The Roar win again!

Central Coast Mariners 0 Queensland Roar 1

Young guns combine again, Referee O'Leary has a shocker, and the Roar win again.


Queensland Roar Coach Frank Farina is getting a bit of luck. He kept his young guns upfront and after a few minutes a deft back heel from Reinaldo set Robbie Kruse free, he played in Michael Zullo who danced in front of a Mariners defender to produce a great save from Mariners Reserve keeper Matthew Trott.

The corner produced the goal. Trott made a hash and the ball bounced to Josh McCloughan. 1-0 The Roar.

And that was the end of the goals.

The Mariners are a physical side and have risen quickly to the top of the league.

Coach Lawrie McKinna has recruited cleverly from within Australia and added to his goalscoring ranks.

The Mariners saw new signings Sasho Petrovski and Nik Mrdja push them to the top of the league, but things are getting tough now.

Two losses and a draw. Mrdja out for the season, possibly. Damien Mori on holiday in America! Replacement Damien Brown pulled a hamstring after six minutes and Adam Kwasnik also off injured after 20.

A physical team, suddenly reorganised.

And then Bradley Porter slides in gently on Matt Mackay and he's off as well. Sent off by an angry looking Peter O'Leary. A Kiwi perhaps upset about his country's Rugby loss. What else could explain his decision?

Unlike Sydney with ten men against Melbourne last week, the Mariners had the energy, and tactical nous to make a game of this. They drove forward, particularly in the second half, and if it wasn't for the Roar's keeper Liam Reddy, Matt Simon would have scored in the last few minutes.

But the Roar didn't concede nor did they go forward. And when they did players were on their own.

Farina must have planned this. It wasn't pretty but they gained a vital win. Another one!

Confidence is on the rise up North and with Simon Lynch coming on this is a team that could cause a few problems as the season goes on.

It may even be the first Roar side to make the four. Well why not. Craig Moore and Danny Tiatio are impressing. Matt Mackay is himself, and if Robbie Kruse and Michael Zullo can keep performing, Reinaldo is strong enough, even without goals, to assist the whole side. Simon Lynch adds depth from the bench. The Roar are on the up.

The Mariners may struggle. Particularly away from home.

Dean Heffernan isn't really threatening yet, unless he's playing a NZ team on the travel.

Sasho Petrovski can't really threaten on his own up front. He doesn't have the pace, and struggles in the midfield.

The Mariners need some goals, but where will they come from?

Not Damien Brown(hamstring) not Mori (USA beach) not Mrdja (Out for the season?) nor Adam Kwasnik (injured) Matt Simon (yet to score consistently).

They have goals from midfield in Tom Pondlejak, Greg Owens and John Hutchison, but not enough.

McKinna is looking abroad. But who?

Only non-playing Aussie John Aloisi would do, but he will take weeks to get fit. And his price?

Maybe a loan deal from the highlands of Scotland.

With McKinna's canny bench do not be surprised.

McKinna's men need to dig deep over the next few weeks. At least they have room to breathe after a flying start.

For the Roar. A team from Queensland that can win at home and away.

Now there's a thought!