Brisbane Roar have snapped the Central Coast Mariners’ 100 per cent record in the National Youth League, winning 1-0 despite playing the majority of the fixture with 10 men.
Brisbane Roar have snapped the Central Coast Mariners’ 100 per cent record in the National Youth League, winning 1-0 at Tuggerah despite playing the majority of the fixture with 10 men.
A James Meyer strike on 83 minutes was the difference between the two sides as John Sime’s team claimed their third win of the season.
Meyer’s effort was equal in worth to that of goalkeeper Nicholas Tubbs, who made a string of crucial second-half saves to keep Brisbane in contention after the first-half sending off of Luke Bratton.
One of Brisbane’s key over-age players, Bratton was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 39th minute for dissent.
He had been earlier cautioned in the ninth minute for the same offence.
The dismissal spurred the Roar into life after a first half almost devoid of chances.
Rocky Visconte rifled a shot from outside the area in the 40th minute, forcing Justin Pasfield into a save, and that was followed by another Visconte shot that was misdirected after he slipped over in the act of shooting.
The Roar then had a close off-side call go against them in a half that saw both sides waste free kicks on the edge of the area.
The majority of the second half was dominated by the Mariners as significant shots to Daniel Bragg in the 58th minute and Patrick Dixon in the 61st were saved by Tubbs.
Tubbs also denied substitute Tomislav Cirjak in the 74th minute.
Brisbane had chances before Meyer’s winner, with former Marconi player Anthony Proia dangerous when he entered the action in the second stanza.
Meyer’s decisive strike sees Brisbane move into a share of second at this stage of the weekend.
Heading into the fixture on a five-game winning streak the Mariners were missing the calming influence of players like Zach Anderson who had been elevated to the first-team squad for the weekend.
Brisbane Roar 1 (James Meyer 83)
Central Coast Mariners 0
Central Coast Mariners: 1.Justin Pasfield (gk), 2. Nikola Stanojevic (c) 3. Michael Neill (4. Kieren Paull 81), 4. Kieren Paull (8 Dillon Vorster 62), 5. Hayden Morton, 6. Daniel Bragg, 7. Adam Jenner (10. Tomaislav Cirjak 62), 9. Aaron Peterson (12 Louis Bozanic 62′), 11. Patrick Dixon, 15. Brad McDonald, 17. Anthony Caceres
Brisbane Roar: 1. Nicholas Tubbs, 2. James Donachie, 3.Corey Brown, 4. Taj Takahashi, 5. Luke Bratton, 7. Doangtyun Do (11. Anthony Proia 55) , 8. Jason Geria (c), 9. Benjamin Litfin (13. Kenneth Dougall 55), 10. Kwame Yeboah (6. Ross Archibald 40), 14. Rocky, Visconte, 16. James Meyer
