The AIS and Perth Glory have played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in their week 10 National Youth League match at the AIS Athletics Track on Saturday afternoon.
The AIS and Perth Glory have played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in their week 10 National Youth League match at the AIS Athletics Track on Saturday afternoon.
The game had more twists than a Chubby Checker concert, with plenty of near misses to go with the eight goals scored.
The AIS scored two goals inside the first 20 minutes, before Perth turned the match on its head with the next three before half-time.
The second half saw the AIS score quickly and then concede another shortly after, before they again drew level with 25 minutes to go.
Both teams continued their all-out attack in search of the winner, but after some very near misses it ended in a deserved draw.
The start of the match was a good indicator of what was to come as AIS scored in only the third minute through a clever Yianna Perkatis back-heel in heavy traffic.
After Perth had two good chances go begging the AIS converted their second when Anthony Proia took the ball in his attacking half with four defenders on his hammer, kept them at bay and hit a nice long-range goal.
But they were not able to celebrate for long before Perth struck back when Brendan O-Neill goaled with a great curling shot from outside the 18-yard box.
After the AIS had a goal called offside, Perth scored an excellent team goal, holding possession from their own half, working it down the right touchline before Jesse Makarounas found Tommy Amphlett who finished nicely in the top corner.
That gave Perth a noticeable confidence lift, as they began peppering the AIS goal with a couple of promising long-range attempts.
Within a minute the AIS had two very near misses, both times Proia delivered good shots on target – denied by brilliant saves from Perth-s Devon Spence.
Perth made it three in a row in the 40th minute when Storm Roux ran towards goal and cut the ball back to an unmarked Ndumba Makeche, who tapped in an easy goal.
Less than three minutes into the second half, the AIS levelled through a great finish from Ben Garuccio.
But the match took another turn in the 57th minute, when Makeche nodded over Thurtell and into the back of the net for his second.
Proia then matched his efforts by scoring a brace himself as the AIS again drew level.
With five minutes left Makarounas passed to Makeche, who was unmarked just outside the six-yard box, but Thurtell was the hero for the AIS with a sensational reflex save.
Both sides came close in the dying minutes, with Makeche continuing to be a handful, but the frantic pace, coupled with a hot summer-s day, took its toll with most players out on their feet.
AIS 4 (Perkatis 3, Proia 17, 65, Garuccio 48)
Perth Glory 4 (O-Neill 22, Amphlett 28, Makeche 40, 57)
