Victory give A-League warning

Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick warned his side would continue their ruthless approach to the A-League season after the Victory claimed top spot in the competition.

Melbourne made it three wins from as many games to jump two points clear on top of the table with a 3-0 away triumph against the New Zealand Knights at a rain lashed North Harbour Stadium.

It followed a 0-0 draw between previous leader Queensland Roar against Central Coast at Gosford on Saturday which extended the Mariners worrying goal drought, and Friday's breakthrough 5-1 win by Adelaide over Newcastle on a wet and wild weekend of A-League action.

In Auckland, Melbourne strikers Archie Thompson and Daniel Allsopp both scored once and set one up another for each other with skipper Kevin Muscat adding a third first half goal.

It is the first time since round eight of last season Melbourne has sat on top of the table.

But after the Victory went on to win just three of its final 13 games last season, Merrick was understandably cautious about his club's impressive opening to the competition.

"We're well aware it's only three games into the season and there's 18 to go and there's no room for complacency," said Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick after his team had put the first goals of the season past the previously unbeaten Knights.

"The competition for first 11 spots (in the side) is really good and the team are on a roll of confidence at the moment, but they are certainly not going to let up on their ferocity in every game."

Melbourne's ferocity is just the tonic Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna is searching for to try and reverse his side's flagging fortunes.

While Melbourne has scored eight goals in three games, last season's grand finalists the Mariners are yet to open their account for 2006-07.

Central Coast did claim its first point of the season with a 0-0 draw against the unbeaten Roar in atrocious conditions at Gosford.

But the result also extended Central Coast's run of games without scoring. The Mariners have now equalled Melbourne's league record of four successive games without a goal, and have gone a total of 443 minutes since Tom Pondeljak scored in the preliminary final last February.

The Central Coast midfielder struck the woodwork twice last night.

"We did create chances, we just needed that wee bit of luck to get a goal," said McKinna.

"I don't think we're still ruthless enough."

"I think we're too nice to players sometimes, I think we need to get a wee bit mongrel, we need to get dirty on the park for a couple of minutes."

"It's not meaning about kicking people, it's working hard and having that work ethic."

Only goal difference separates the Mariners from bottom spot, which is occupied by local rivals Newcastle following the Jets 5-1 away loss to Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Like Central Coast, Adelaide entered round three pointless and goalless, but capitalised on some inept defending to break its' drought in style.

On another wet pitch, Adelaide scored three first half goals from set pieces through Fernando, Robert Cornthwaite and Shengqing Qu.

Mark Bridge pulled a goal back early in the second half, but Newcastle defender Andrew Durante gave away a fourth through an own goal following a mix-up with goalkeeper Ben Kennedy, with Fernando adding a fifth.

"The best thing myself and the team can do is erase this game from memory," Newcastle coach Nick Theodorakopoulos said.

top