After almost 11 months, Perth Glory thought they were about to taste A-League Men’s victory at home — but two heartbreaking late strikes saw them slip to a 3-2 loss to Western United at HBF Park.

An incredible bicycle kick by Jordan Lauton deep into stoppage time after Tate Russell had levelled the scores just three minutes earlier piled more misery on Perth.

The Glory looked on course for their first three points at home in the league under David Zdrilic, and their first A-League Men’s win at HBF Park since February.

After precocious teenage debutant Jaylan Pearman had provided a sumptuous assist for Adam Taggart to score Perth’s first goal at HBF Park this season, the mood was visibly more upbeat than it had been in recent weeks.

Even after Matthew Grimaldi equalised almost straight away, the Glory did not feel moments away from destruction in their own box like they had previously this season — although they still coughed up opportunities.

And when Jarrod Carluccio scored a superb solo goal, it looked as if Glory were due to end their lengthy winless home run.

But the late implosion was as dramatic as it was spectacular, Russell pouncing on slack marking from Anas Hamzaoui to scuff home an eqaulsier, before Lauton acrobatically threw his boot at a cross with practically the last kick of the game, plunging a stake through the heart of fans and players.

In an improved attacking performance, the result will be a tough one for Zdrilic to swallow — but once again, he will rue yet more defensive failings.

“What do you say? It’s a game where I thought that was the turning point at home,” a crushed Zdrilic said post-game.

“The second half was better, we got that 2-1 and those last few minutes — look that happens in football.

“These things happen, to lose to a scissors kick like that, last kick of the game, what are you going to say?

“Even a draw we would have taken that, I didn’t expect us in injury time to concede two goals.”

He had made three changes from the side who lost to Macarthur, with Oli Sail turning in a good performance after getting the nod over Cameron Cook, while Pearman was excellent on debut and Zach Lisolajski solid on his return to the line-up.

It felt like goals were on the menu early, with Taggart snatching at a chance just 33 seconds in, while Sail endeared himself to the fans with a strong double save from Noah Botic and Grimaldi in the third minute.

Pearman was doing similarly up the other end, showing grace and poise on the ball before testing goalkeeper Matt Sutton’s reflexes from range.

Sail then made a superb save after Botic’s exquisite flick played Grimaldi through on goal, before Andriano Lebib switched off after a long ball and Riku Danzaki stole in but poked wide under pressure.

But Pearman lit up the game with a moment of magic in the 29th minute, pirouetting in midfield before his deft dink in behind the defence was dispatched into the net by Taggart.

However, Glory’s defence went to water shortly after as Angus Thurgate ghosted into the box and his chipped cross was volleyed home by Grimaldi with nary a Perth defender in sight, the two centre-back a good 5m away.

United continued to enjoy more of the ball in the second half, but the chances dried up, and Perth began to establish a foothold off the back of some defensive stability.

In the 66th minute, Nicholas Pennington’s clever pass played in Taggart, whose shot was deflected after a smart touch inside his marker, before Lebib whistled a snapshot wide from the resultant corner.

It looked like Perth’s day when Carluccio pounced on a loose ball following some good Taggart hold-up play and with an acute angle and United defenders blocking off his route to goal, he barrelled down the byline before curling into the net.

Substitute Hiroshi Ibusuki almost continued his fine record against the Glory — but for the fingertips of Sail, who pushed his header away, while Lebib was forced to clear off the line from a goalmouth scramble with three minutes to play, before Pennington made a vital block.

It seemed to be enough, but Russell’s 91st minute equaliser after Anas Hamzaoui switched off at the back post provided more misery for Perth fans — and then Lauton did the impossible.