Brisbane Roar FC 0 Central Coast Mariners 0
Despite numerous chances to claim victory, the Central Coast Mariners have been forced to settle with a 0-0 draw at Suncorp Stadium against Brisbane Roar FC.
After a hard-fought 90 minutes the Mariners were left to rue missed opportunities against Brisbane but will take plenty of positives from their performance and well earned clean sheet away from home.
Ben Kennedy started his life as a Mariner with a clean sheet in his first appearance for the Yellow & Navy which included a sharp save in the 94th minute to keep the scores on even terms.
It was a cagey opening at Suncorp and both teams looked to impose themselves on the match in the early stages but neither could deliver the final blow.
For the Mariners, Danny De Silva and Tom Hiariej were linking up well to contribute in attack and created the away side’s early chances.
Brisbane looked to strike through hitman, Massimo Maccarone who’s best chance of the first half was via a penalty shout. Maccarone followed up the scraps of a venomous Eric Bautheac strike from distance, before shooting he was shut down by Kennedy and denied by the off-side flag in the 32nd minute.
Towards the end of the first half, chances continued to fall and it was the Mariners who almost took the lead thanks to an Andrew Hoole set piece. Hoole’s delivery found a leaping Jake McGing who drew Jamie Young into a sharp save, Antony Golec followed up with a header of his own that was cleared off the line by a diving Jade North.
What did we think of our new @umbro alternate kit? ? #ALeague pic.twitter.com/3O5lnbF42x
— #CCMFC (@CCMariners) November 5, 2017
Asdrubal worked tirelessly in the front third but the final pass just couldn’t find the feet of the Spanish attacker.
Mariners boasted 60% possession in the first 45 minutes and despite half chances to both sides, neither could find the back of the net.
Five minutes into the second half, De Silva had the best chance of the match when a defensive mix up saw Brisbane’s Mitch Oxborrow play the ball straight to De Silva. De Silva controlled well and side footed towards the bottom corner but Young moved well to his left to keep the scores locked at 0-0.
Just moments later, Jack Hingert let loose on a volley from just outside the area which called Kennedy into a very sharp save.
De Silva continued to cause havoc in the second half and made a surging run into the front third in the 65th minute. Making almost 30 metres with the ball at his feet, De Silva then shot into Young’s side-netting.
In the 74th minute it was again the Mariners who found themselves with a chance to score. McGing did well down the right to create space for himself before delivering an almost perfect cross. The right back whipped the ball into the area towards Asdrubal but Young cleared his line well to deny the Mariners.
"Football is about scoring and taking your opportunities." @CCMariners press conference. #BRIvCCM pic.twitter.com/RfL6Z2cJ4g
— Simon Smale (@simon_smale) November 5, 2017
Two minutes later the Mariners looked certain to score. Again, it was a superb McGing cross that opened up Brisbane that found the head of a leaping Danny De Silva. De Silva’s header was on target, only to be saved by a very sharp reflex save by Jamie Young.
As the game edged closer to full time, the Mariners continued to push Brisbane and create chances but they just couldn’t score.
The next chance fell to Asdrubal on the end of another impressive McGing cross. Asdrubal came charging towards goal but Young was the hero, coming off his line to block the Spaniard before he could shoot.
With 15 minutes to play, Kwabena Appiah came on to create several chances in the front third but the Mariners just couldn’t add the finishing touch.
Deep into stoppage time, Brisbane went close to snatching the points when a corner found the head of Jade North but Ben Kennedy made a super save in the 95th minute to keep the scores locked at 0-0.
The Mariners attention now turns to Friday night football where the Mariners host Sydney FC at Central Coast Stadium. Kick-off is 7:50pm.
Paolo in the press
“I think it would have been unjust if we conceded that goal at the end there from a set piece,” Okon said. “Daniel’s two opportunities should have hit the back of the net but goals win games and neither side managed to do that this evening.
“In the first half we weren’t great, we struggled to keep the ball but in the second half we were excellent – we had more of the territory and more of the ball and you’d like to think you could come away with more.
“We’re not really looking at the ladder at the moment it’s about how we can improve and I think that we’re doing that.
“We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves. Football is about scoring, taking your opportunities and I would be concerened if they weren’t coming. They are and we are getting into dangerous areas. Our final pass isn’t what it should be to create a goal but I’m not going to be too hard on the players because I think the efforts in the first five games has been superb. If it continues, which I’m quite confident it will, the wins will come.
“I’ve got too much respect for John & Ross Aloisi to speak about the incident. If the referee doesn’t deem it to be violent conduct, it’s not violent conduct. Me talking about it won’t change anything.
“Alan Baro picked up a nasty cork. Sometimes you can run them off but it was right in the belly of the muscle and he realised that he couldn’t go 100%. We have plenty of depth, it’s never easy coming into a position like that and I think he did a very good job coming on [Liam Rose],” Okon said.
On the way to your wedding, you crash, stranded – & a legend from your club rescues you!
Great @CCMariners yarn! https://t.co/L7UoBSG9qA pic.twitter.com/kaqx6mKVKu
— FOX SPORTS Football (@FOXFOOTBALL) November 1, 2017
Central Coast Mariners: 1.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jake McGING, 5.Antony GOLEC, 6.Tom HIARIEJ, 7.Andrew HOOLE, 9.ASDRUBAL (12.Trent BUHAGIAR 86’), 10.Danny De SILVA, 11.Connor PAIN (13.Kwabena APPIAH 74’),15.Alan BARO (16.Liam ROSE 52’), 23.Wout BRAMA
Substitutes not used: 20.Adam PEARCE & 14.Adam BERRY
Yellow cards: Golec 65’, De Silva 75’
Brisbane Roar FC: 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk) 2.Dane INGHAM, 6.Avram PAPADOPOULOS, 9.Massimo MACCARONE, 10.Brett HOLMAN (11.Corey GAMEIRO 70’),13.Jade NORTH, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 16.Mitchell OXBORROW (8.Jacob PEPPER 85’), 17.Matt MCKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 22.Eric BAUTHEAC (33.Petros SKAPETIS 83’)
Substitutes not used: 31.Brendan WHITE, 24.Connor O’TOOLE
Yellow cards: Hingert 57’, Oxborrow 82’
Sunday, 5 November 2017
Suncorp Stadium, Gosford
Brisbane Roar FC vs. Central Coast Mariners
