Perth Glory were able to end their disastrous season on a positive, with a 2-1 victory over the ninth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers at a hail-hit Pirteck Stadium on Saturday night.
Jamie Maclaren did the damage in the first half with his fourth goal in two games, further distancing himself from the dreaded super sub name tag. His goal, however, was cancelled out by Wanderers youngster Liam Youlley, who squeezed the ball through a mass of bodies and past Danny Vukovic to record a debut goal and level the scores.
The Glory had to then withstand a red and black onslaught throughout the majority of the second stanza, the task made all the more difficult after Denis Kramar was handed a second yellow card. Andy Keogh got his side out of jail with an ice cold finish into the bottom left corner to silence the rowdy Wanderers supporters and claim back-to-back wins, closing out the year of turmoil in an upbeat fashion.
Maclaren’s future is crucial for Perth
Following Maclaren’s sublime hatrick against Melbourne City last week, the Perth attacker stated his discontent at the lack of playing time Kenny Lowe had given him, and that talk was backed up yet again with his ninth goal, latching onto a through ball and sliding it between the gloves of Dean Bouzanis.
The importance of that strike carries much more than the mirage of points gained, it sends out a clear message to the Perth hierarchy to arm their chequebooks to retain the exciting Olyroo as the sharks begin to circle the potential departure of players from the Glory’s damaged ship, none bigger than league leaders Melbourne Victory.
It is a must for Perth to lock Maclaren into a lengthy contract, considering his undoubted super sub qualities and the goalscoring masterclass he has displayed over the past couple of weeks from the starting lineup. Added to the goalscoring talents is his versatility; he can play as the sole striker or in behind as an attacking midfielder and out wide on either flank. Overall, he is someone Kenny Lowe can easily slot into a side or build a team around, especially off the back if talisman Keogh were to leave.
Wanderers showcase more youth
With the busy schedule of A-League and Asian Champions League fixtures suffocating Western Sydney’s squad, Tony Popovic has had to delve into the depths of his deck to cover fatigue, injuries and suspensions. The two most recent additions to this regime was Youlley and Shane Da’Cunha. The latter marked the 36th player to be used in the Wanderers rotation this season, setting a new A-League record.
Youlley played in the midfield trio that contained Mateo Poljak and Nick Kalmar. Alongside the former in the deep lying position, he was very confident throughout, always eager to beat a player and carry the ball forward. That was rewarded with a debut goal in the second half although it was helped by a deflection. Da’Cunha played at right-back and had a nervy start, littered with unforced errors which led to opportunities on goal for Perth. However, upon settling down, the Indo-Australian defender was expectationally composed and kept the red hot Daniel De Silva quiet.
With so much speculation around an off season rebuild, there is no doubt the vast youth among Western Sydney’s ranks will be a key feature in Popovic’s strategy.
Perth grabs a hypothetical podium finish
Obviously the Glory will be relegated to seventh following the conclusion of the A-League’s tenth merry-go-round, but if Football Federation Australia (FFA) had not disqualified Perth, where would it have ended up and would it have been a contender for the silverware?
The 2-1 victory against Western Sydney and the 3-1 triumph over Melbourne City last week meant Perth would have ended the season on 50 points, a club record and enough to level league leaders Melbourne Victory who play the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.
If second place was to be the outcome, it would mean the Glory would have a home semi final, which is the perfect launching pad into the quest for a maiden A-League crown, one that certainly would have been obtainable considering the squad at Lowe’s disposal.
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