CENTRAL Coast Mariners Youth’s unbeaten start to the 2012/13 National Youth League (NYL) campaign came to an end at the hands of Brisbane Roar Youth in Tuggerah on Saturday afternoon.
CENTRAL Coast Mariners Youth-s unbeaten start to the 2012/13 National Youth League (NYL) campaign came to an end at the hands of Brisbane Roar Youth in Tuggerah on Saturday afternoon.
A stunning 82nd minute strike from Roar-s Hyundai A-League squad member James Meyer won the day for the visiting Queensland outfit.
Indeed, John Sime-s men can be proud of their win over a Mariners team that had secured five wins from as many matches to commence the NYL season.
Roar had to knuckle down and play for 51 minutes with just ten men on the field after midfielder Luke Bratten was sent off for two bookable offences in the first half.
The first 45 was a largely lacklustre affair with Aaron Peterson coming closest to scoring for Mariners Youth in the 28th minute. Good work from Anthony Caceres helped fashion an opportunity for Peterson, however the attacker struck his left foot shot wide of the Roar goal.
Ten minutes later Bratten received his second yellow card of the contest, reducing Sime-s team to ten men.
Despite the sending off, Roar created the next chance of the clash just a couple of minutes later, with Rocky Visconte firing a strong effort at goal. Visconte-s shot from the edge of the area forced Central Coast custodian Justin Pasfield into a fine diving save.
The second stanza was easier on the eye than the first with Mariners Youth putting together a string of well played moves as they sought to dismantle their undermanned opponents.
To their credit, however, Roar hunted in packs and defended as a unit, leaving John McLafferty-s team of young charges frustrated that they could only create a number of half chances.
The best of the Mariners- opportunities to break the deadlock fell to the impressive Daniel Bragg and substitute Tomas Cirjak. Roar goalkeeper Nicholas Tubbs however was on his game as he came up with the goods to deny the Mariners- best attacking efforts.
Central Coast were made to pay late on when Meyer blasted a right foot thunderbolt into the top left corner of Pasfield-s goal. The strike was worthy of winning any contest on any pitch in world football.
After the game Mariners Youth Head Coach John McLafferty was pleased with his side-s endeavour however gave credit to Brisbane-s effort in winning the game.
“The performance was pleasing,” he said. “I thought for ten to 15 minutes we looked like we-d score the goal and push on.
“But it was a great goal from Brisbane. They deserved to win the game and they parked the bus. Credit to them, they stuck to their plan with ten men.”
McLafferty was delighted with the contributions of youngster Hayden Morton and Peterson.
“I thought Hayden Morton coming back into the centre of defence did a good job for us,” he said.
“And Aaron (Peterson) up front was dangerous before he got injured and had to come off.”
Central Coast Mariners Youth play their next NYL match at the Central Coast Mariners Centre of Excellence on Sunday 2 December against Western Sydney Wanderers Youth. Kick-off is 10:30am. Admission is FREE.
Central Coast Mariners Youth 0
Brisbane Roar Youth 1 (Meyer 82-)
Central Coast Mariners Centre of Excellence, Tuggerah
Central Coast Mariners Youth: 1. Justin Pasfield (Gk), 2. Nikola Stanojevic (c), 3. Michael Neill, 4. Keiren Paull (8. Dillon Vorster 62-), 5. Hayden Morton, 6. Daniel Bragg, 7. Adam Jenner (10. Tomislav Cirjak 62-), 9. Aaron Peterson (12. Louis Bozanic 62-), 11. Patrick Dixon, 15. Brad McDonald, 17. Anthony Caceres
Subs not used: 20. David Bradasevic (Gk)
Yellow cards: 6. Daniel Bragg 37-
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Roar Youth: 1. Nicholas Tubbs (Gk), 2. James Donachie, 3. Corey Brown, 4. Yuji Takahashi, 5. Luke Bratten, 7. Dong-Hyun Do (11. Anthony Proia 55-), 8. James Geria (c), 9. Benjamin Litfin (13. Kenneth Dougall 55-), 10. Kwame Yeboah (6. Ross Archibald 40-), 14. Rocky Visconte, 16. James Meyer
Subs not used: 20. Fraser Chalmers (Gk)
Yellow cards: 5. Luke Bratten 9, 39-, 4. Yuji Takahashi 31-, 3. Corey Brown 74-
Red cards: 5. Luke Bratten 39-
Referee: Lachlan Daniel
