16-year-old Hana Lowry is pinching herself after making a dream starting debut for Perth Glory against Newcastle Jets.
Glory’s young starlet made her first appearance from the start in a Perth Glory shirt on Thursday night and marked it with a corker of a goal to put her side in the lead.
Her thunderous header in the 22nd minute of play was made all the more impressive given the context of Perth’s season to date: Glory were yet to score a first-half goal this campaign, and were yet to take the lead in any of their previous nine games played throughout the season.
Amongst all the experienced players in Glory’s squad Lowry put the responsibility on her shoulders, scoring a fantastic goal to inspire her side to a 4-2 victory, their first win of the campaign.
ROUND 11: How to watch the upcoming round of Westfield W-League
REPORT: Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6125796221001
Speaking to FOX Sports after the game, Lowry said lashing the ball into the back of the net made her feel like she was in a dreamland.
“It’s a dream come true,” Lowry said.
“The girls did so well and it’s such a great feeling to get the three points that I think we really deserved to get.
“It’s been amazing, all the girls are so supportive and always encouraging and making you feel welcome.
“Obviously being younger it’s a bit nerve-wracking but they make you feel good about it.”
The Westfield Junior Matildas star is well and truly on the rise and her goal against the Jets is testament to that, as Lowry will hope to have a strong finish to the 2019/20 Westfield W-League campaign.
At the age of 16 there’s plenty of development to come from Lowry, and she’s bound to make waves in Australian football in the years to come as she tries to emulate her footballing idols.
“Some of the Matildas like Sam Kerr and Lisa De Vanna, they’re some of the players I really like watching, I try and do things like they do,” Lowry said.
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Speaking after the game, Perth Glory head coach Bobby Despotovski was delighted Lowry could get on the scoresheet in her starting debut for the club where he himself used to score top-notch goals on a weekly basis in his playing days.
“Absolutely delighted for Hana,” Despotovski said.
“Hana is a young prospect and she had her first start, and what a goal that was.
“It took us by surprise because the corner was delivered with some pace as well.
“For that ball to change direction so dramatically, it had a lot of pace on it.”
Despotovski said his side’s ability to build on the lead created by Lowry’s early strike and push on for a 4-2 win was exactly what they deserved for wanting the result more than Newcastle on the night.
“It’s what we deserved, they work extra hard in the game,” he said.
“They worked so hard and definitely 100% deserved everything they got from this game.
“At the end of the day we wanted this game more than Jets I think.
“They looked a little bit sluggish at times to be quite honest, I think our players took full advantage.
“We played our style of football and we scored goals.”
Perth head into the international break in seventh place – one spot higher than the Jets after Thursday night’s result – with a home clash against Brisbane scheduled for Round 12.
Round 12
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar
Saturday, 15 February 2020
Dorrien Gardens
Kick-off: 7:15pm local, 10:15pm AEDT
