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Lowe has tricks up his sleeve

Lowe has tricks up his sleeve

Glory coach Kenny Lowe says his team's strengths are no longer a secret and it might be time to pull some surprises, starting with tonight's clash against Brisbane Roar at nib Stadium.

The league leaders face the defending A-League champions still nursing a two-point lead from second-placed Melbourne Victory despite a winless run that has extended to five matches.

Lowe said his side hadn't become frustrated despite the victories drying up across a month in which it has met fellow title contenders Victory, Adelaide United and Sydney FC.

But he said he would be looking for more creativity against Brisbane, at a time when Mitch Nichols and Danny De Silva are fit and healthy again.

Limited supply has left Glory striker Andy Keogh unable to generate as many shots on target, with the Irishman scoring just once in the past five matches.

His best chance in last Sunday's goalless draw with Melbourne City was snuffed out by onrushing opposition goalkeeper Tando Velaphi.

"He's had a couple of sniffs," Lowe said of Keogh. "Last weekend it could have fallen the right way and he could have finished again. We're comfortable with where we are.

"Andy does a prodigious amount of work for us and also he's very dangerous.

"Obviously everyone's aware of our strengths now. We've gone on all season, so they're well aware of how we play.

"Maybe they're looking to try and negate that, so maybe we've got to come up with something different.

"We want a little bit of energy, a little bit of intensity, a little bit of creativity."

Attacking midfielder Nichols provided some spark during the final 21 minutes against City on his return from a torn hamstring, but he is not fully fit.

"He's not 100 per cent, so I don't think he'd last a full game if we did put him on," Lowe said.

"So we've got a little bit of a choice whether we roll him out some time during the game or start him at the beginning then roll him off when he runs out of petrol."

De Silva trained strongly yesterday after missing three of the past four matches through illness, but Ruben Zadkovich (hamstring) is not ready.

Lowe said Dutchman Youssouf Hersi was ahead of schedule in his recovery from a major hamstring tear and was targeting a return for finals.

Roar dropped to seventh on the ladder last night behind Melbourne City, who beat Adelaide 3-1 at AAMI Park.

The Reds would have overtaken Glory had they won.

·Glory's youth squad hopes to land the club's second trophy of the A-League era tomorrow.

Perth are second on goal difference to Melbourne City in the Y-League, which has no finals.

The result of City's match at Newcastle Jets should be known before the Glory's clash with Brisbane kicks off at 11am.

Glory's women won the minor W-League premiership last year.

… maybe we've got to come up with something different."Kenny Lowe