Souths v Glory

Round 21 report by Paul Jefferies
South Melbourne v Perth Glory


Perth Glory came to Bob Jane Stadium this afternoon looking to consolidate their lead at the top of the National Soccer leauge.

Anybody who witness the start of this match would have thought that South Melbourne were top of the Leauge not there visitor's from Perth.

Such was there dominance of the first 20 minutes or so, also the brilliance of Perth keeper and New Zealand International Jason Petkovic kept the South Melbourne attack at bay with some stunning saves.

The midfield pairing of Boutsianis and Sarkies ran the game for South Melbourne in the first half.

This match was end to end and despite the result and had action all the way through it. As early as the first couple of minutes South Melbourne forced a couple of corners that the Perth keeper did well to clear after coming under heavy pressure from Vaughan Coveny.

With all the pressure from South Melbourne, it was not until the 31st minute of the match that Perth Glory had there first chance such was the domance of the team from Melbourne.

The shot came from Tom Pondlzjak and unfortunately for him it just went wide. This seamed to fire the Perth team up and maybe gave his team some sort of belief that they weren't at the top of the Leauge for nothing. Credit must go to the South Melbourne defence because they kept the dangerous attacker Bobby Despotovski very quiet for the entire match. Each time he looked as though he would break through and score there was a defender ready from South Melbourne just shadowing his every move.

Perth came out in the second half and looked a different team. Whatever they had in their cup of tea during the half time break seamed to make some difference. As a move between Tony Pondilak, who's cross was well meet by the head of Brad Hassell only for the South Melbourne Keeper Michael Theolitos to pull of a great save and tip the ball over the bar. The two goalkeepers are keeping both their teams in the match.

Both teams had plenty of chances throughout the last twenty minutes of the match and both sets of forwards could not beat either keeper.

Both coaches said after the game that the goalkeepers had been the difference between the two teams. Evan the late arrival of the two veterans in Damian Mori for Perth and Paul Trimboli for South Melbourne could not change the way this game was going to end. The Perth Glory coach Mitch d'Avray thought his keeper kept his team in the game. "He made four or five really good saves and that is why I rate him the best goalkeeper in the country. In the second half I thought we got a bit better but I am pleased we came away with a draw." He added "If we slip up from here it will not be good, but we are looking at the six games ahead and we do have a bit of a buffer at the moment, but I will only conceded when we are mathematically sure that we have got the Minor championship." He said.

As for South Melbourne their coach Stuart Munro he would have been pleased with the way his team fought against the top side. He said "My team proved today that were the position they are in the leauge this is no fluke and no matter what anybody say's we deserve to be where we are in the Leauge and definitely deserve to competing at this level" he said.