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Round 17 State Premier League: Stirling Lions 1-3 Perth SC |
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Monday, 18 August 2008 |
NAGLIERI DOUBLE INSPIRES PERTH
Ilija Mihalj
Midfield maestro Antonio Naglieri scored twice and set up another as Perth SC did no damage to their title hopes by dispatching 10-man Stirling Lions 3-1 at Macedonia Park on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides exchanged possession early on but neither could seize control of the game. In the 8th minute Perth felt they should have been awarded a penalty when a seemingly harmless Todd Howarth cross looked to be handled by young Lion Chris Harland, but their please were ignored by referee Jeremy Oliphant.
On the quarter-hour Trent Kay came close for Perth when his downward header went just wide after a good ball in from the left by Howarth.
Stirling almost hit the front three minutes later when Steve Porter’s in-swinging corner beat everybody but Naglieri, who headed off the line.
However it was Perth who drew first blood on 28 minutes. Howarth whipped in another great ball from a corner which Naglieri flicked on and David Onoforo somehow steered into the net, seemingly off his thigh for 1-0.
The visitor’s goal looked to bring Stirling to life as the home side knocked the ball around with a little more desperation.
They were eventually rewarded for their efforts in the 42nd minute. Ludovic Boi was virtually on the byline when he picked up a rebound and smashed a shot past veteran Gareth Deeg at the near post – much to goalkeeper’s disbelief.
Scottish import Mark Anthony almost sent the home side into the break 2-1 up, but his volley clipped the top of Deeg’s crossbar on the way over.
Stirling were expected to continue their good showing in the second half but that all changed when Alan Muir was given his marching orders for a rash challenge on Naglieri. It was the defender’s second bookable offence.
In the 56th minute it went from bad to worse for Stirling as Perth took control - and this time it was Phil Straker who was the unfortunate custodian. Naglieri found himself in a position which looked like it posed no danger to the Lions backline. It proved otherwise as the former Perth Glory man spotted Straker off his line and sent a long and accurate lob into the Stirling net.
Naglieri doubled his tally 16 minutes later after Greg Sharland whipped in a low ball from the left which the Lions defence failed to clear. From six yards out he headed home to make it 3-1 and crush any chance Stirling had of getting back into the game.
His hat-trick was almost completed late on, but after being set up by David Price the tall midfielder sent his sliced volley just wide of the far post.
Perth playmaker Andrija Jukic praised his teammate’s efforts, but stressed the side had to work as a team if they are to have any chance of claiming silverware this season.
“I think Antonio thoroughly deserved man-of-the-match today,” he said.
“But there are still five weeks left and we – as a group - have to win every game to even have a chance of winning the league.”
Stirling will play for pride when it visits ECU Joondalup next Saturday while Perth host Inglewood in a top-of-the-table blockbuster next Sunday afternoon.
Perth 3 (Onoforo 28, Naglieri 56,72) def. Stirling Lions 1 (Boi 42)
Perth – G Deeg, T Kay, G Circati, M Icanovski, A Jukic, T Howarth (P Lord 71), D Onoforo, D Price (R Lujan 89), S Campbell (G Human 84), A Naglieri, G Sharland.
Subs not used – S Madaschi, T Myers.
Bookings – S Campbell 49, D Onoforo 83.
Stirling – P Straker, M Pugliese, J Rhodes (R Feely 46), L Boi (A Rosindale 76), P Arnold, M Anthony, A Muir, D Evans, C Rutherford, S Porter, C Harland (A Brown 76).
Subs not used – M Hill, D Houston.
Bookings – A Muir 38,48.
Dismissed – A Muir 48.
Referee: Jeremy Oliphant.
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