On the Mark - Round 8

Nearly 60,000 fans attended an A-League game on the weekend, and while the majority of them would have left the ground disappointed with their team's result, no one could complain about the action served up.

All four games dished up something different, and all provided real talking points in their own right.

The best game of the weekend - and maybe even the season so far - came at Telstra Dome, where another huge crowd saw Adelaide United inflict a first defeat on Melbourne Victory in a cracking game.

Although there was only one goal, and in truth not many chances at either end, the two teams fought out a game that had an intensity that belied the fact it was 'merely' a Round 8 league game.

From the moment referee Matthew Breeze booked Adelaide captain Ross Aloisi and Melbourne's Grant Brebner following a flare-up in the second minute, you knew there was a real edge to the game.

And so it proved, as seven players ended up with cards and Victory skipper Kevin Muscat and Adelaide coach John Kosmina rolled back the years with a clash that saw Muscat booked and Kosmina sent from the sideline.

It was Muscat who came closest to breaking the deadlock, his 68th-minute free-kick being brilliantly saved by Adelaide goalkeeper Robert Bajic, but just when it looked like the game was going to finish goalless, Adelaide broke and Nathan Burns was able to set up Greg Owens, who finished with some ease.

For the neutral it was a good result, as it prevented Melbourne from running away at the top of the table, and Adelaide just about deserved the three points with a brave performance that never saw them take a backward step.

That Bajic had little to do, his wonder save apart, was largely down to an Adelaide defence in which Kristian Rees and makeshift left-back Matthew Kemp in particular were outstanding.

This leads us nicely on to the Central Coast Mariners, who defeated Sydney FC 3-1 on Friday evening.

Benito Carbone's early free-kick, which gave Sydney FC the lead, aside, it was all Central Coast and big defender Paul O'Grady's header to level the scores just before half-time was the least the Mariners deserved.

A week ago I wrote that the Mariners were 'sorely missing injured midfielders Wayne O'Sullivan and in particular Andre Gumprecht', and while I still believe that to be true, Jamie McMaster turned in a non-stop performance in the centre of midfield. With O'Sullivan coming off the bench, Gumprecht due back soon, and the side now scoring goals, things are looking up for Central Coast.

The home side could have gone in to the break ahead when Matthew Bingley sliced the ball onto his own post, with John Hutchinson somehow managing to do the same from the subsequent rebound, but on 52 minutes it was 2-1 with veteran goalscoring machine Damian Mori netting.

Mariners defender Andrew Clark was lucky not to be penalised after tugging back Alex Brosque when the Socceroos attacker was heading goalwards, and when two minutes later Carbone hobbled off, Sydney FC's chances of getting anything went with him.

There was enough time for Mori to thump home a header to make it three goals in three games for his new club, and put the seal on a fine performance by the Mariners.

The relief that reverberated around Gosford was nothing compared to the following night at EnergyAustralia Stadium however.

Without a win all season, it was Newcastle United Jets that won the battle of the bottom two, defeating a hapless New Zealand Knights outfit 3-0.

It was all Newcastle early on, with the Knights making an early tactical change as the attack-minded Jonti Richter replaced defender Sime Kovacevic for, but apart from a Noah Hickey shot and a good tackle by Vaughan Coveny on new Knights striker Campbell Banks, all the chances came at the other end.

The second half was much the same, but it took until the 72nd minute for the Jets to finally find the net, with Jade North the unlikely goalscorer with a fine header.

Sean Devine then had a shot well saved by teenage custodian Ben Kennedy at the other end, but with victory in sight the Jets weren't going to let this slip and Nick Carle thumped a shot against the crossbar before Joel Griffiths missed a sitter.

Stuart Musialik made it 2-0 from distance with four minutes remaining, and then Milton Rodriguez netted from a tight angle in injury time with what was, according to my notes, his 11th effort on goal.

Finally, Queensland Roar fought back after going a goal down in the first minute to defeat Perth Glory 2-1 in the west.

Stuart Young put the home side ahead with his side's first attack after Queensland goalkeeper Tom Willis was unable to deal with a Bobby Despotovski shot, but the visitors hit back through a classy and clever finish by Ante Milicic and a Dario Vidosic effort.

Milicic missed a sitter just four minutes after he had coolly got his side back on level terms, but early in the second half the tireless Reinaldo set up Young Socceroos forward Vidosic for his second goal of the season.

Queensland were well served again by defender Sasa Ognenovski, midfielder Matt McKay and striker Reinaldo, while two of Perth's Kiwis, Leo Bertos and Adrian Webster, stood out for the home side.

Round 8 TEAM OF THE WEEK (4-4-2 formation)

Goalkeeper: Robert Bajic (Adelaide United)

Defenders: Jade North (Newcastle United Jets), Kristian Rees (Adelaide United), Paul Okon (Newcastle United Jets), Matthew Kemp (Adelaide United)

Midfielders: Tom Pondeljak (Central Coast Mariners), Jamie McMaster (Central Coast Mariners), Adrian Webster (Perth Glory), Matt McKay (Queensland Roar)

Strikers: Reinaldo (Queensland Roar), Damian Mori (Central Coast Mariners)

Round 8 SCOREBOARD:

Central Coast Mariners 3 (Paul O'Grady 40', Damian Mori 52', 90') defeated Sydney FC 1 (Benito Carbone 12')

Crowd: 11,567

Newcastle United Jets 3 (Jade North 72', Stuart Musialik 86', Milton Rodriguez 90+2') defeated New Zealand Knights 0

Crowd: 5,725

Melbourne Victory 0 lost to Adelaide United 1 (Greg Owens 82')

Crowd: 32,368

Perth Glory 1 (Stuart Young 1') lost to Queensland Roar 2 (Ante Milicic 14', Dario Vidosic 53')

Crowd: 9,978

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