Kieran Paterson’s towering header has booked Inglewood United into the last four of the Under-18 State Cup. Inglewood took a first half lead through Shubham Mokala only for Perth Glory to draw level shortly before the break. But Paterson had the final say by grabbing the decider in a tense 2-1 win at Kingsway Sporting Complex..
The ball had been in motion just a few minutes when Paterson flashed the game’s chance across the face of goal. Glory responded by piling the pressure on their opponent’s defence. Mitchell Haywood was at full-stretch to spectacularly touch wide Trent Ostler’s strike before Adam Zimarino and Ciaran Bramwell each rattled the crossbar.
The breakthrough, however, would come at the opposite end, Brandon Clarke whipping the ball in from the right to Mokala whose downward header slipped through the gloves of goalkeeper Caelen Miller. It took only seven minutes for Glory to restore parity with Bramwell arrowing into far bottom corner from distance.
Fired up by coach Richie Abrams words, Inglewood seized control of the game following the interval. Mokala fired narrowly beyond the top corner and Docherty was unable to steer his header goalward after rising strongly at a corner. Substitute Ben Pellizzari looked set to score when Miller responded by punching away Renee Kisesa’s centre.
Shots in quick succession from Paterson and Pellazzari were halted by Miller, who breathed a sigh of relief when Mokala blasted wide with the Glory custodian out of position. With the game drifting towards a penalty shoot-out, Paterson rose majestically to powerfully head Mokala’s well-flighted free-kick into the top corner and send Inglewood through to the Cup semi-finals.
Match stats
Inglewood United 2 (Shubham Mokala 32, Kieran Paterson 87)
Perth Glory 1 (Ciaran Bramwell 39)
Inglewood United: Mitchell Haywood, Nelson Tshongo, Ben Docherty, Brandon Clarke, Jafet Gochez, Tyler Garner, Jack Lavis, Shubham Mokala, Renee Kisesa, Kieran Paterson, Curtis Jorgenson (Ben Pellazzari 64)
Perth Glory: Caelen Miller, Sam Kokkoris, Dan Walsh (Kian McGuigan 56), Cameron McLean, Will Nicholson, Aidan Edwards, Josh Samson, Trent Ostler, Tommy-James Coyle (Charlie Leech 64), Ciaran Bramwell (Dylan Leonard 70), Adam Zimarino
Bookings: Clarke (78), Paterson (84)
Dismissals: Nil
