Perth Glory have ended their four-game winless streak thanks to a Hayley Taylor-Young own-goal at the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
The hosts had to wait until the 79th minute for the winner following a Susan Phonsongkham corner, Perth’s first goal in three matches in the Ninja A-League.
The 1-0 defeat will be particularly disappointing for Canberra United given that a victory would have see them go top of the table.
The first promising moment in what was to be a quiet first half came after 12 minutes, when Bethany Gordon’s free kick lacked the venom to really test Glory ‘keeper Teresa Morrissey.
Rola Badawiya had been kept largely at bay by the visitors but combined well with Ella Lincoln and, after switching the ball slickly across her body, curled a testing shot toward the far corner that forced a scrambling save from Sally James.
Canberra’s Emma Hawkins drifted wide to the left and beat Grace Johnston before whipping in an enticing ball, but the chance was sent over the bar by Gordon just shy of the hour mark.
In reply, the hosts created the finest chance of the match when substitute Sarah O’Donoghue’s cross found Phonsongkham whose volley drew a spectacular reaction save from James.
Phonsongkham forced James into another strong save with 10 minutes to play, although Canberra felt she had handled in the build-up.
A corner was awarded, from which Phonsongkham swung the ball into a crowded goalmouth leading to a deflection off Taylor-Young, who was credited with the own goal that eventually gave Perth the win.
The Glory will travel to Newcastle next Saturday with a spot in the top six now firmly in their sights, while Canberra United will be back in the capital and aiming to regain their momentum against the struggling Western Sydney Wanderers in the final Ninja A-League round before the competition breaks for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
