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Good Crowd, Bad Performance from Glory A-League Season 2005-06 - Round 17 
 Perth Glory FC 0 lost to Queensland Roar FC (Reinaldo Elias da Costa 11', Michael Baird 80')
The 11,087 supporters who attended the MES in Perth tonight went home bitterly disappointed after witnessing their local hero capitulate to Queensland Roar in a fairly lack-lustre game.
Perth were hit by injury before the match with star striker Bobby Despotovski crying off injured due to an ongoing Achilles problem.
The fact the home side only created 1 chance in the 90 minutes of football bears testament of the value of the veteran striker. With Despotovski out injured it meant a start for local youngster David Micevski. Also in the starting line up was Henry Fa'arodo, with new signing Danny Hay on the bench. Scott Miller was a welcome return to the first 11 after injury.
Roar decided on an attacking line up to start with 3 central strikers in the line up, Reinaldo da Costa, Jordan Simpson and Alex Brosque. This was a deliberate ploy by coach Miron Bleiberg to exploit Glory's lack of fit and retired defenders.
Bleiberg must have been thrilled with his tactics in just the 11 minute when first Spase Dilevski had a great shot turned round the post by Petkovic, and then to see the resultant corner, not be cleared by the shaky glory defense and his new Brazilian striker Reinaldo da Costa somehow fire the ball home in a crowded area to give the visitors the lead.
Glory could have and should have equalized just 6 minutes later, when Henry Fa'arodo played Damian Mori in on goal with a crisp pass, only for the striker to have his shot saved by Tom Willis in the Roar goal.
The rest of the first half really was a dismal affair with little or no chances created by either side, Glory had a couple of long range efforts that never troubled the Roar keeper and Roar had a great chance when Alex Brosque sent in a very dangerous cross that Reinaldo just failed to get a touch on.
In the 40th minute the Brazilian striker was caught with a high kick by a Glory defender but referee Ben Williams surprisingly gave an indirect free kick instead of the penalty most of the crowd was anticipating.
If that let off was hoped to inspire Glory, unfortunately it failed miserably as in the 2nd half they failed to create even 1 clear cut opportunity and in fact it was the Roar, who by their coaches own admission had decided to sit back that created the chances and eventually killed off the game with a 2nd goal.
In the 70th minute Brosque had a great shot from 25 meters touched onto the post and straight back into Jason Petkovic's arms. Just 3 minutes later it was substitute Michael Baird's turn to fire a shot just inches wide of the Glory goal following a quick Roar break.
That should have been warning for Glory, but again they failed to heed it and got punished in the 80th minute with a crisp strike by Baird into the bottom right corner of the Glory net after impressive play by Brosque.
So Glory, who before the match had a chance to grab 4th spot, and at the same time basically finish Roars interest in the competition, played one of their worst performances of the season.
On the other hand Roar kept their finals chances well and truly alive after this away victory.
On Thursday night Perth will have to regroup as they face the runaway league leaders Adelaide United at the MES in a season defining match. For the Roar they will be hoping for their first home victory since Round 1 when they take on Melbourne Victory on Sunday.
A-League Season 2005-06 - Round 17 Crowd: 11,087
MATCH STATS:
Perth Glory FC
Coach: Alan Vest
Yellow Cards:
Nil Queensland Roar FC
: Coach: Miron Bleiberg Yellow Cards:
Josh McCloughlan 16', Remo Buess 38', Spase Dilevski 40', Reinaldo Elias da Costa 52' Referee: Ben Williams 6/10
Pitch rating: 9/10 Game rating: 3/10 Best Players
:
3. Masimo Murdocca (Roar) Match
Report by Eamon Duffy
Disclaimer: The content of this report is the responsibility of the writer. Stats are either as recorded by the writer at the game, or as supplied by FFA, or a mixture - no responsibility can be taken for their compete accuracy although we do strive for that. FFA has not this season accredited any Photographers for BOTN, so any photos used here, if unattributed, are as supplied by FFA and used by permission.
Crafted
lovingly by hand |
