Perth Glory FC will be looking to equal the Hyundai A-League record for most consecutive home victories when it takes on Central Coast Mariners at nib Stadium this Saturday evening.
Glory is looking for its eighth consecutive home win when it takes on the Gosford-based side, after surging to first place after 10 rounds of Hyundai A-League action.
Glory has dropped only five points from a possible 30 so far and has only failed to score once in the opening 10 rounds of the Hyundai A-League season.
A brilliant Nebojsa Marinkovic curling free-kick was the difference between the two teams back in Round 5, when Perth Glory FC stunned the Mariners in Gosford with a solid 1-0 victory.
The Mariners on the other hand have not tasted victory since their Round 1 victory over the struggling Newcastle Jets and have the worst goal scoring record in the league, converting only eight percent of their chances. The Mariners have only found the net six times so far this season.
Perth Glory FC Head Coach Kenny Lowe will need to reshuffle his squad. Mitch Nichols has been ruled out for up to eight weeks due to a hamstring injury and Josh Risdon will miss the clash, due to suspension. The club has already lost winger  Youssouf Hersi for the season due to a hamstring injury.
“It’s frustrating to say the least” Nichols said.
“I should be back on my feet soon after the January break but I wish the boys the best of luck against the Mariners” he added.
Nichols also encouraged fans and supporters to flock to the game in what will be the last home match before the season pauses for three weeks in January for the Asian Cup.Â
Meanwhile, the Mariners travel west chasing their second win of the season without Vice-captain Nick Montgomery and they may well be without the injured Zac Anderson. Both were early casualties in the 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix at Eden Park last Saturday, with Montgomery limping off after 21 minutes and Anderson joining him in the treatment room at half time.
The Mariners will also officially be without Senegalese striker Malick Mane who returned to parent club IFK Goteborg after the termination of his loan.
It’s set to be a fiery clash as Glory look to push further ahead of 2nd place Melbourne Victory and cement their place at the top of the Hyundai A-League table.
Be there for the final home game of 2014, and help cheer on the boys to a massive Hyundai A-League record!
Kick-off is at 6.30 pm.
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A-LEAGUE FACT 1
Glory has scored 9 goals off set pieces this season, more than any other Hyundai A-League team.
A-LEAGUE FACT 2
Glory is the only team in the Hyundai A-League not to have conceded from a corner kick, a direct free-kick or a header this season.
A-LEAGUE FACT 3
Central Coast Mariners have the highest passing accuracy (82.2%) and the second best crossing accuracy in the league (25.5%) in the Hyundai A-League. Perth Glory are the most accurate crossing outfit (26.9%) in the Hyundai A-League.
A-LEAGUE FACT 4
The Mariners have conceded 11 of their 14 goals inside their 18-yard-box.
A-LEAGUE FACT 5
Perth Glory FC has scored 8 of their 17 goals this season in the last 15 minutes of their matches, the best record of any club in the Hyundai A-League.
A-LEAGUE FACT 6
Perth Glory FC is the only team in the Hyundai A-League to have not conceded in the first 15 minutes of a Hyundai A-League match.
A-LEAGUE FACT 7
Glory has not lost a match when they score, so far this season. It has also won three of four games when conceding the first goal.
A-LEAGUE FACT 8
Nebojsa Marinkovic has created more chances this season than any other Hyundai A-League player.
A-LEAGUE FACT 9
Liam Reddy (75%) and Danny Vukovic (73%) sit 2nd and 3rd in the saves-to-shots ratio standings.
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Saturday, 20 December 2014
Perth Glory v Central Coast Mariners
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 6:30 PM (Local) (9:30 PM AEDT)
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referee 1: Mathew Cheeseman
Assistant Referee 2: Tim Mihevc
Fourth Official: Adam Fielding
TV Broadcast: Live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 9.45pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 4 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: 720 ABC Perth, ABC Local Radio Western Australia, 92.5 ABC Central Coast, Grandstand Digital, Grandstand Online/ ABC Radio Mobile phone app
Join the conversation on Instagram and Twitter using the hash-tag #PERvCCM
SQUADS:
Perth Glory FC:Â 1.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 2.Jack CLISBY, 3.Brandon O’NEILL, 4.Riley WOODCOCK, 5.Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH, 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11.Richard GARCIA, 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 14.Chris HAROLD, 15.Jamie MACLAREN, 16.Sidnei SCIOLA, 18.Jack DUNCAN (GK), 20.Daniel DE SILVA, 21.Scott JAMIESON, 23.Michael THWAITE (c)
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 2.Jack CLISBY (promoted), 3.Brandon O’NEILL (promoted), 4.Riley WOODCOCK (promoted), 13.Diogo FERREIRA (promoted), 18.Jack DUNCAN (GK)
Outs: 19.Josh Risdon (suspended â 1 week), 17.Mitch Nichols (hamstring â 6-8 weeks), 30.Jordan THURTELL (GK) (not selected)
Unavailable: 7.Youssouf Hersi (hamstring â season)
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Central Coast Mariners: 1.Matt NASH (gk), 2.Storm ROUX, 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5.Zac ANDERSON, 7.John HUTCHINSON (c), 9.Mitchell DUKE, 10.Anthony CACERES, 11.Nick FITZGERALD, 12.Liam REDDY (gk), 15.Matt SIM, 17.Richard VERNES, 18.Glen TRIFIRO, 19.Matt SIMON, 21.Michael NEILL, 23.Isaka CERNAK, 25.Eddy BOSNAR, 26.KIM Seung-yong
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 2.Storm ROUX (returns from illness), 9.Mitchell DUKE (promoted), 23.Isaka CERNAK (promoted), 25.Eddy BOSNAR (promoted)
Outs: 8.Nick MONTGOMERY (calf â 1 week), 28.Josh BINGHAM (omitted)
Unavailable: 6.Brent GRIFFITHS (injury â indefinite)
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