Adam Zimarino scored twice and Daniel Stynes also found the net as Glory eased to a 3-0 victory over ECU Joondalup in Tuesday evening’s Danny Hodgson Benefit Match at Dorrien Gardens.
Head Coach Richard Garcia opted to field a mix of A-League and NPL players during what was Glory’s first pre-season outing and there were plenty of promising signs from the men in black on a night when the Perth football community came together to raise money for ECU striker Hodgson who remains in a coma following last month’s assault at Perth Train Station.
Many of the 1000-strong crowd were still finding their seats when Stynes fired Glory in front.
A defensive error allowed the former ECU man to scythe his way into the box and his low shot found the corner of the net.
As the half wore on, Glory continued to dominate possession and territory and duly doubled their lead in the 16th minute, Giordano Colli threading the ball into the path of Zimarino whose emphatic finish gave Johnnie Perkins in the ECU goal no chance.
And Zimarino struck again shortly before the break, this time meeting an inviting Pacifique Niyongabire cross from the right with a powerful header.
Niyongabire then went close to adding a goal to his assist, ending a jinking run into the box with a rasping shot which flashed across the face of goal and just wide of the far post.
Glory began the second half in a similar vein, Zimarino seeing a goalbound volley deflected wide and Ciaran Bramwell sending a rasping drive narrowly over the bar.
Only an alert, smothering save from Perkins prevented Antonee Burke-Gilroy from marking his Glory debut with a goal seconds after coming off the bench, while at the other end, Cameron Cook was called into meaningful action for the first time to tip a Sonny O’Shea header over the bar.
Declan Hughes also went close for Kenny Lowe’s side with a dipping free-kick 15 minutes from time, but a Glory side showing ten changes from that which started the game managed to hold them at bay in the latter stages to ensure that a solid first hit-out was completed with a clean sheet.
Match Details
ECU Joondalup 0 Perth Glory 3 (Stynes 1′, Zimarino 16′, 37′)
Half-time: 0-2
Referee: Shane Skinner
ECU Joondalup: 1.Johnny PERKINS (GK), 3.Nelson THSONGO, 4.Declan HUGHES, 5.Ryan LOWRY, 6.Sammy RIAK, 7.Ellis HEALING, 8.Thomas HOUGH, 11.Chris HAROLD, 12.Jakub PRAJZA, 13.Tommy AMPHLETT, 16.Shane CASSIDY
Substitutes: 2.Oscar MALFIORE, 9.Sean O’CONNOR, 10.Jason PETRIE, 14.Danny DOUGLAS, 15.Kaelan MAJEKS, 17.Sonny O’SHEA, 18.Ollie MAKIN, 20.Joseph POLLARD
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Cameron COOK, 4.Luke BODNAR (19.Chris DONNELL 46′), 5.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS (6.Judd MACDOUGALL 61′), 14.Jack CLISBY (25.Aidan COYNE 54′), 16.Joseph FORDE (27.Jaylan PEARMAN 70′), 18.Daniel STYNES (10.Matthew GEORGE 54′), 22.Joshua RAWLINS (15.Lewis TUCKER 61′), 24.Pacifique NIYONGABIRE (21.Antonee BURKE-GILROY 54′), 26.Giordano COLLI (17.Charlie LEECH 61′), 31.Adam ZIMARINO (23.Joshua ANASMO 61′), 32.Ciaran BRAMWELL (20.Will FORMSTON 61′)
Substitutes not used: 30.Sam REILLY (GK)
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
(picture courtesy of EstyBSPhoto)
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