Reddy a Bridge too far for Glory

Sydney FC headed west tonight and claimed all three points against Perth Glory thanks to a Mark Bridge goal right on the stroke of half time.

However the home side will be left wondering how they didn’t take something from the game having dominated the second half, striking the woodwork and forcing a number of wonderful saves from Liam Reddy in the process.

“It’s a strange game, football,” said Glory coach Ian Ferguson afterwards. “We lose a goal right on half time which is disappointing and then we created numerous chances in the second half but unfortunately again they don’t go in.

“I think the performance, particularly in the second half, was outstanding and I thought we dominated most of the game. Liam Reddy I thought was outstanding with some great saves and that was the difference.”

Glory made two changes to their first eleven following last week’s defeat to Newcastle Jets with Andrezinho and Josh Mitchell starting in place of Todd Howarth and Travis Dodd, while Sydney were without Brett Emerton who is currently on international duty.

The first half lacked very few moments of quality, though Liam Miller should have put the hosts ahead but his shot inside the area was comfortable saved by Reddy. At the other end Nicky Carle flashed a header just wide of Danny Vukovic’s goal.

Carle was the man who eventually managed to unlock Glory’s defence as his low cross from the left was met by the onrushing Mark Bridge who slid in to finish.

It didn’t take long for Ferguson to change things up with the introduction of Travis Dodd and Mile Sterjovski to fit into a newly adopted 3-5-2 formation. The changes almost worked immediately with Sterjovski teeing up Shane Smeltz who shot tamely wide while a Dodd cross was headed straight at Reddy by Chris Coyne. Miller then tested Reddy with a stinging drive before the goalkeeper saved wonderfully from a Hughes downward header.

Even when Reddy was beaten the crossbar stood firm as Hughes found out when his stunning long range struck it and rebounded to safety. Things got worse for Perth when Dodd limped off with a hamstring injury on 85 minutes and he will undergo a scan to determine the extent of the damage.

Glory almost snatched an equaliser in injury time through an unlikely source as goalkeeper Vukovic headed goalwards from a corner but Reddy was once again on hand to save superbly.

Sydney will head back to New South Wales knowing a job was done but for Glory it is a case of what might have been having now lost their last three games ahead of trips to Brisbame Roar and Melbourne Victory.

“There’s a lot of positives to take out of that football match,” said Glory midfielder Adam Hughes. “It was one of those matches where if one goal goes in it can change complete game and you can go on and score two or three.”

The game ended on a slightly sour note with an altercation between Ferguson and Sydney’s Jamie Coyne who was returning to his former club for the first time since leaving at the end of the last season. However neither club would comment on the incident in the post match press conference.

Perth Glory: 1. Daniel VUKOVIC, 2. Josh MITCHELL, 3. Sebastien VAN DEN BRINK, 4. Billy MEHMET, 6. Chris COYNE, 7. Jacob BURNS, 8. Adam HUGHES, 9. Shane SMELTZ, 10. Liam MILLER,19. Joshua RISDON, 27. ANDREZINHO.

Subs: 30. Lewis ITALIANO, 13. Travis DODD, 21. Mile STERJOVSKI 17. Todd HOWARTH.

Sydney FC: 1. Liam REDDY, 3. Jamie COYNE, 4. Pascal BOSSCHAART, 5. Michael BEAUCHAMP, 8. Karol KISEL, 10. Nicky Carle, 15. Terry MCFLYNN, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 19. Mark BRIDGE, 21. Scott JAMIESON, 23. Rhyan GRANT.

Subs: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI, 2. Seb RYALL, 9. Bruno CAZARINE, 12. Shannnon COLE,

Referee: Gerard Parsons
Attendance: 9,064

Votes:
3. Liam Reddy
2. Chris Coyne
1. Liam Miller