‘It’s frustrating for us’: Aldred laments slow starts as Roar strike late once again
Brisbane captain Tom Aldred says his side’s slow starts are becoming a common and costly theme as the Roar staged yet another late comeback against Perth Glory on Saturday afternoon.
Brisbane scored an 85th-minute equaliser through Macaulay Gillesphey to earn a point in a 1-1 draw at Dolphin Stadium.
Gillesphey’s goal was the 16th Brisbane have scored in the last half hour of games this season; they’ve scored a mere four goals before the hour mark of any game throughout the entire Hyundai A-League campaign.
Speaking after the Roar’s most recent dramatic escapade, Aldred cut a relieved yet frustrated figure as he wondered just how many draws would have turned into wins if his side had been more ruthless in front of goal in the early stages of games this season.
MATCH REPORT: Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory
“It’s frustrating for us, because it seems to [be] becoming a common theme,” Aldred told FOX Sports post-match.
“What you’ve got to credit is the lads bounce back every time, they don’t go under.
“It’s something we need to work on but going forward we take the positives from coming back so strongly and looking like we’re going to win the game in the final moments of the majority of our games this season.”
The hero of this particular late comeback was Gillesphey, Aldred’s defensive counterpart who scored his first Roar goal with a towering header to earn his side a point against the Glory, who moved into second spot on the Hyundai A-League table after the game.
Gillesphey’s important equaliser came as a relief to the Englishman, who says he has copped plenty of heat from his teammates for his lack of offensive impact before his moment finally arrived against Perth.
“I have been getting a bit of stick from the boys,” Gillesphey told FOX Sports after the game.
“It was coming, I felt it was coming and I’m glad to get it here, my first goal.
“We didn’t have the best of halves in the first half... but I think second half we turned it round, we gave it a good push and eventually got the goal.”
Gillesphey, 24, rose through the junior ranks at English side Newcastle United before moving to fellow English outfit Carlisle United where he spent three seasons before his release in May, 2019.
The young defender says he’s loved the challenges of adjusting to a new life and style of football at such a young age since signing with the Roar ahead of the 2019/20 Hyundai A-League campaign, and has been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football on offer in Australia.
“It’s a big change, especially quite early in [my] career, but when I got the opportunity it was too good to turn down,” he said.
“I’m absolutely loving it, especially the weather – it’s a bit different to the North East [of England] back home – but in terms of football I think the football in the A-League is a very good standard, and it probably doesn’t get as much credit as it should really.”
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Round 21
Melbourne City v Brisbane Roar
Sunday, 1 March
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 6.30pm AEDT
Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory
Saturday, 29 February
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
