Perth hope road trip is AL springboard
Jan 1, 2017 - 6:00 PM If road trips can change people, Perth sure hope this one's done a job on them.A fortnight ago the Glory's A-League season looked on a path to nowhere, the team's performances stagnating as much as their woeful results.
But something happened on the east coast between Christmas and New Year.
A new resilience accompanied last week's dramatic 3-3 draw with Melbourne City and Sunday night's 1-1 result at Western Sydney.
And coach Kenny Lowe is optimistic it can provide the springboard for a late-season surge, starting with Wellington at home on Thursday night.
"Hopefully," Lowe said.
"We had two road trips last year, won two on one trip and won one and drew one on the second.
"This one we've had two draws so it seems to suit us."
The Glory's defensive fight stood out against the Wanderers, who they kept at bay for much of the game after Adam Taggart's 14th-minute opener at ANZ Stadium, before Jaushua Sotirio levelled midway through the second period.
The overall improvement has coincided with Diego Castro's return to the starting line-up, but Lowe insisted out others were also finding form.
"We're getting Cas (Castro) back which is really good and Taggs (Taggart) is lively - he's getting more game time into himself," he said.
"Shane Lowry played his first full game back and Millsy (Joseph Mills) is getting to grips with things.
"We've got a good group of people starting to hit their straps, so hopefully we can kick on."
Lowe was less inclined to talk about his plans for the January transfer window or the future of again-absent Rhys Williams.
The star off-season recruit and former Socceroo is expected to be granted an imminent release from his hometown club after just eight underwhelming appearances.
"He's a contracted player at the club, he just wasn't selected," Lowe said.
"I don't know how many times I've got to answer that question."
Meanwhile, defender Dino Djulbic's appeal of his three-match suspension will be heard by Football Federation Australia's independent disciplinary and ethics committee on Monday.
Djulbic, who sat out his first game against the Wanderers, will fight for a lesser punishment than that handed down by the A-League match review panel for his part in his explosive extra-time clash with City's Fernando Brandan.
Source: AAP
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