A hat-trick from Paul Zimarino helped Perth SC end the PGFC Academy First Team’s Top Four Cup dreams as Perth SC ran out 4-1 winners in Saturday’s Final at Frank Drago Reserve.
John Gibson’s men took the lead through Michael McDougall, but were undone in the second half as Gustavo Catarcione added to Zimarino’s treble to see the Azzurri home.
The result meant that Glory ended a remarkable campaign empty-handed in terms of silverware having been pipped to the league title by the same opponents on the last day of the regular season.
And a visibly disappointed Gibson pulled no punches with his post-match reflections.
“No excuses,”he said, “we weren’t good enough today.
“Congratulations to [Head Coach] Ramon Falzon and his Perth team.
“Overall, we’ve shown some good growth this season, but it hasn’t been a success because we haven’t won anything.”
There was none of the caution that often characterises the opening stages of Cup Finals, with both sides happy to commit numbers forward at every opportunity.
And it was the men in purple who looked the more likely, as Yagoub Mustafa went close before McDougall made the breakthrough on 27 minutes, lashing home a cross from Michael Domfeh.
Perth began to force their way back into the game as half time approached, however and came close to restoring parity when Lee was forced into a fine save to tip a Kristian Santich long-ranger onto the bar.
Falzon’s side continued to press during the early stages of the second half and the equaliser finally arrived on 67 minutes as Zimarino found the net after Jackson Lee had done well to parry his initial effort.
Five minutes later, the Glory defence could only half clear an Alex Silla cross and Zimarino struck again to bag his and Perth’s second of the day.
An unfortunate error from Lee then gifted Catarcione a goal to make it 3-1 and the final nail in the coffin came five minutes from time when Zimarino capitalised upon a wayward pass from Daniel Walsh and stroked home to secure the match ball.
Match Details
NPLWA Top Four Cup Final
Perth Glory 1 (McDougall 27′) Perth SC 4 (Zimarino 67′, 72′, 85′ Catarcione 75′)
Half-time: 1-0
Saturday 8th September
Frank Drago Reserve, Bayswater
Perth Glory: GK Jackson LEE, 3 Sam RIAK, 4 Daniel WALSH, 5 Ollie ANNIS, 8 Callum TIMMINS (12 Jack LEECH 77′), 7 Chok DAU (17 Gomo DUKULY 73′), 8 Henry HORE, 9 Michael DOMFEH, 10 Michael MCDOUGALL (13 Aiden EDWARDS 77′), 11 Yacoub MUSTAFA, 16 Zayd FARAH
Substitutes not used: RGK Nicholas SPECA, 14 Nic MCDONALD
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 2 Alex SILLA, 4 Adrian MADASCHI, 5 Niccolo SABATINI, 6 Harley ORR, 9 Gustavo CATARCIONE (7 Aleks JOVIC 86′), 11 Matthew MILENKOVIC (16 Kieran COLWELL 85′), 12 Jordan DE LEO, 13 Rocco PIZZATA, 14 Kristan SANTICH (10 Nicholas AMBROGIO 83′), 20 Paul ZIMARINO
Substitutes not used: RGK Malek KUC, 19 Adam ZIMARINO
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy
#OneGlory
