Perth Glory enjoyed another competitive pre-season hit-out on Tuesday evening, this time securing a 3-0 win over Sorrento FC in wet conditions at Percy Doyle Reserve.
Watch David Zdrilic’s post-match interview HERE.
Adam Taggart opened the scoring midway through the first half, heading home from close range in the midst of a fierce downpour.
The runaway State League leaders then battled their way back into the contest during the second half, hitting the woodwork through Connor Simpson, before Adam Bugarija headed in Glory’s second from a Brandon O’Neill cross and fellow-substitute Nathanael Blair thumped home number three five minutes from time.
A competitive clash was what David Zdrilic’s side required ahead of next week’s Australia Cup Round of 16 visit to Moreton City Excelsior and the Gulls certainly provided that on the night, with former Glory midfielder Neil Kilkenny very much to the fore.
It was the men in purple who began the brighter, Abdul Faisal seeing his effort blocked by Liam Hattersley in the home goal and Taggart volleying wide from a Taras Gomulka corner.
But last season’s A-League Golden Boot winner was not to be denied for long, reacting quickest in a crowded, rain-lashed box to head a loose ball over the line.
Having gone toe-to-toe with Glory throughout the first half, the Gulls redoubled their efforts after the break and were unfortunate not to level things up when Simpson slid in to meet a Hamza Hina cross and his effort crashed against the junction of post and bar.
That was as close as the home side came, however, with Glory regaining the initiative in the final 20 minutes.
David Williams was twice denied by Hattersley before Bugarija’s firm header made it 2-0 and the scoring was rounded off by Blair with an emphatic strike from just inside the box which crashed in off the underside of the bar.
Match Details
Pre-Season Friendly
Sorrento FC 0 Perth Glory 3 (Taggart 24′, Bugarija 74′, Blair 85′)
Half-time: 0-1
Percy Doyle Reserve
Tuesday 20 August 2024
Referee: Shane Skinner
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 5.Lachie BARR (18.Will FERSON 87′), 6.Brandon O’NEILL (8.Giovanni DE ABREU 83′), 9.David WILLIAMS (23.Louis SOLLITT 87′), 12.Taras GOMULKA (11.Hiroaki AOYAMA 52′), 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI (24.Hayden THOMAS 87′), 17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO (16.Adam BUGARIJA 46′), 19.Josh RISDON (20.Trent OSTLER 70′), 21.Abdul FAISAL (31.Tino MUTEMA 87′), 22.Adam TAGGART (c) (14.Nathanael BLAIR 46′), 29.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI (29.Jacob MUIR 46′)
Substitutes not used: 3.Alfie KNIGHT, 39.Maxim UVAROV, 40.Jhett WARNER (gk)
(picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy)
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