Different shirt, same result – Daniel McBreen has become a bogeyman for Adelaide United and this time it’s Perth Glory that benefits.
McBreen, in only his second game with the Glory since joining the club from North Queensland earlier this month, scored a 77th-minute winner in his team’s come-from-behind victory against the Reds at Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday night.
The 32-year-old has now registered four goals this season with three of them coming against Adelaide.
“I said to the boys I think I’d like to play them every week the way it’s been going for me. Just a bit of luck for me and working hard, that’s just the way it has panned out … no science behind it,” McBreen said.
The former Fury player said the goal was all the more rewarding after having a tough physical battle with United defender Mark Rudan.
“We always have a nice battle between us, he’s a big strong boy and we like to get into each other and it’s quite enjoyable to be fair … it’s always been a good tussle,” he said.
“You always like to score goals but when you’ve got a big guy like him kicking you all game as well it’s nice to sneak around the back of him and stick one in the net so it’s always nice get one up on him.”
Glory coach Dave Mitchell said McBreen’s contribution was significant given the recent changes in personnel at his club.
“He played his first full game for us and I thought he was magnificent. He held the ball up and he doesn’t know the players that well and for him to score the winner was fantastic, I’m really happy for him,” Mitchell said.
“We had Eugene (Dadi) leave and everyone was complaining and he’s come in and done that so that’s a scenario where I’m happy because he’s come in and proved a point and he worked his socks off.”
Mitchell said the victory over Adelaide was important as it gives Perth a four-point buffer over the bottom four and quickly puts the team’s 6-2 loss to Melbourne behind it.
But he said his players couldn’t relax given the tightness of the competition.
“No we’re not safe. We’ve had two tough games, we play Wellington on Friday, it’s another road trip for us and Wellington will be sitting there waiting for us,” he said.
“But hopefully we’ll get that spirit and go into the game with a lot of confidence and take the game. We’ve got four games left and three at home so we normally travel pretty good at home.”
