The Melbourne Victory Youth have fallen to their fifth defeat in six games, losing 2-1 to a polished performance from the Brisbane Roar Youth at Spencer Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Roar, who remain undefeated in 2010/11, played a strong middle third of the game, taking the match away with goals to Jacob McLean and skipper Christopher Bush, before Melbourne-s James Kalifatidis plugged one back in the 71st minute to ensure a tense final 20.
James Meyer and Luke Brattan were brilliant for the home-side, both furthering their claims for more minutes in the top grade, while Man-of-the-Match Matthew Byrne was exceptional in defence all afternoon.
In the early going the sides looked evenly matched, with Melbourne starting three overage players and the Roar Youth feeling confident at home.
Brisbane hadn-t played well at Spencer Park the week before in drawing 1-1 with the Central Coast, but with Meyer back in the side and a greater focus they were stringing passes together well and looking a much better team.
Melbourne-s overage frontman Geoff Kellaway was always going to prove trouble for Brisbane and within the first ten minutes he showed his experience to break the Brisbane defence and go one on one with Andrew Redmayne, eventually firing well over the bar.
Melbourne were increasingly relying on the long ball, and Brisbane were playing the better football through the opening 20-minutes.
Kenneth Dougall found himself in good position to threaten goal, and would likely have given Sebastian Matei a tough test, but Matthew Foschini slid in well to block his powerful drive with his preferred left foot.
Meyer took the ball from around 30-yards out in the 28th minutes and gave Matei some work, driving powerfully with his left boot.
Referee Matt Gillett was taking a liberal view, and Melbourne took advantage, laying on some physical defence without a single card being shown.
Gillett found his whistle leading up to half-time, and blew a trifecta of fifty-fifty calls against the Roar, who were doing well to hold-out under renewed pressure from Kellaway and David Stirton.
But Brisbane went ahead in the 42nd minute. On the back of a nice build-up, Daniel Bowles sent a probing cross into the area, and Jacob McClean beat a host of Victory defenders to the ball, slamming home the opener.
Not satisfied with the one-goal lead, Brisbane were again threatening with McClean proving a handful, putting a nice turn on to split the Victory defence and shoot hard and low.
In a hectic end to the opening 45, Redmayne pulled out an even better save in injury time, diving to his right to rebuff Luke O-Dea-s powerful strike, taken on the run from the top of the area.
Brisbane jumped straight on the offensive from the resumption of play, and once more it was McClean who was in on goal, only for Matei to make a smothering one-on-one save.
Brisbane had in even better chance to double the margin soon after, but after James Meyer made yet another brilliant run down the sideline and sent the ball into the area, Alistair Quinn made a meal of his unmarked opportunity, dribbling a weak shot into the feat of Matei.
The second came soon after in the 58th from a brilliant strike by Brisbane skipper Christopher Bush. A sensational passing interchange saw the midfielder take the ball on the break where he steered a curling shot around the keeper, sending his personal fan club into raptures.
With a two goal buffer, Meyer was given a well-earned early-mark, replaced by last week-s goal-scorer Ross Archibald.
Attacking weapon Josh McVey was brought on for a bit of extra fire-power, but with limited possession in attack instead earned his keep with good defence, forcing several turnovers.
Melbourne Victory came back with a goal in the 71st minute, with substitute James Kalifatidis finishing well after receiving a beautifully weighted through-ball from Marvin Angulo.
Sniffing a chance to steal a late point, the Victory attacked hard in the final stages, and Angulo was causing havoc as he alternated between attacking dribbling and clever play-making.
But the overage player missed the perfect chance soon after, shooting just wide after breaking through to go one-on-one with Redmanyne.
Brattan continued to push for a goal and made Matei work hard as the Roar finished with a flurry.
Melbourne had one more chance right on the whistle, but Redmayne made a full-length diving save, hanging on to a long-range drive.
Brisbane Roar Youth: 2 (McLean 42, Bush 58)
Melbourne Victory Youth: 1 (Kalifatidis 71)
