8.03.2010

Captain Rob Puca and Coach Graham Normanton accept their trophy

By Peter Simcox

A goal three minutes from time from striker Ian McMurray has given Perth a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Western Knights in the final of the Bam Creative Night Series, winning their fifth consecutive crown in the pre-season tournament.

The Knights were leading at the break with a Stuart Montgomery strike but with six minutes to go Greg Sharland curled in a superb free kick to level before McMurray headed home from close-range after Knights keeper Frazer Siddall could only parry another Sharland set piece into his path. 

It was Perth who opened the brighter and the first chance fell to Onoforo on seven minutes. After good work on the right by Sciascia, his cross found the striker at the back post but he fired wide.  

Moments later a quickly taken free kick from Dom de Felice sent Sharland clear down the left, the former Perth Glory winger's dangerous cross well claimed by the alert Frazer Siddall with Onoforo ready to pounce.

The Knights, who lost to Perth in last season's top five finals, began to get their passing game going and on 18 minutes and had their best chance of the game. Daniel Micevski's good run and shot was well saved by Martino at his near post.

It was the Knights who were dictating terms and on 23 minutes Simon Versaico found space down the right. The former Canning City midfielder picked out Daniel Trim in the box, he chested down to Paul van Dongen, whose shot from eight-yards was well saved by Martino.

Their pressure paid off four minutes later when they hit the front. A long ball into the box was misjudged by Perth defender Trent Kay, and Montgomery pounced and fired home low past a stranded Martino.

The Knights went close to doubling their lead on 39 minutes. Again it was Daniel Micevski who provided the run and cross and Trim's header looped up over Martino, but landed on top of the net.

Perth was struggling to get their passing game going, but they should have equalised three minutes before half time. Sciascia's corner from the left found the unmarked Robbie Puca at the back post but he Perth skipper headed wide from close-range.

The Knights opened the second half well, a rebound falling to Montgomery whose shot was well saved by Martino, who was working hard to keep his side in the game.   

It was all the Knights as Paul Price's side looked for the second goal to kill off the game, and when Daniel Micevski's corner from the left fell to Annall at the back post the Knights skipper volleyed wide.

It looked like it was going to be the Knights night, but they just couldn't find the second goal to finish Perth off.

Perth pressed late, looking to get back in the game and they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box on 84 minutes.  Sharland stepped up and curled a superb free kick up and over the wall and into the top corner of the net, giving Frazer Siddall no chance.

It was a bitter blow for the Knights, but it got worse three minutes later. Another Sharland free kick, 20-yards from goal, bounced just in front of Siddall who could only parry the ball into the path of McMurray who headed home much to the delight of the Perth supporters.     

It then went from bad to worse for the Knights, when in stoppage time Daniel Micevski was given a second yellow card by referee Scragg and was sent off.

But the Knights still had one last chance to send the game into extra time. A good run and cross from David Price in the fifth minute of stoppage time picked out Campbell but his header was straight at Martino who saved.

At the final whistle the Perth players celebrated yet another night series crown and Coach Graham Normanton was happy to get the win.

"We really didn't come to the party tonight, but we ground it out to the final whistle and we got the late goals and that's football I suppose," said a relieved Normanton.

"Fair play to the Knight's they took the game at us and I thought they deserved to win the game tonight but at the end of the day it's goals that count. They had seven or eight shots in the first fifteen minutes of the second half and didn't convert we had two at the end and scored from both of them," added Normanton.

Western Knights: GK Frazer SIDDALL, 2 Garth LECKY, 3 Duncan HIND, 4 Paul VAN DONGEN, 5 David ANNALL, 6 David PRICE, 7 Daniel MICEVSKI, 8 Daniel TRIM (11 Anthony CAMPBELL 73'), 9 Simon VERSAICO, 10 David MICEVSKI, 11 Anthony CAMPBELL, 19 Stuart MONTGOMERY

Subs not used: RGK Jacob CHUDY, 12 Daanial FRANCIS, 13 Marco WARMT-MURRAY, 17 Stuart SIDDALL

Perth SC: GK Luke MARTINO, 2 Trent KAY, 5 Michael BLACK (10 Andreas OLIVIERA 46'), 6 Shaun KILKELLY, 7 Matt DANSKIN (13 Simon WILSON 72'), 8 Robbie PUCA, 9 David ONOFORO (17 Genaveo HUMAN 61'), 16 Ian MCMURRAY, 18 Dom DE FELICE 23 Greg SHARLAND, 24 Robert SCIASCIA.

Subs not used: RGK Jason SALDARIS, 15 Jack CLISBY