It was a case of deja-vu at Owen Park on Sunday as Gold Coast Youth emulated the clubs first-team performance demolishing Brisbane Roar Youth 5-1.
A brace from Andrew Barisic and goals from Koh Satake, James Brown and Chris Harrold gave the youngsters initial bragging rights over their fellow Brisbane counterparts after both sides drew earlier in the season.
With derby pride at stake both sides began the match spritely, Brisbane Youth coming close early on from a corner forcing Gold Coast Youth left-back Mitchell Bevan to clear off the line.
Gold Coast forward Barisic then flashed an effort wide on 8 minutes after some clever passing between Chris Harrold and James Brown opened up space in the Roar-s defence.
Barisic was then involved three minutes later, Roar ‘keeper Matt Ham lucky not to have been booked by referee Mathew Skinner after he bundled over the Gold Coast striker outside the area. Barisic braking Brisbane-s off-side trap superbly after a deep pass was played long from back.
Roar midfielder Isaka Cernak was then denied an opportunity to score after slipping through three United players and weaving into the box, Gold Coast Youth ‘keeper Jerrad Tyson snatching the ball from his feet on 16 minutes.
Two minutes later Brisbane broke through United-s line, Antony Schiavo shooting into Tyson-s shins, however no-one was on hand to follow in for Brisbane, the ball bobbling to the top of the area and cleared by Gold Coast.
Schiavo then thought he had scored a short time later after being played into the area by over-age player Tim Smits. However the linesman ruled the No. 15 off-side just as the ball hit the back of the net.
Gold Coast Youth then opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark after a swift counter from James Brown.
The midfielder snatched the ball inside his own half and broke past four Brisbane players, beating two in the box and cutting back for Barisic who took the opportunity to tuck home low into the bottom left hand corner.
Four minutes later Gold Coast doubled its lead, Koh Satake volleying acrobatically from the top of the area after Brisbane failed to clear from a well weighted Gold Coast cross.
With Brisbane looking to hit back, Luke Bratten hit great shot from outside the area only to see Tyson make a great diving save to his left and turn the ball out for a corner.
Smits then followed shortly after, missing a great opportunity to peg Gold Coast back after Tyson showed him three quarters of an open net.
The Roar was then made to rue its missed chances as Brown turned from provider into scorer. The skilful midfielder stretching the lead further after he cut neatly into the box and curled a shot into Ham-s bottom right hand corner.
United Youth should have had four going into the half-time break, forward Chris Harrold missing a golden opportunity from Ben Halloran-s well whipped in corner. Harrold skewed his chance wide in-front of goal after the ball evaded the entire Brisbane defence.
Emerging from the break eager to improve on its first half performance, Brisbane Youth hit back 12 minutes in when Alistar Quinn broke free of the United defence.
Quinn-s first touch into the box made enough room for him to poke the ball past the advancing Tyson giving Brisbane Youth some reward for its efforts.
With the match going from end to end, Satake then played a great ball into Barisic who turned in the area and shot first time forcing Ham to dive to his left and flick the ball out for a corner.
Gold Coast Youth restored its three goal buffer in the 77th minute, when Reuben Way-s first effort was parried into the path of Harrold who made no mistake from close range tapping home his 8th goal of the season.
With Brisbane falling to pieces at the back, substitute Golgol Mebrahtu was brought down in the area by Roar Youth capatain Daniel Bowles two minutes before added time.
A stand-out performer all game, forward Barisic took responsibility for the resulting penalty and coolly slotted home his 9th goal of the season making the score 5-1.
The win is United Youth-s first in three matches and moves them into third place on the ladder with 25 points. The Roar Youth have now lost 11 matches and sit a disappointing second bottom having conceded 40 goals for the season.
Gold Coast Youth – 5
(Barisic 30-/88- [pen] – Satake 35- – Brown 38- – Harrold 77-)
Brisbane Roar Youth – 1
(Quinn 58-)
@ Owen Park Southport
