Perth Glory have held on to record a valuable point on the road in a 0-0 draw with Gold Coast United at Skilled Park on Monday night.
Perth Glory have held on to record a valuable point on the road in a 0-0 draw with Gold Coast United at Skilled Park on Monday night.
In oppressive conditions as the humidity topped 80 percent before kick-off, Perth produced a superb rearguard performance and could have almost snatched a win had Robbie Fowler and Scott Neville been on target late in the game.
“Gold Coast are no easy side, we have to be happy with the point,” said Glory skipper Jacob Burns after the final whistle.
“It was a different type of humidity (to Perth) out there,” Burns added, when asked about just how oppressive the conditions were by the end of the 90 minutes as both teams struggled to run at the death.
“I think both teams were a little bit sluggish because of the heat, to hold on was great.”
It was a somewhat dour first half from both sides, however, as Gold Coast struggled to deal with the absence of Jason Culina (national duty) and Michael Thwaite (suspension).
Perth’s impressive defence was ensuring that Gold Coast strikers Bruce Djite and stand-in skipper Joel Porter were forced wide, where their attempts at goal hardly caused any trouble.
The Glory suffered a blow four minutes from the break when a desperate Naum Sekulovski threw his body in to block a Djite shot at goal and came off second best as he was forced off with a knee injury and replaced by Andy Todd, who made a quicker than expected recovery from a hip flexor problem.
During injury time Gold Coast produced their best chances of the half when Adama Traore turned inside Jamie Harnwell’s tackle on the left and crossed in for Porter at the far post, only to see the striker fail to make contact.
A moment later former Glory defender Dino Djulbic nodded narrowly over from a Robson free on the edge of the box in a sign of things to come in a much more open second period.
Perth had the first chance when a low shot by Adriano Pellegrino from 20 metres squirmed under United stopper Glen Moss’s grasp and went narrowly wide.
In the 50th minute a deflected ball into the area fell perfectly for Djulbic five metres out, but Jamie Coyne was alert to the danger and cleared.
Gold Coast’s Kristian Rees then nodded wide from a Robson free on the left as the hosts looked to score through balls delivered into the box to United’s tall defenders who were lurking with intent.
As the game opened up, Josh Mitchell, brilliant all night in defence, did exceptionally well to force Robson wide and block a very good opportunity while Zenon Caravella’s shot on the hour was well palmed around the post by Perth stopper Tando Velaphi.
In the 64th minute the livewire Adama Traore played in Djite on the left, who sent an angled drive within centimetres of the far post.
Perth were content to catch United on the break as Fowler saw a free kick from a dangerous position deflect wide before Neville saw a left-foot effort blocked by some desperate Gold Coast defence in the 67th minute.
Down the other end, Djulbic shot wide in the 74th minute but one of the best chances of the night fell to Fowler 12 minutes from time as Mile Sterjovski crossed to the striker from the left. On his own, Fowler had the time to take a touch and fire truly, but he went for a first-time shot that skewed wide of the post and the chance was lost.
Second-half Perth substitute Todd Howarth then nodded over the bar in the 84th minute before United substitute striker Chris Broadfoot’s cheeky chip down the other end was denied by Velaphi, who palmed it over the bar.
Three minutes from time a good cross from the left by Howarth came to Neville bursting forward on the edge of the area, but the youngster’s touch was heavy and the chance went begging.
Gold Coast United: 0
Perth Glory: 0
Monday, 3 January 2010
Skilled Park, Robina
Referee: Peter O’Leary
Crowd: 2,931
Gold Coast United: 1.Glen MOSS [gk], 2.Steve PANTELIDIS (8.ANDERSON 56-), 5.ROBSON (25.Chris BROADFOOT 83-), 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 11.Bruce DJITE, 13.Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 14.Joel PORTER (15.Tahj MINNIECON 63-), 16.Kristian REES, 22.Adama TRAORE, 24.John CURTIS
Substitutes not used: 20.Scott HIGGINS [gk]
Yellow cards: Steve PANTELIDIS 24-, ANDERSON 75-
Red cards: Nil
Perth Glory: 1. Tando VELAPHI (gk), 2. Josh MITCHELL (13.Tommy AMPHLETT 89-), 3. Jamie COYNE, 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 7.Jacob BURNS (C), 9.Robbie FOWLER, 12.Scott NEVILLE, 14.Steven McGARRY (17. Todd HOWARTH 78-), 16. Adriano PELLEGRINO, 19. Naum SEKULOVSKI (4.Andy TODD 46-), 21.Mile STERJOVSKI
Substitutes not used: 20. Alex PEARSON (gk)
Yellow cards: Jamie COYNE 48-, Andy TODD 75-
Red cards: Nil
