Power v Glory

Round 7 report by Eamon Duffy
Parramatta Power v Perth Glory


I am sure the 2639 people who turned up to Parramatta Stadium today had no idea of the records that Perth Glory would break.

Unfortunately for Glory they were all records they would prefer to forget. Most goals ever conceded in both halves and biggest ever defeat.

How much of it was due to the extraordinary travel schedule of the last few week will probably never be known. A big factor in the result was also the performances of both ex-Glory players Colosimo and Gumprecht, as they both pulled the strings in Powers superb victory.

The way the game started, no one could have predicted the outcome, as both sides created chances in the opening minutes, with Horsley being just a hairs width away from connecting to a Coyne cross.

However in the end the game was decided by the most clinical finishing seen in the NSL for many years, as Power created 6 chances and took them all, where Glory created probably just as many but for once the most deadly attack in the country failed to capatilise.

Along with Colosimo and Gumprecht, Glory also had to contend with the excellence and speed of Elrich and the devastating finishing of Milicic and Buonavoglia.

As if that was not enough when Glory finally did breach the Power defence they found the imposing figure of Bolton standing in their way.

The game was only 7 minutes old when Elrich beat Miller, took the ball to the bye line and crossed for Milicic to joyfully shoot low and hard past Petkovic for the opener.

Glory could have and should have equalised after just 9 minutes when Mori beat the offside trap to run onto a great Shroj pass, but that man Bolton made a great save in the one on one battle.

After 29 minutes Colosimo found Gumprecht who attacked the Glory defence before laying the ball off perfectly for Buonavoglia to score the 2nd.

Things got worse for the visitors after 37 minutes when Thompson made a break from defence and Buonavoglia made a dummy run that split the Glory defence which allowed Milicic to finish easily inside the far post and make it 3-0.

The torture for Glory was to continue in the last minute of the first half as a hard hit Colosimo corner was brilliantly flicked on by Elrich for Milicic to gleefully complete his hat trick.

So unbelievably at half time in the top of the table clash the score was 4-0 to the challengers.

At half time Perth coach Mich d'Avray rang the changes with 2 substitutions. Caceras replaced Coyne and Mrdja replaced Hassell.

However things did not improve on the scoreboard and just 4 minutes into the 2nd half it was the diminutive Buonavoglia who out jumped the Perth defence to superbly head home Elrich's cross and make it 5-0.

Perth slowly started to get back into the match and in the 61st minute had a shot cleared off the line by Ceccoli and Despotovski had a good shot turned away by Bolton after 68 minutes.

However the last word and goal belonged to Power and perhaps symbolically Colosimo, as he finished from just inside the penalty area in injury time.

So the battle of the top 2 turned out to be a slaughter and Perth will have to regroup quickly for the visit of South Melbourne next weekend. At least they will be in their beloved Perth for that match.

For Power well they today dispelled any doubts about their pedigree and justified their position as favorites.