Report by Peter Simcox

 

Sorrento maintained their place at the top of the PS4 NPLWA ladder after an entertaining 4-2 win against Perth Glory at Ashfield Reserve on Sunday afternoon.

Against the run of play, Jack Salter gave the Gulls the lead early, but Glory's Daniel Stynes levelled on the quarter hour. Billy Quinncroft regained the lead for the league leaders but Jack Iredale levelled it up at half time.

Second half goals to Sorrento's Alex Morgan and skipper Steve McDonald wrapped up the points and moved them three points at the top.

Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell said they were lucky to go into the break on level terms. “They totally outplayed us early, but we conjured up two goals from somewhere, and to be fair we weren’t at the races,” he said.

“It was a hot day, so they couldn’t keep it up all game and we managed to take hold in the second half, and defensively we were good today.”     

Harnwell was happy with the second half performance and said his team are now the hunted, with other teams looking to knock them off the top of the table.

“It’s a nice place to be, we haven’t been top for a while, but the performance of the Glory in the first half shows what we’ll be up against week in and week out,” he said.

“We’re no longer flying under the radar, we’re top of the league and teams will be coming after us.”

Sorrento midfielder Brad McDonald was outstanding in the middle of the park and he said they had to work hard to gain the points.

“We were really lucky to be in the game in the first 10 minutes, they gave us a bit of a battering,” he said.

“It was hard work out there, they keep the ball well, but we worked really hard and it took its toll late in the game, but that was for both sides.

“But we stayed strong at the back and took our chances when they came.”

The home side were out of the blocks early and had Sorrento on the back foot, and James Morgan had to be alert to deny Stynes, before Joe Knowles' snap shot was also well saved by the Sorrento custodian.

Then in their first real attack on 10 minutes, Sorrento hit the front. Scott Witschge wriggled clear on the right of the penalty area, and picked out Salter, who buried his shot from the edge of the box.

But their lead only lasted for six minutes. Knowles' free kick was headed down by Sam Riak and Stynes’ first time shot slipped through the hand of James Morgan.

It was an open game with both sides hitting the woodwork in a frantic three minute spell.

First on 25 minutes, Knowles’ free kick beat the Sorrento keeper, but the crossbar came to his rescue, then moments later an Alex Morgan shot rattled the post at the other end.

Sorrento lifted the tempo and their pressure was rewarded with the lead on 28 minutes. Salter burst down the middle of the park, raced into the penalty area and unselfishly squared the ball to Quinncroft who made no mistake. 

But these Glory youngsters weren’t going to go down without a fight and they leveled seven minutes later.

Knowles’ ball in the box caused problems and Iredale beat James Morgan to the ball and headed home.

Glory should have hit the front early in the second half. The lively Stynes raced down the right and cut inside the box with his shot was well saved by James Morgan, the rebound falling to second half substitute Michael McDougall who fired straight at the keeper.

On the hour mark, Sorrento hit the front again. Jacob Shore made space down the left and whipped in a teasing cross that Alex Morgan headed home at the back post.   

The points were made safe for Sorrento on 70 minutes. Brad McDonald’s free kick from the left picked out Steve McDonald at the back post, and the big defender finished clinically past Thurtell.

Both sides are on the road next week in Round Nine, Sorrento visiting Cockburn City, while Glory face Inglewood United.

 

Perth Glory 2 (Stynes 16mins, Iredale 35)

Sorrento 4 (Salter 10, Quinncroft 28, Alex Morgan 63, Steve McDonald 70)

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Ashfield Reserve

Kick-off: 3.00pm

Referee: Adam Fielding

Assistant Referees: Matthew Southern, Shane Skinner

 

Perth Glory: GK Jordan THURTELL, 2 Riley WARLAND, 3 Luca BODNAR, 4 Jack IREDALE, 5 Cam MURRAY, 6 Jack LEECH, 7 Jamal REINERS (12 Michael MCDOUGALL 46), 8 Sam RIAK (15 Callum TIMMINS 68), 9 Joe KNOWLES, 10 Daniel STYNES (C), 11 Kosta PETRATOS

Substitutes not used: RGK Stef KING, 13 Bayley MONTGOMERY-BROWN, 16 Harry QUIGLEY

Yellow Cards: Warland 77,

Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 2 Jacob SHORE, 4 Shaun KILKELLY, 5 Billy QUINNCROFT (10 Scott BULLOCH 69), 7 Alex MORGAN, 8 Ryan PEARSON (18 Jordan BROWN 77), 13 Steve MCDONALD (c), 14 Scott WITSCHGE (6 Daryl PLATTEN 82), 19 Jack SALTER, 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Sam BYLES
Substitutes not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 11 Tim HILL

Yellow Cards: Steve McDonald 34,