Glory moved to within three points of Liberty A-League leaders Melbourne City after a brace from the in-form Millie Farrow secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Sunday afternoon.
Watch all the match highlights HERE.
The English striker took her tally for the season to six by capitalising on a defensive error to open the scoring in the seventh minute and then heading home a Natasha Rigby cross to double Glory’s lead midway through the second half.
Rola Badawiya’s swift reply for the hosts set up a tense finale, but Alex Epakis’ side dug deep to hold on and secure a third away win of the campaign, which leaves them right in the thick of the title race heading into the New Year.
Looking to bounce back from their pre-Christmas defeat at Western United, Glory began brightly at Industree Group Stadium and hit the front when, under severe pressure from Grace Jale, home skipper Taren King misplaced an attempted pass across the face of her own goal and the predatory Farrow was on hand to deflect the ball into the net.
Recovering quickly from that early setback, the Mariners responded by creating a fine chance for Wurigumula whose effort was blocked superbly by Morgan Aquino with her right leg.
The Glory ‘keeper maintained her season-long impressive form by producing another excellent save just before the break, this time clawing away a deflected shot from Faye Bryson.
The women in white were forced to endure more pressure at the start of the second half and then delivered a classic sucker-punch in the form of Farrow’s second goal.
Again Jale was involved in the build-up, holding off several defenders and eventually finding Rigby whose deep cross from the right was nodded firmly into the roof of the net by Farrow.
Glory’s joy was short-lived, however, as Badawiya raced away down the right channel and fired home to reduce the arrears only three minutes later, setting up tense finale in the process.
Aquino was again called into action on several occasions and Rigby produced a stunning block to thwart Wurigumula as the Mariners threw bodies forward in the final minutes.
But showing the kind of resolve that has characterised so many of their away performances in 2023, Glory refused to buckle and held on to secure the club’s first ever ALW win over the Mariners.
Match Details
Liberty A-League Season 2023/24 Round 10
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Badawiya 69′) Perth Glory 2 (Farrow 7′, 66′)
Half-time: 0-1
Industree Group Stadium
Sunday 31 December 2023
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Central Coast Mariners: 1. Sarah LANGMAN, 2. Faye BRYSON (13. Alexia KARRYS-STAHL 87′), 3. Ash IRWIN (19. Tiarna KARAMBASIS 80′), 4. Paige HAYWARD, 6. Isabel GOMEZ, 8. Bianca GALIC, 9. WURIGUMULA, 10. Rola BADAWIYA (11. Annalise RASMUSSEN 88′), 12. Jazmin WARDLOW, 18. Taren KING, 33. Tess QUILLIGAN (22. Peta TRIMIS 75′)
Substitutes not used: 92. Casey DUMONT
Yellow Cards: Gomez, Wardlow
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK), 3.Jessika COWART, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 7.Liz ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY, 9.Millie FARROW (25.Grace JOHNSTON 90+3′), 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (20.Quinley QUEZADA 56′), 11.Grace JALE, 22.Claudia MIHOCIC, 23.Isobel DALTON, 27.Georgia CASSIDY (12.Sofia SAKALIS 80′)
Substitutes not used: 13.Sarah CAIN, 24.Sally JAMES (GK)
Yellow Cards: Phonsongkham
Red Cards: None
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