Glory remain within one point of the top six after goals from Luke Bodnar and Mark Beevers secured a 2-2 draw with Newcastle Jets at a sweltering Macedonia Park on Saturday evening.
View full match highlights HERE.
After David Williams missed a 29th-minute penalty, Bodnar nodded home his first ever Glory goal to give the hosts the lead just short of half-time.
A stunning strike from Reno Piscopo brought the Jets level on the hour-mark, only for Mark Beevers to open his Glory account with a header nine minutes from time.
Ruben Zadkovich’s men were denied a fifth home win of the season right at the death, however, when Archie Goodwin found the net from close range.
Given the timing of that equaliser, Zadkovich was understandably disappointed that his charges were unable to reward a vocal home crowd with another victory.
“I thought the game should have been buried by half-time to be honest,” he said.
“We knew that they’d have a bit of the ball as they like to rotate and move the ball, but let’s call it for what is is; a 3 or 4-1 first half would have been fair.
“We missed some real clear-cut chances to put them to the sword and that would have been the game dead and buried.
“Once you don’t take those opportunities, it obviously gives them a bit of hope and something worth chasing and credit to them in terms of coming back twice.
“To concede late was disappointing… our players are disappointed they didn’t win in front of our fans, but we remain undefeated here.”
Glory certainly enjoyed the better of what developed into a fractious first half, with Darryl Lachman going close before Jack Duncan was forced to produce a stunning save to keep out a first-time effort from Keegan Jelacic.
Within a minute of missing that chance, Jelacic was tripped in the box by former Glory man Daniel Stynes, but David Williams’ subsequent penalty was brilliantly tipped around the post by Duncan.
To their credit, the home side responded well to that setback and deservedly took the lead in the shadows of half-time as Duncan failed to claim Jelacic’s corner, allowing Bodnar to head back across goal into the far corner.
David Williams and Newcastle substitute Trent Buhagiar were both narrowly off-target early in the second half, before Piscopo got his angles exactly right with a pinpoint, first-time strike from outside the box which arrowed its way into the top corner to make it 1-1.
Despite the heat, the unrelenting pace of the game continued and Glory looked to have sealed the three points when substitute Trent Ostler hung up a cross and after Duncan failed to reach it, Beevers headed home.
There was to be a sting in the tale, however, as Beka Mikeltadze nipped in behind down the right and crossed for Goodwin who applied the simplest of finishes to ensure the spoils would be shared.
Match Details
ISUZU UTE A-League 2022/23 Season Round 15
Perth Glory 2 (Bodnar 44′, Beevers 81′) Newcastle Jets 1 (Piscopo 59′, Goodwin 88′)
Half-time: 1-0
Referee: Shaun Evans
Macedonia Park
Perth Glory:Â 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 4.Luke BODNAR (19.Zach DUNCAN 63′), 5.Mark BEEVERS, 7.Ryan WILLIAMS, 8.Mustafa AMINI (c) (43.Adam ZIMARINO 85′), 15.Jordan ELSEY, 16.Keegan JELACIC, 18.David WILLIAMS (3.Jacob DOWSE 70′), 21.Antonee BURKE-GILROY (28.Trent OSTLER 63′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 36.Joseph FORDE (22.Adam TAGGART 70′)
Substitutes not used: 30.Pierce CLARK (gk), 37.Jacob MUIR
Yellow Cards: Bodnar, Jelacic, Burke-Gilroy
Red Cards: None
Newcastle Jets:Â Jack DUNCAN (gk), 2. Dane INGHAM, 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 5. Matthew JURMAN (c), 9. Beka MKELTADZE, 10. Reno PISCOPO (17. Kosta GROZOS 70′), 11. Jaushua SOTIRIO (26. Archie GOODWIN 82′), 14. Mohamed AL-TAAY (19. Callum TIMMINS 70′), 18. Daniel STYNES (7. Trent BUHAGIAR 46′), 25. Carl JENKINSON (24. James McGARRY 77′), 32. Angus THURGATE
Substitutes not used: 8. Beka DARTSMELIA, 20. Michael WEIER (gk)
Yellow Cards: Thurgate
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
