Glory too strong for WA State side

Perth Glory has begun their pre-season in Australia with a 3-0 win against the Western Australian State side at Intiga Stadium on Tuesday night.

Report by Peter Simcox

First half goals to New Zealand international Shane Smeltz and Jess Makarounas set the A-League side on their way, and second half substitute Ndumba Makeche added the third.

“I was pleased with the first half we controlled the game and the movement was good, and we managed to get the full backs forward and we got the two early goals which was pleasing,” Glory Coach Ian Ferguson said.

“But they improved and I was really impressed with them in the second half."

State Coach Kenny Lowe was pleased with the performance despite a slow start.

“They came out of the block well, but once we started to cope with the intensity and started to keep the ball we brought ourselves into the game,” he said.

“I thought we finished the first half well and I was really pleased with the second half.”

On a wet and windy night, there was still a big crowd was on hand at kick off; the match was a special fundraiser for the Mount Lawley Primary School, which was burnt down last month.

The Glory opened brightly and on six minutes Dean Heffernan tried his luck from long-range, but Alex Dunn saved low, but four minutes later they were ahead. This time Heffernan was the supplier, his deep cross from the left picked out Smeltz at the back post, who volleyed home.

Then seven minutes later it was 2-0. New Glory defender Scott Jamieson found space down the left and his cross made its way to Makarounas and the Young Socceroo midfielder finished low past Dunn.

The first opportunity for WA came on 25 minutes, Ryan Clarke finding Francisco Jorquera who fired over. It was the Glory who was dictating terms and Billy Mehmet headed wide from Smeltz’s cross on the half hour, before Josh Risdon’s powerful shot whistled inches past the post.

WA were struggling to keep possession, and they were almost punished again five minutes from half time. Liam Miller sent Risdon down the right, his cross picked out Smeltz, who headed wide from eight yards.

The State side’s best chance of the half came on 42 minutes. Jorquera played a one-two with his Bayswater City team mate Gustavo Catarcione on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot from 16 yards went just wide of the target.

There were a host of changes at the break for both teams, but it was WA who had the first opening. Ludovic Bio raced clear down the right and his pin-point cross found Ashley Rosindale, but the Balcatta striker’s header was tipped over by the alert Danny Vukovic.

They went close again on 56 minutes, Floreat Athena skipper Mark Pritchard played a great through ball for David Foster, but the ECU Joondalup striker’s shot was high.

But the game was put out of the reach of the State team when Glory scored a third on 72 minutes. A poor clearance from keeper Dunn put Patrick Quinn under pressure, and he was dispossessed by Makeche. The former Inglewood United striker raced into the area and scored low past Dunn.

To the State team's credit they continued to go forward and Vukovic saved well from Rosindale six minutes later. Then Pritchard threaded a ball into the path of his Floreat Athena team mate Boi, but reserve keeper Jordan Franken was quickly off his line to save.

At the final whistle it was a comfortable 3-0 win to Perth Glory, but State midfielder Mark Pritchard, who was outstanding on the night, was happy with the side’s performance.

“We started really slow but once we got into the game I thought we played some good stuff ourselves,” he said.

“Fitness probably showed at the end, they train every day, but the lads only train twice a week. We pressed a bit higher second half and caused them some problems, so overall were pretty pleased with the performance.”

Perth Glory v WA State Team

Tuesday, August 21

Venue - Intiga Stadium

Kick-off 7PM

Referee – Mathew Cheeseman

Assistants – Tim Mihevc and Michal Jasinski

Attendance – 1,500 (Approx)

WA State Team – GK Alex DUNN, 4, Jason GAVIN (2 Jack CLISBY 46’), 6 John HIGGINS (17 Patrick QUINN 46’), 8 Ryan CLARKE, 10 Francisco JORQUERA (12 David FOSTER 46’), 11 Gustavo CATARCIONE (9 Ashley ROSINDALE 46’), 18 John KEARNEY (3 Adam BACHILLER 46’), 19 Steve TURNBULL, 21 Mark PRITCHARD, 15 Reece VITTIGLIA (14 Ludovic BOI 46’), 22 Storm ROUX (5 Spencer HARRIS 46’)

Subs not used – RGK Devon SPENCE

Perth Glory – GK Danny VUKOVIC (RGK Jordan FRANKEN 79’), 3 Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 4 Billy MEHMET (14 Steven MCGARRY 64’), 8 Dean HEFFERNAN (5 Steve PANTELIDIS 46’), 9 Shane SMELTZ (22 Ndumba MAKECHE 64’), 10 Liam MILLER (12 Matthew DAVIES 76’), 15 Brandon O’NEILL (11 Adrian ZAHRA 46’), 18 Jess MAKAROUNAS (6 Nick WARD 69’), 19 Josh RISDON, 21 Scott JAMIESON, 23 Michael THWAITE

Subs not used - Nil