Perth Glory’s Youth team have succumbed to a fired-up and vastly more experienced Queensland Roar side at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Perth Glory-s Youth team have succumbed to a fired-up and vastly more experienced Queensland Roar side at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
The Roar team featured six Hyundai A-League squad members and the gulf in experience became apparent in a commanding second half that netted four goals for the home side who ran out 5-1 winners.
“Our first half was competitive but we lost our way in the second half and it wasn-t acceptable,” Glory Coach Gareth Naven said following the match.
“This is a development league and we have identified a lot of things out of this game that we have to improve,” Naven added.
Powered by a Chris Grossman hat-trick and contributions from Thomas Oar and Josh McVey, the Roar notched their third win in succession.
Eli Babalj was the lone player on target for Perth in just his second match in the National Youth League competition. The young striker was a key contributor and his long range strike will be one for the highlight reels.
Babalj, who is part of the National Training Centre program in WA, made a terrific run and sent a stinging shot from the edge of the box that flew past the outstretched hand of Matthew Acton in the 67th minute.
Glory thought they had the opener after 28 minutes when striker Anthony Skorich was brought down by Bradley McDonald just outside the box and some quick thinking had the ball in the back of the net from the free kick.
Their joy was short lived as referee Nathan MacDonald called for the kick to be taken again but this time Adam Luca-s curling shot hit the side netting.
Glory continued their purple patch in attack with Ludivoc Boi working his way inside the box but the bigger bodies of the Roar defence took him off his line and he was unable to get descent purchase on his shot.
Against the run of play it was the home side that drew first blood when Grossman stroked home a rebound following Frank Juric-s excellent save from Oar’s initial goal-bound effort.
Perth made a change in goal at half time and it was a baptism of fire for young Dejan Aleksic as Queensland stepped up a gear to score three times in 12 minutes.
Oar began the flurry in front of goal with a shot that rebounded in off the post before Grossman added his second when the ball found its way onto his feet in a crowded penalty box.
Joshua McVey capitalised on crooked bounce that tricked an unlucky Scott Neville and the Sorrento defender could only watch in horror as the ball went past him and into the waiting path of the Roar striker.
Perth did had a late opportunity to pull one back when Skorich found some space in the area but he had his shot cleared by a desperate Roar defence.
The score line looked like remaining at 4-1 until the dying moments when Grossman had two gilt-edged chances to notch his hat-trick. The first cannoned back off the cross-bar but his 89th minute effort – set up by Oar – nestled in the back of the net and gave the Roar their 17th goal from seven outings.
Despite the loss Perth remains in fourth spot while Queensland climbs into second.
National Youth League Rd 9
Queensland Roar 5(Chris Grossman 43-/51-/88-, Tommy Oar 47-, Joshua McVey 59-)
Perth Glory 1(Eli Babalj 67-)
Sunday 23 November at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Nathan MacDonald
Perth Glory line-up: 20.Frank JURIC (gk) (OA) (1.Dejan ALEKSIC (gk) 45-), 5.Hayden DOYLE, 6.Steven HESKETH (22.Trent SAINSBURY 58-), 8.Howard FONDYKE (14.Lewis HALL 58-), 9.Anthony SKORICH, 10.Adam LUCA, 11.Ludovic BOI (7.James SAMMUT 58-), 12.Reece VITTIGLIA, 13.Andrija JUKIC, 15.Scott NEVILLE, 16.Eli BABALJ
Substitutes not used: Nil
Yellow cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Queensland Roar line-up: 1.Griffin McMASTER (gk) (OA) (20.Matt ACTON (gk) 59-), 2.Daniel BOWLES, 4.Brad McDONALD (5.Luke BRATTAN 45-), 6.Matthew MUNDY (10.Mitchell BEVAN 59-), 7.Adam SAROTA (c), 8.Michael RYAN, 11.Tommy OAR, 12.Josh McVEY (3.Michael ANGUS 59-), 13.Chris GROSSMAN, 14.Ben GRIFFIN (OA), 19.Isaka CERNAK
Substitutes not used: Nil
Yellow cards: Brad McDonald 29-, Chris Grossman 90-
Red Cards: Nil
