Brimmer the hero after Brebner blast as Victory snatch win

Perth looked to be headed for all three points thanks to Bruno Fornaroli’s header just after the hour mark but Victory dug deep and got themselves back into the game with an 86th-minute leveller when Brimmer headed home from Adama Traore’s cross.

He then coolly slotted home a penalty – awarded for a handball as Glory looked to clear a corner – in the last minute of the game to give Brebner’s team their first win of the season.

The former Liverpool junior, who had never scored an A-League goal before this clash, slammed the ball low to Glory keeper Tando Velaphi’s right to prevent his team from crashing to a third straight defeat, which would have been their worst ever start to a new campaign.

Brebner had been disappointed with Brimmer’s performance in a 1-0 loss in Adelaide three days earlier and had not been shy about letting Brimmer know that he demanded a higher level of performance than he had shown in South Australia.

The player responded in devastating fashion.

“You just have an honest conversation. He knew he didn’t play well. It wasn’t rubbing salt in the wound. It was about where I see him and what I need him to do in this team, be brave, be bold and get on the ball and he did that tonight,” Brebner said.

“You are telling players what you feel and think to make them better.

“For anybody to pop up and get a goal is great for us, but I think for Jake to score two goals against his old club, he’ll be really chuffed with that.

“I knew the type of player I was signing when I signed Jake, I know he’s a talented, talented footballer and he’s actually exceeded what I thought of him because he was excellent in the Champions League.”

Victory were the only team without a point this season going into the game, and looked to be remaining that way until Brimmer’s heroics.

A loss would have been a poor return from a performance that had put them in the driving seat for much of the match.

A lot of that was down to the impact of a fit-again Robbie Kruse, who started a game for the first time in almost a year after another lengthy injury layoff.

In the first half, Perth struggled to cope with Kruse’s movement and ingenuity: his backheel to Brandon Lauton (one of two new faces in the starting line-up) after he chased down a Traore through-ball set the youngster up for a shot, which he sent wide

Ten minutes from the interval Kruse was desperately unlucky not to break the deadlock himself, once more linking with Traore before driving a first-time shot that Velaphi did well to get down and save.

Brebner said he would monitor Kruse ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Western United but stressed the crucial role the ex-Bundesliga striker played in his plans.

“When you have players like Robbie Kruse in your team, your squad, you certainly don’t want them sitting in the stand watching the game,” he said.

“Robbie, like a lot of players, will only get better as he gets fitter, as he gets more confidence. It was another good shift from him tonight, arguably I left him on probably longer than ideal, but you’re always thinking players like Marco [Rojas] and Krusey, they just need a little bit of luck to pop up and get you a goal.

“But I must mention the subs that came on tonight [Elvis Kamsoba, Jay Barnett, Birkan Kirdar and Luis Lawrie Lattanzio], who were excellent.“

Rojas seemed energised by Kruse’s example, taking every opportunity to run at opponents, several times jinking this way and that to create space for a shot or a pass.

But neither man could make the breakthrough and Glory, with the duo of Fornaroli and Andy Keogh up front, were always dangerous in transition and when Victory turned the ball over, which happened a bit too much for Brebner’s liking in the opening period.

Jacob Butterfield went close to giving Victory the lead their pressure deserved shortly after the restart when he unleashed a fierce drive from distance which Velaphi dived well to tip over the bar.

Max Crocombe at the opposite end had to be alert to keep out Glory midfielder Carlo Armiento’s pass.

Brimmer was played through and had a great chance to score but his effort was too weak and Velaphi saved easily.

The Glory keeper, making his first appearance of the season, again excelled on the hour mark with a wonderful diving save to deny Rojas.

Perth thought they had done enough when Fornaroli, in trademark fashion, peeled off his marker and found space to head home Armiento’s cross.

But it was Victory who finished the strongest in a finale which will give Brebner and his team a massive boost.