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| The F3 derby at Gosford on Friday night was decided by a flurry of activity shortly after half time, but the final verdict was that the teams would share the points. The Mariners dominated possession in the first half, but were unable to convert their dominance into scoreboard pressure. At 10 minutes, the Mariners looked to have scored when Matt Simon headed the ball past the Jets' keeper into the net, but the referee ruled that Simon was offside. The Central Coast dominance continued as John Hutchinson twice hit the woodwork, and only a succession of saves from Jets' keeper Ben Kennedy denied the Mariners a score. But just two minutes into the second half the complexion of the game changed when Jin-Hyung Song drilled the ball long and low into the corner of the net to give the Jets a 1-0 lead against the run of play. But the lead was to be short-lived as just three minutes later the game was back on even terms. A free kick from Michael McGlinchey found Nigel Boogaard in the teeth of goal, and it was the simplest of headers that saw the game equalised. And that was how the score would remain. Both sides created opportunities to take the lead, but the defences held firm. Central Coast Mariners 1 (N Boogaard 50) Newcastle Jets 1 (J-H Song 47) Mariners - D Vukovic, P Bojic, B Porter, J Hutchinson, D Heffernan, D Macallister (N Mrdja 71), M McGlinchey, N Boogaard, A Wilkinson, M Simon, A Kwasnik (A Elrich 83). Subs not used - A Redmayne, N Travis. Jets - B Kennedy, A Costanzo, A D'Apuzzo, L Milicevic, Jin-Hyung Song, M Thompson, S Petrovski (S Rooney 73), T Elrich, J Hoffman, F Vignaroli, C Triantis (N Topor-Stanley 45). Subs not used - N Young, J Naidovski. Yellow Cards : Mariners - A Kwasnik 41, J Hutchinson 45+1, N Boogaard 72. Jets - F Vignaroli 21, N Topor-Stanley 56, J Song 86. Red Cards - Nil. Referee - M Breeze. Crowd - 9,573 at Bluetongue Stadium. Billionaire Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer had publicly raised his belief that his team would go through the 2009-10 season undefeated; and they would send a strong message that they mean business when defeating fellow league newcomers Nth Queensland Fury 5-0, putting on a dominant performance in their first home game. Shane Smeltz was a dominant force, scoring the first four goals of the match. Jason Culina with a penetrating drive set up Smeltz for the first goal; with Gold Coast leading 1-0 at the break. 10 minutes after the restart, the lead doubled when Smeltz was brought down in the area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. The game became a blowout when Smeltz scored two more goals within a minute of each other shortly after the hour mark. By now the Fury's resistance was gone, while Gold Coast were controlling the ball at will and could do no wrong. The icing on the cake came at 80 minutes when substiture Tahj Minniecon weaved his way around the Fury defence to score Gold Coast's fifth goal. Gold Coast United 5 (S Smeltz 30,55pen,63,64, T Minniecon 80) North Queensland Fury 0 United - S Higgins, S Pantelidis, M Thwaite, Z Caravella (T Minniecon 56), S Smeltz, J Culina, B Van Den Bring, J Porter (Anderson 24), K Rees, A Traore, S Fitzsimmons (M Osman 65). Sub not used - J Tyson. Fury - P Henderson, R Middleby, J Spagnuolo (D McBreen 46), S Stefanutto, R Fowler, D Williams, J Hingert (P Kohler 50), B Busch, J Tambouras (K Kaimoto 46), K Dodd, R Griffiths. Sub not used - J Pasfield. Yellow Cards : United - S Pantelidis 79. Fury - B Busch 54, K Dodd 56, R Griffiths 60, R Middleby 70, P Kohler. Red Cards - Nil. Referee - C Beath. Crowd - 7,526 at Skilled Park. |
ROUND 3 Friday 21st August Adelaide v Gold Coast (8:00pm) Saturday 22nd August Central Coast v Sydney (3:00pm) North Queensland v Melbourne (5:00pm) Sunday 23rd August Brisbane v Wellington (5:00pm) Perth v Newcastle (7:00pm) ROUND 4 Friday 28th August Adelaide v North Queensland (8:00pm) Perth v Melbourne (10:00pm) Friday 29th August Brisbane v Central Coast (3:00pm) Sunday 30th August Newcastle v Gold Coast (3:00pm) Sydney v Wellington (5:00pm) All times shown are Sydney time. |
Another slow start by Melbourne Victory saw them again chasing the game, but this time the
defending champions were able to come from behind to snatch a draw against Brisbane Roar at
Docklands.
Archie Thompson didn't take long to find himself with a yellow card after diving in the box; and it
was the start of a frustrating period for the home side. The Roar did all the attacking early, and
finally broke through on 22 minutes when Danny Tiatto went long and high from outside the box
into the corner of the net. And two minutes later it was 2-0 to the Roar after Henrique was
brought down inside the box and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, which
Sergio van Dijk converted.
Melbourne got one back with a long-range strike from Carlos Hernandez, but some great work to
get around the defence by Henrique saw the Roar quickly restore their 2-goal lead; and it was 3-1
to the Roar at the break.
The Victory lifted after half-time, and got themselves back into the contest shortly after the hour.
A lob from Hernandez into the penalty area saw Danny Allsopp head the ball to himself before
slamming the ball into the Roar net. And seven minutes later scores were level after Carlos
Hernandez curled a free kick over the wall into the top corner of the net.
3-3 was how the scores would remain. Both sides pressed hard in the latter stages, searching for a
winner, but it would not be forthcoming.
Melbourne Victory 3 (C Hernandez 33,70, D Allsopp 63)
Brisbane Roar 3 (D Tiatto 22, S van Dijk 24pen, Henrique 36)
Victory - G Moss, L Broxham, M Kemp, G Brebner (N Fabiano 55), D Allsopp, A Thompson, R Vargas, T
Pondeljak, C Hernandez, E Berger (S Sukha 79), N Ward (B Celeski 52). Sub not used - M Langerak.
Roar - L Reddy, L DeVere, C Moore, S van Dijk, M Mundy, Henrique (M Zullo 71), M McKay, B Malcolm,
M Nichols (C Miller 59), D Tiatto (D Dodd 45+2), R Kruse. Sub not used - M Acton.
Yellow Cards : Victory - A Thompson 2. Roar - Henrique 36, M McKay 79.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - S Delovski. Crowd - 18,603 at Docklands.
Perth Glory got off to a good start after taking the longest road trip in domestic football, but it
wasn't enough to get them the points as Wellington Phoenix took a 2-1 home win.
It took just 4 minutes for Glory to get on the board. Vince Sekora stripped the ball from Michael
Ferrante, who was already on a yellow card, and with only the keeper to beat had no trouble in
slamming the ball into the Phoenix net.
The Phoenix were back on level terms 20 minutes later when a cross from Leo Bertos was headed
home by Paul Ifill. It had been an entertaining first half hour of the contest, with both sides
creating numerous chances but were only able to convert one apiece.
As the match went on, the defences tightened. It was 1-1 at the break, and in the second half
scoring opportunities were few and far between. Mile Sterjovski had a golden opportunity but his
header bounced off the woodwork. Todd Howarth sent home a strike that looked good but hit
the crossbar.
And with 5 minutes to go, the two missed chances for the Glory would haunt them when it was
the home side who would take the lead. Leo Bertos was brought down 30 metres from goal, and
his free kick would clear the Glory defence and pass keeper Tando Velaphi into the net for the
winner.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (P Ifill 24, L Bertos 85)
Perth Glory 1 (V Sikora 4).
Phoenix - M Paston, M Muscat, T Lochhead, J McKain (V Lia 77), Diego (T Hearfield 74), L Bertos, T Ifill
(Daniel 73), C Greenacre, M Ferrante, B Sigmund, A Durante. Sub not used - R Crowther.
Glory - T Velaphi, A Todd, C Coyne (A Jukic 27), J Burns, V Sikora (A Howarth 27), W Srhoj, B Jelic, S
Neville, A Pellegrino (M Mayora 88), N Sekulovski, M Sterjovski. Sub not used - A Vrteski.
Yellow Cards : Phoenix - M Ferrante 1, M Muscat 15. Glory - W Srhoj 78, A Pellegrino 84.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - P O'Leary. Crowd - 10,024 at Westpac Stadium.
Sydney FC moved to a share of the competition lead when the sky blues overcame Adelaide
United 1-0 at the Sydney Football Stadium on an unseasonably warm Sunday evening.
The first half was a battle of the defences, and the back lines for both teams held firm. Few
chances were created in a half that the home side slightly had the better of, the best chance
coming from the head of John Aloisi which Reds' keeper Eugene Galekovic did a good job to keep
out.
On 30 minutes Alex Brosque went down in the penalty area, but appeals for a penalty were
ignored. Instead Adelaide went on the counter and it took a good save from Clint Bolton to keep
Alemao out. But that passage of play was the exception to the mainly defensive rule of the first
half.
Sydney FC came out the stronger side after the break and dominated possession, but the score
took a long time in coming. It wasn't till 77 minutes, when a free kick to Mark Bridge from the
edge of the box found Brosque, who fired a lightning return to Bridge who, in perfect position to
wrong-foot the Reds' defence, slammed the ball home.
Sydney FC, with their tails up, continued to press hard in the final minutes, but a second goal
would not be forthcoming. But the 1-0 result was good enough for Sydney FC to maintain a
perfect record, with 6 points from two games.
Sydney FC 1 (M Bridge 77)
Adelaide United 0
Sydney - C Bolton, S Keller, S Colosimo, K Kisel, J Aloisi, S Corica (M Bridge 66), K Danning (B Gan 82), S
Cole, A Brosque (M Jurman 90+2), T McFlynn, Sung Hwan Byun. Sub not used - I Necevski.
Reds - E Galekovic, R Cornthwaite, Alemao (I Shin 63), I Fyfe, L Pantelis (F Monterosso 84), Cristiano, A
Hughes, P Reid, T Dodd, S Jamieson, M Marrone. Subs not used - M Birighitti, M Rudan.
Yellow Cards : Sydney - S Colosimo 26, S Corica 35, S Cole 52, T McFlynn 64. Reds - S Jamieson 70.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - M Breeze. Crowd - 14,924 at Sydney Football Stadium.
defending champions were able to come from behind to snatch a draw against Brisbane Roar at
Docklands.
Archie Thompson didn't take long to find himself with a yellow card after diving in the box; and it
was the start of a frustrating period for the home side. The Roar did all the attacking early, and
finally broke through on 22 minutes when Danny Tiatto went long and high from outside the box
into the corner of the net. And two minutes later it was 2-0 to the Roar after Henrique was
brought down inside the box and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, which
Sergio van Dijk converted.
Melbourne got one back with a long-range strike from Carlos Hernandez, but some great work to
get around the defence by Henrique saw the Roar quickly restore their 2-goal lead; and it was 3-1
to the Roar at the break.
The Victory lifted after half-time, and got themselves back into the contest shortly after the hour.
A lob from Hernandez into the penalty area saw Danny Allsopp head the ball to himself before
slamming the ball into the Roar net. And seven minutes later scores were level after Carlos
Hernandez curled a free kick over the wall into the top corner of the net.
3-3 was how the scores would remain. Both sides pressed hard in the latter stages, searching for a
winner, but it would not be forthcoming.
Melbourne Victory 3 (C Hernandez 33,70, D Allsopp 63)
Brisbane Roar 3 (D Tiatto 22, S van Dijk 24pen, Henrique 36)
Victory - G Moss, L Broxham, M Kemp, G Brebner (N Fabiano 55), D Allsopp, A Thompson, R Vargas, T
Pondeljak, C Hernandez, E Berger (S Sukha 79), N Ward (B Celeski 52). Sub not used - M Langerak.
Roar - L Reddy, L DeVere, C Moore, S van Dijk, M Mundy, Henrique (M Zullo 71), M McKay, B Malcolm,
M Nichols (C Miller 59), D Tiatto (D Dodd 45+2), R Kruse. Sub not used - M Acton.
Yellow Cards : Victory - A Thompson 2. Roar - Henrique 36, M McKay 79.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - S Delovski. Crowd - 18,603 at Docklands.
Perth Glory got off to a good start after taking the longest road trip in domestic football, but it
wasn't enough to get them the points as Wellington Phoenix took a 2-1 home win.
It took just 4 minutes for Glory to get on the board. Vince Sekora stripped the ball from Michael
Ferrante, who was already on a yellow card, and with only the keeper to beat had no trouble in
slamming the ball into the Phoenix net.
The Phoenix were back on level terms 20 minutes later when a cross from Leo Bertos was headed
home by Paul Ifill. It had been an entertaining first half hour of the contest, with both sides
creating numerous chances but were only able to convert one apiece.
As the match went on, the defences tightened. It was 1-1 at the break, and in the second half
scoring opportunities were few and far between. Mile Sterjovski had a golden opportunity but his
header bounced off the woodwork. Todd Howarth sent home a strike that looked good but hit
the crossbar.
And with 5 minutes to go, the two missed chances for the Glory would haunt them when it was
the home side who would take the lead. Leo Bertos was brought down 30 metres from goal, and
his free kick would clear the Glory defence and pass keeper Tando Velaphi into the net for the
winner.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (P Ifill 24, L Bertos 85)
Perth Glory 1 (V Sikora 4).
Phoenix - M Paston, M Muscat, T Lochhead, J McKain (V Lia 77), Diego (T Hearfield 74), L Bertos, T Ifill
(Daniel 73), C Greenacre, M Ferrante, B Sigmund, A Durante. Sub not used - R Crowther.
Glory - T Velaphi, A Todd, C Coyne (A Jukic 27), J Burns, V Sikora (A Howarth 27), W Srhoj, B Jelic, S
Neville, A Pellegrino (M Mayora 88), N Sekulovski, M Sterjovski. Sub not used - A Vrteski.
Yellow Cards : Phoenix - M Ferrante 1, M Muscat 15. Glory - W Srhoj 78, A Pellegrino 84.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - P O'Leary. Crowd - 10,024 at Westpac Stadium.
Sydney FC moved to a share of the competition lead when the sky blues overcame Adelaide
United 1-0 at the Sydney Football Stadium on an unseasonably warm Sunday evening.
The first half was a battle of the defences, and the back lines for both teams held firm. Few
chances were created in a half that the home side slightly had the better of, the best chance
coming from the head of John Aloisi which Reds' keeper Eugene Galekovic did a good job to keep
out.
On 30 minutes Alex Brosque went down in the penalty area, but appeals for a penalty were
ignored. Instead Adelaide went on the counter and it took a good save from Clint Bolton to keep
Alemao out. But that passage of play was the exception to the mainly defensive rule of the first
half.
Sydney FC came out the stronger side after the break and dominated possession, but the score
took a long time in coming. It wasn't till 77 minutes, when a free kick to Mark Bridge from the
edge of the box found Brosque, who fired a lightning return to Bridge who, in perfect position to
wrong-foot the Reds' defence, slammed the ball home.
Sydney FC, with their tails up, continued to press hard in the final minutes, but a second goal
would not be forthcoming. But the 1-0 result was good enough for Sydney FC to maintain a
perfect record, with 6 points from two games.
Sydney FC 1 (M Bridge 77)
Adelaide United 0
Sydney - C Bolton, S Keller, S Colosimo, K Kisel, J Aloisi, S Corica (M Bridge 66), K Danning (B Gan 82), S
Cole, A Brosque (M Jurman 90+2), T McFlynn, Sung Hwan Byun. Sub not used - I Necevski.
Reds - E Galekovic, R Cornthwaite, Alemao (I Shin 63), I Fyfe, L Pantelis (F Monterosso 84), Cristiano, A
Hughes, P Reid, T Dodd, S Jamieson, M Marrone. Subs not used - M Birighitti, M Rudan.
Yellow Cards : Sydney - S Colosimo 26, S Corica 35, S Cole 52, T McFlynn 64. Reds - S Jamieson 70.
Red Cards - Nil.
Referee - M Breeze. Crowd - 14,924 at Sydney Football Stadium.
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