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NYL: Gold Coast United Youth beat Perth Glory Youth

ANOTHER impressive performance from Gold Coast United Youth has seen Mike Mulvey’s young charges register their biggest win of the season after thrashing Perth Glory Youth 4-0 at Southport Tigers.

United leapfrogged their opponents in the National Youth League ladder thanks to the win, moving up to third place, and maintained their unbeaten start in the process.

More impressive though was the manner of the win, with United dominant throughout and creating chance after chance against their western visitors.

Gold Coast converted their early dominance into an early lead in the 13th minute when James Brown’s precise through ball found the clever run of Golgol Mebrahtu.

Appearing sharp and assured after his recent stint in the senior side, Mebrahtu took Brown’s pass in his stride before stroking the ball calmly past Aleks Vrteski in the Perth goal.

Perth had their moments in an entertaining first half, but United’s eagerness to win back possession gave them the lion’s share of the ball, although further clear-cut chances were scare.

James Brown was pulling the midfield strings for Gold Coast and winger Ben Halloran was a constant menace to the Perth defence as United looked to increase their lead.

They did just that in the 57th minute and Brown was again the provider. Quick feet and a cross into the danger zone forced Perth defender Steven Hesketh into an error, leaving Andrew Barisic with the easiest of tap-ins from two metres.

Soon after, Gold Coast ‘keeper Jerrad Tyson saved well at the feet of Sebit Oyet as Perth failed to convert their best opportunity, while at the other end, Zac Anderson’s goal-bound header was well kept out by Vrteski.

Constant movement and crisp passing was carving open the visitor’s rearguard time after time, and it was no surprise when Ben Halloran extended Gold Coast’s lead in the 74th minute after a dazzling run and cross from Mitch Bevan.

Mebrahtu should have made it 4-0 in the closing stages but shot straight at the goalkeeper from close range with the goal gaping.

His blushes were spared by Zac Anderson just moments later though, the defender tapping into the empty net after Bevan’s 20-metre bullet rebounded back off the upright.

The constant one-way traffic almost provided a fifth goal for the home side, but Josh Brillante could only watch in frustration as his measured strike through a crowd of players smacked against the post.

“We’ve talked all week about being a bit more ruthless and I thought in the second half we were quite cut-throat,” said Gold Coast United Youth Coach, Mike Mulvey.

“We could have had some more goals but overall I’m really pleased with our performance. We got at them early on and forced them into errors. I though the quality of some of our passing was quite superb today, and Perth struggled to contain us in all honesty,” he added.

Gold Coast United Youth:
1.Jerrad TYSON (gk) (20.Tim ANDERSON (gk) 63’), 3.Ben HARRISON (6.Mitchell BEVAN 60’), 5.Ben WEARING, 7.Zachary ANDERSON, 8.Steven LUSTICA (c), 10.Koh SATAKE (4.Joshua BRILLANTE 60’), 11.Ben HALLORAN, 12.Golgol MEBRAHTU, 17.Matt OSMAN (OA), 18.James BROWN, 19.Andrew BARISIC (OA) (15.Ramone CLOSE 60’).
Unused subs: none
Yellow cards: Satake 30’, Osman 90+1.
Red cards: none

Perth Glory Youth:
40.Aleks VRTESKI (gk) (1.Alex PEARSON (gk) 61’) 2.Ryan EDWARDS, 3.Steve HESKETH, 4.Jack CLIZBY, 5.Howard FONDYKE, 6.Brent GRIFFITHS (12.Sebit OYET 15’), 7.Matthew IZZO, 10.Million BUTSHIIRE, 11.Ludovic BOI, 13.Clayton ARNEZ, 14.Glen TRIFIRO.
Unused subs: none
Yellow cards: Trifiro 29’.
Red cards: none

Story courtesy of Gold Coast United