The PGFC Academy First Team endured a tough opening game of the new National Premier League season as they were downed 5-0 by Gwelup Croatia at Game Guardian Stadium.
Jon Stynes led the way for the visitors, helping himself to a hat-trick, while Hasani Sinclair claimed the other two as last season’s State League Division One champions made an immediate impact upon the top flight.
It was Sinclair who opened the scoring with a lobbed effort on 13 minutes and 1-0 became 2-0 moment later when former Glory man Ethan Brooks picked out Stynes who found the net with a firm header.
Stynes volleyed home his second and Gwelup’s third as they took control midway through the first half, although Glory were unfortunate not to pull one back when Gabriel Popovic was just unable to reach a dangerous cross from Dane Ingham.
Sinclair’s header duly made it 4-0 on the hour-mark and after Carlo Armiento earned but failed to convert a 73rd-minute penalty for the hosts, Stynes had the last word as he completed his treble deep in stoppage-time courtesy of an impressive curling strike.
There was better news for Glory’s Under-20s who enjoyed a 2-0 win, while the Under-18s fought out a 1-1 draw.
All three teams return to action on Saturday 21 March when they travel to E&D Litis Stadium to take on Floreat Athena (Under-18s at 11am, Under-20s at 1pm and First Team at 3pm).
Match Details
Perth Glory: 0 Gwelup Croatia: 5 (Sinclair 13min 61’, J. Stynes 20’ 25’ 90+3’)
Game Guardian Stadium
Referee: Joshua Nixon
Assistant referees: Anthony Walsh, Adam Hicks
Perth Glory: 1. Cameron COOK, 2. Mason TATAFU, 5. Jacob MUIR, 6. Aiki TSUKAMOTO, 7. Joshua RAWLINS, 8. Joshua SAMSON (17. Giordano COLLI 46), 9. Gabriel POPOVIC (16. Charlie LEECH 75mins), 10. Carlo ARMIENTO, 11. Ciaran BRAMWELL, 14. Nicholas WALSH, 15. Dane INGHAM
Unused substitutes: 12. Alessandro CIRATI, 13. Jayden LEADER, 20. Samuel RILEY
Yellow cards: Colli 48′
Red cards: Nil
Gwelup Croatia: 1. Connor CAMPBELL, 2. Ciaran SALINGER, 5. Blair GOVAN, 6. Declan HARGREAVES (34. Matthew GROSTATE 81′), 8. Jon STYNES, 10. Daniel STYNES, 11. Ethan BROOKS, 12. Hasani SINCLAIR, 13. Rocco PIZZATA, 20. Samuel MITCHINSON (88. Bobby WILSON 81′), 22. Callum TIMMINS (23. Kian MCGUIGAN 66′)
Unused substitutes: 38. Adam BUCKINGHAM, 99. Aidan HOLLOWAY
Yellow cards: Timmins 21′, Salinger 41′, J. Stynes 48′, Brooks 73′, Hargreaves 79′, D. Stynes 83′
Red cards: Nil
#OneGlory
(picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy)
