Was a warmish Western Australian evening at HBF Park for an A-League clash between Perth Glory and Newcastle United Jets. I cannot say that I ever enjoy calling them the jets as I really dislike the idea of Australian football teams having nicknames like they do in the AFL and the NRL. However, it is a rather 'Australian' thing and I guess football is no exception when it comes to names for teams in the competition. But i digress and should get back on task as I should. Both teams respective campaigns were flagging and slipping away ever so quickly. A win here for either team would give them some form of a glimmer of hope for their play-off chances to be kept alive. However, with the teams at the business end of town racking up the full points and making sure they pick up points along the way when they stumble, it makes it further challenging for both teams to try and stay in the hunt.
This game was crucial for both and this fixture always throws up some degree of drama, so it was not going to be anything but a dull match or a foregone conclusion. Perth were showing positive signs, however, they just were failing to capitalise of the hard work and pressing the defensive lines of the jets. The valiant defence of the scrambling jets which lead into venturing counter-attacks would start to form cracks in the Perth defence. With there chipping away at the Glory defensive lines and some rather sloppy defending from the home side, Newcastle opened their account and scored the first goal of the match in the 40th minute with a Clayton Taylor goal.
Perth were rattled and just wer not able to settle and get into a bit of a groove. Newcastle were starting to feel more and more comfortable with the ball and were pressing up into their attacking half looking threatening. Perth just couldn't string enough passages of threatening play to shake off Newcastle's momentum and although there were a few glimmers of hope for the home side, there just wasn't the breakthrough they were desperately searching for.
Newcastle further extended their lead in the 54th minute with Lucas Mauragis causing the crowd of 6190 to fall silent and the very small, yet vocal away support feeling that there might be a rae, yet vital away win looming. However, this was all about to be turned on its head with another display of the Adam Taggart show that would crash through the evening and throw a cat amongst the pidgeons. Taggart scored in the 72nd minute and injected new life into the hosts, where they seemed to be instantly transformed. Perth were playing with an increased sense of urgency, passion and desire to want to get things moving and to force something out of the contest; rather than wait and see and be flat-footed as they were in the first half.
Newcastle were just blown away and the jets were being downed as Perth began to gain the ascendency. Taggart sunk his second for the game in the 90th minute to square the game at 2-2 and looked threatening to possibly poach a third for an unlikely win for the hosts. However the match ended 2 all with Perth squandering their chances in the second half. However, Newcastle will feel the same as they too squandered golden opportunities in the first half.
I sound like a broken record, but I must keep saying this for every game I will ever come to when I watch Perth Glory. Try to avoid buying food at this venue at all costs. The food is nothing to write home about and it is completely over-priced and a waste of money. Luckily it was just myself and a friend who watched this match. But as I have stated many times, and will for many more, try and avoid this situation if you are taking your family or your children. They will eat you out of house and home if you allow this to occur.
Captain Morgan mid strength rum and cola is 13.5, with my usual complaints about how for mid strength this is over priced and if you want to just have a few quiet ones and enjoy the game with your friend, can be a very costly enterprise. Alcoholic ginger beer was also at 13.50 and same goes for this. Water was 5 dollars with Pepsi 600mL at 6.20. The beef burger was 14.50 and was not anything special to write home about, but enough to write in this blog about just how generic it was and how over-priced it was. But for my friend it filled the void as we were drinking two alcoholic beverages. I had a Mrs Mac's pie and that was 7 dollars. Just a typical pie from them that is exactly that. A beef pie.
An entertaining match, always good to see the sun set over the Perth city buildings over the western side of the ground. Creates a lovely picturesque backdrop further adding to the pleasant experience. As always, the price of food and beverages leaves a sour taste. Especially if the food is nothing to write home about.
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