A controversial late equaliser denied Inglewood United the opportunity to close the gap on National Premier Leagues leaders Perth Glory, who stole a 3-3 draw this afternoon at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium. Inglewood looked on course for victory courtesy of second half finishes by Ellis Healing, Brian Woodall and Kenny Keogh.
However, with the game deep in stoppage time, home goalkeeper Alex Dunn had the ball taken from his grasp by Michael Domfeh, who tucked in the equaliser from only a few metres. The shared point slips Inglewood down the league ladder one to fourth, seven points behind Glory with only three regular season games remaining.
Played in blustery conditions, the first half was a relatively even affair in which Glory created the better openings. Domfeh’s angle strike crashed back off the base of the upright and later Dunn spread himself well to deny Chok Dau in a one-on-one. The goal the visitors were after arrived on 36 minutes when Henry Hore curled in direct from a corner.
Inglewood returned for the second half with greater purpose and intensity. Parity was restored on 53 minutes when Alex Salmon tapped the ball short to substitute Ellis Healing who swung a low shot past the defensive wall and inside the far corner. Brian Farrell was denied the go-ahead goal when his crisp volley was spectacularly pushed away by Jackson Lee.
The hosts continued to apply pressure to Glory’s defences and with twenty minutes to go Woodall put them in front with a diving header following Salmon’s cross from the left. And it took only a few more minutes for the margin to be increased, Keogh rising high in a crowded goalmouth to nod in Healing’s clipped delivery from the right.
The game appeared to have been put beyond Glory but the youngsters had other ideas. With 81 minutes on the clock Hore drove past Dunn to half the deficit and set up a thrilling finish. Dunn was at full-stretch to brilliantly turn wide Dau’s effort as Glory sought to level the game for the third time. And that’s exactly what Domfeh did with games final play.
Match stats
Inglewood United 3 (Ellis Healing 53, Brian Woodall 70, Kenny Keogh 73)
Perth Glory 3 (Henry Hore 36, 81, Michael Domfeh 93)
Inglewood United: Alex Dunn, Alex Ishida-Livings, Connor Becsi, Scott Blackmore, Rikki Smith, Kenny Keogh, Jason Barrera, Brian Farrell (Feisal Zaw 81), Jamie Murphy (Ellis Healing 46), Brian Woodall, Alex Salmon (Ash Rosindale 90)
Perth Glory: Jackson Lee, Ollie Annis, Daniel Walsh, Nic McDonald, Sam Riak, Henry Hore, Zayd Faram (Callum Timmins 63), Michael McDougall (Jack Leech 81), Chok Dau, Bayley Montgomery-Brown (Trent Ostler 81), Michael Domfeh
Bookings: Keogh (47), Annis (47), Domfeh (52), Smith (64)
Dismissals: Nil
