Glory are still searching for their first win of the Foxtel Y-League season following a 4-0 loss to reigning champions Brisbane Roar at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday.
Despite controlling play for periods of the first half, the hosts failed to capitalise upon their early dominance as George Mells and Dauntae Mariner both found the net in a seven-minute spell shortly before the break to give Roar the upper hand.
Keegan Jelacic then scored a second-half brace to ensure the Roar maintained their unbeaten start to the season.
Glory’s cause was not helped by the fact that they were reduced to ten players for the final 12 minutes after Chris Harold limped from the fray with all three substitutes having already been used.
The experienced striker is expected to be fit for selection next week, but it remains to be seen whether the same applies to Jordan Abrahams who picked up an ankle injury just before the hour-mark.
Skipper Riley Warland, fellow-defender Zayd Farah and midfielder Dane Ingham were among those who caught the eye for Glory, along with Jackson Lee who, despite conceding four times, pulled off two incredible saves to deny Oscar Woods and Mells in the first half.
At the other end, meanwhile, Glory’s best chance of the match came in the 16th minute when Ingham forced Brisbane goalkeeper Macklin Freke to make a fine block and Gabriel Popovic then narrowly missed connecting with a Harold cross.
Post-game, Head Coach Richard Garcia expressed his disappointment at his charges’ failure to build upon their bright start.
“We were good for the first 20 minutes,” he said, “but then it’s like a different group of players turned up.
“Mentally we’re a little bit behind the eight ball. We don’t recover from mistakes and we don’t recover from setbacks very well, which for me is concerning.
“I’ve got to try and get them to be in a different mental space to be able to bounce back and continually play like they did in the first 20 minutes.
“That’s the concerning thing; that players are only playing for 20 minutes at a time.”
Glory will host Melbourne Victory in their next match at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday December 22.
Match Details
Perth Glory 0 Brisbane Roar 4 (Mells 39’, Mariner 45’+1, Jelacic 49’, 81’)
Dorrien Gardens, Perth
Referee: Harry Bolan
Assistants: Adam Hicks, Lawson Rimmer
Fourth Official: Adrien Liechti
Perth Glory: 1. Jackson LEE (GK), 2. Daniel WALSH, 4. Riley WARLAND (C), 5. Zayd FARAH, 6. Jordan ABRAHAMS (13. Ciaran BRAMWELL 59’), 7. Dane INGHAM, 8. Bryce BAFFORD, 9. Gabriel POPOVIC, 10. Trent OSTLER (16. Jayden LEADER 53’), 11. Chris HAROLD, 15. Albert FULLARD (17. Nicholas WALSH 54’)
Substitutes not used: 12. Joshua LANGDON (GK)
Yellow cards: Riley Warland 90+1′
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Roar: 1. Macklin FREKE (C, GK), 3. Aaron REARDON, 6. Oscar WOODS (7. Cai TIPALDO 81’), 8. Keegan JELACIC, 9. Mirza MURATOVIC, 11. Dauntae MARINER (10. Harry TALBOT 66’), 14. George MELLS, 15. Kai TREWIN, 18. Rahmat AKBARI, 19. Jack HINGERT (2. Emlyn WELLSMORE 61’), 23. Connor O’TOOLE
Substitutes not used: 20. Nathan FOSTER (GK)
Yellow cards: Kai Trewin 42’
Red cards: None
#OneGlory
Picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy
