Late equaliser dampens Glory season opener (original) (raw)

By Joseph Sapienza

August 7, 2010 — 8.45am

It seems like lessons from past mistakes haven't been learnt by the Perth Glory.

A new season, new promise and new expectations, but the same frustrating result.

Glory goalkeeper Tando Velaphi fails to save a shot on goal by Fury's Chris Grossman in stoppage time at nib Stadium on Friday night.Credit: Paul Kane, Getty Images

Perth was leading its exciting A-League season opener in front of a terrific crowd of 16,019 fans at nib Stadium against North Queensland Fury 3-2 when the match entered stoppage time.

Several times last season the Glory coughed up results in the latter stages of games, and last night was no different.

Sign of things to come... Glory star recruit Robbie Fowler contests the ball against David Williams of the Fury.Credit: Paul Kane, Getty Images

Fury striker David Williams was upended near the corner flag, and Isaka Cernak's free kick was headed home by Chris Grossman with a minute of time remaining, cancelling out Mile Sterjovski's goal which gave his team the advantage with 11 minutes remaining.

A 3-3 result was not the start the Perth was hoping for, but if it wants to challenge for top-two honours it must maintain its concentration for the final few minutes of tight matches and learn to deal with set pieces, be it corners or free kicks.

Perth was on the cusp of its first ever round one win and it would have been quite the start for the team and fans alike, with plenty of positive signs during the game.

But Glory coach David Mitchell said it was never going to be an easy night out.

"They are quite a physical side," he said. "It was always going to be a difficult game.

"We created enough chances to win … (but) we need to defend a lot better.

"We played well enough, but we're disappointed we didn't win."

Much to the fans delight, the Glory started with gusto with Scotsman Steven McGarry in the centre of midfield and Adriano Pellegrino on the right wing providing a few early problems for the Fury.

We played well enough, but we're disappointed we didn't win.

The fans could sense a goal and it arrived, just five minutes into the game.

A throw-in found its way to McGarry, who stroked a quick pass into the path of the roaming Pellegrino before his cross was stabbed home by none other than Branko Jelic, who is a deadly force in the six-yard box.

Perth stamped its authority on the match and peppered the North Queensland penalty box. But as the game wore on, it was the final ball that let the Glory down in attack.

To the Fury's credit, they slowly worked themselves back into the game and were unlucky not to cash in on the home side’s woes in dealing with set pieces.

Mitchell said the strength and size of the Fury proved quite the challenge for his side against corners and free kicks.

"If you put (the ball) in good areas, it's always going to be difficult to defend," he said.

The match descended into a somewhat spiteful season opener for the two teams, with several crunching tackles resulting in yellow cards for players on both teams.

The bulk of the fans would have been disappointed with Robbie Fowler's efforts in the first half, as he looked sluggish against his former team and could not get regularly involved in the thick of the action.

Mitchell, however, said Fowler did not play a full game in the pre-season and was pleased with his efforts.

"He did tremendously well to keep pace with the game," he said. "But we just couldn't find him. They defended him well and he was pretty frustrated.

"He wasn't in the game as much as would have liked."

Ten minutes before half time, the Fury struck home the equaliser.

Glory skipper Jacob Burns dispossessed Cernak just outside the penalty box but the ball fell into the path of midfielder Chris Payne, who pounced on the loose ball and beat Velaphi with a right-foot strike.

The second half began in similar fashion to the start of the first, with young Glory right back Scott Neville in devastating form.

Eight minutes after the break he sent a stinging shot crashing into the crossbar after some neat build-up work from Sterjovski and Jacob Burns.

It was North Queensland's turn to struggle with corner kicks and after Sterjovski's shot found its way to Jelic, the Fury had their lucky stars to thank when Fowler's left-foot volley lifted over the bar.

This sprung Fowler into life, who rediscovered his touch with some trademark nifty through-balls. And it was just past the hour when the man they called "God" almost delivered.

Pellegrino's meandering run through the middle found an open Fowler, who expertly slotted through to the steadily-improving Sterjovski, but his shot skidded past the near post.

But only minutes later, the crowd was left stunned when North Queensland manufactured the sweetest and most perfect counter-attack.

Payne took advantage of some space down the right wing before his superb cross was volleyed home by Williams into the far corner to give his side a surprise lead.

Perth was not done and dusted and with 16 minutes left, a Glory corner eventually bounced its way to the tireless Neville, whose cracking strike from outside the box again tied proceedings.

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Five minutes later, Perth was back in front after a terrific team move. Jamie Harnwell dribbled into the forward line before lofting the ball over the defence to Pellegrino. The latter's cross was spot on this time, finding an open Sterjovski who coolly headed Glory in front.

Glory was on its way to a rare opening round win, but like last season when concentration levels disappeared late in games and cost it wins, the Fury equalised thanks to the leaping Grossman, which caused the ecstatic Fury bench to do some leaping of its own.