Franken – Trajkovski – Harnwell – Valle – Miller ( Carbone .J. 80 min) – Naven – Edgar – Ergic ( Afkos 92 min) – Boutsianis – Despotovski – Kalogeracos ( Edwards 60 min)

Cautions: Vargas (GF) 10 min, Edgar (PG) 55 min, Ergic (PG) 75 min, Harnwell (PG) 80 min, Jevdjevic (GF) 93 min

Votes: 3 Tony Franken (Perth Glory); 2 Juan Nilo (Gippsland Falcons); 1 Mehmet Durakovic (Gippsland Falcons)

Perth Glory’s long trip to Mobil Park, the home of the Gippsland Falcons for the opening round of the 1999/2000 National League season ended in the result many would have expected and predicted, but those who made the trip to Mobil Park, witnessed a game that in no way reflected the final result.

The Gippsland Falcons whom most had written off before the season had even kicked off, showed enormous commitment and heart to out play one of the more fancied sides in the competition. Jeff Hopkins put out a youthful side that outplayed the Glory for most of the game and created the best scoring chances on the night. If not for the class of Franken in goal, who continues to show he is still one of the best keepers in the country and a defensive misunderstanding between Jevdjevic and Gotis, the Glory may well have made the long trip back home rather embarrassed.

The match began at a frantic pace with both sides trying to assert their authority in midfield. Glory’s new Brazilian import Edgar jnr and the impressive Ergic were giving the Falcons midfield no time on the ball, forcing high balls which Harnwell and Valle in the Glory defence were having little trouble dealing with.

The first chance of the game went to the Falcons in the 18 minute when a Gotis cut back from the left was only half cleared by the Glory and Clayton Bell hit a powerful shot from outside the box which Franken somehow managed to turn past the upright. This seemed to give the Falcons confidence and at the same time shake up the Glory who realised they were going to have to battle hard to get a result from the game. The Falcons dominated the next 20 minutes with Glory happy to sit back and absorb the pressure. Juan Nilo in his debut NSL game for the Falcons was becoming a handful for the tall Glory defenders with his speed and ability to turn quickly. On two occasions in the first half, Nilo managed to get behind the Glory defence to be thwarted by the brilliant goalkeeping of Franken.

At the other end Boutsianis and Despotovski were looking sharp, but disciplined marking by Gotis and Savage, martialled in defence by their new captain Mehmet Durakovic, seemed to have all the answers.

What was to be the turning point of the match and the three points for Glory happened in the 38 minute when Manny Gotis attempted to back-head the ball to his keeper Jevdjevic. Jevdjevic seemed slow to react to the back pass, which saw the ever alert Boutsianis dart in and execute a looping header over the advancing keeper. 1- 0 Perth Glory.

The second half began with the same intensity as the first with play translating from end to end. In the 60 minute after his second heavy knock, Kalogeracos was replaced by Edwards who brought some much needed muscle to the Glory forward line. The change had an immediate impact with Glory creating some good chances and testing the Falcons defence. Ergic was very impressive for the Glory making strong and direct runs from the midfield and threatening the Falcons goal on a number of occasions.

After a Falcons corner in the 62 minute, Nilo again showed his great skills by turning onto a loose ball in the eighteen yard box and hitting a shot that Franken watched with relief as it only just flashed past his left upright. A great header by Despotovski after a teasing corner by Boutsianis was also well saved down to his right by Jevdjevic.

The Glory tightened their defence and managed to hold onto the lead to finish the game with the three points they expected, but in many ways were gifted. No doubt the Glory will only get stronger when Edgar adapts to Australian football and the likes of Halpin and their two gun recruits Wehrman and Buljan take the field. The Falcons on the other hand showed that they will be competitive and difficult to beat down in the Latrobe Valley.

The best players on the night for me were the Glory keeper Tony Franken who showed all his experience and that he is still one of the best going around. Juan Nilo, a consistent scorer in the Victorian Premier league showed he has what it takes to step up to the big league and the evergreen Mehmet Durakovic has lost none of his defensive skills and undoubted class.