The A-League has many a critic. Read the letters section of The Herald (Newcastle) on any given day and you're guaranteed to see any number of League fans having a swipe at the code (and, usually, the Jets).

But surely, surely, what cannot be contested is that for all the competitions detractors, there are consistently moments of real quality - and sometimes collapse - stemming from the players representing the leagues 11 teams.

I find it enthralling, and week 14 was no exception. Here is the pick of the bunch...

Goal of the Round

Fans were treated to a number of strikes fit for any highlights reel in the A-League over the past week.

I've narrowed my list to four, with Joshua Rose's first goal for the Mariners against Wellington extremely worthy of a nomination.

In Saturday's second game, Marko Jesic's second ensured the game was well and truly put beyond Adelaide's reach, while in Sunday's first match, Kosta Barbarouses is again feted for his sublime exchange and tidy finish against Heart.

But my winner this week is former Hartlepool striker Joel Porter, whose rasping left foot drive for Gold Coast against Sydney FC on Friday night was pure class.

Porter has had a mixed start to the year because of injury, however with the talented marksman producing moments of quality such as his 20 yard bomb, fans beyond The Beach will undoubtedly be hoping for more.

Save of the Round

To coin an overused cliché, Clint Bolton is like a fine wine - he only gets better with age. At least that's what the Heart custodian is showing at the moment, with his form between the sticks simply sublime.

And while his penalty save against Ivan Franjic and awesome denial of Rocky Visconte weren't enough to earn Heart a point, I hope Bolton can find consolation in the fact he's a deadset A-League Awards favourite.

Yet the classy Heart keeper doesn't win this week, because a kid called Tando Velaphi and veteran by the name of Michael Petkovic also produced stunners over the weekend.

I'll give this one - on points - to Petkovic for his one-on-one, one handed stop to thwart Robbie Fowler early in Victory's 3-1 loss in the west. Yeah, Fowler would go on to knock three past him, but this was still a great Petkovic moment.

Yakubu Ayegbeni Medal for a Momentous Miss

It's back! And I for one am happy it's back, because calamitous misses add emotional value to every league around the world.

The two standouts in the past week rest with Adelaide legend Travis Dodd, and North Queensland Fury's Dyron Daal.

How the former Panionios midfielder (Dodd) missed the target with the goal gaping is still anyones guess, while Netherlands Antilles international Daal ought to reflect on what a difference his goal could have made in the final equation against Melbourne Heart, had he managed to head home from six yards.

Chris Payne must still be choking his precise ball into the box wasn't nodded home by Daal...

Initiative of the week

North Queensland Fury announced a competition last week for their fans to practise a goal celebration, record it and send it in.

The winning celebration will be learnt and performed by the Fury players following a goal later in the season.

If this initiative doesn't result in Bozza losing his locks, nothing will. May the imaginative minds of the Fury faithful start buzzing. I can't wait to see this...

Top Tweets

As with every week, I'll finish with some of the views from the fans as they exchange banter on #aleague on Twitter.

behindthegoals threw up a new commentary concept similar to one utilised in the UK: "Who would like to see a pair of fans doing #aleague comms you could listen to via red button?" - Has merit.

brettacollett gave Paul Trimboli's zest for football his tick of approval: "I wish I had the same enthusiasm for life as Paul Trimboli has for football. It really brings me up."  

While GaloisGhost wondered just what's up with the one time next big thing, Tahj Minniecon: "What's happened to Minniecon? He was the next big thing now he barely plays and is anonymous when he does."

Follow me on Twitter @BennyONeill