Perth Glory 4 (Castro 4′, Keogh 53′ & 67′, Harold 94′) Central Coast Mariners 0
The run down
A tough night at the office for #CCMFC, saw the Yellow & Navy concede four goals to Perth Glory, as well as losing two players to red cards. The nib Stadium clash finished 4-0 to the home side.
The Mariners side was reduced to nine men early in the second half, with Mitch Austin and former Liverpool and Barcelona star Luis Garcia picking up their second yellows within the space of six minutes.
Diego Castro and Andy Keogh were the beneficiaries of Central Coast’s poor, netting penalties in the 4th and 67th minutes respectively.
Keogh also scored just before the second penalty to become the first Glory player to find the back of the net in five consecutive matches, before Chris Harold headed home his seventh goal of the season just seconds before the full-time whistle.
Full focus for the Yellow & Navy now turns to this Saturday’s home clash against Sydney FC at Central Coast Stadium
Goals
4’ CASTRO PENALTY: The Spaniard threaded the ball between two Mariners defenders to Harold, who was brought down on the edge of the penalty area by a clumsy challenge from Tomislav Uskok. Castro took the spot kick, carefully placing the ball into the bottom right corner as goalkeeper Paul Izzo dived the opposite way.
53’ KEOGH GOAL: The Irishman netted his fifth goal in as many matches when he comfortably headed home a Josh Risdon cross from the right side of the penalty area.
67’ KEOGH PENALTY: Mariners captain Nick Montgomery recklessly gave away his team’s second penalty of the night when he took out Risdon’s legs as the right back attempted to master his way through a cluster of defenders. With Castro subbed off seven minutes earlier, Keogh took the penalty and scored an almost identical goal to his teammate’s earlier spot kick.
94’ HAROLD GOAL: Keogh played the ball to Risdon deep on the right side in the box, with the Glory skipper firing in a high cross which in-form winger Harold headed home with the final play of the match.
Walmsley’s words
“We have to be responsible for being less reckless when we’re on a yellow card,” Walmsley said.
“(Our disciplinary record) is terrible. I can’t defend it, it’s indefensible.
“We came into this game bottom of the league and we knew regardless of the result we would be bottom of the league after it,” Walmsley said.
“We genuinely have got one eye on the longer-term vision, which is not that long-term (because) next season is only around the corner.
“(The players) need to grow up and grow up quickly. If this doesn’t hurt them as professional athletes then they won’t be professional athletes…I’m pretty sure it’s burning everybody.
“The off-field work that’s been done to not only to get the club sustainable and profitable…it’s not been seen on the pitch yet, but it will.
“I’m 100% behind the charter, I’m 100% behind the boys. We will address the recklessness and the disciplinary issues we have, but we can’t do any more that. We’re asking our fans to stick with us and the vast majority are.”
TEAMS
Perth Glory: 1.Ante COVIC (GK), 2.Alex GRANT (6.Dino DJULBIC 76’), 3.Marc WARREN, 4.Shane LOWRY, 7.Gyorgy SANDOR, 9.Andy KEOGH, 11.Richard GARCIA (24.Jamal REINERS 71’), 14.Chris HAROLD, 17.Diego CASTRO (18.Mitch OXBORROW 60’), 19.Josh RISDON (C), 23.Krisztian VADOCZ, 29.Aryn WILLIAMS
Central Coast Mariners: 1.Paul IZZO (GK), 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5.Harry ASCROFT, 6.Mitch AUSTIN, 7.Fabio FERREIRA (15.Brad McDONALD 69’), 8.Nick MONTGOMERY (C), 9.Roy O’DONOVAN (19.Josh BINGHAM 67’), 10.Luis GARCIA, 22.Jake McGING, 23.Tomislav USKOK (16.Liam ROSE 42’)
Scorers: Diego Castro (4’ pen), Andy Keogh (53’, 67’ pen), Chris Harold (90’+4)
Red cards: Mitch Austin (48’), Luis Garcia (54’)
Yellow cards: Tomislav Uskok (4’), Mitch Austin (37’), Luis Garcia (51’), Nick Montgomery (65’), Josh Rose (85’), Josh Bingham (87’)
Conditions: 24C, clear
Attendance: 11,127 at nib Stadium