It was a day of mixed fortunes for the PGFC Academy sides at Inglewood United’s Perth Plasterboard Stadium on Saturday, with the First Team going down 2-0, but the Under-18s and Under-20s both securing positive results and being presented with their trophies for winning their respective leagues.
The Under-18s drew their game, while the Under-20s won 3-2 courtesy of goals from Charlie Leech, Liam Murray and Abias Bukuru and there were joyous scenes after the final whistle of the Under-20s games as both teams celebrated a remarkable season in which they each suffered just one defeat.
The First Team, meanwhile, succumbed to first-half goals from Harry Evans and Steve Sokol as their campaign ended with an eighth-place finish but Head Coach Richard Garcia felt that his charges were a touch unfortunate not to claim a share of the spoils.
“I was disappointed with the goals we conceded today,” he said.
“Both were balls into the penalty area which we didn’t defend well, but unfortunately it’s been the story of our season.
“I thought the lads responded well after conceding the goals and we created a number of good chances, but we didn’t take them.
“We dominated the second half and the lads gave it everything and with a little more luck and bit more quality in the final third, we could have got something from the game, but it wasn’t to be.
“We changed the team around today and gave some playing time to some of the guys who have excelled in the 20s.
“There were some very good performances and we were pleased with young Albert Fullard and Jayden Leader who both had good starting NPL debuts for the First Team.”
After all the rain around in Perth this week it was a great day for football and both sides had early chances.
The first arrived after just two minutes as Gomo Dukuly sent Joshua Rawlins away down the right who cut inside his marker before shooting over the top and moments later at the other end, former Glory striker Chok Dau fired wide for the hosts.
Glory’s Ciaran Bramwell and Inglewood’s Brian Woodall were the next to go close, but the home side were not to be denied on 19 minutes as a deep cross from Alexander Ishida-Livings was headed back across goal by Dau and an unmarked Evans turned the ball home from five metres out.
1-0 then became 2-0 six minutes later, Dau picking the pocket of Glory defender Alessandro Circati on the left and racing into the penalty area before crossing for Sokol who made no mistake.
The chances continued to flow either side of the break, with Alexander Dunn in the United goal foiling Bramwell, Dukuly, Jordan Abrahams and substitute Luke Salmon and Jackson Lee responding in kind to keep the dangerous Dau at bay.
In the final moments, substitute Trent Ostler was centimetres away from halving the deficit and Dukuly was again denied by Dunn as Glory threw everything they had at the hosts, only to come up short.
Match Details
Inglewood United 2 (Evans 19′, Sokol 25′) Perth Glory 0
Half Time: 2-0
Referee: Josh Mannella
Inglewood United: GK Alexander DUNN, 2.Alexander ISHIDA-LIVINGS, 8.Jason BARRERA (6.Miki VUJACIC 73’), 9.Chok DAU, 10.Anthony BAFOBUSHA, 11.Harry EVANS (5.Samuel RIAK 62’), 14.Steve SOKOL (3.David CYRUS 85’), 15.Brian FARRELL, 16.Jamie MURPHY, 17.Mark BARNETT, 23.Brian WOODALL
Substitutes not used: RGK Josiah GODFREY 7.Hamza HINA,
Yellow cards: Murphy 55′
Red cards: None
Perth Glory: GK Jackson LEE, 2.Alessandro CIRCATI, 3.Albert FULLARD, 4.Daniel WALSH, 5.Nicholas WALSH (18.Trent OSTLER 46’), 6.Jayden LEADER, 7.Joshua RAWLINS (14.Zayd FARAH 46’), 8.Jordan ABRAHAMS, 9.Gomo DUKULY, 10.Sasa NJEGIC (23.Luke SALMON 61’), 11.Ciaran BRAMWELL
Substitutes not used: RGK Jacob RANGE, 15.Josh SAMSON
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
#OneGlory
