Midfielder Morgan Andrews found the net twice as Glory secured a thrilling 4-2 win over finals-hopefuls Brisbane Roar in Sunday’s Westfield W-League Round 12 clash at Dorrien Gardens.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268486001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6132960724001
Crystal Thomas and substitute Ayesha Norrie also scored for the hosts as they held off the Queenslanders who replied through Carson Pickett and Tameka Yallop either side of the break.
The victory was Glory’s second in as many games after they picked up three points away at Newcastle Jets by the same scoreline in Round 11 and Head Coach Bobby Despotovski was understandably delighted with his side’s display.
“The team looked sharp and fresh today,” he said.
“Towards the end of the game we struggled a bit physically, but with the use of our substitutes, we managed to get over the line.
“The girls worked very hard all game and I thought they deserved to win.
“Our girls wanted to build on the win over Newcastle and they did that.
“You need your midfielders to be standouts and your strikers to be scoring goals and they all were today and it was nice for Ayesha [Norrie] to be on the scoresheet against her hometown club.”
Glory’s opening goal had a strong American flavour to it, Thomas providing the pinpoint corner for US compatriot Andrews to head home with just three minutes played.
And 1-0 became 2-0 nine minutes later, Andrews returning the favour by releasing Thomas who calmly chipped former Glory ‘keeper Mackenzie Arnold.
Midway through the first-half, Glory appeared to have the points in the bag when Clare Polkinghorne handled in the box and Andrews drilled home from the spot to make it 3-0.
The visitors, however, replied through Pickett’s cross-shot just after the half-hour mark and when Yallop pulled another one back early in the second-half, the game was very much back in the balance.
Morgan Aquino was forced to make several crucial interventions as Roar surged forward in search of an equaliser, but as tension grew among the home supporters, Norrie rounded off a swift, stoppage-time counter-attack to make the points safe.
Match Details
Perth Glory 4 (Andrews 3′, 25′, Thomas 12′, Norrie 90+3′) Brisbane Roar 2 (Pickett 33′, Yallop 57′)
Half-time: 3-1
Dorrien Gardens
Referee: Casey Reibelt
Perth Glory: 21.Morgan AQUINO (gk), 3.Kim CARROLL, 5.Shannon MAY, 6.Arianna ROMERO, 7.CELIA, 8.Morgan ANDREWS, 9.Crystal THOMAS, 13.Jamie-Lee GALE, 14.Caitlin DOEGLAS (4.Ayesha NORRIE 79′), 19.Hana LOWRY (11.Leticia McKENNA 61′), 24.Natasha RIGBY (c)
Substitutes not used: 1.Eliza CAMPBELL (gk), 16.Isabella WALLHEAD
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Brisbane Roar: 1.Mackenzie ARNOLD (gk), 2.Carson PICKETT, 3.Celeste BOUREILLE, 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 5.Shea CONNORS (21.Winonah HEATLEY 45′), 6.Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (18.Leah DAVIDSON 64′), 7.Indiah-Paige RILEY, 11.Natalie TATHEM, 13.Tameka YALLOP, (22.Anna MARGRAF 78′) 19.Hollie PALMER, 23.Isobel DALTON
Substitutes not used: 20.Georgina WORTH (gk),
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
#OneGlory
