Sorrento SC maintained its lead at the top of the WA NPL ladder after edging Glory’s youngsters 4-2 at Ashfield Reserve at the weekend.
Glory dominated early, but conceded a goal in Sorrento’s first attack, Jack Salter on target.
Skipper Daniel Stynes levelled on the quarter hour, before Billy Quinncroft regained the lead on the half hour. But the Glory were level at the break with Jack Iredale heading home.
But second half goals to Alex Morgan and Sorrento skipper Steve McDonald wrapped up the points, the defeat leaving the Glory in 11th place on the table, but they do have a game in hand.
Glory Coach John Gibson was disappointed post-match.
“You can’t give sloppy goals away, and we did today, and I’m really disappointed, but Sorrento were fantastic and took their opportunities,” he said.
“However we did create a number of good opportunities of our own, but failed to convert them, and that puts pressure on everybody, it’s a part of our game we need to improve.”
Gibson said his young team totally dominated early, but didn’t get the rewards.
“We are working really, really hard and we have some young guys, but this is the level we want to play, and we were all looking forward to the match. We started really well and totally dominated them,” he said.
“But we slipped away at times in terms of concentration, and we need to be better on the ball, and more ruthless in front of goal.
“We have been seriously competitive this season, but we want more than that, we want to be rewarded, and we should have done that today, and a few more times over the year.”
The Glory made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Stirling Lions last week, with Jamel Reiners returning from injury to replace Michael McDougall, while Cam Murray replaced Ollie Annis.
It was one-way traffic early, with the Glory dominating. Joe Knowles’ long-range shot on two minutes was straight at James Morgan.
Moments later Reiners and Knowles combined to send Stynes down the left, he cut inside his marker but James Morgan was alert to save.
The Sorrento custodian was in the action again on five minutes, this time Knowles’ snap shot was well saved, before Stynes’ free kick flashed inches past the far post.
It was a great start for Gibson’s boys, but in their first attack on ten minutes Sorrento hit the front. Scott Witschge made ground down the right and picked out Salter on the edge of the box, and his powerful shot beat Jordan Thurtell.
But six minutes later the Glory levelled. Knowles’ free kick from the right picked out Sam Riak at the back post, who headed it down to Stynes, whose shot slipped through the hands of the keeper to make it 1-1.
Kosta Petratos tried his luck from long-range, but it flew over the top, as the Glory pressed, and moments later Knowles’ free kick crashed off the crossbar.
Sorrento also hit the woodwork, Alex Morgan’s shot on the run smacked the post and away to safety, as the game opened up.
It was end-to-end football, as both sides pressed, but it was Sorrento who regained their lead on 28 minutes. Jack Salter burst out of the midfield and squared the ball to Quinncroft, who side footed home from the edge of the penalty area.
But these Glory youngsters weren’t going to go down without a fight and they hit back and leveled seven minutes later.
Knowles’ ball in the box caused problems and Iredale beat James Morgan to the ball and headed home.
Glory keeper Thurtell then produced a great save to deny Salter, and in the shadows of half time the Glory went close to the lead.
Stynes made a surging run down the left, which took him past three Sorrento defenders, but instead of going for goal, he cut the ball back, and the chance was gone.
After the break the Glory continued to take the game to Sorrento, Knowles’ long-range shot was saved low by James Morgan.
Then on the hour Stynes made space on the right, cut past his marker, but his shot was well saved by James Morgan, the rebound falling to McDougall, who shot straight at the keeper.
But three minutes later Sorrento regained the lead. Jacob Shore’s cross from the left picked out Alex Morgan who headed home.
The points were wrapped up for the visitors on 70 minutes, when they added a fourth. Brad McDonald’s free kick on the left found Steve McDonald, and the former Motherwell defender finished clinically past Thurtell.
In other results Callum Salmon’s under 18’s beat Sorrento 7-0, while Richard Garcia’s under 20’s draw 3-3 with Sorrento.
The Glory is in action on Saturday, when it travels to Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium to take on Inglewood United.
Match details
Perth Glory 2 (Stynes 16’, Iredale 35’)
Sorrento 4 (Salter 10’, Quinncroft 28’, Alex Morgan 63’, Steve McDonald 70’)
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Ashfield Reserve
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referees: Matthew Southern, Shane Skinner
Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Riley WARLAND, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Cam MURRAY, 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Jamal REINERS (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 46’), 8 Sam RIAK (15 Callum TIMMINS 68’), 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 11 Kosta PETRATOS
Substitutes not used: RGK Stef KING, 13 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 16 Harry QUIGLEY
Yellow Cards: Warland 77’,
Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (10 Scott BULLOCH 69’), 7 Alex MORGAN, 8 Ryan PEARSON (18 Jordan BROWN 77’), 13 Steve MCDONALD (c), 14 Scott WITSCHGE (6 Daryl PLATTEN 82’), 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES
Substitutes not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 11 Tim HILL
Yellow Cards: Steve McDonald 34’
