Adam Zimarino’s stoppage-time goal secured the PGFC Academy First Team a deserved share of the spoils as they fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Gwelup Croatia in the NPL WA on Saturday.
The in-form striker, who bagged a hat-trick against Cockburn City last time out, fired home through a crowded box after former Glory youth player Ethan Brooks had put the hosts in front with a fine solo effort in the first minute of the second half.
Joshua Anasmo and Charlie Leech had earlier both gone close to opening the scoring as the visitors began brightly, the former sending a diving header narrowly wide and then placing his shot just past the post in a one-on-one situation.
Leech went on to strike the foot of the post in the 41st minute, before Gwelup responded in kind almost immediately as a Declan Hargreaves corner picked out Ciaran Salinger at the back post and his header crashed against the upright.
The home side went one better immediately after the restart, the lively Brooks picking up possession just inside the Glory half, making inroads down the right and then firing across Sam Reilly into the far corner.
As the second period wore on, Ruben Zadkovich’s side pressed hard for an equaliser and were finally rewarded right at the death when skipper Giordano Colli linked up with Zimarino who found a pocket of space amidst a cluster of defenders and drilled a low shot into the net.
In the day’s other games, meanwhile, Glory’s Under-20s remain unbeaten and top of the table after a 1-1 draw, but the Under-18s went down to a 3-1 defeat.
All three sides return to NPL WA action next Saturday (24th April) when Armadale will provide the opposition at Crazy Domains Stadium at Hartfield Park.
The Under-18s are will get things underway at 3pm, followed by the Under-20s at 5pm and the First Team at 7pm.
Match Details
Gwelup Croatia 1 (Brooks 46′) PGFC Academy First Team 1 (Zimarino 90+2′)
Half-time: 0-0
Referee: Tom Glavovic
Gwelup Croatia: 1.Stefan KING (GK), 2.Ciaran SALINGER, 4.Thomas SOUTHGATE, 5.Blair GOVAN (c), 6.Declan HARGREAVES, 7.Brent GRIFFITHS, 8.Jon STYNES, 10.Mitch OXBORROW, 11.Ethan BROOKS, 14.Shubham MOKALA, 22.Joshua SAMSON
Yellow Cards: Stynes
Red Cards: None
PGFC Academy: 1.Sam REILLY (GK), 2.Joseph FORDE, 3.Jacob MUIR, 4.Luke BODNAR, 5.Aidan COYNE, 6.Nick SULLIVAN, 7.Charlie LEECH, 8.Nick SULLIVAN, 9.Joshua ANASMO, 10.Giordano COLLI (c), 11.Adam ZIMARINO
Yellow Cards: Muir, Sullivan, Donnell
Red Cards: None
(pic courtesy of Tom McCarthy)
#OneGlory
