Return Of The Hitmen

Returning Victory striker Danny Allsopp got himself on the scoresheet and Juho Makela scored for the second time in as many games for Sydney FC.

The pair, along with Smeltz, could yet have a big say on who makes the six, be it their sides or simply shaking up those contending.

Although United’s 4-0 romp was against the bottom-placed Fury, they again looked a team capable of being dangerous in the attacking third.

In Smeltz and Bruce Djite they have one of the league’s most dangerous strike partnerships.

The latter, who scored a brace in the win, looked free and benefitted from the return of Smeltz as much as anyone else.

With Adama Traore creating on the left hand side and Bas van den Brink now a creative force in midfield, United’s season could be back on track.

But abroad, they may have lost marquee man Jason Culina to a knee injury suffered playing for the Socceroos in their 1-1 draw with Korea Republic.

If Culina returns and United can maintain some form during a busier period of the season for them, they could be a threat in the finals.

In Sydney, Allsopp got himself on the scoresheet after a delightful Carlos Hernandez pass.

Regaining match fitness in an undermanned side, he could be a key when partner Archie Thompson returns from injury.

The man who scored the late equalizer for the Sky Blues, Makela, also appears to be a good fit.

It was a clinical finish and the strong crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium appeared to have some hope of a winner in stoppage time, but the inability to take first half chances proved costly.

Alex Terra scored arguably the best ever goal in the league with a stunning overhead kick to snatch a draw for Melbourne Heart.

But arguments over goal line technology or an official behind the goals continue to rage after Glory were denied a two-goal buffer by a controversial non-decision by the linesman.

The Mariners won the F3 derby to leap frog Adelaide United and move into second spot with rival the Jets succumbing to further injury woes.

But it’s Gold Coast and the return of Smeltz that may yet have the biggest impact with just a couple of games to go in the regular season.

Gold Coast United 4 (Bruce Djite 22’44’, Shane Smeltz 52’, Chris Harold 83’)
North Queensland Fury 0
Crowd: 2514 @ Skilled Park

Gold Coast United welcomed back star striker Shane Smeltz with a bang, breaking a four-game winless run with a 4-0 romp over North Queensland Fury.

Smeltz scored one and assisted another with partner Bruce Djite scoring a brace as United recorded a much-needed win.

The opener came when the lively Bas van den Brink fed Djite to power home a drive past Sebastian Usai in the Fury goal.

The lead was doubled on the stroke of half time as Smeltz fed Djite behind and despite the best efforts of Usai, the shot rolled into the back of the net.

Smeltz got himself on the scoresheet early in the second half after being put through by John Curtis, calmly winning his one on one battle with Usai to make it three.

Young striker Chris Harold scored his first A-League goal after a fine pass from Chris Broadfoot, placing his shot under the advancing keeper.

It was a much-needed win for United that keeps their hopes of finishing in the top two alive.

Fury are winless in seven, including four consecutive losses, and appear headed for the wooden spoon with their future still undecided.

Gold Coast United: 1. Glen MOSS (gk), 2. Steve PANTELIDIS (7. Zenon CARAVELLA 14’), 3. Michael THWAITE (c), 6. Dino DJULBIC, 8. ANDERSON, 9. Shane SMELTZ (25. Chris BROADFOOT 70’), 11. Bruce DJITE (16. Kristian REES 58’), 13. Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 22. Adama TRAORE, 24. John CURTIS, 27. Chris HAROLD
Unused sub: 20. Scott HIGGINS (gk)
Yellow card: van den Brink (53’)
Red cards: None

North Queensland Fury: 28. Sebastian USAI (gk), 2. Jack HINGERT (16. Simon STOREY 65’), 3. Brad MCDONALD, 4. Eric AKOTO, 5. Mark HUGHES, 12. Panagiotis NIKAS, 13. Andre KILIAN, 14. Chris GROSSMAN, 19. Isaka CERNAK (8. Adam CASEY 53’), 22. Lorenzo SIPI, 24. Ramazan TAVSANCIOGLU (21. Jason SPAGNUOLO 46’)
Unused sub: 1. Justin PASFIELD (gk)
Yellow cards: Tavsancioglu (34’), Hingert (46’), Akoto (62’), Casey (77’), Hughes (86’)
Red cards: None

Man of the match – Gold Coast United’s Shane Smeltz picked up where he left off, returning to the A-League with a bang after a year in Turkey. He set up one and scored one and was instrumental in GCU’s attacking play.

Key moment – The Smeltz factor. Jason Culina’s departure for national duty left many wondering what GCU would do in an attacking sense but Smeltz appears to have provided the answer. Ratings by Arabella Vaughan

Sydney FC 1 (Juho Makela 90+1’)
Melbourne Victory 1 (Danny Allsopp 51’)
Crowd: 11,387 @ Sydney Football Stadium

To see all the fans at the SFS...

A late equalizer by Sydney FC recruit Juho Makela denied Melbourne Victory what would have been a famous win and rescued a 1-1 draw at Sydney Football Stadium.

Makela scored for the second time in as many weeks in stoppage time before the Sky Blues pushed for a winner in an entertaining encounter.

Hirofumi Moriyasu came the closest to breaking the deadlock and capitalising on Sydney’s dominance in the first half but he struck the woodwork.

But the visitors made them pay with a delightful piece of play six minutes into the second half.

Carlos Hernandez delivered the finest of passes across the back of Sydney’s defence to allow Danny Allsopp to score his first goal since returning to Victory.

The Sky Blues scored a deserved equalizer in stoppage time when Makela finished smartly past Michael Petkovic.

Nick Carle, building into his best form, struck a shot/cross into Makela, who diverted brilliantly into the corner of the net.

A win would have helped Sydney’s finals aspirations, but with four of their remaining five games away from home, the push for the top six is all the more difficult.

An undermanned Victory would have been pleased to come away with a point ahead of the third edition of the Melbourne derby.

Sydney FC: 1. Liam REDDY (gk), 3. Stephan KELLER, 6. Hirofumi MORIYASU (18. Juho MAKELA 55’), 8. Stuart MUSIALIK, 9. Bruno CAZARINE, 10. Nick CARLE, 15. Terry MCFLYNN (c) (2. Sebastian RYALL 85’), 17. Matthew JURMAN, 21. Scott JAMIESON, 22. Sung Hwan BYUN (12. Shannon COLE 68’), 24. Dimitri PETRATOS
Unused sub: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk)
Yellow card: Jurman (35’)
Red cards: None

Melbourne Victory: 1. Michael PETKOVIC (gk), 4. Petar FRANJIC, 6. Leigh BROXHAM (17. Matthew FOSCHINI 46’), 8. Grant BREBNER (c), 9. RICARDINHO (3. Mate DUGANDZIC 46’), 11. Marvin ANGULO, 12. Rodrigo VARGAS, 13. Diogo FERREIRA, 14. Billy CELESKI, 16. Carlos HERNANDEZ (15. Tom PONDELJAK 83’), 18. Danny ALLSOPP
Unused sub: 20. Sebastian MATTEI (gk)
Yellow cards: Ricardinho (27’), Hernandez (80’), Pondeljak (84’), Petkovic (90+2’)
Red cards: None

Man of the Match – Nick Carle may have set up the late equaliser but it was Grant Brebner’s leadership and drive in the midfield that kept Melbourne in the contest in that first half. Tough one to split.

Key Moment – Twenty minutes into the second half Carlos Hernandez on the run curls a brilliant fifty metre pass into the path of Danny Allsopp who almost fluffs his line but somehow still finds the back of the net. After absorbing all the pressure of the first half the Victory, pull of the ultimate sucker punch goal. Ratings by Neil Zimmerman

Perth Glory 1 (Todd Howarth 34’)
Melbourne Heart 1 (Alex Terra 70’)
Crowd: 7962 @ nib Stadium

A wonder goal by Alex Terra helped Melbourne Heart secure a 1-1 draw at Perth Glory after the home side were controversially denied a two-goal lead.

Glory, leading courtesy of a Todd Howarth strike, should have been 2-0 up when Jamie Harnwell cleverly flicked a ball towards goal in a crowded penalty area.

Heart midfielder Wayne Srhoj cleared, but the ball appeared to have crossed the line before his connection.

The home side lost all momentum before Terra turned it Heart’s way with one of the finest goals in the league’s history.

After Gerald Sibon cushioned a header back across the area, the Brazilian took a touch before providing the highlight of the round with a stunning overhead kick.

The impressive Tando Velaphi, who had a superb match, stood no chance as the shot flew into the top corner of the net.

Captain Scott Neville had a chance with the last kick of the game, but he dragged his shot wide of Clint Bolton’s right post.

It would have been an important win for Heart but they couldn’t find a winner while Glory’s finals chances are all but over.

Perth Glory: 1. Tando VELAPHI (gk), 2. Josh MITCHELL, 4. Andy TODD, 5. Jamie HARNWELL, 9. Robbie FOWLER (26. Adam TAGGART 80’), 12. Scott NEVILLE (c), 13. Tommy AMPHLETT (22. Anthony SKORICH 85’), 14. Steven MCGARRY, 16. Adriano PELLEGRINO (15. Howard FONDYKE 79’), 17. Todd HOWARTH, 21. Mile STERJOVSKI
Unused sub: 20. Alex PEARSON (gk)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None

Melbourne Heart: 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Michael MARRONE (23. Dean HEFFERNAN 64’), 5. Michael BEAUCHAMP, 6. Matt THOMPSON (c), 7. Rutger WORM (11. Alex TERRA 35’), 10. Wayne SRHOJ, 15. John ALOISI, 16. Aziz BEHICH, 20. Josip SKOKO (9. Gerald SIBON 51’), 22. Nick KALMAR, 25. Adrian ZAHRA
Unused sub: 12. Peter ZOIS (gk)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None

Man of the Match – Scott Neville was super impressive in both defence and attack for Perth Glory. It was certainly a captain’s performance from the 22-year-old as he worked tirelessly up and down the right flank.

Key Moment – Credit should go to John van’t Schip for his introduction of Alex Terra, but the key moment has to be the assistant referee’s blunder in not awarding Jamie Harnwell a goal. A deserved 2-0 lead for Perth may have sealed the result in their favour.  Ratings by Matt Dorman

Newcastle Jets 0
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Matt Simon 14’, John Hutchinson 87’)
Crowd: 13,463 @ EnergyAustralia Stadium

Central Coast Mariners moved into second spot with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the F3 derby.

Goals from Matt Simon and a late sealer from John Hutchinson were enough against the depleted Jets, who lost skipped Kasey Wehrman inside quarter of an hour.

The Mariners made the early running and capitalized on a rare error from Nikolai Topor-Stanley to open the scoring.

A raking long ball from Oliver Bozanic was mis-controlled by Topor-Stanley, allowing Matt Simon the simplest of finishes past Ben Kennedy.

The best chance created by the Jets in the opening period came after Ryan Griffiths whipped in a cross for Labinot Haliti to strike directly at Mathew Ryan from inside the area.

The visitors sealed the points with three minutes to play when Hutchinson, a 76^th minute substitute, struck a low shot across Kennedy and into the corner of the net.

Graham Arnold’s side moved into second spot on goal difference courtesy of the win, while the Jets remain sixth despite their growing injury worries.

Newcastle Jets: 1. Ben KENNEDY (gk), 2. Taylor REGAN, 4. Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 7. Kasey WEHRMAN (c) (26. James VIRGILI 12’), 10. Ruben ZADKOVICH, 11. Tarek ELRICH, 12. Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 14. Labinot HALITI (13. Sasho PETROVSKI 65’), 17. Marcello FIORENTINI, 18. Marko JESIC (16. Jeremy BROCKIE 76’), 23. Ryan GRIFFITHS
Unused sub: 40. Matthew NASH (gk)
Yellow cards: Fiorentini (62’), Jesic (70’), Petrovski (90+2’)
Red cards: None

Central Coast Mariners: 20. Mathew RYAN (gk), 3. Joshua ROSE, 4. Pedj BOJIC (16. Trent SAINSBURY 90’), 6. Patrick ZWAANSWIJK, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 10. Patricio PEREZ (7. John HUTCHINSON 76’), 11. Oliver BOZANIC, 14. Michael MCGLINCHEY, 18. Alex WILKINSON (c), 19. Matt SIMON, 23. Adam KWASNIK (13. Michael BAIRD 65’)
Unused sub: 30. Paul HENDERSON (gk)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None

Man of the Match – In addition to offering a strong presence in the attacking third, Matt Simon kept a cool head to profit from his early gift of an opportunity.

Key Moment – Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s critical error was the difference in an unspectacular encounter. His indecision gifted Matt Simon an early opener and Newcastle were unable to recover. MD

Weekend Break: Adelaide United

Postponed: Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix

Mid-week: Melbourne Heart v Gold Coast United @ AAMI Park, Perth Glory v Central Coast Mariners @ nib Stadium

Hyundai A-League 2010/11 League Table

Hyundai A-League 2010/11 - Leading Goal-Scorers

13 – Sergio VAN DIJK

10 – Kosta BARBAROUSES, Robbie KRUSE, Jean Carlos SOLORZANO

9 – Robbie FOWLER, Adam KWASNIK, Matt SIMON

7 – Bruno CAZARINE, Paul IFILL

6 – Alex BROSQUE, Tim BROWN, Marcos FLORES, Gerald SIBON

5 – John ALOISI, Jason CULINA, Bruce DJITE, Chris GREENACRE, Marko JESIC, Mitch NICHOLS, REINALDO, Mile STERJOVSKI, David WILLIAMS

4 – Thomas BROICH, Iain FYFE, Carlos HERNANDEZ, Mark HUGHES, Mathew LECKIE, Dylan MACALLISTER, Chris PAYNE

3 – Leo BERTOS, Shannon COLE, Dino DJULBIC, Mate DUGANDZIC, Labinot HALITI, Nick KALMAR, Daniel MCBREEN, Patricio PEREZ, Sasho PETROVSKI, Iain RAMSAY, Shane SMELTZ, Ufuk TALAY, Alex TERRA, Archie THOMPSON, Bas VAN DEN BRINK, Rodrigo VARGAS, Patrick ZWAANSWIJK

2 – Eli BABALJ, Grant BREBNER, James BROWN, Dyron DAAL, Travis DODD, Ivan FRANJIC, Rostyn GRIFFITHS, Chris GROSSMAN, Branko JELIC, Juho MAKELA, Matt MCKAY, Kevin MUSCAT, Scott NEVILLE, Erik PAARTALU, Joel PORTER, RICARDINHO, Marco ROJAS, Joshua ROSE, Ben SIGMUND, Matthew SMITH, Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, Ruben ZADKOVICH, Adrian ZAHRA

1 – Ali ABBAS, Danny ALLSOPP, Michael BAIRD, Fabian BARBIERO, Andrew BARISIC, Mark BRIDGE, Michael BRIDGES, Jeremy BROCKIE, Leigh BROXHAM, Billy CELESKI, Isaka CERNAK, Simon COLOSIMO, Robert CORNTHWAITE, Jamie COYNE, John CURTIS, Luke DEVERE, Gareth EDDS, Diogo FERREIRA, Brendan GAN, Rhyan GRANT, Ryan GRIFFITHS, Jamie HARNWELL, Chris HAROLD, Todd HOWARTH, John HUTCHINSON, Scott JAMIESON, Francis JEFFERS, Ben KANTAROVSKI, Joseph KEENAN, Stephan KELLER, Matthew LEWIS, Terry MCFLYNN, Michael MCGLINCHEY, James MEYER, Josh MITCHELL, Hirofumi MORIYASU, Daniel MULLEN, Massimo MURDOCCA, Steve PANTELIDIS, Adriano PELLEGRINO, Dimitri PETRATOS, Tom PONDELJAK, Paul REID, ROBSON, Sean ROONEY, Eugene SSEPPUYA, Simon STOREY, Matt THOMPSON, Adama TRAORE, Rocky VISCONTE, Nick WARD, Alex WILKINSON, Rutger WORM