In hot and dry conditions at Perth's Members Equity Stadium, Glory veteran Jamie Harnwell did the damage for the hosts, scoring twice at the start of both halves, his goals sandwiching a 11th minute strike from Sydney's Brendon Santalab.

After a tumultuous fortnight following 4-1 and 4-0 losses to Central Coast and Melbourne respectively, the Glory redeemed themselves with a solid performance across the park, particularly in defence, and should have been further ahead after creating a host of opportunities in the second half.

But the their failure to convert gave Sydney a chance at the death as Santalab sent a goalbound header towards Glory stopper Tando Velaphi five minutes from time.

And, as the exhausted Sydney players pressed for an equaliser, tensions boiled over during injury time as visiting defender Iain Fyfe was given a straight red for a clash with Perth's Adrian Trinidad as the Glory held on.

The result means Sydney remains in third on the A-League table having missed the opportunity to leapfrog Melbourne (first) and Adelaide(second)into top spot. Indeed, it continues a lean run for the Sky Blues, who have claimed just one point from their last three matches, while the Glory stay in last place following Wellington's victory over Central Coast.

With Eugene Dadi a late withdrawal from a groin strain he sustained in the warm-up, the Glory started with Harnwell and Nikita Rukavytsya up front, while the Glory's defence was boosted significantly by the return of former Socceroo Hayden Foxe for his first match of the year.

Harnwell and Rukavytsya's partnership though, showed some promising signs as early as the third minute when Harnwell fired a low shot just wide of the left upright after taking the ball from his strike partner.

But the double act really blossomed just three minutes later after Santalab gave up possession in midfield. Rukavytsya accelerated onto the loose ball, burning off Sydney defender Tony Popovic for pace before squaring the ball for Harnwell to tap in.

Santalab, though, made up for his mistake in the 12th minute as he burst forward down the left, cutting inside an over-committed Jimmy Downey just a metre in from the byline and finishing off his run with a low shot from a tight angle that Velaphi could only get a hand to as it ricocheted in off the 'keeper.

Three minutes later the Glory were fortunate not to fall behind as Velaphi palmed Mark Bridge's lofted effort over the bar. Velaphi was equally brilliant just after the half hour, getting his fingertips to Steve Corica's close-range effort as Perth's much maligned defence held firm through the efforts of its 'keeper and the classy Foxe, who picked off several promising Sydney attacks.

As the half wore on, the Glory upped the ante, producing several attacks of their own just before the break.

On the half hour, Harnwell couldn't get his head to Rukavytsya's cross while the Olyroos striker slipped a powerful shot narrowly wide of the left post after bursting through the Sky Blues' defence seven minutes before the break.

In the 42nd minute Sydney stopper Ivan Necevski did well to take control of the ball from a scramble of bodies after Jamie Coyne's cross allowed Adrian Pellegrino to run into the box.

But if the visitors thought they'd weathered the storm, they were sorely mistaken as Sydney's defence was picked apart within a minute of the re-start. Rukavytsya found Pellegrino with a crossfield pass after the midfielder ghosted forward and Pellegrino's cross from the right was nodded home emphatically by Harnwell.

The goal sparked a flurry of Glory attacks as Rukavytsya just missed getting his head to a dangerous cross a minute later, while Perth skipper Coyne sent a powerful strike narrowly past the upright after a good exchange of passes.

In the 55th minute Pellegrino sent in another cross from the right that Harnwell couldn't get his head to while Perth's Brazilian playmaker Amaral, who grew in stature throughout his return from a three-match injury lay-off, almost set up Rukavytsya with a brilliant through ball that forced Necevski into a diving save.

Throughout the half, the Glory's defence, looking a different and much more organised beast with Foxe and Nikolai Topor-Stanley forming a solid partnership in the middle, easily containing Sydney's forward forays.

But the club's failure to find a clinical edge gave Sydney a chance at the death as second half sub Trinidad lost possession in attack. The ball came out to Terry McFlynn who sent a quality cross in from the right for Santalab to nod towards Velaphi.

Trinidad was also involved in some late drama as well. Santalab had already clashed with Coyne just before the end while Trinidad clashed heavily with Fyfe during injury time, the Sydney defender dismissed for his efforts.

Match Details
Perth Glory 2 (Harnwell 5, 47)
Sydney FC 1 (Santalab 11)
Members Equity Stadium
Crowd: 7,759
Sunday 19 October 2008
Referee: Peter O'Leary