The A-League’s cellar dweller finally enjoyed that winning feeling at the 19th attempt.

Jordan Simpson and Nikita Rukavytsya (2) both celebrated their first goals for the club with Andrew Durante scoring an extraordinary own goal to further aid the visitors.

Perth certainly enjoy playing here and this win continued the club’s terrific record at EnergyAustralia Stadium. In contrast the Jets looked well below their best, aside from the excellent Joel Griffiths who banged in an equaliser at the start of the second half.

Double goalscorer Rukavytsya said: “We’ve been playing really well and we took our chances today. All the boys have been buzzing in training.”

Skipper Simon Colosimo said: “A lot of hard work and determination out there. I think we thoroughly deserved the three points tonight. Credit to the boys. Big Jamie (Harnwell) gave us a little bit of experience we probably lacked at the back. I’m ecstatic for the boys, the club and the supporters who’ve stuck by us.”

The Jets made four changes from the side defeated by Sydney FC last week with Matt Thompson returning from suspension and Scott Tunbridge handed his first start in attack. Mario Jardel had to be content with a place on the bench once again.

New Perth Glory coach Dave Mitchell also made four changes for his first game since succeeding Ron Smith. Nikita Rukavytsya was handed a start in attack while Naum Sekulovski and Leo Bertos returned from injury to provide the width. The experienced Jamie Harnwell was switched from his striking role to his ‘old job’ in the centre of defence. Mitchell Prentice was handed a central midfield role alongside skipper Simon Colosimo.

Andrew Durante saw a second minute effort deflected away from the Perth goal as the Jets made a bright start in the sheeting rain at EnergyAustralia Stadium. At the other end Jimmy Downey skipped down the right flank and whipped over an inviting cross for Rukavytysa but the youngster failed to get the necessary purchase on his header.

Bridge wasted a glorious opportunity on six minutes as he lashed high and wide from 10 yards after Tarek Elrich’s low cross from the right deflected into his path. He took aim for the top right hand corner but the shot failed to trouble Tando Velaphi.

Joel Griffiths then sent a low cross skimming across the six yard box from the right flank although Bridge was not close enough to gobble up the opportunity.

Perth had an early setback with Sekulovski hobbling off after only 10 minutes to be replaced by Tyler Simpson. The player left the field clutching his hamstring after a challenge with Durante. It led to a tactical switch with Bertos moving over to the left flank.


The Glory forced its first corner on 16 minutes but the delivery was overhit and skidded straight off the greasy turf out for a goal kick.

On 18 Ante Covic made a terrific stop to keep out a low Glory free-kick and as the ball spun loose, Covic was equal to the follow up effort from Rukavytsya.

Play swiftly moved back to the other end where Tunbridge missed a sitter as Perth failed to clear a Jets corner, Griffiths teeing up the opportunity in a crowded area.

Rukavytsya threatened to wriggle clear on 23 but found his path to goal blocked by Jets skipper Jade North as the rain started to ease over the Hunter.

Glory took the lead in bizarre circumstances on 25. Rukavytsya went down after attempting to go round Covic in the area. It looked odds on that a penalty would have been awarded but Durante duly hammered the loose ball into his own net. Extraordinary stuff and the home fans were briefly stunned into silence.

The visitors were clearly boosted by the goal and Rukavytsya looked to be growing in confidence as Perth looked for the rare luxury of a two-goal lead.

Durante clattered into Velaphi as he rose to meet a free-kick from the right while Jets coach Van Egmond decided to introduce Jardel at the expense of Tunbridge on 35 minutes. The Brazilian received a huge roar as he emerged from the bench while Tunbridge looked understandably disappointed.

Harnwell connected with a Glory corner from the left but Covic comfortably gathered his header while Griffiths was furious at the other end as he failed to get a free-kick for a clear obstruction on the edge of the area as he raced forward.

The Glory players worked tremendously hard to close down the space as the first half headed towards its conclusion with the Jets players showing increasing signs of frustration.

James Robinson then scuffed a poor effort wide of the right post having been teed up by skipper Colosimo before the Englishman produced the miss of the season as he inexplicably fired wide of the goal with an empty net gaping.

It was a huge let off for a Jets side that had largely struggled to find its rhythm in the opening 45 minutes. The teams trooped off at the break with the Glory still leading 1-0.

Robinson’s night came to an end at the interval with new coach Mitchell choosing to introduce Jordan Simpson at his expense for the start of the second half.

Bertos pushed into an attacking role to support Rukavytsya while the Simpson brothers slotted into the right-back and right midfield berths.

The Jets levelled matters on 49 minutes with Adam D’Apuzzo threading a wonderful ball through to Griffiths and the Jets hot shot coolly slotted the ball past Velaphi into the right hand corner of the net – his fourth goal in five matches.

The celebrations didn’t last long, less than 60 seconds to be precise. Bertos teed up Rukavytsya whose shot was parried by Covic. The ball dropped kindly for Jordan Simpson who gratefully slammed in his first A-League goal. Talk about a case of you’re never more vulnerable than when you’ve just scored!

Jardel was a whisker away from getting his head to Tarek Elrich’s inswinging cross from the right and really the Brazilian should have done better.

Griffiths teed up Elrich with a beautiful backheel on 61 only for the midfielder to drag a poor shot wide of the left post.

On a rainy night Rukavytsya finally ended his A-League drought as he pounced on a ball in the area to bobble the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net. The Jets had paid the price for failing to clear their lines but very nearly found a lifeline as Griffiths’ goalbound effort cannoned back off a Glory defender at the other end.

Van Egmond made a double change on 74 with Durante and Kohler making way for Noel Spencer and Troy Hearfield as the Jets looked for a way back into the contest.

Stephen Laybutt charged forward on 80 but lacked the pace to shake off the Glory defence while Thompson blazed high and wide from the left edge of the area.

Perth put the icing on the cake as Downey latched on to a Velaphi clearance and raced away, picked out Rukavytsya to his right and the striker stroked home his second of the night. Job done.


FourFourTwo says... At last the long wait for a victory is over for Perth Glory's long-suffering supporters. Clearly the new coach syndrome was in evidence again tonight with the visitors thoroughly deserving all three points, having won numerous battles all over the pitch and crucially taken the chances that came their way. The big question now is whether they can turn one win into two and so on. As for the Jets, something of a mini-slump that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later.