Melbourne Heart captain Simon Colosimo says his club’s 1-1 draw against Central Coast typified the debut season of the Hyundai A-League new boys.
Needing victory to keep their playoff dreams alive, the Heart produced some wonderful periods of play at a wet AAMI Park, but couldn-t find a way over the line.
The draw was Heart’s 10th from 29 matches in their inaugural season and means the club is now only a mathematical chance of extending the season past February 12 when they host Sydney FC.
In the hunt for that last finals spot, Heart sits seventh on 34 points, trailing sixth-placed Wellington by one and the New Zealand club has two games in hand.
Colosimo agreed the match was a missed opportunity, adding it had been a recurring theme throughout Heart’s inaugural campaign.
“I think that 90 minutes sums up our season, we create a lot of good chances – the chance you don’t expect to go in is the one we score from and their keeper makes a lot of good saves,” Colosimo said.
“Just when we’re in the position to grab hold of a game we let ourselves down.”
The signs looked good for Heart when defender Matt Thompson’s hopeful free-kick inside his own half resulted in a Beckham-esque 60-yard goal due to a howler from goalkeeper Matt Ryan.
The teenage stopper badly misjudged the bounce of the ball which skidded off the wet turf and over his head towards the goal.
Ryan scrambled in an attempt to prevent embarrassment, but only succeeded in paddling the ball across the line.
But having gone 1-0 up on 49 minutes, Heart conceded less than 60 seconds later when Mariners striker Daniel McBreen tucked away a goal at the second attempt after his initial volley was saved by Clint Bolton.
Heart coach John van ‘t Schip knows that his team’s destiny is outside their own hands now.
“Mathematically we are still alive, we just have to hope that all the games Wellington and Newcastle (eighth on 31 points from 27 matches) play they lose,” van ‘t Schip said.
“We still have one game to play and need to win that, end the season as good as possible and then see what happens with the other games.”
Pivotal Heart midfielder Josip Skoko, who announced his retirement in the lead-up to the Mariners clash, came off at half-time with a knee injury and is facing a race against time to be fit for what is likely to be his swansong game against Sydney.
Coach van ‘t Schip is hopeful the 51-time capped Socceroo won’t end his career on that note.
“Just before the break he got a kick on his knee, he’s going to have scans tomorrow (Saturday),” van ‘t Schip said.
“He’s having a bit of pain and stiffness, but maybe it is something that can get better in the next couple of days. We’ll wait and see what the scans tell us.”
