Perth Glory set a club record and took another step towards securing a top-four berth with a 4-0 thumping of A-League strugglers Gold Coast on Monday night.
Goals to Glory trio Steven McGarry, Liam Miller and Travis Dodd sealed the result for Perth, while a late own goal to Adama Traore only served to heighten the pain of Gold Coast, who remain anchored at the foot of the table.
In contrast, Perth’s eighth unbeaten game on the trot – a club record – lifted Glory back to within two points of second-placed Wellington and one point of third-placed Brisbane.
And perhaps even more importantly, the gap between fourth-placed Perth and fifth-placed Heart is now a comfortable four points, putting the Glory firmly in the box seat to secure a home final.
Such was the one-sided nature of the match, Perth could have easily put eight goals past a hapless Gold Coast in front of 7681 fans.
An unmarked McGarry capitalised on a glancing Steve Pantelidis header to score the opener in the 18th minute, but a second goal proved elusive for the remainder of the half as the home side spurned numerous opportunities.
Star striker Shane Smeltz, normally deadly in front of goal, was uncharacteristically wayward, clattering one attempt into the upright before fluffing two other chances with only the goalkeeper to beat.
In contrast to Perth’s glut of chances, Gold Coast had to wait more than half an hour for their first real sight on goal, only for defender Ante Rozic to direct his free header well high of the target.
Perth were far more clinical in the second half, Miller doubling the lead in the 53rd minute after pouncing on a Dodd cross that Gold Coast failed to clear.
And Dodd made sure of the result in the 67th minute when he headed home Mile Sterjovski’s pin-point corner.
Gold Coast’s most clinical moment came in the 84th minute, when a diving Traore sent a bullet header into the back of the net.
Unfortunately for the defender it was his own net, giving the Glory their 11th goal from the past three matches.
“It’s obviously not a happy day for me,” Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg said.
“It’s hurt our pride as a club, hurt me as a coach and hurt the players. It will be a very unpleasant flight now. Hopefully we fall asleep and forget about it.
“I’ve never been here and lost 4-0.
“It was one of those days where you go to work and the boss screams at you, and then your car doesn’t start, then your wife screams at you again and then the dog is sick and you have to take him to the vet. That was my day today.”
Glory coach Ian Ferguson praised his team’s performance.
“The first half, I thought we could have been easily two or three up, or even more,” Ferguson said.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
I just wish we hadn't spent so much time lost in the wilderness trying to play two Smeltz and Mehmet alongside each other and misusing Liam Miller.
Kasey
Guest
Glory haave only got to play exceptional football for another 2 months and they could be crowned champions of Australia. I would love to see if the magic of the NSL days could be repeated in the HAL. A full Subiaco stadium(I assume thats where the GF would be played - but wit the season overlaping with the AFL start, who knows?) , the whole of the West talking about them. If it does happen, I pledge to write and personally hand deliver a letter of apology to Mister Ian Ferguson for publically calling him the worst coach/manager in the League! In hindsight I should have had my eyes opened when I traveled to Perth for the first game of the season to watch my Reds under Rini Foolem play terribly and cough up a 1-0 defeat:(
Nathan of Perth
Guest
These kind of system shocks can turn a team's fortune around. To be honest there were some moments in the first half where I was thinking GCU were going to make a fist of this. You can see the potential there, they just need a fair shake! Marched to the ground with a GC supporter; hope he's not feeling too down today. Hope everyone enjoyed the Shed though; favourite chant of the night was the one about Palmer eating the team if they lost, but not sure if that came through on the telecast.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Congratulations to the Glory well played. No excuses we were not in the hunt---too many GCU inexperience players on the pitch, but next year they'll be better for it, from this humiliation.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Everything was on song bar Smeltz's radar and he was like that in the last GCU game. I'm convinced he just doesn't want to score against the club. Our passing was short crisp, off the ball running was providing many options and releases and we kept possession well especially when on the attack. Gold Coast may have finished with more possession but it wasn't being allowed anywhere it could do any good for them.