Perth Glory go two from two on the road

Melbourne turned on a wonderful day for the visit of Perth Glory for their second shot at Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park this season. John Van't Schip elected to leave David Williams out of the side completely whilst Perth brought back Sebastian Van Den Brink.

The game settled in to a nice groove early and it took all of ten minutes for the first real talking point when Eli Babalj was bought down just outside the box by Van Den Brink. Dead ball specialist Kristian Sarkies hit the freekick straight at Perth 'keeper Danny Vukovic. Two minutes later Matt Thompson kept Vukovic on his toes with a speculative shot that didn't go too wide of the mark.

With experience on their side Perth were able to gain the ascendency in midfield, Sarkies gave the ball up too easily, Glory captain Jacob Burns was able to find Liam Miller who delightfully found Shane Smeltz who in turn beat two defenders with ease and slotted home his sixth goal of the season.

Heart's central defence with a combined age of 37 years old were no match for the guile and experience of Shane Smeltz who again had a telling shot on 25 minutes and should have doubled the lead on 29 minutes. Smeltz tiptoed through the defensive line only to have his initial shot saved by Bolton and the follow up shot saved by Aziz Behich. Perth were playing by far the more attacking and organised football with Travis Dodd able to shoot from distance a few minutes later.

It took until late in the first half for Heart to show any real fight-back and they could count themselves unlucky not to have a penalty just before half time when Van Den Brink slipped on-top of the ball which glanced his hand twice, albeit unintentionally, referee Chris Beath waved the penalty shout away. A long range free kick on the half time whistle was put over the bar again by Sarkies.

Heart were the first on the attack in the second half with two Maté Dugandziç strikes going high.
In putting more emphasis on attack the Heart left themselves open at the back. Mile Sterjovski showed some pace down the left and crossed to Miller who should have doubled the Glory's lead.

Heart were able to grab the equaliser not long after when the giant Babalj was bought down by Jacob Burns after skipping past Howarth. Matt Thompson stepped up for the penalty which was well saved by Vukovic, Sarkies followed up the quickest to smash home the equaliser

McGarry gave the lead back to the Glory not ten minutes later when Sterjovski's long range shot was fumbled by Bolton who teed it up NFL kicker style for McGarry to tap home.

Whilst Heart had a fair possession rate they were missing the creativeness of Fred in the midfield and on 81 minutes bought on Maycon who's first effort was to head a free kick into the post, Maycon was everywhere in the last ten minutes and had it been for a touch of luck should have had Dugandziç in for the winner.

Perth were too good on the day and record their second away win in a row and their forth game undefeated to move them up to fifth on the table.

The Football Sack 'Player of the Year' award
3 - Shane Smeltz
2 - Liam Miller
1 - Mate Dugandziç

Melbourne Heart
Bolton, Marrone, Hamill, Thompson, Worm, Sarkies, Behich, Hoffman, Good, Babalj, Dugandziç
Bench. Maycon, Terra, Germano, Mattei

Perth Glory
Vukovic, Van Den Brink, Pantelidis, Burns, Smeltz, Miller, Dodd, McGarry, Howarth, Risdon, Sterjovski
Bench. Hughes, Berger, Andrezinho, Italiano.