Weekly warm up: Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets

Let's get back to winning ways! Can Perth prove last week's loss was just a blip by bringing in-form Jets down to earth?

Let's get back to winning ways! Can Perth prove last week's loss was just a blip by bringing in-form Jets down to earth?

Get ready for an absolutely massive match-up at nib Stadium this Saturday night as two ladder rivals go toe-to-toe in a clash that will certainly affect where they sit at the season's end.

A win for Glory would keep them well and truly in touch with the top-two, while defeat would allow Newcastle to pull level with them on points.

The Jets are absolutely flying at the moment, so if you want Glory to avoid a second straight loss, you will need to be in full voice at nib Stadium for this tricky encounter. Get your ticket today and prepare to sing your side to three valuable points!

Perth will have to put in a better performance than they did last week, when they were overcome 2-1 at Sydney Football Stadium. To be fair, the visitors were the better side in the first-half against the Sky Blues but failed to convert any of the chances that their free-flowing passing game created.

In the second-period, Sydney were the dominant force however, and won the game thanks to goals from Brett Emerton and Bruno Cazarine.

Glory's fans though, while disappointed at the loss, will at least be happy with their side's battling qualities. Billy Mehmet's 86th-minute goal set up a grandstand finish and illustrated how the Western Australians never give up.

If they are to atone for the loss on the other side of the country, Perth will have to overcome a side in fine form.

Newcastle Jets have won three on the spin and what fine wins they were.

After smashing and grabbing three points in Brisbane, they stuffed Sydney at The SFS - finding the net five times in the process - before completing the hat-trick of victories with a comprehensive 3-0 walloping of Melbourne Heart at Hunter Stadium last Saturday.

Striker Jeremy Brockie's form will certainly give Glory's back-line lots to think about. Last week's opening goal midway through the first-half was his ninth of the season. Ryan Griffiths added a second before Michael Bridges scored his first since coming out of retirement.

With such tough opponents making their way west, The Shed will be hoping that their players will be able to put in the kind of performance they saw last time they turned out at home, when Gold Coast United were crushed by four goals to nil.

This tussle will go some way to showing who has got the guts to go on and have a successful end to what has been an intriguing Hyundai A-League 2011/12 season.

Will Newcastle continue their stunning form, or can Perth put breathing space between themselves and the side from New South Wales and go closer to securing a home tie in the finals? Get along to nib Stadium and find out, as these two fine teams serve up what is sure to be a cracker!