Australia Cup: David Zdrilic thrilled with side’s character and impact of subs in 5-4 win over Melbourne City

Perth Glory coach David Zdrilic has spoken glowingly of his side’s character and mental fortitude after watching them overcome Melbourne City in a see-sawing Australia Cup tie at the Sam Kerr Football Centre. Having twice taken the lead only to be pegged back on both occassions by Melbourne City, the Glory were facing elimination from the knock-out cup as they trailed 4-2 with 20 minutes to play. But goals from substitutes Nathanael Blair and Adam Bugarija sent the tie into extra-time, where Blair struck five minutes from the end to seal a spectacular 5-4 win and send Perth into the last 16 of the competition for the first time in eight years. Zdrilic said the ability of his team to re-set after they were staring down the barrel of elimination and stick to their guns to get the game back on their terms was hugely impressive. “The mentality to implement what we’re trying to do, which is not easy, especially when the game goes into extra time, but they kept driving at the principles, it didn’t change,” he said. “The philosophy is there, it’s ingrained in them, they just showed it and that’s great for the boys and obviously for the fans, that we’re able to show it’s a very different Perth Glory this year. “Maybe we don’t want that kind of a game and the flow of that many goals going back and forth, but I think it was a great character building result.” Zdrilic also spoke proudly of the depth of his squad, as three of his substitutes found the net after half-time. Adam Taggart played his first competitive minutes and scored within 90 seconds of his introduction, while Blair and Bugarija — both off-season recruits from Western Sydney — found the net and late substitution Khoa Ngo stretched the pitch upon his introduction. “It’s not just who starts the game. We want to have a team that can keep going and going and going,” Zdrilic said. “It was a luxury having Tags to come on at half-time and we know the quality he has, but the guys that maybe are lesser-known at the moment, you saw what they can do. “It’s just the mentality to try and implement something that’s totally different to what they’re used to. I thought the way they went about it was perfect. “All these young guys come in, and they just listened to the instructions and they just try with their mentality to do whatever we ask of them and that’s all really you can you can ask.”