The Sydney FC National Youth League team took it to competition heavyweights Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens yesterday afternoon, leaving the West Coast with a seesawing 3-all draw.
The Sydney FC National Youth League team took it to competition heavyweights Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens yesterday afternoon, leaving the West Coast with a seesawing 3-all draw – although things could have been much different.
The Sky Blues twice took a one goal lead in the match before finding themselves a goal down with 15 minutes remaining but an 85th minute strike to midfielder Iain Ramsay – the midfielder-s second of the game – saw Sydney FC take a valuable point.
Sydney FC got off to a dream start when midfielder Tim McGowan put one in the back of the Perth net in just the eighth minute.
The Sydney FC defence held strong under a barrage of Perth attacking raids and were boosted when Perth defender Griffiths was given an early shower after a bad tackle in the 38th minute but would hand back their one goal buffer right on the stroke of half time through a Howard Fondyke equalizer in the 45th minute.
Just like the first half, Sydney FC could not have started any better when two minutes in Ramsey slotted the first of his two goals – driving the ball home from a tight angle in a one-on-one with Glory goalie Aleks Vrteski – to restore the Sky Blues one goal advantage.
After almost 20 minutes of back and forth football, where in form Sydney FC striker Kerem Bulut was cutting the Glory defence to shreds with his speed, it was Perth who upped the ante and through goals to Adam Taggart and Glen Trifiro in the 64th and 75th minutes respectively and found themselves ahead for the first time in the match.
However, the Glory began to tire and Sydney FC utilized their numerical advantage when Ramsey glanced headed the ball past Vrteski in the 85th minute to lock the scores at 3-all.
The Sky Blues lifted their intensity once more and were streaming towards goal just a minute later.
But Perth skipper Dean Evans did well to close down and dispossess Raymond Miller while his fellow defender Ryan Pearson produced a timely header to clear the ball off the line seconds later to deny Sydney a late winner.
Sydney-s next game is against the Gold Coast at Cromer Park on Saturday 16 January, kick-off is at 4pm.
Match detail:
Sydney FC 3 (McGowan 8′, Ramsey 47′ + 85′)
Perth Glory 3 (Fondyke 45′, Taggart 64′, Trifiro 75′)
Dorrien Gardens, Perth
Referee: Steven Gregory
Assistant Referees: Josh Mihevc and Trent Fleskens
Fourth Official: Matthew Cheeseman
Perth Glory line-up: Tommy AMPHLETT (Mario MARCINKO 52-), Cameron EDWARDS, Dean EVANS, Howard FONDYKE, Brent GRIFFTHS, Sam MITCHINSON, Ryan PEARSON, Joshua RISDON (David PRICE 60-), Glen TRIFIRO, Alex VRTESKI, Branko JELIC (Adam TAGGART 45-)
Substitutes not used: Alex PEARSON (gk)
Yellow Cards: Howard FONDYKE 24-, David PRICE 90-+3
Red Cards: Brent GRIFFTHS 38-
Sydney FC line-up: Luke AUSTIN (Samuel CHAPPLE 60-), Kerem BULUT (Joseph GIBBS 45-), Joel CHIANESE, Sam GALLAGHER, Tim MCGOWAN (David VRANKOVIC 52-), Ray MILLER, Dimitri PETRATOS, Nenad VEKIC (gk) (Mark PULLMAN (gk) 80-), Mitchell SPEER, Iain RAMSAY, Sam MUNRO (c)
Substitutes not used: Nil
Yellow Cards: Ray MILLER 75-
Red Cards: Nil
