Saturday, August 14, 2010

Melbourne Heart earn their first point of the A-League season with aid of an own-goal


Melbourne Heart drew 1-1 away with Newcastle Jets at Energy Australia Stadium in Newcastle in their second A-League outing last night.


Three good saves by goalkeeper Clint Bolton in the first half - against Michael Bridges, Marco Jesic and Ali Abbas - kept the Heart in the match.


The visitors responded with chances by Gerald Sibon, who sent a free-kick just over the bar and a header narrowly wide.


The Heart were dealt a blow when Josip Skoko limped off injured midway through the first half.


Only a good save by Jets keeper Ben Kennedy in the 39th minute denied Nick Kalmar, whose header from Dean Heffernan’s left-wing cross seemed destined for the back of the net.


The Jets took the lead on the hour when a long ball out of defence found Jeremy Brockie on the left and he cut inside to score with a low shot that lacked pace but which beat Bolton, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.


An own-goal by Ben Kantarovski in the 79th minute made it 1-1, the unfortunate Jets player volleying into his own net after the ball bounced off an opponent. It was the Heart’s first goal in the A-League.


Bridges was unfortunate to be booked in the first half for simulation when most observers agreed he should have had a penalty.


Simon Colosimo was named man-of-the-match.

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