Glory Too Good Four the Jets

Perth Glory moved back into the top six of the Hyundai A-League after an impressive 4-0 victory against the Newcastle Jets at Members Equity Stadium this afternoon.

The Jets arrived in Perth after four consecutive victories, but goals from Naum Sekulovski, Jamie Harnwell 2 and Mile Sterjovski, gave David Mitchell’s side the points and took some pressure of the manager after some unimpressive performances in recent weeks which had seen his side not win in four games.

Both sides made one change to their starting line up’s with Sterjovski returning to the starting line up for the Glory to replace the injured Victor Sikora, while Ben Kantarovski came into the Jets line up to replace the injured Michael Bridges.

The visitors, who were looking to consolidate fourth spot, made a good start to the game and on seven minutes Matt Thompson sent Sean Rooney clear of the Glory off-side trap but the Jets skipper’s pass was over hit and Tando Velaphi was out quick to collect.

After the early scare it was the Glory that began to dominate and on 11 minutes Adriano Pellegrino sent Jamie Harnwell clear down the right, his cross found the unmarked Sterjovski, whose first time shot was superbly saved by Neil Young.

It was the home side who began to dictate proceedings and six minutes later Jacob Burns’ corner was dropped by Young and Andy Todd’s snap shot was deflected wide.

With the home side well on top it wasn’t a surprise when they hit the front on 19 minutes. A hand ball from Labinot Halliti gave the Glory a free kick; 25-yards from goal, Naum Sekulovski stepped up and drilled a low shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net to give the Glory the lead much to the delight of the packed ranks on the Shed.

It was just the start Mitchell and owner Tony Sage were wanting, and it got better when they doubled their lead five minutes later. Glory skipper Jacob Burns sent Sterjovski clear down the left and his pinpoint cross into the box picked out Harnwell who fired home from four-yards, past his former Sorrento teammate Young to make it 2-0.

The Members Equity Stadium was rocking and on 35 minutes it was three. Todd Howarth’s ball into the box sent Sterjovski clear. The Socceroos midfielder was pulled back by former Glory defender Ljubo Milicevic and referee Ben Williams had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Sterjovski piked himself up and sent Young the wrong way to make it 3-0.

It could have been 4-0 on 40 minutes, Sekulovski quick ball caught the Jets defence napping, and Sterjovski’s shot from the left of the box was saved low by Young.

Jet’s Coach Branko Culina made a double change at the break with Ali Abbas and Kaz Patafta replacing Tarek Elrich and Labinot Haliti and they made a good start to the second half, Adam D’Apuzzo’s long-range shot tipped over by Tando Velaphi at full stretch.

But the Glory hit back to make it 4-0 on 70 minutes. It was a another quick break down the left, Burns found Scott Neville whose pinpoint cross found Harnwell who rose above Ljubo Milicevic to head home from four-yards.

To the Jets credit they fought the game out and the impressive Jin-Hyung Song’s free kick on 78 minutes tested Velaphi, but the new Socceroos keeper tipped over at full stretch.

Thompson’s late long-range shot was saved low by Glory keeper Velaphi, and two minute from time Abbas’ curling free kick from the edge of the box flashed inches past the post but it was the home side that walked of the pitch with the three points.

The Glory will host second placed Sydney FC in the next round on January 10 at Members Equity Stadium, while the Jets face top-of-the-table Melbourne Victory at Energy Australia Stadium on the same date.

Glory defender Chris Coyne was delighted with the result after the game. “We scored at the right time this week, in recent games we’ve been on top and haven’t converted today we did, and it’s a big win for the whole club,” Coyne told Fox Sports.

“We’ve always said we are a top two side and we still believe that. With the players we have got at the club we shouldn’t be losing games and one from nine isn’t good enough, and hopefully this performance is the start of many to come,” added Coyne.

Jets skipper Matt Thompson was disappointed with their performance. “It was a bitterly disappointing game for us especially after four good wins. We wanted to put them on the back foot early but that never happened, and they are a hard team to stop when they get on top. It’s disappointing going into the international break with such a poor performance, but we have to bounce back next time out against the Victory,” said Thompson.

Thompson, who has been called up into Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers with Kuwait didn’t blame the travel on Christmas day as an excuse. “It’s always a tough game when you come to Perth, but everyone had time with their family before, and travel is no excuse, we weren’t good enough today, end of story,” Thompson told Fox Sports.

Perth Glory - GK Tando VELAPHI, 3 Jamie COYNE, 4 Andy TODD, 5 Jamie HARNWELL, 6 Chris COYNE, 7 Jacob BURNS, 12 Scott NEVILLE, 16 Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17 Todd HOWARTH, 19 Naum SEKULOVSKI, 21 Mile STERJOVSKI – Subs not used – RGK Aleks VRTESKI, 2 Jimmy DOWNEY, 13 Scott BULLOCH, 23 Andrija JUKIC

Newcastle Jets - Gk Neil YOUNG, 3 Adam D’APUZZO, 4 Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 5 Ljubo MILICEVIC, 6 Ben KANTAROVSKI, 7 Jin-Hyung SONG, 8 Matt THOMPSON, 11 Tarek ELRICH, 12 Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 15 Sean ROONEY, 25 Labinot HALITI – Subs not used – RGK Ben KENNEDY, 9 Sasho PETROVSKI, 22 Kaz PATAFTA, 26 Ali ABBAS

Referee – Ben Williams

Att – 9,418