Perth SC 4 - 0 Inglewood Print E-mail

Perth Soccer Club has taken out the 2008 Football West Premier League Top Four Final beating Inglewood United 4-0 at the E&D Litis Stadium on Monday afternoon. 




Perth Soccer Club scored two goals in each half, Todd Howarth and Genaveo Human in the first and Trent Kay and Michael Black in the second in what turned out to be a one sided contest in front of a strong crowd.

It was Inglewood though that started the brighter and on seven minutes Aguirre sent Colli in down the right, his shot from the angle was pushed away by Perth 'Keeper Gareth Deeg. Then from a Mitsopoulos corner, an unmarked Kovacevic headed over from four-yards.

It didnt take Perth long to start getting into the game. Greg Sharland and Jared Brooks combined to send Steven Campbell clear on the left, his cross shot bounced off the bar and was cleared by a gratefu Wardle.

It was end-to-end football with both Perth and Inglewood going close; Baczynski’s long-range shot flew wide for United while Onoforo’s cross from the right was only inches away from Human in the box for Perth.

The opener came on 22 minutes, Human was the provider when he outpaced Shane Pryce, and pulled the ball back to Antonio Naglieri on the edge of the box. The midfielder threaded a superb ball through to Howarth who finished low past Taseski.

It was 2-0 six minutes later; a long ball sent the speedy Human clear down the right. The striker outpaced Duncan and beat Taseski to the ball and slotted into an empty net.

Inglewood looked to respond before the break, Wardle’s long-range effort whistled past the post and in first half stoppage-time Danny Kovacevic’s cross from the right found Baczynski at the back post but the midfielder headed wide.

Perth began the second half strongly and they increased their lead on 50 minutes. Howarth’s corner from the right found the unmarked Kay in the penalty area and he headed powerfully past Taseski.

The game was slipping away from Lee Bamber’s side but they still pressed forward. Baczynski found Colli on the right two minutes later and his cross on the run was well collected by Deeg under pressure from Kevin Griffiths. Moments later Deeg came to Perth’s rescue again, saving brilliantly at full stretch from Griffiths as United lifted.

With Inglewood pushing forward Perth hit on the counter attack and almost made it four on 63 minutes. Brookes’ cross from the right was misjudged by Taseski, and when the ball was sent back into the box Onoforo’s volley crashed off the crossbar and Wardle cleared the rebound.

Perth continued to control the game and almost punished United again on 78 minutes. Howarth’s free kick found Onoforo at the back post, his first time shot was well saved by Taseski and the striker should have done better with the follow up shot blazing over from six-yards.

The game was put beyond doubt two minutes later when Perth made it 4-0, Onoforo and Sharland combined to send second half substitute Black free down the right and he finished clinically past Taseski from 10-yards.

To Inglewood’s credit they continued to push forward and Wardle’s free kick on 82 minutes was flicked wide by David Houston and in the 90th minute Colli’s cross from the right was headed inches over the bar by Griffiths. But it ended 4-0 to Perth who take out the Top Four Final trophy.


Coaches Report

 

To say that I was proud of the players this last seven days is an understatement. They were magnificent in what was a very professional performance. As a coach you can only ask your players to give 100% and that's exactly what they gave. I asked them to play to a system which was slightly different in both games and one in which they would have never played in prior to working on it in training before we played Floreat last Wednesday evening. They stuck to the team game plan without question which involved giving 100% to their own role within the structure. If 1 player had gone out on a limb and done his own thing then the structure would've failed. It didn't! We were like a rock in both games. Team discipline was of paramount importance, and we got it! It showed the full value of a group of players pulling together and giving their all for the collective goal. Well done boys!!

The goals we scored in the final were the culmination of team harmony and structure and in three of the four goals total team work was the key to set up the final shot at goal. The other goal was from a corner which we have worked on all season, in which we have looked dangerous during that time. It was no shock to me that we won comfortably. I have always had supreme confidence in this squad of players and on Wednesday and this Monday my confidence in them was justified. We have had quite a difficult season with long term injuries to some key players. All season I have had to patch up the team. We had as many as 9 first team players injured or suspended in our championship decider against Sorrento. If we had won that game then the season may well have had a different ending especially as it would've put us 3 points clear at the top with only 3 games to play. But, part of my job includes covering injuries and suspensions. I have always maintained that the game is about the fit players not about the unfit ones. I thought that players like Naglieri, Onoforo, Icanovski, Circati, Howarth, Sharland, Campbell, Kay and Deeg all stuck to their roles with total commitment to the cause. What was really pleasing was the introduction of 2 youngsters to the starting 11 made little or no difference to the teams overall performance. Jared Brooks and Veo Human both played very important roles for the team in the final and prove that we have some very good youngsters coming through the ranks at Perth. I would like to point out that youngsters at this club are monitored very closely in terms of their progress and they will be given every opportunity to play in the first team provided,  first of all that they are good enough, and secondly that they are dedicated enough to improve their game to the level where they can hold their own in the first team. Jared and Veo are 2 shining examples of what is required. Michael Black, Oliver Swords and Nicolas Tatasciore are another 3 that played important roles in the top four and at certain times during the season. I am committed to using and developing the youngsters at this club provided they possess all the right ingredients that give them the potential to become  regular first team players at Perth Soccer Club. Make no mistake, it is my responsibility for upholding and continuing the history and tradition of this great football club. To all our members and supporters I can assure you that I look upon that responsibility as a privilege and an honour that I carry around with me with great pride.

The planning is already undertaken for season 2009. It will be a season where I will be looking for improvement. At times this season we weren't consistently good enough to win a premiership. We have to be on the top of our game on a more regular basis than this year. It is the teams that perform week in and week out that will take home some silverware in September. We intend to be that team in 2009!! I wish all my players a good close seasons rest so that they will come back with renewed enthusiasm in December to start preparations for next season.

All the best

Graham Normanton

Head Coach

 

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Perth Soccer Club (Inc)
Street Address: 3 Lawley Street, West Perth, WA, 6005
Mailing Address: PO Box 249, North Perth, WA, 6906