brown-Montgomery 88’)
Half-time: 1-1
Referee: Adam Fielding
ECU Joondalup: GK Johnny PERKINS, 2. Cian HIRRELL, 3. Kieron STALLARD, 4. Steven MCGARRY, 5. Shane CASSIDY, 7. Cameron MURRAY (15 Adam TONG 75’), 8. Brad MCDONALD (17 Liam MURRAY 87’), 9. Daryl NICOL, 10. Gordon SMITH, 11. Andy HIGGINS, 13. Tommy AMPHLETT (16 Ethan BROOKS 73’)
Substitutes not used: RGK Jack NUNN, 12. Ryan MCDARBY
Yellow cards: Amphlett 19’, Hirrell 55’, 77’, Cassidy 56’
Red cards: Hirrell 77’
Perth Glory: GK Jackson LEE, 2. Luke BODNAR, 3. Walter SCOTT, 4. Daniel WALSH, 5. Harry QUIGLEY, 6. Zayd FARAH, 7. Chok DAU (13 Ollie ANNIS 91’), 8. Henry HORE, 9. Michael DOMFEH (12. Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY 76’), 10. Michael MCDOUGALL (15. Aidan EDWARDS 94’), 11. Yacoub MUSTAFA
Substitutes not used: RGK Nicholas SPECA, 14. Nic MCDONALD,
Yellow cards: Scott 39’, Dau 60’
Red cards: Nil
#OneGlory
