Glen Trifiro’s stunning late free kick has given Central Coast’s National Youth League side a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Perth at Members Equity Stadium.
Reece Vittiglia nodded the Glory ahead on the hour but the Mariners responded through Darko Vidovic’s lobbed goal in the 70th minute before Trifiro’s free kick curled around the wall and deceived Dejan Aleksic in the Perth goal with three minutes remaining.
The result takes the Mariners off the bottom of the National Youth League table and into sixth position, while the Glory maintains fourth.
After a lacklustre opening, Glory midfielder Adam Luca created a couple of opportunities in the 19th minute, firing one shot directly at Andrew Redmayne in the Mariners’ goal before seeing another effort smothered by the ‘keeper a minute later.
Both sides were guilty of giving up possession too easily but the Glory seemed in control until the 24th minute when Central Coast midfielder Greg Owens released David D’Apuzzo, whose cross was cleared, paving the way for an immediate counter attack by the hosts.
Defender Hayden Doyle took possession on the right and cut in to midfield before firing a powerful effort directly at Redmayne.
In the 26th-minute 16-year-old Perth striker Eli Bablj forced a reaction save out of Redmayne with an on-target snap shot, while his team-mate Ludovic Boi scuffed an effort from a good position after receiving a quality ball from Vittiglia.
Six minutes before the break, Central Coast’s Lauren Braude fired directly at Glory stopper Frank Petkovic as the visitors started to assert some authority.
On the stroke of half-time, defender Dean Heffernan, in his first appearance on the pitch since breaking his leg just before Christmas last year, produced a sensational marauding run, taking the ball 40 metres, although his cross didn’t amount to a scoring chance.
The Mariners continued to take the game to Perth after the break, Trifiro sending in a curling free kick in the 58th minute that was punched clear by Aleksic, who replaced Petkovic in goal at half-time.
But the Glory caught Central Coast with a sucker punch two minutes later, Doyle sending in a powerful cross from the right that was met with a glancing header from Vittiglia.
Eight minutes later, Scott Bulloch missed a great opportunity to double the advantage as he found himself free with the ball in the area. But with time to pick his spot, Bulloch sent his effort over the bar.
The miss would come back to haunt the Glory as Vidovic equalised two minutes later, lobbing Aleksic in goal after receiving a long ball from the left.
And, with three minutes of normal time remaining, Trifiro gave the visitors the lead, curling a free kick around the wall and into the back of the net from 25 metres.
Match Details
Perth Glory 1 (Reece Vittiglia 58-)
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Darko Vidovic 70-, Scott Wright 86-)
Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Referee: David Costello
Assistant Referees: Josh Manella & Trent Flaskens
Fourth Official: Troy Miller
Perth Glory line-up: 20.Jason PETKOVIC (gk) (OA) (1.Dejan ALEKSIC (gk) 46-), 2.Ryan PEARSON, 3.Scott NEVILLE, 5.Hayden DOYLE, 6.Steven HESKETH, 10.Adam LUCA (7.James SAMMUT 46-), 11.Ludovic BOI, 12.Reece VITTIGLIA, 13.Andrija JUKIC, 18.David TARKA (OA) (4.Trent SAINSBURY 56-), 19.Eli BABALJ (9.Scott BULLOCH (OA 46-)
Yellow Cards: James Sammut 85-
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners line-up: 30.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 2.Steven TIBBETTS, 5.Nathan SHERLOCK, 6.David D-APUZZO, 7.Andrew CLARK (OA), 8.Dean HEFFERNAN (OA) (11.Darko VIDOVIC 61-), 9.Brady SMITH, 10.Glen TRIFIRO, 13.Laurence BRAUDE, 14.Greg OWENS (OA) (12.Scott WRIGHT 61-), 15.Paul O-GRADY (OA) (17.Sean MITCHELL 54-)
Yellow Cards: David D-Apuzzo 49-, Andrew Clark 64-, Scott Wright 88-
Red Cards: Nil
