PLOT ONE: Troubled team's glorious past is ancient history after a year without a win until the rugged assistant is given his big break and romps home with a thumping 4-1 win against one of the hottest clubs in the competition.

PLOT TWO: Working class club signs international superstar but the gamble looks to have backfired as they struggle for form - until the legend comes good and scores a double before a home crowd against their nearest competition to send them into a commanding lead at the top.

PLOT THREE: The side that nobody backed at the season's start and the Brazilians that looked destined for a flight back to Copacabana come good against the odds - and suddenly find themselves going from nowhere into second place and chasing down the leaders.

PLOT FOUR: The feverish excitement of anticipation of a classic derby that promises goals galore turns into a tight-fought goalless draw. Oh - maybe not...

Perth Glory finally got that long-deserved win thanks to the impetus of new coach Dave Mitchell - and what a way to turn your season around with a 4-1 slaughter of the normally resilient Jets.

There were just so many good signs for Glory that you can only hope this was no flash in the pan. Even the once-touted wonderkid Nikita Rukavytsya lived up to his pre-season potential with debut goals.

And John Aloisi got his maiden A-League goals, with the first fittingly from the spot given the goal he is most famous for. The win against Adelaide was a crucial six pointer for the Mariners, putting them firmly in the driving seat as the final third of the season approaches.

But goal of the week was Reinaldo's cheeky backheel - it's still making me smile hours after he scored it and I suspect a doctor will be needed to surgically remove the smile from Reinaldo's face.

Roar have been revived by the introduction of young blood midseason and it's rubbed off on the previously disappointing Reinaldo and Marcinho. Both seem to have found new confidence - and the backheel goal was prime evidence of that.

Sydney and Melbourne need to train with smaller goals if they're to beat the woodwork. The game promised more than it delivered but this was no snore draw. Even without goals there was no shortage of entertainment - but both sides would surely have wanted a clear win for one or other.

Of the weekend's losers, Adelaide and Jets must be wondering what happened. United have the best attack force in the league yet they were humbled by the ever-strong Mariners.

And as for the Jets... They might be missing Musialik more than they would prefer to admit, but the side was a shadow of the team that has ground out results in the face of the sternest adversity.

To lose 4-1 to a side which has struggled even to score, never mind win a game in 18 matches, will be confidence-crushing for the side. Coach Gary Van Egmond's comments that his side lacks talent won't help them go forward either.

And Phoenix's run of bad luck continues unabated. Ahmad Elrich's red card once again seemed harsh but they still need new talent in defence to have any chance of getting a run of wins.

So Mariners stay top, now four points clear, Roar move into second spot two points ahead of the free-falling Adelaide and Newcastle, while Sydney's unbeaten away record keeps them in fifth just one point behind them and ready to pounce, Melbourne stuck in sixth four points in front of Phoenix while Glory closes the gap to just two points on Wellington.

With nine games of the regular season left, there are still just eight points between second top and second bottom and everything left to play for.


versus
Newcastle Jets 1
(Joel Griffiths 49’)
Perth Glory 4
(Andrew Durante 25’ (og), Jordan Simpson 51’, Nikita Rukavytsya 63’/90+1’)

Friday, 9 November 2007
EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referees: Rodney Allen & Alex Glasgow
Fourth Official: Strebre Delovski

Crowd: 8,112

Maybe it was the rain that snuffed out the Jets normal fighting spirit but whatever the reason they proved to be no match for Perth Glory who at last got the result they deserved.

It's unfortunate it cost Ron Smith his job to get the performance - but there were other differences too - Harnwell back in defence and Dragicevic out the team completely may have been two other factors.

Either way, the A-League needs Perth to keep it up in the coming weeks...and Perth fans deserve it for sticking with them through the long dark times.


Newcastle Jets
1.Ante COVIC (gk), 3.Jade NORTH (Captain), 6.Andrew DURANTE (18.Noel SPENCER 74’), 8.Matt THOMPSON, 9.Joel GRIFFITHS, 11.Tarek ELRICH, 12.Paul KOHLER (17.Troy HEARFIELD 74’),13.Adam D’APUZZO, 15.Scott TUNBRIDGE (21.Mario JARDEL 35’), 19.Mark BRIDGE, 27.Stephen LAYBUTT.

Substitutes Not Used: 20.Ben KENNEDY (gk).

Yellow cards: Adam D’Apuzzo 70’

Red cards: Nil

Perth Glory
30.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 2.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 4.Simon COLOSIMO (Captain) (8.David MICEVSKI 82’), 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 12.Leo BERTOS, 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 15.Mitchell PRENTICE, 17.Jimmy DOWNEY, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI (25.Tyler SIMPSON 12’), 21.James ROBINSON (24.Jordan SIMPSON 46’).

Substitutes Not Used: 50.Tommi TOMICH (gk)

Yellow cards: Dino Djulbic 19’, James Downey 74’, David Micevski 90’

Red cards: Nil

versus
Central Coast Mariners 2
(John Aloisi 49’(pen)/59’)
Adelaide United 0

Saturday, 10 November 2007
Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Referee: Simon Przydacz
Assistant Referees: Gavin Martin & Murray Wilson
Fourth Official: Ben Williams

Crowd: 11,680


Aloisi finally started to earn that big paycheque with the kind of result Mariners fans have been waiting for. This game was crucial for Mariners and could prove to be the game that won them the Premiership.

A loss would have seen them slip to second and Adelaide move ahead. Instead they stretched their lead and it was Adelaide left to go backwards.

United will want to write it off as a one-off and regroup for next week and there's no real reason to disagree. United will suffer from Olyroos call-ups but there's enough talent there at the very least to stay in the top four.


Central Coast Mariners
20.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 2.Matt SIMON (19.Adam KWASNIK 74’), 5.Bradley PORTER (15.Andrew CLARK 81’), 7.John HUTCHINSON, 8.Dean HEFFERNAN, 10.Tom PONDELJAK, 12.Greg OWENS, 13.Tony VIDMAR, 18.Alex WILKINSON (Captain), 23.Mile JEDINAK, 25.John ALOISI (3.Paul O’GRADY 90+1’).

Substitutes Not Used: 1.Matthew TROTT (gk).

Yellow cards: Greg Owens 42’

Red cards: Nil

Adelaide United
50.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Richie ALAGICH, 3.Milan SUSAK, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 8.Kristian SARKIES, 10.Nathan BURNS (9.Paul AGOSTINO 68’),13.Travis DODD (Captain), 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 22.DIEGO, 23.Dez GIRALDI (21.Jason SPAGNUOLO 71’).

Substitutes Not Used: .Tomi MILARDOVIC, 70.Ben MOORE (gk).

Yellow cards: Eugene Galekovic 48’, Jason Spagnuolo 84’

Red cards: Nil

versus
Melbourne Victory 0
Sydney FC 0

Saturday, 10 November 2007
Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Referee: Mark Shield
Assistant Referees: Jim Ouliaris & Luke Brennan
Fourth Official: Kevin Docherty

Crowd: 31,884


Victory's weakened defence stood firm despite all the gloomy predictions and spiked the big guns of Sydney's newly-inspired strikeforce, albeit with the help of the woodwork.

Victory weren't too shabby elsewhere in the park but just don't seem able to slot them into the net like they did last season. Ernie Merrick is leaving it later and later for his team to find form and salvage the season.

Kosmina's substitution choices were interesting - Zdrilic on for Corica with Juninho on the bench? Hmmm...

Roll on the rematch for the final game of the regular season...

Melbourne Victory
1.Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2.Kevin MUSCAT (Captain), 7.Matthew KEMP, 8.Grant BREBNER, 9.Danny ALLSOPP, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 15.Leandro LOVE (14.Adrian CACERES 61’), 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ (13.Kaz PATAFTA 80’), 17.Daniel VASILEVSKI, 18.Leigh BROXHAM, 24.Steven PACE.

Substitutes Not Used: 19.Evan BERGER, 30.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk)

Yellow cards: Grant Brebner 41’, Kevin Muscat 87’.

Red cards: Nil

Sydney FC
1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 2.Iain FYFE, 4.Mark RUDAN, 6.Tony POPOVIC (Captain), 7.Robbie MIDDLEBY, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH 10.Steve CORICA (9.David ZDRILIC 23’), 4.Alex BROSQUE, 16.Mark MILLIGAN, 23.Ufuk TALAY, 28.Michael BRIDGES (22.JUNINHO 70’).

Substitutes Not Used: 3.Nikolas TSATTALIOS.20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk)

Yellow cards: Iain Fyfe 32’

Red cards: Nil

versus
Queensland Roar 3
(Reinaldo 67’(pen)/ 79’, Marcinho 82’)
Wellington Phoenix 0

Sunday, 11 November 2007
Suncorp Stadium, Queensland
Referee: Matthew Breeze
Assistant Referees: Denis Silk & Brad Hobson
Fourth Official: Peter Green

Crowd: 13,808


Out of all the Brazilians in the A-League, after the early rounds you'd have to say the last player you'd expect to show real Brazilliance would be Reinaldo...but he did.

His backheel goal was arrogant, cheeky and wonderful from a player that's come in for flak and in front of a home crowd that's still getting used to seeing their side actually win at Suncorp.

For Phoenix, their game ended with Elrich's dismissal. It's obvious but Phoenix really do rely on scoring more goals than the opposition much more than other clubs because of their woeful defence record. Take away half their strike force and they're stuffed. They were.


Queensland Roar
1.Liam REDDY (gk), 4.Craig MOORE (Captain), 5.Josh McCLOUGHAN (2.Andrew PACKER 75’), 6.Stuart McLAREN (23.MARCINHO 58’), 7.Michael ZULLO, 8.Massimo MURDOCCA, 11.REINALDO (10.Ante MILICIC 80’), 15.Matt McKAY, 16.Hyuk-Su SEO, 19.Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 22.Robbie KRUSE.

Substitutes Not Used: 30.Griffin McMASTER (gk).

Yellow cards: Josh McCloughan 22’.

Red cards: Nil

Wellington Phoenix
20.Glen MOSS (gk), 2.Jeremy CHRISTIE, 3.Tony LOCHHEAD, 5.Karl DODD, 6.Tim BROWN (Captain), 9.Shane SMELTZ, 11.DANIEL (10.Michael FERRANTE 67’), 12.Richard JOHNSON (22.Royce BROWNLIE 77’), 13.Steven OLD, 17.Vince LIA, 18.Ahmad ELRICH.

Substitutes Not Used: 1.Mark PASTON (gk), 21.FELIPE.

Yellow cards: Karl Dodd 10’, Tony Lochhead 52’, Jeremy Christie 90+1’, Tim Brown 90+1’

Red cards: Ahmad Elrich 34’

Top Goalscorers After Round 12
6 - Alex Brosque (SFC)
5 - Joel Griffiths (NJ), Sasho Petrovski (CCM), Shane Smeltz (WP)
4 - Jamie Harnwell (PG), Archie Thompson (MV), Bruce Djite (AU), Reinaldo (QR),
3 - Daniel (WP), Travis Dodd (AU), Nathan Burns (AU), Lucas Pantelis (AU)
2 - Adam Kwasnik (CCM), Carlos Hernandez (MV), Danny Allsopp (MV), Felipe (WP), Adam Griffiths (NJ), John Aloisi (CCM), John Hutchinson (CCM), Josh McCloughan (QR), Kevin Muscat (MV), Marcinho (QR), Mark Bridge (NJ), Matt McKay (QR), Nik Mrdja (CCM), Nikita Rukavytsa (PG), Patrick (SFC), Robbie Kruse (QR), Simon Lynch (QR), Tom Pondeljak (CCM)
1 - Adam Casey (SFC), Adrian Caceres (MV), Ahmad Elrich (WP), Billy Celeski (PG), Dean Heffernan (CCM), Dez Giraldi (AU), Diego (AU), James Robinson (PG), Jamie Coyne (PG), Jason Spagnuolo (AU), Jordan Simpson (PG), Matt Thompson (NJ), Michael Bridges (SFC), Michael Zullo (QR), Mitchell Prentice (PG), Richie Alagich (AU), Rodrigo Vargas (MV), Ross Aloisi (WP), Sasa Ognenovski (QR), Steven Old (WP), Stuart Musialik (NJ), Tony Lochhead (WP), Tony Popovic (SFC), Ufuk Talay (SFC), Vaughan Coveny (WP)


A-League Ladder After Round 12


A-League Crowds After Round 11