Post by radinho on Sept 9, 2007 13:12:56 GMT 10
Mariners go seven clear
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Tony Vidmar & Nigel Boogaard
Tony Vidmar & Nigel Boogaard
Getty Images / Jonathan Wood © Getty Images
Perhaps not as pretty as recent weeks, but just as effective – the Central Coast Mariners have recorded a dogged and industrious 1-0 win over the Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium tonight to soar seven points clear at the top of the Hyundai A-League.
The records came tumbling down with the rain in Brisbane, as the Mariners defeated the Roar in a Hyundai A-League fixture for the first time ever, and in doing so, recorded their third consecutive win, also for the first time.
Adam Kwasnik’s well taken goal from a Damien Brown corner sealed the win for the Mariners early in the second half, but not before the yellow and navy were forced to endure a torrent of Queensland attacks akin to the weather conditions late in the match.
Without star duo Dean Heffernan and Danny Vukovic – both absent through international commitments with the Qantas Socceroos and the Qantas Under 23’s respectively, the Mariners were more workmanlike than debonair from start to finish.
The aesthetic appeal that had so dazzled the Bluetongue Stadium audience one week previous was on show, though only fleetingly, as the Mariners battled against the tricky conditions presented by the day long drizzle in the Queensland capital.
"All that counts is that we’ve come away from home and won – it was our worst performance of the three games so far, but the effort the boys put in was exceptional," said Mariners Football Manager Lawrie McKinna.
"We gave the ball away too much the first half and second half, more so the second half and credit to Queensland, they kept coming at us.
"Kwasnik scored his goal from a set play that we spoke about yesterday – when that happens on the training field and then happens in a game, it’s great to watch as a member of the coaching staff.
"For the last twenty or thirty minutes, everybody just threw themselves at the ball and put their bodies on the line – when you come away in the Hyundai A-League you have to battle and this is a great achievement."
Though the home side dominated possession and chances for the most part throughout the opening stanza, the Mariners created arguably the best chance of the first forty-five.
Andre Gumprecht was the beneficiary of a slick passing movement that presented the untiring midfield ace with a tremendous opportunity to shoot unmarked inside the Roar penalty area.
Gumprecht’s first touch raced along the slippery surface and his eventual shot was from a more acute angle than he had hoped – the German import unable to skew his effort towards goal.
Not unlike his first-half effort against the Wellington Phoenix six days earlier – Kwasnik’s strike on 55 minutes was one for the highlights reel.
The 2006/07 Mariners Golden Boot winner was clinical in dispatching Brown’s cutback from a corner – his low right-footed shot flying past Queensland ‘keeper Liam Reddy after negotiating an unlikely path through a forest of outstretched legs.
Tellingly, first-team replacements Matthew Trott and Damien Brown were two of the Central Coast’s better contributors throughout the ninety minutes.
Trott in particular produced one of the stops of the new season to deny Queensland striker Reinaldo in the latter stages of the second half.
Assisted by another dominant central midfield showing by John Hutchinson and Mile Jedinak, and a noteworthy defensive contribution from evergreen captain Tony Vidmar and Qantas Under 23’s hopeful Nigel Boogaard, the Mariners defended stoutly in the final minutes to earn a precious three points.
"We’ve won three in a row and kept three clean sheets and it’s because of everybody, it’s not just one or two players," said McKinna.
"Tonight we were without Heffernan, Vukovic and Wilkinson – three of our key players, and each of the players that have come in have done well – special praise must go to Nigel Boogaard, he’s come in after two years out and has been outstanding.
"To have established such a huge break at the top of the table is just unbelievable, especially given how tight the competition is."
The Mariners’ Hyundai A-League 2007/08 season continues away to reigning champions the Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome next Sunday, 16 September. Kick off is at 5pm.
Bluetongue Stadium will next host the Mariners on Sunday, 23 September, when the Perth Glory travels to the Central Coast for Round 5 of the new season. Kick off is at 5pm.
Match Details
Central Coast Mariners 1. Matthew Trott (gk), 2. Matt Simon, 6. Andre Gumprecht, 7. John Hutchinson, 9. Nik Mrdja, 10. Tom Pondeljak, 11. Damien Brown, 13. Tony Vidmar, 15. Andrew Clark, 16. Nigel Boogaard, 17. Matthew Osman, 19. Adam Kwasnik, 22. Sasho Petrovski, 23. Mile Jedinak, 30. Andrew Redmayne (gk)
Queensland Roar 1. Liam Reddy (gk), 4. Craig Moore, 5. Josh McCloughan, 7. Michael Zullo, 8. Massimo Murdocca, 9. Simon Lynch, 10. Ante Milicic, 11. Reinaldo, 12. Tahj Minniecon, 14. Ben Griffin, 15. Matt McKay, 17. Mitch Nichols, 18. Danny Tiatto, 19. Sasa Ognenovski, 21. Chris Grossman, 23. Marcinho
Referee Mark Shield
Crowd 8,815
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Tony Vidmar & Nigel Boogaard
Tony Vidmar & Nigel Boogaard
Getty Images / Jonathan Wood © Getty Images
Perhaps not as pretty as recent weeks, but just as effective – the Central Coast Mariners have recorded a dogged and industrious 1-0 win over the Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium tonight to soar seven points clear at the top of the Hyundai A-League.
The records came tumbling down with the rain in Brisbane, as the Mariners defeated the Roar in a Hyundai A-League fixture for the first time ever, and in doing so, recorded their third consecutive win, also for the first time.
Adam Kwasnik’s well taken goal from a Damien Brown corner sealed the win for the Mariners early in the second half, but not before the yellow and navy were forced to endure a torrent of Queensland attacks akin to the weather conditions late in the match.
Without star duo Dean Heffernan and Danny Vukovic – both absent through international commitments with the Qantas Socceroos and the Qantas Under 23’s respectively, the Mariners were more workmanlike than debonair from start to finish.
The aesthetic appeal that had so dazzled the Bluetongue Stadium audience one week previous was on show, though only fleetingly, as the Mariners battled against the tricky conditions presented by the day long drizzle in the Queensland capital.
"All that counts is that we’ve come away from home and won – it was our worst performance of the three games so far, but the effort the boys put in was exceptional," said Mariners Football Manager Lawrie McKinna.
"We gave the ball away too much the first half and second half, more so the second half and credit to Queensland, they kept coming at us.
"Kwasnik scored his goal from a set play that we spoke about yesterday – when that happens on the training field and then happens in a game, it’s great to watch as a member of the coaching staff.
"For the last twenty or thirty minutes, everybody just threw themselves at the ball and put their bodies on the line – when you come away in the Hyundai A-League you have to battle and this is a great achievement."
Though the home side dominated possession and chances for the most part throughout the opening stanza, the Mariners created arguably the best chance of the first forty-five.
Andre Gumprecht was the beneficiary of a slick passing movement that presented the untiring midfield ace with a tremendous opportunity to shoot unmarked inside the Roar penalty area.
Gumprecht’s first touch raced along the slippery surface and his eventual shot was from a more acute angle than he had hoped – the German import unable to skew his effort towards goal.
Not unlike his first-half effort against the Wellington Phoenix six days earlier – Kwasnik’s strike on 55 minutes was one for the highlights reel.
The 2006/07 Mariners Golden Boot winner was clinical in dispatching Brown’s cutback from a corner – his low right-footed shot flying past Queensland ‘keeper Liam Reddy after negotiating an unlikely path through a forest of outstretched legs.
Tellingly, first-team replacements Matthew Trott and Damien Brown were two of the Central Coast’s better contributors throughout the ninety minutes.
Trott in particular produced one of the stops of the new season to deny Queensland striker Reinaldo in the latter stages of the second half.
Assisted by another dominant central midfield showing by John Hutchinson and Mile Jedinak, and a noteworthy defensive contribution from evergreen captain Tony Vidmar and Qantas Under 23’s hopeful Nigel Boogaard, the Mariners defended stoutly in the final minutes to earn a precious three points.
"We’ve won three in a row and kept three clean sheets and it’s because of everybody, it’s not just one or two players," said McKinna.
"Tonight we were without Heffernan, Vukovic and Wilkinson – three of our key players, and each of the players that have come in have done well – special praise must go to Nigel Boogaard, he’s come in after two years out and has been outstanding.
"To have established such a huge break at the top of the table is just unbelievable, especially given how tight the competition is."
The Mariners’ Hyundai A-League 2007/08 season continues away to reigning champions the Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome next Sunday, 16 September. Kick off is at 5pm.
Bluetongue Stadium will next host the Mariners on Sunday, 23 September, when the Perth Glory travels to the Central Coast for Round 5 of the new season. Kick off is at 5pm.
Match Details
Central Coast Mariners 1. Matthew Trott (gk), 2. Matt Simon, 6. Andre Gumprecht, 7. John Hutchinson, 9. Nik Mrdja, 10. Tom Pondeljak, 11. Damien Brown, 13. Tony Vidmar, 15. Andrew Clark, 16. Nigel Boogaard, 17. Matthew Osman, 19. Adam Kwasnik, 22. Sasho Petrovski, 23. Mile Jedinak, 30. Andrew Redmayne (gk)
Queensland Roar 1. Liam Reddy (gk), 4. Craig Moore, 5. Josh McCloughan, 7. Michael Zullo, 8. Massimo Murdocca, 9. Simon Lynch, 10. Ante Milicic, 11. Reinaldo, 12. Tahj Minniecon, 14. Ben Griffin, 15. Matt McKay, 17. Mitch Nichols, 18. Danny Tiatto, 19. Sasa Ognenovski, 21. Chris Grossman, 23. Marcinho
Referee Mark Shield
Crowd 8,815
