Glory’s first Foxtel Y-League outing of 2020 ended in defeat as they went down 2-0 to Conference A leaders and the competition’s reigning champions, Brisbane Roar at AJ Kelly Park.
A first-half goal from Hyundai A-League striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls gave the hosts the lead, before midfielder Oscar Woods added a second on the hour-mark.
The Glory youngsters did have their chances on the day, however and despite the defeat, Head Coach Richard Garcia took plenty of positives from his team’s performance.
“The young side put in a strong performance against an experienced Roar team,” he said, “but today we didn’t take our chances, which you need to do when you have control of the game.
“Once again, we couldn’t have asked any more from the players.
“It was tough conditions, but they all gave us 100% and it was another positive step in the right direction.
“Had we paid slightly more attention to a few small details, we could have taken something from the game.”
Glory made three changes from the side that started last week’s defeat against Adelaide United, with ‘keeper Josh Langdon replacing Jackson Lee and Zayd Farah and Dane Ingham coming in for Alessandro Circati and Luke Bodnar respectively.
It was the hosts who started the game the better, Wenzel-Halls cutting in from the left after only six minutes and flashing his effort narrowly wide.
But three minutes later the Roar striker found the net, latching on to a ball from Keegan Jelacic and firing home powerfully past Langdon.
After recovering from that early blow, Glory started to get a foothold in the game and went close to restoring parity on 37 minutes.
Mason Tatafu found space on the edge of the penalty area before sending in a shot which whistled over the top and Ciaran Bramwell then saw his shot from a tight angle blocked by a Roar defender.
Both sides went close early in the second half as the tempo of the game lifted, Eli Adams’ low shot flying inches wide of the post, before Glory’s Charlie Leech saw his effort do likewise.
But on 60 minutes it was the home side who doubled their lead, Stefan Mauk providing the assist and Woods applying the finish.
Glory were convinced they should have had a penalty moments later when Giordano Colli looked to have been brought down by Roar ‘keeper Macklin Freke, however referee Max Crane waved away their appeals.
And although Bramwell and Leech both fired in long-range shots during the latter stages, Freke proved equal to both as the hosts locked down the three points.
Glory have a bye next week and will then round off their season by hosting Melbourne City at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday 26 January (kick-off at 10.30am, admission FREE).
Match Details
Brisbane Roar 2 Wenzel-Halls 9’, Woods 60’ Perth Glory 0
AJ Kelly Park
Referee: Max Crane
Assistants: Benjamin Orwell, Dion Bradley
Fourth Official: Nathan MacDonald
Brisbane Roar: GK Macklin FREKE, 2.Emlyn WELLEMORE, 3.Aaron REARDON, 6.Oscar WOODS, 8.Keegan JELACIC, (11.Braydon DOOLAN 69‎’)‎, 10.Harry TALBOT (14.George MELLS 63‎’)‎, 12.Eli ADAMS, 13.Stefan MAUK (15.Ben BRAUNSTORFER 81‎’), 17.Izaack POWELL, 19.Cooper McCORMARK, 23.Dylan WENZEL-HALLS
Substitutes not used: RGK Nathan FOSTER
Yellow Cards: Jelecic 35’, Powell 90+3’
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: GK Josh LANGDON, 2.Mason TATAFU, 4.Zayd FARAH (17.Nicholas McDONALD 64‎’)‎, 5.Daniel WALSH, 6.Dane INGHAM (16.Joshua SAMSON 80‎’‎), 7.Joshua RAWLINS (13.Trent OSTLER 59‎’, 8.Jayden LEADER, 9.Ciaran BRAMWELL, 10.Giordano COLLI, 11.Charlie LEECH, 15.Nicholas WALSH
Substitutes not used: RGK Jackson LEE
Yellow Cards: Farah 49’
Red Cards: None
