Western United kept their hopes of an A-League Men premiership alive with a pitiless 6-0 thumping of injury-riddled Perth Glory in Launceston.
A first-half hat-trick from Lachie Wales combined with goals from Dylan Pierias, Aleksandar Prijovic, and Dylan Wenzel-Halls secured their side a Saturday win that closes the gap on Melbourne City to five points with two games in hand.
REACTION: ‘They’re on the cusp of the trophy’: Premiers Plate Western’s to lose
The margin of victory represented United’s biggest ever and equalled a 6-0 loss to Parramatta Power in the 2003/04 season as the worst in Glory’s history.
Effectively forced to play their youth team due to injuries, Glory remain eight points adrift at the foot of the ALM table and appears certain to record a first-ever wooden spoon.
Coming off a 4-1 defeat to Wellington, freefalling Glory loomed as a potentially perfect pick-me-up for United and that’s just what they got.
Getting down the left, Ben Garrucio cut the ball back for Connor Pain to send in a shot in the 25th minute that ricocheted off the shins of Wales and wrongfooted Liam Reddy for United’s opener.
Wales might not have known much about what was his first goal of the season but he was much clearer with his intent two minutes later when he volleyed an effort past Reddy.
It was 3-0 in the 34th minute when Pierias met a Pain cross with a first-time effort after the latter was played into space by Wales.
United had just 41 per cent of possession but this effectively played right into their hands as they lethally picked their moments.
Wales completed his hat-trick in first-half injury time when he met a Garrucio cross.
Prijovic, having had a previous spot-kick saved, converted a penalty to make it 5-0 in the 51st minute and Glory’s miserable day was completed in the 83rd by Wenzel-Halls.
RE-LIVE: WESTERN UNITED 6-0 PERTH GLORY, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
‘They’re on the cusp of the trophy’: Premiers Plate Western’s to lose
After Western United’s 4-1 loss to Wellington Phoenix last weekend, it appeared John Aloisi’s side were more likely to be caught by third-placed Melbourne Victory than catching Melbourne City at the top of the table.
But an emphatic 6-0 win over Perth Glory on Saturday night has the team in green and black looking up the table instead of down, with the gap between first and second closing to just five points.
Western have two games in hand over City; with Patrick Kisnorbo’s side in Thailand for the AFC Asian Champions League group stage, Western will jump into top spot should they manage to win both of their games scheduled between now and City’s return in early May.
City next appear in the A-League Men’s on May 4. Both City and Western will begin the day with two games to play to the end of the regular season.
“It’s all about Western United tonight under John Aloisi,” said Paramount+ co-commentator Andy Harper after Western’s 6-0 Glory rout.
“They’re on the cusp. They’re on the cusp of the trophy… it’s in their hands (if) they can run past Melbourne City and then hold their nerve.”
83′: GOAL! Young gifts Wenzel-Halls simple tap-in (6-0)
It doesn’t get any easier than that.
A hopeful Western cross was met by Glory defender Jacob Young, but his touch fell directly into the path of Dylan Wenzel-Halls to supply the finish and end his four-month wait for an Isuzu UTE A-League goal.
52′: PENALTY! Prijović converts from the spot (5-0)
A shirt tug from Antonee Burke-Gilroy on Wales brought the Western forward to ground in the box. A penalty was awarded to the hosts, and again it was Prijović stepping forward to take it.
Again, Prijović went for the bottom-right corner, but this time he managed to beat Reddy’s guard and find the back of the net.
HALF-TIME: WESTERN 4-0 PERTH
That was a dominant first half from Western, who have Perth in a chokehold as the two sides head into the break.
45+3′: GOAL! Wales seals his hat-trick (4-0)
Western are walking the ball into the back of the net, with Wales securing a first-half hat-trick in stoppage time, cruising into the six-yard box to tuck home a cross off the left flank.
34′: GOAL! Pierias makes it three (3-0)
It’s unravelling quickly for Perth, with Dylan Pierias putting Western’s third into the back of the net with a simple tap-in from close range after Pain’s cross into the six-yard box.
27′: GOAL! Two in as many minutes for Wales (2-0)
Western are breezing past Perth early doors, with Wales’ sumptuous volley from Darryl Lachman’s shallow headed clearance rattling into the back of the net.
25′: GOAL! Wales gets pivotal touch on Western opener (1-0)
He didn’t know too much about it, but Lachie Wales got the final touch on a strike from Connor Pain to wrong-foot Reddy and find the opening goal.
21′: PENALTY SAVE! Reddy denies Prijović (0-0)
Referee Ben Abraham pointed to the spot after deeming Josh Rawlins handled the ball in the box, granting Western United a spot kick which Aleksandar Prijović stepped forward to dispatch.
Prijović angled his shot toward the bottom-right corner but Glory keeper Liam Reddy got down to palm the ball away with a strong left glove.
20′: CHANCE: Topor-Stanley over the bar (0-0)
Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s looping header over the bar from a corner routine was the first genuine chance of the match for the home side.
8′: Lacroix turnover sparks Perth attack (0-0)
It looked as though Perth were in on goal when Ciaran Bramwell cut off a Leo Lacroix pass across the box, only for the Swiss defender to track back and close the space for Bramwell to attack into the box.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway in Launceston, with Perth kicking off proceedings at UTAS Stadium.
