City blow rare shot at Glory as McLaren scores new A-League record
Undermanned Melbourne City blew a perfect chance to breathe new life into their season when conceding two goals in the last seven minutes to allow league leaders Perth Glory to snatch a 2-2 draw at AAMI Park.
The fact that new striker Jamie Maclaren equalled an A-League record by scoring in his first four games for his new club will be of little consolation in what will feel like a defeat for the hosts who had the game all wrapped up.
Joel Chianese and Diego Castro netted late for the visitors after Maclaren had scored twice in the first half to put City in the driving seat.
City had looked on course for a morale boosting triumph until Perth's great late fightback.
The hosts were undermanned at the back with the club's top two defenders, Ritchie De Laet and Bart Schenkenveld, both suspended, while another regular centre back, Harrison Delbridge, was injured.
Iacopo La Rocca came in to partner with Curtis Good for only his third start of the season, while Nathaniel Atkinson got a chance at right back.
There had been little between these two teams in their earlier meetings this season - a scoreless draw at AAMI and a 1-0 Glory win in Western Australia - and that was how it looked in the early exchanges here.
City captain Scott Jamieson's cross cum shot which dipped just over Liam Reddy's bar was the first ''threat'' the hosts offered, but they stepped up a gear soon after.
On loan Spurs striker Shay Harrison's driving run took him past Dino Djulbic but Reddy was equal to his driven cross before it could find a City forward's foot.
City got the break they needed in the 26th minute, just before the first drinks interval, and it came about through an excellent move and finish.
The ball was swept out wide to Jamieson on the left who flighted a perfectly weighted cross into the penalty area. Maclaren got away from the Perth defence and directed a cushioned header away from Reddy into the corner of the net.
Glory came back strong, with marquee man Diego Castro running at the makeshift City rearguard at every opportunity, linking up with Andy Keogh and Chris Ikonomidis as the league leaders sought to exploit the unfamiliarity of La Rocca and Good, playing together for the first time.
City doubled their advantage in the 35th minute from the penalty spot, Maclaren giving them the two goal half time cushion they would scarcely have expected at kick off.
But the award of the spot kick had plenty to do with Perth's inability to clear their lines.
The ball fell to Shane Lowry who found Matt Spiranovic who tried to play his way out of defence. Maclaren harried the ex Socceroo centre back, the ball eventually falling to French wideman Florin Berenguer. He drove in a hard low cross which Lowry tried to intercept with a lunging dive only for the ball to hit him on the hand, referee Alex King having little doubt that a penalty should be the punishment.
Just before the interval City was rescued by its veteran goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic, who pulled off a terrific close range save to deny Ikonomidis after Djulbic had headed Kilkenny's free kick back across goal.
The big Perth defender missed a golden opportunity from the resulting corner, heading over.
Galekovic again proved the difference just after the restart when he saved at close range to deny Keogh after the Glory centre forward was played through by Castro.
Joyce looked deflated post match, but said his team still could take plenty of credit for their performance against a free scoring Glory side full of experienced players.
Asked if City had invited disaster by defending too deep in the dying minutes, he said ''you have to give credit to the opposition, they are a good side.''