Melbourne Heart 1-1 Central Coast Mariners: Heart just about out of the finals

Photo: Mariners clear in second place after draw with Heart [Photo of Anderma and IVS Lavender taken by PlessPix]

Melbourne Heart 1-1 Central Coast Mariners

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Melbourne Heart have only a mathematical chance of making the A-League finals after being held to a 1-1 draw at home at AAMI Park by Central Coast Mariners tonight.

The start of the game was delayed by more than an hour because of torrential rain. As the rain eased, the ground staff were able to clear the pitch of surface water and referee Strebre Delovksi was able to start the match. More rain came later, but the surface was quite playable and the game went for the allocated 90 minutes.

Central Coast Mariners almost went in front in the 6th minute when Daniel McBreen’s shot slipped through the gloves of keeper Clint Bolton, but the custodian recovered and managed to stop the ball on the line and scoop it back into play.

In the 19th minute, Mariners keeper Matthew Ryan did well to block a shot by Gerald Sibon.

In the 26th minute, Aziz Behich crossed from the left and John Aloisi headed at goal and almost beat Ryan, who fumbled at first but recovered to block the ball.

The Mariners lost striker Matt Simon in the 35th minute through injury and he was replaced by Adam Kwasnik.

Josip Skoko did not return for the second half because of a knee injury and the Heart midfielder was replaced by Brendan Hamill.

The home side took the lead with a bizarre goal after 49 minutes. Matt Thompson’s free-kick deep in his own half bounced over Ryan, who got a touch to the ball just before it crossed the line.

A minute later, it was 1-1. Josh Rose floated a ball in from the left and, although Bolton blocked Daniel McBreen’s first effort, the ball rebounded to McBreen, who netted inside the near post.

Two minutes later, Sibon went close as he poked Alex Terra’s left-wing cross just wide from the far post.

Ten minutes from the end, Ryan atoned for his earlier error with a splendid save after a neat one-two between Wayne Srhoj and Aloisi.

It was Melbourne’s fifth match without a win and they are in 7th place, a point behind 6th-ranked Wellington Phoenix, who have two games in hand.

This was the Mariners’ sixth match without a loss and they are second, four points clear of Adelaide United.

The draw handed the minor premiership to Brisbane Roar.

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Melbourne Heart: Bolton - Marrone, Colosimo, Thompson, Behich - Skoko (Hamill 46), Sibon, Srhoj (Kalmar 87), Worm (Ibrahim 63) - Terra, Aloisi (Sub not used: Zois)

Goals: Thompson 49

Central Coast Mariners: Ryan - Bojic, Wilkinson, Zwaanswijk, Rose - McGlinchey (Amini 90+2), Griffiths, Perez (Hutchinson 79), Bozanic - McBreen, Simon (Kwasnik 35) (Sub not used: Henderson)

Booked: Bozanic 55

Goals: McBreen 50

Att: 3,667

Ref: S Delovski