Macarthur FC launched to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table after a club-record 6-1 win over Perth Glory at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Bulls put five goals past Glory in a rampant first half, with the Bulls’ first four of the afternoon coming within the opening 30 minutes of play through Jed Drew, Jake Hollman, Tomislav Uskok and Marin Jakolis.
Up 4-0 and cruising, Jakolis doubled his tally on the cusp of half-time as the Bulls went five goals ahead and recorded the equal-biggest half-time margin in Isuzu UTE A-League history.
“A quite extraordinary first 45 minutes for the Bulls, and utter capitulation again by the Glory,” said Paramount+ commentator Simon Hill as the first half neared its conclusion.
“What a miserable first 45 for new coach David Zdrilic and Perth Glory. They have been ripped to pieces in this first half.
“This new look Perth Glory has been utterly shredded by a rampant Bulls outfit.”
Glory star Adam Taggart found the back of the net once on either side of half-time for the visitors but neither goal stood due offside calls on the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League Golden Boot winner.
Bulls captain Valere Germain made it 6-0 to the Bulls in the second half before Adam Bugarija pegged one back for the visitors to make it 6-1; that’s how the score remained to full-time as Macarthur soared to the top of the table and Glory – last season’s wooden spoon winners – were sent right back down to the bottom.
Sunday’s five-goal win was Macarthur’s biggest Isuzu UTE A-League victory in club history.
New Glory head coach David Zdrilic’s off-season arrival, as well as 14 new signings, breathed optimism into the club heading into the new campaign but season 2024-25 has begun like last season finished, with Perth conceding at will.
Glory have now shipped 29 goals in their last five Isuzu UTE A-League games.
As for the Bulls, Sunday’s Round 1 domination of Perth was a continuation of the club’s exquisite pre-season form which resulted in the club’s second Australia Cup triumph in the space of three years.
At the heart of Macarthur’s five-goal first half was 23-year-old Jake Hollman, who scored Macarthur’s second goal and notched three assists in a sparkling first half.
Described by commentator Hill as “a young player with immense promise,” Hollman caught the eye with a magnificent individual performance and was the standout of Macarthur’s numerous contenders for best-on-ground honours in Round 1.
