Last week¹s visitors to Members Equity Stadium, Wollongong, were not known for their goal scoring prowess and proved it again by being unable to penetrate the Glory defence. This week Glory played host to Newcastle United who have an even worse record up-front, having scored a meagre 18 goals in their last 21 matches.
In recent visits to Perth, Newcastle failed to score altogether in 3 out of 4 occasions. They did however manage an upset 1-0 victory in Newcastle earlier this season but the scorer of that goal, Esala Masi, was still out with a hamstring injury.
Hence the biggest danger for Perth Glory against an injury ravaged Newcastle United would be that of complacency. There was only one change in the Glory line-up, with Jamie Coyne coming into the starting line-up for a not fully recovered Mark Byrnes.
Both sides began somewhat tentatively, but then after 6 minutes it was Glory who made the first serious move on goal via Tom Pondeljak who¹d worked himself free past a couple of defenders to sneak a cross from the left, inside to Despotovski waiting on the edge of the area. Bobby just had time to execute a turn but the shot lacked power and apart from that was aimed straight at the keeper who held tight.
Newcastle then pulled off a very quick break and had Libbesson bearing down on goal with only Jade North chasing, who barely managed to put the ball away for a corner.
11 minutes had past when Newcastle again tried their hardest to look dangerous and succeeded to a degree as Middleby let fly from an unmarked position only 20 metres out. The ball was heading for the back of the net but for an almost too casual one-handed jab by Petkovic that served only to direct it into the post, with the awkward bounce nearly coming back to bite him.
Meanwhile, back at the other end Glory did not fare much better. Pondeljak had a 16th minute run on goal with a reasonable striking chance but his attempt squirmed all the way across the face of goal and out by a couple of metres.
Young Libbesson again got into the action after 23 minutes and this time he was denied only by a well timed dash off the line by Petkovic.
Glory then finally put the fans at ease when at the 27 minute mark Tom Pondeljak worked his way down the flank, held up the ball and then with a pin-point cross managed to find the head of Mori in the box, and the ball merely glanced off his noggin into the net.
Virtually within seconds Glory could/should have had 2 on the board as Pondeljak found himself in space, bearing down on goal with only the keeper to beat yet he somehow managed to let Willis close him down.
The game then proceeded to stagnate somewhat, and even after half-time there didn¹t seem to be a great deal of urgency on behalf of either team.
Newcastle tried, and what might have been nice build-ups in midfield inevitable shattered on the Glory defensive rock. Even the odd, uncharacteristic defensive slip by the Glory could not be capitalised on, Newcastle simply had very few ideas upfront.
Not that the Glory was covering themselves in Glory either.
Nothing much came about until the 61st minute when the kid on 99 goals for the Glory had a chance to write himself into the record books but his rocket streaked past the upright by a couple of feet and it was not to be.
69th minute and Newcastle put together what must have been about forty passes and people were seen yawning when Middleby finally put and end to it by giving Petkovic an easy save.
By about the 80th minute Glory began to lift the intensity somewhat, probably because no-one wanted to be the one subbed by Mich.
Mori was brought down by Deans in the area which for all and sundry was a clear penalty, but Craig Zetter from Adelaide liked to keep the game flowing.
Mori then managed a strike at goal from 30 metres which went over just a bit and so it was Pondeljak who made way for Caceres in the 84th minute.
Caceres was champing at the bit, and, as he pointed out in a post match interview, somewhat disappointed at his late inclusion in what could be described as a dour affair.
So he did what all subs dream of doing, he ran at the defenders, rattled them sufficiently and smote the ball fiercely and unerringly past Mr Willis. First touch Caceres, 85th minute, 2-0 Glory.
Newcastle had one more chance on 90 minutes as Musialik penetrated but again his strike posed little problem for Petkovic.
Glory had managed to grind out another result and if the end justified the means Glory came out smelling like roses on Valentines Day.