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Perth Glory 3 (Ikonomidis 12’, Lowry 60’, Ikonomidis 95’) Central Coast Mariners 2 (Mrcela o.g. 36’, O’Neill 63’).
Bookings: Lowry, Davidson, Keogh for Glory; Melling and Cisse for Mariners. Cisse 2nd yellow and sent off after 93’.
Tony Popovic’s Perth Glory twice shook off the Mariners drawing level to do the business and claim an all important three points that sends them four points ahead of Melbourne Victory at the top of the A-League.
The Mariners twice came back from a goal down, demonstrating quality and resilience belying their position at the bottom of the league, where they surely won’t stay for long.
For the first 30 minutes there was no mistake who was top and bottom as Glory threw the kitchen sink at the Gosford outfit.
Their fluent attacking moves and composure in defence was rewarded with a 12th minute opener. Neil Kilkenny delivered a ball from midfield which found Joel Chianese in the right of the box with pinpoint accuracy. The quality of the ball allowed Chianese the time to find Chris Ikonomidis who made no mistake from 12 meters out.
A tsunami of Glory pressure then ensued but the Mariners somehow kept their sea legs.
After 22 minutes Glory midfielder Kilkenny started a lovely move to Ivan Franjic whose cross from the right was headed inches wide by Ikonomidis.
Franji and Ikonomidis continued to torment the Mariners defence down the right mirrored by the efforts of Davidson, Chianese and Captain Andy Keogh on the left.
The Mariners were clinging on as Aiden O’Neill and Jacob Melling dug in to contest the midfield. Melling, who was freed earlier this year by Western Sydney Wanderers, with the Mariners wisely snapping him up the following day, began to grow in stature.
Even so, it was still a big surprise when the Mariners equalised after 36 minutes.
Melling flighted a dangerous cross into the box, Tommy Mrcela, just back from suspension, mindful of the presence of Mariners Scottish striker Ross McCormack, cut the ball out from him but mistimed his intervention sending it into his own net with Reddy also focused on the Mariners Glaswegian striker.
The Mariners gained sustenance from this turn of events, O’Neill and Melling leading resistance with some good forward holding play from McCormack. The teams went in level at half-time.
Glory came out strong at the start of the second half and were rewarded with a goal on the hour mark. Kilkenny, again provider, found another top-drawer cross from the right which found Glory defensive stalwart Shane Lowry who powerfully headed home his third career goal in his 50th game.
The home crowd were just beginning to believe when Central Coast again equalised three minutes later. During a Mariners attack the ball ricocheted off a Perth defender and appeared at O’Neill’s feet. The 20-year-old, showed terrific composure as he picked his spot, side-footing over a melee of players, and into the corner from 22 yards.
Glory 2 Mariners 2.
During the rest of the second half the fans were treated to a real end to end tussle between two teams with the length of the league between them.
Melling, who somehow acquired a headband at some stage in the proceedings, led the resistance, Terry Butcher-style, minus the blood, repelling the 62% possession enjoyed by the Perth side.
The Mariners seemed the more composed of the two outfits, with Glory players seeming to wonder how on earth they could kill off these basement dwellers. The introduction of Marquee player Diego Castro for his first appearance of the season, produced a few deft touches, but nothing much by the way of penetration to soothe the nerves of the Perth faithful.
But in a frenetic finish the three K’s of Glory combined to kill the Mariners off. Five minutes of injury-time was the rallying call that Glory needed. Their cause was assisted by the sending off of Mariners defender Kalifa Cisse on 93’ for a professional foul on Ikonomidis earning him a second yellow.
On 95’ that man Kilkenny again played provider, whipping in a well-placed cross from just left of the box, Keogh’s miscued bicycle kick distracting the defenders, the ball proceeding to Ikonomidis who calmly slotted home from eight meters finally submerging the Mariners’ hopes.
After the match a disarming and philosophical CCM coach, Mike Mulvey gave credit to Perth and Tony Popovic for operating a great system,
“On the one hand I’m very proud of my team for standing up tonight but so disappointed at the result. We should have taken away a 2-2 draw.”
Meticulous Glory coach Tony Popovic is usually deadpan win, lose or draw but allowed himself a brief smile at tonight’s press conference, “Ikonomidis showed great composure to put the ball away in the last chance of the game, deep into injury time. It’s so easy to lean back and knock it over the bar in these situations.”
Popa’s team are top of the A-League and unbeaten, looking forward to next week’s Distance Derby in Wellington. The Mariners are winless and plumbing the depths, but pity Sydney who play them next at Central Coast.
Perth Glory:
Reddy, Davidson, Grant (Djulbic, 46’), Lowry, Mrcela, Chianese (Castro, 74’), Kilkenny, Wilson (Brimmer, 80’), Franjic, Keogh (c), Ikonomidis.
Subs: Djulbic, Castro, Brimmer, Ferreira, Velaphi (gk)
Central Coast Mariners:
Kennedy, Rowles, Golec, Cisse, Millar (Murray, 78’), Clisby, O’Neill, Melling, Pain (Simon, 87’), McCormack, Hoole (McGlinchey 61’).
Subs: McGing, McGlinchey, Simon, Murray, Pearce (gk)
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Attendance: 10,417
