Glory Women keep finals hopes alive

Perth Glory has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a convincing 3-1 W-League victory against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.

Perth Glory has kept its slim finals hopes alive with a convincing 3-1 W-League victory against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.

After a 0-0 first half, the floodgates opened with the Glory scoring three before the Reds bobbed up with a consolation goal during injury time.

The early stalemate was broken by Marianna Tabain in the 51st minute. Tabain charged towards goal and found a way through a few United defenders to put the ball in the right hand corner of the net.

Collette McCallum had threatened to score during the first half but had to wait until the 71st minute before being gifted her first goal.

Reds goalkeeper Sian McLaren came off her line and tried to draw a player by holding onto the ball with her foot just inside the box. But she was pressured by her opponent and lost possession, allowing McCallum to swoop and send the ball into an open penalty area.

McCallum was also involved in the team-s final score with her short but smart cross giving Elisa D-Ovidio the space she needed to drill one from near the spot.

It was another disappointing Hindmarsh Stadium fade-out for the home side but the last-gasp goal from Sandra Scalzi, who swooped on a Donna Cockayne pass, did lift their spirits.

The visitors- rebounding run and more organised attacking game made them deserved winners but the Reds had their fair share of the ball.

United were dangerous in the second half with Cockayne denied success a number of times by the Glory goalkeeper.

The Glory now has 10 competition points and is just two points behind fourth place. United remains anchored on the bottom of the ladder after taking just one point from their last six games.

It wasn-t the most attractive opening to the contest with both sides struggling to maintain possession once they tried to press beyond the midfield.

The Reds eventually settled and were starting to knock the ball around but it was the Glory-s forays into attack which threatened to break the game open.

McCallum found space midway through the stanza but blazed left of the target while Lisa De Vanna had two shots in seven minutes heading into the break to give the home side a scare.

Both attempts were from just outside the box and tested McLaren. The United goalkeeper did well to stop the first kick as she went to ground before the ball bounced while it took a full-length dive to her left to stop the 45th minute strike.

Match Details