A dominant performance from Brisbane skipper Craig Moore has boosted the Roar to their maiden victory for the 2009/10 Hyundai A-League season, a 1-0 triumph over Central Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Moore was resolute in defence all day and delivered the telling blow in the 11th minute with a powerful header that sizzled past Mariners keeper Danny Vukovic and netted the Qantas Socceroos defender his third Hyundai A-League career goal.
The win was soured by a knee injury to Roar workhorse Matt McKay – the man who delivered a pinpoint pass from the corner for Moore’s goal.
McKay fell awkwardly after clattering into Pedj Bojic, and after initially playing through the pain was substituted in the 25th minute.
The midfielder will have scans on Monday, but the club suspects he has damaged his medial collateral ligament and will miss four to eight weeks.
The visitors had limited chances to equal the ledger, most notably a curling free kick from Bojic that went within centimetres of the woodwork, but Moore was steadfast and easily able to defuse everything the visitors threw at him.
In-form Mariners striker Matt Simon was starved of the ball, while Adam Kwasnik and Nik Mrdja had a lot of trouble competing in the air against Moore.
Moore was content with the result.
“Just pleased to pick up three points finally, it has been disappointing so far but it’s just nice to pick up those three points,” he said.
“The boys in there are happy with the result, but we still know we can play a lot better.”
Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna was disappointed his side’s lack of fire after Moore nodded home the only goal for the day.
“When they scored we just stopped … we went into our shells and we were probably lucky Brisbane did not score just before half-time,” McKinna said.
“Things are going to go against you in games, but you just don’t drop your bundle and stop playing, you’ve got to believe in each other and we usually do – but today we never (did).”
Vukovic had an excellent game and made a number of miraculous saves to help the visitors stay in with a fighting chance, but his fine work was ultimately unrewarded.
The Roar recorded their first clean sheet at home in 14 matches, and 19 months – with a 2-0 win over Sydney FC in the 2008 Minor Semi-Final the last time keeper Liam Reddy did not have to fetch the ball out of his own net at Suncorp Stadium.
The hosts, guided by some creative combination work from playmaker Charlie Miller and pint-sized livewire Henrique – who were both excellent for the duration of their time on the park – controlled possession and looked dangerous on a number of occasions.
Miller may not have made sweet connection with his attempted bicycle kick late in the first half, but his smooth passing created genuine chances for Robbie Kruse and Henrique – only for the duo to spray their shots.
The visitors scampered into half-time with only the one-goal deficit, but only after some fantastic defending from Vukovic and Bojic saw the Roar denied three times in the space of a minute.
Vukovic was able to make a scrambling save after Henrique put Kruse through in the box with only the keeper to beat, before Bojic put his body on the line to block a certain Miller goal.
The ball spilled free but another frenzy in the box soon ensured, and Vukovic had to produce his best once again to prevent Dutch striker Sergio van Dijk from scoring.
Miller’s panache and Henrique’s pace continued to be the Mariners’ downfall in the second stanza, with the duo running run amok and giving van Dijk plenty of quality service.
Miller had a great chance to net one himself in the 62d minute, but the Scotsman’s powerful strike was well saved by a desperate Vukovic.
Mariners substitute Nicky Travis, who entered the fray at the expense of Mrdja in the 60th minute, made an immediate impact but after a slick intercept in the middle, was pressured off the ball by Henrique before he could pull the trigger from the cusp of the box.
The Roar looked to hold on for the final five minutes of injury time, and while the Mariners surged it was Brisbane defender Bob Malcolm who had the best chance of the second half when his free kick crashed into the crossbar.
Brisbane Roar 1 (Moore 11)
Central Coast Mariners 0
Crowd: 6,433 at Suncorp Stadium
