Already four points clear with two wins from two, the Mariners are comfortably in the driving seat as they go into round three.

They travel to Suncorp Stadium tonight to face a Queensland Roar looking for their first win of the season – and first game without a red card.

Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto are back from suspension and will be aiming to put the Mariners’ winning streak to the sword. However they’re missing suspended Stuart McLaren and injured Sasa Ognenovski.

The Central Coast outfit will be hoping to build on their early fine form with yet another win – and striker Nik Mrdja even has a chance to stake a claim for his first Socceroos cap with a gap in the national squad awaiting an A-League player following Scott McDonald’s withdrawal.

The Mariners are missing Dean Heffernan and Danny Vukovic though, both on international duty for the Socceroos and Olyroos.

But history is against the Mariners - all previous encounters between the two at Suncorp have ended in draws, and Roar won their last match at Gosford in round 17 of the 2006/7 season.

The match will see former Socceroo and Rangers team-mates Moore and Tony Vidmar reunited on the pitch – albeit on rival teams this time.

Queensland Roar Squad: 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, 16.Hyuk-Su Seo, 17.Mitch Nichols, 18.Danny Tiatto, 23.Marcinho, 30.Griffin Mcmaster (gk). *one to be omitted
In: Craig Moore (return from suspension), Danny Tiatto (return from suspension), Hyuk-Su Seo (return from suspension), Ante Milicic (return from injury).
Out: Stuart McLaren (suspended – 1 week), Chris Grossman (foot injury – 1 week), Andrew Packer (calf injury – 3 weeks).
Unavailable: Stuart McLaren (suspended – 1 week), Robbie Kruse (facial injury – 1 week), Sasa Ognenovski (ankle injury – 1 week), Matt Ham (shoulder injury – out for season).

Central Coast Mariners Squad: 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).
In: Damien Brown (Promoted), Andrew Clark (Promoted), Andrew Redmayne (Promoted)
Out: Dean Heffernan (International Duty – 1 week), Greg Owens (Omitted), Danny Vukovic (International Duty – 1 week)
Unavailable: Bradley Porter (International Duty – 1 week), Alex Wilkinson (Knee – unknown).


Queensland Roar v Central Coast Mariners
Thursday September 6, 2007
Kick-Off 8:00pm AEST (10:00pm NZST, 7:30pm ACST, 6:00pm AWST)
Suncorp Stadium, Queensland

Radio: Coast FM 96.3FM (Central Coast) - www.coastfm.org.au

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Adelaide United play host to Melbourne Victory on Friday in a replay of last season’s grand final as the two titans clash in a bid to kickstart their season into action after a spluttering opening.

It’s Adelaide’s first home match of the season and they’re looking to break their high-scoring draw hoodoo. Twice they’ve scored a brace in their opening matches…and twice they’ve failed to take three points home with them.

Victory are struggling with injuries and missing Socceroo Archie Thompson – who of course put five past United in the grand final – but will be desperately wanting to post another win over Adelaide.

The last time they met at Hindmarsh it was a draw, Melbourne took the points on the previous encounter, but Adelaide won both the earlier encounters.

It’s likely to a fiery clash – in their previous nine meetings, referees have handed out 43 yellows and four reds.

Adelaide United Squad: 1.Daniel Beltrame,(Gk), 2.Richie Alagich, 4.Angelo Costanzo, 5.Michael Valkanis (Capt.), 6.Cassio, 9.Paul Agostino, 10.Nathan Burns, 13.Travis Dodd, 15.Jonas Salley, 16.Bobby Petta, 17.Isyan Erdogan, 18.Robert Cornthwaite, 20.Robert Bajic (Gk), 21.Jason Spagnuolo, 22.Diego.
In: Jason Spagnuolo (Promoted), Diego (Promoted), Daniel Beltrame (Returns From Injury)
Out: Bruce Djite (National Team Duty), Lucas Pantelis (Omitted), Scott Higgins (Gk) (Loan Period Completed)
Unavailable: Kristian Sarkies (National Team Duty), Dez Giraldi (Quad – 2 Weeks), Milan Susak (Hamstring – 2 Weeks)

Melbourne Victory Squad: 1.Michael Theoklitos (Gk), 2.Kevin Muscat (Captain), 3.Daniel Piorkowski, 6.Steve Pantelidis, 7.Matthew Kemp, 8.Grant Brebner, 9.Daniel Allsopp, 12.Rodrigo Vargas, 13.Kaz Patafta, 14.Adrian Caceres, 15.Leandro Love, 16.Carlos Hernandez, 17.Daniel Vasilevski, 19.Evan Berger, 20.Eugene Galekovic, 21.Sebastian Ryall. *One To Be Omitted
In: Daniel Vasilevski, Evan Berger, Sebastian Ryall.
Out: Ljubo Milicevic (knee - 2 weeks), Archie Thompson (National Team Duty), Joseph Keenan (hamstring - 1 week), Leigh Broxham (National Team Duty).


Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory
Friday September 7, 2007
Kick-Off pm 7.30pm ACST (10:00pm NZST, 8:00pm AEST, 6:00pm AWST)
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide

Radio: Fresh FM (Adelaide) 92.7FM www.freshfm.com.au; SEN1116 (Melbourne) 1116am - www.sen.com.au

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Wellington Phoenix made a brilliant start to their debut A-League season with a sensational late revival to draw against Victory in the opening round, but couldn’t stop the Mariners last weekend.

They went down 3-0 in an impressive Gosford display, but will be hoping to give home fans another treat when they take on Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon.

Joel Griffiths pulled off a remarkable late equaliser with a jewel of a freekick last week, but they may need to find something extra to get past a Phoenix side out to dispel the ghosts of New Zealand Knights to the home crowd.

Wellington Phoenix Squad: 2. Jeremy Christie, 3. Tony Lochhead, 4. Cleberson, 5. Karl Dodd, 6. Tim Brown, 7. Ross Aloisi (Captain), 8. Vaughan Coveny, 9. Shane Smeltz, 10. Michael Ferrante, 11. Daniel, 12. Richard Johnson, 13. Steven Old, 14. Steven O’dor, 20. Glen Moss (Gk), 21. Felipe Campos, 22. Royce Brownlie, 30. Jacob Spoonley (Gk). *Two To Be Omitted
In: Steven Old (Return From Illness), Tim Brown (Promoted)
Out: George Paladini (Omitted)
Unavailable: Vince Lia (Thigh – 1 Week), Mark Paston (Gk) (Concussion – 1 Week), Greg Draper (Omitted), Costa Barbarouses (Omitted)

Newcastle Jets Squad: 1 Ante Covic (Gk), 2. Adam Griffiths, 3. Jade North, 4. Steve Eagleton, 7. Jorge Drovandi, 8. Matt Thompson, 9. Joel Griffiths, 10. Denni Rocha Dos Santos , 11. Tarek Elrich, 12. Paul Kohler, 13. Adam D’apuzzo, 14. Jobe Wheelhouse, 15. Scott Tunbridge, 17. Troy Hearfield, 18 Noel Spencer, 23. Jason Hoffman, 40. Ben Mcnamara(Gk).
In: Jorge Drovandi (Promoted), Tarek Elrich (Promoted)
Out: Stuart Musialik (National Team Duty – 1 Week), Mark Bridge (National Team Duty -1 Week)
Unavailable: Andrew Durante (Injured), Craig Deans (Injured), Mark Bridge (National Team Duty), Ben Kennedy (Gk) (Injured).


Wellington Phoenix v Newcastle Jets
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Kick-Off 5:00pm NZST (3:00pm AEST, 2:30pm ACST, 1:00pm AWST)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand

Radio: The Radio Network (www.radionetwork.co.nz) 1035 AM Wellington www.radionetwork.co.nz; ABC 1233 Newcastle (1233AM) – www.abc.net.au/newcastle

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An injury ravaged Sydney side travel west to face Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon for the final match of the round, missing their marquee signing Juninho who’s out for at least a month with torn shoulder ligaments, as well as rookie striker Brendon Santalab while veteran defender and skipper Tony Popovic is still a doubt.

They’re also missing ‘keeper Clint Bolton and forward Alex Brosque who are away with the Socceroos to face Argentina on Tuesday while Ruben Zadkovich and Mark Milligan are on Olyroos duty. They've brought in three A-League debutants to pad out the bench for the match.

Sydney desperately need a win to keep in touch with the rest of the ladder after picking up just one point from their opening two matches, with only a better goal difference keeping them off the bottom of the ladder above Phoenix.

Perth Glory have proved to be defending champions, even without a title to their name. They’ve got two clean sheets to their credit – but also blanked at the other end without a single goal to celebrate.

But Sydney have never lost to Glory – and won two of their three previous games at the Members Equity Stadium. With long term injuries, call-ups, new faces and suspensions, Glory will probably see yet another draw here as a good result.

Perth Glory Squad: 50.Tommi Tomich (Gk), 5.Jamie Harnwell, 6.Dino Djulbic, 7.Anthony Danze, 9.Mate Dragicevic, 12.Leo Bertos, 13.Nikita Rukavytsya, 14.Jamie Coyne, 15.Mitchell Prentice, 16.Nick Rizzo, 17.Jimmy Downey, 19.Naum Sekulovski, 24.Jordan Simpson, 25. Tyler Simpson
In: Jimmy Downey (Promoted), Jordan Simpson (Replacement Player – Waiting On Clearance), Tyler Simpson (Replacement Player)
Out: Nikolai Topor-Stanley (National Team Duty), Simon Colosimo (National Team Duty), Billy Celeski (National Team Duty), Tando Velaphi (National Team Duty).
Unavailable: David Tarka (Hamstring – Season), Jason Petkovic (Leg – 7 Weeks), David Micevski (International Duty), Stan Lazaridis (Suspended), Hayden Foxe (Knee – 7 Weeks), James Robinson (Thigh – 1 Week).

Sydney FC Squad: 30. Matthew Nash (Gk), 2. Iain Fyfe, 4. Mark Rudan, 6. Tony Popovic (Captain), 7. Robbie Middleby, 9. David Zdrilic, 10. Steve Corica, 12. Patrick, 15. Terry Mcflynn, 18. Adam Casey, 19. Michael Enfield, 23. Ufuk Talay, 24. Robbie Cattanach, 25. Matthew Jurman, 40. Michael Herbert (Gk).
In: Adam Casey (Return From Injury), Robbie Cattanach (New Signing), Matthew Jurman (New Signing), Michael Herbert (New Signing).
Out: Clint Bolton (National Team Duty Duty), Ruben Zadkovich (National Team Duty Duty), Brendon Santalab (Foot - 1 Week), Alex Brosque (National Team Duty Duty), Juninho (Shoulder - 4 Weeks).
Unavailable: Ben Vidaic (Thigh - One Week), Mark Milligan (National Team Duty), Jacob Timpano (Thigh - 3 Weeks), Ivan Necevski (Ankle - 4 Weeks), Adam Biddle (Omitted).


Perth Glory v Sydney FC
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Kick-Off 3:00pm AWST (7:00pm NZST, 5:00pm AEST, 4:30pm ACST)
Members Equity Stadium, Perth

Radio: 6PR 882AM (Perth) www.mytalk.com.au; SportFM (Perth) www.905.com.au or www.twincitiesfm.com.au (please note this match will be broadcast on 89.7fm this week)