Western United set a new club record with a fifth straight Isuzu UTE A-League Men win on Saturday night, overcoming Perth Glory 3-1 at Ironbark Fields.
Rhys Bozinovski had the home side off to a flyer with his fourth goal in three matches with barely two minutes on the clock, but Perth made sure John Aloisi’s men had to work for it.
Jaylan Pearman scored a lovely equaliser after half-time but United’s extra quality ultimately told as an own goal restored the lead before Ramy Najjarine slotted his first in Green and Black to seal the deal.
The result ensured Western remained in second place on the table and cut the gap to Auckland at the top to just five points.
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There were two changes to Western United’s starting XI, both in defence as Ben Garuccio made his return from injury at left-back and Tate Russell was reinstalled at right-back having been managed in the last match.
James Donachie and Charbel Shamoon returned to the bench alongside the bicycle kick hero from the previous meeting with Perth, Jordan Lauton.
First half
Bozinovski couldn’t wait to keep his goal-scoring run moving along, needing just a tick over two minutes to thrash a bouncing ball into the net via the right-hand post.
A goalmouth scramble resulted in a Western corner with which Bozinovski made first contact, forcing a brilliant initial save from Oliver Sail before finishing the rebound.
Perth bounced back from that early sucker punch, though, and were brave in possession and tenacious out of it to apply pressure on the Green and Black.
That pressure looked like it might have paid off with an equaliser in quick time, but Will Freney’s celebrations were cut short just as quickly as they begun as the offside flag was raised.
It remained a competitive affair throughout the first 45 minutes with the biggest chances falling Western’s way in the closing stages.
Matthew Grimaldi and Hiroshi Ibusuki both had opportunities to dink Sail but neither could quite lift their efforts over the Perth custodian, leaving the margin at one going into the break.
Second half
Perth started strongly after half-time and, after Trent Ostler had a shot beaten away by Matt Sutton, were rewarded with a fine equaliser from 18-year-old Pearman.
Western United needed some energy and slowly began finding it, getting runners in behind and looking to regain the lead.
That second goal did eventually come just 10 minutes after Perth’s equaliser, a comically unfortunate own goal from the visitors’ point of view as Bozinovski’s cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by substitute Taras Gomulka.
United was able to control much of the remainder of proceedings with the lead restored, the Tarneit crowd in full voice and the confidence and belief flowing.
Glory did all they could to find another equaliser but Western defended the box well and took its final chance on the break in the 86th minute.
Bozinovski hoofed a clearance forward before Michael Ruhs did exceptionally well to compete for the first header, then bring the ball to ground and sprint into the final third.
The striker then put the ball on a plate for fellow substitute Najjarine who finished coolly into the bottom corner, tying the perfect bow on the night for the Green and Black.
