Perth Glory captain Adam Taggart’s late two-goal heroics were enough for the Perth Glory to rescue a point at home to the Newcastle Jets on Saturday night, as they fought back from a two-goal deficit to end the match 2-2.
With Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold watching from the stands, Taggart almost single-handedly lifted his team in the second half to compensate for what had been a lacklustre performance from the Glory up to that point.
Unfortunately, this trend has been evident in recent weeks, with the Glory often appearing passive and lacking assertiveness or initiative against their opponents. They have often been content to sit deep, and when they did look to press high, it was frequently ineffective due to players misreading cues or a lack of intensity.
Newcastle dominated the game, particularly in the first half. While there were few instances where Oli Sail was really tested, the Jets were composed and patient in possession, adeptly seeking ways to penetrate the Glory’s defensive line.
The Jets appeared to have taken the lead in the 12th minute when winger Clayton Taylor’s curled shot found the net, only for the referee to rule that the ball had crossed the line before Taylor’s strike, serving as a warning sign for the Glory.
Josh Rawlins lost his man entirely as Dane Ingham’s cross sailed over him, and had Taylor kept the ball in play, the Glory would have conceded again. However, Clayton Taylor did find the net just before halftime, capitalizing on sloppy defending from the Glory.
The Jets nearly doubled their lead early in the second half, but Oli Sail pulled off a huge save against Apostolos Stamatelopoulos in a crucial one-on-one encounter. Nevertheless, it highlighted yet another defensive lapse from the Glory.
The Glory had a goal disallowed shortly after the break, with Jarrod Carluccio’s effort ruled offside due to Stefan Colakovski making his run a little too early.
In the 54th minute, the Jets extended their lead through Lucas Mauragis, after Reno Piscopo’s cross found Stamatelopoulos, whose effort was parried by Sail, only for Mauragis to score from the rebound.
In response, Alen Stajcic emptied the bench, bringing on the likes of David Williams and Joel Anasmo. The introduction of Williams sparked a resurgence for the home side, culminating in Taggart’s first goal of the game, as he expertly controlled the ball and finished well following an inch-perfect long ball from the 36-year-old.
A disallowed goal and some contentious refereeing decisions frustrated the Glory, but they continued to pile on the pressure. In the dying minutes, Adam Taggart secured the equalizer from a corner delivered by Giordano Colli, capping off a spirited fightback.
Despite the thrilling finish, it was a game marked by unfortunately another recurrence of the Glory starting slow and their defensive vulnerabilities coming to the fray again, as fans were no doubt frustrated at the players being unable to turn the heat on from the get-go in what was a must-win game.
Looking ahead to their next match against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night at HBF Park, it’s a crucial fixture for the Perth Glory. While their chances of reaching the finals appear slim, a victory could reignite their hopes. With the RBB travelling to Perth, the stage is set for an exciting encounter both on and off the pitch.
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