A first-half brace from skipper Adam Taggart helped Glory secure a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets in Wednesday’s pre-season friendly in Albany.
Click HERE to view David Zdrilic’s post-match interview
More than 2000 fans poured into Retravision Stadium on a blustery afternoon and they had two goals to celebrate inside the opening 12 minutes as Taggart found the net with a deflected shot and a penalty.
With the wind behind them, Glory proceeded to dominate for much of the first half, while the Jets forced their way back into the contest after the break and came close to halving the arrears when substitute Ben Gibson struck the foot of the post.
Having been edged out when the two sides met in Bunbury on Sunday, David Zdrilic’s side came flying out of the blocks at the start of the return fixture and took the lead five minutes in when Taggart let fly from the edge of the box and the ball took a deflection which diverted it past helpless Newcastle ‘keeper Ryan Scott.
And Scott was soon retrieving the ball from his own net for a second time as referee Shane Skinner adjudged that Abdul Faisal’s cross had been handled in the box and Taggart calmly rifled home from the spot.
Aleks Susnjar went close to pulling one back for the Jets almost immediately when he headed a Daniel Wilmering free-kick just wide, before Glory responded by carving out an opportunity for Taras Gomulka whose stinging drive was parried by Scott.
The chances continued to flow after the break, with Newcastle using the wind now at their backs to good effect and Glory were grateful to substitute goalkeeper Cameron Cook who made a stunning, one-handed save to foil Gibson on the hour-mark.
Gibson then went even closer when his angled shot struck the frame of the goal, while at the others end, Lachie Barr came within centimetres of sliding home a teasing free-kick whipped across the face of goal by Gomulka.
The Jets continued to try and salvage something from the game right to the final whistle, but Glory’s much-changed defence held firm to keep a clean sheet and ensure that the two-game series would end honours even.
Match Details
Pre-Season Friendly
Perth Glory 2 (Taggart 5′, 12′ (pen) Newcastle Jets 0
Half-time: 2-0
Retravision Stadium, Albany
Wednesday 2 October 2024
Attendance: 2022
Referee: Shane Skinner
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk) (13.Cameron COOK (gk) 46′), 3.Anas HAMZAOUI (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 46′), 4.Luke BODNAR (16.Alex BOLTON 88′), 5.Lachlan BARR (43.Christian PULLELLA 81′), 6.Brandon O’NEILL (25.Jaylan PEARMAN 61′), 12.Taras GOMULKA, 19.Josh RISDON (28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI 77′), 21.Abdul FAISAL (31.Joel ANASMO 81′), 22.Adam TAGGART (c) (26.Khoa NGO 61′), 23.Christian CAICEDO (9.David WILLIAMS 31′), 24.Andriano LEBIB (33.Luis CANGA 46′)
Substitutes not used: 27.Will FRENEY, 42.Daniel JANKULOSKI
Yellow Cards: Risdon
Red Cards: None
Newcastle Jets: 1.Ryan SCOTT (gk), 7.Eli ADAMS (13.Clayton TAYLOR 61′), 9.Lachlan ROSE (22.Ben GIBSON 61′), 10.WELLISSOL (29.Justin VIDIC 61′), 14.Dane INGHAM, 15.Aleks SUSNJAR, 17.Kosta GROZOS (c) (28.Will DOBSON 71′), 19.Callum TIMMINS (6.Matthew SCARCELLA 29′), 23.Daniel WILMERING, 33.Mark NATTA, 37.Lachlan BAYLISS (39.Thomas AQUILINA 61′)
Substitutes not used: 21.Noah JAMES (gk), 24.Alex NUNES, 27.Nathan GRIMALDI, 44.Ben VAN DORSSEN, 60.Garang AROU
Yellow Cards: Ingham, Grozos
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
