Brisbane Roar struck late to claim a 2-2 draw against Central Coast in Andrew Redmayne’s 300th A-League match.
The visitors took the lead early through a fine header from Sam Klein and dominated the first half before a fairytale goal for Jesse Mantell and a follow-up from Nathaniel Blair setup the dream scenario for the Mariners. But, a late header from Jordan Lauton spoilt the party and left both sides adrift of the playoff places.
The Central Coast Mariners would have taken a very promising step towards playoff contention had they clinged on but will now need a run of wins and good luck to clinch a spot in the top six. Brisbane Roar needed to win to give them any chance of making a late run.
His 300th A-League appearance did not start how Andrew Redmayne would have hoped. After just three minutes, ex-Mariner James McGarry played a short one-two from a corner before whipping a cross into the area that was met brilliantly by a high-flying Sam Klein. There was nothing the 37 year-old ‘keeper could do as Klein’s header flew in off the crossbar.
Redmayne responded with an excellent save to deny Klein his second – dropping sharply to his left and parrying the shot behind with both hands.
Redmayne would be within his rights to feel let down by his teammates when they gathered in the change rooms at the interval. The defenders in front of him had allowed Brisbane, comfortably the worst attacking side in the competition, eight shots at his goal in the first half. And, going forward, the Mariners created nothing of substance – it took them 38 minutes to register their only shot of the half.
Whatever did take place in the home dressing room at the break seemed to work. 51 minutes into his first A-League start, Jesse Mantell ghosted behind Brisbane’s line, took the ball on the turn and from inside the box, blasted the ball beyond Dean Bouzanis and wheeled away in celebration. The drama was suspended for a lengthy VAR check that seemed to settle in favour of the goal, then against it, then in favour again and the 18 year-old bolted away for the second time, over the advertising hoardings and into the madness of his schoolmates who flooded out from the Northern stand.
The hosts hardly had time to wipe the smiles from their faces when Lucas Mauragis pushed high and wide up the left and whipped in a gorgeous cross that curled perfectly into the path of Nathaniel Blair. He thundered his header past Bouzanis and gave the Mariners the lead with his third goal since joining in January.
Brisbane could have been forgiven had they disappeared beneath the momentum that blew the home side onward, but they very nearly grabbed an equaliser when Youstin Salas curled an inviting cross toward the back post and Henry Hore nodded his header against the upright.
But in the third minute of stoppage time Brisbane did spoil the party when a deflection sent the ball sailing high above the penalty area and Redmayne scrambled to claim it but was beaten by Jordan Lauton whose header bounced into an empty net.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT THEY SAID
Jesse Mantell
Warren Moon
Michael Valkanis
