The Perth Glory have warmed up for next Friday’s clash with Wolverhampton by thrashing WA Premier League side Cockburn 7-0 on Saturday afternoon, while the Gold Coast maintained its ominous pre-season form.
Perth midfielder Scott Bulloch, though, proved he’s fired up for the new Hyundai A-League campaign with a well-timed hat-trick, while former Glory youth team skipper Andrija Jukic also bagged a double.
French hitman Eugene Dadi added his name to the scoresheet as he looks to follow up a 10-goal season last year with another big campaign, while youngster Adam Taggart was also on target.
After absorbing some early Cockburn pressure the Glory added three quick goals just before the break, Jukic volleying in Jimmy Downey’s cross before Bullock bundled one home and scored a second from a free kick.
There was no letting up for Cockburn, though, as Bulloch rapidly completed his hat-trick after the break.
Gold Coast United, meanwhile, has finished off its Asian tour in style, sweeping past Hong Kong FC 5-0 at Happy Valley on Friday night as strikers Andrew Barisic and Milson scored two apiece.
Despite the hot conditions, United was rarely troubled by the locals but had to wait until the half-hour mark before opening its account.
A piercing, long pass from youngster Richard Greer caught out the home defence and Brazilian import Milson raced clear to finish comfortably.
Moments later Milson doubled his tally when he capitalised on a poor clearance from the Hong Kong goalkeeper and made no mistake with his second attempt after his first effort was blocked.
United kept up the intensity just a minute into the second period when youngster Gol Gol Mebrahtu added the third goal.
Matt Osman won the ball on the right hand side and his cross was flicked on by Barasic to Mebrahtu, who found the net with relative ease.
With Hong Kong struggling to hold back wave after wave of United attacks, the locals succumbed again in the 51st minute.
Mebrahtu and Barisic combined beautifully on the edge of the box to engineer space before the former Melbourne Knights hit-man slipped the ball past the advancing goalkeeper to make it 4-0 to the visitors.
Barisic completed his double with nine minutes remaining when he was in the right place to knock in a loose ball after Joel Porter-s strike was deflected into his path.
The victory made it three wins out of three and a hat-trick of clean sheets for Miron Bleiberg’s men on their overseas excursion to New Caledonia and Asia.
