New look Roar score draw with Mariners

Brisbane Roar have surrendered a golden chance to kickstart their faltered A-League campaign, dropping a hard-earned lead to draw 2-2 with Central Coast Mariners at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Roar, who unveiled a trio of Janaury transfer signings to their home fans, showed some glimpses of old and indications of a burgeoning new style, but it was not enough to overcome a determined Mariners outfit.

Michael McGlinchey netted the opener for the visitors on 8 minutes, however an inspired second-half performance from the hosts almost saw them steam-roll the league leaders in the final 45 minutes – Besart Berisha scoring a brace in a man of the match performance.

The profilic Daniel McBreen spared Central Coast’s blushes though when he levelled terms in the 80th minute – his first goal at Suncorp Stadium for Mariners and his 14th of the current campaign.

Played on a patchy pitch still recovering from intense rainfall in the past week, neither side truly settled into their usual rhythym in the opening period – the fiery rivalry that’s developed over the years resulting in strong tackles and some dubious gamemanship from both teams.

Predictably, controversy surrounded McGlinchey’s opener, the Mariner’s midfielder pouncing with Roar reduced to ten men courtesy of an earlier injury to Massimo Murdocca; impending Roar replacement Halloran watching on helplessly from the sidelines as he waited for his substitution to be processed.

On the pitch, central defender Matt Jurman again proved the villian as he scrambled valiantly in defense only to see his well-intentioned interception fall for the unmarked McGlinchey, who finished confidently from 12 yards out.

Despite being outclassed by the Mariner’s quickfire counter attack in the opening period a reinvogorated Roar took the pitch for the second stanza, and built on the back of notable contributions from new signings Jade North, Steven Lustica and Stefan Nijland, turned the first half form on its head.

Roar levelled terms barely a minute after the restart when Thomas Broich found Besart Berisha at the near post – the Albanian deftly deflecting Broich’s dinked pass with a well-placed header from five yards out.

Berisha then netted his second on 68 minutes when he once again turned the ball in at the near post from close range – this time finishing off Shane Stefanutto’s cross.

The visitors continued to threaten throughout the second half though, and McBreen’s well-earned equaliser came on the back of a sustained period of pressure – the league’s leading scorer taking possession at the top of the box before blasting his shot low to beat Theo at the far post.

Both sides had chances in a frantic final ten minutes – most notably Berisha nodding over from close range and Bernie Ibini screwing a well-struck shot wide of the far post.

The result sees Central Coast Mariners remain at the head of the A-League table, while the single point is enough for Brisbane to return to the top six. However, other results will likely see the Queenslanders fall back out of the finals places by weekend’s end.

Brisbane Roar – 2 (Besart BERISHA 47′ & 69′)

Central Coast Mariners – 2 (Michael MCCLINCHEY 8′, Daniel MCBREEN 80′)

Attendance: 10,604 @ Suncorp Stadium

Brisbane Roar: Michael THEO (gk), Shane STEFANUTTO, Matthew JURMAN, Ivan FRANJIC, Besart BERISHA, Massimo MURDOCCA, Jade NORTH, Steven LUSTICA, Mitchell NICHOLS, Luke BRATTAN, Thomas BROICH (c) (Subs: Stefan NIJLAND, Ben HALLORAN, Jack HINGERT, Matthew ACTON)

Central Coast Mariners: Matthew RYAN (gk), Daniel MCBREEN, Joshua ROSE, Zachary ANDERSON, Patrick ZWAANSWIJK, Bernie IBINI, Oliver BOZANIC, Michael MCGLINCHEY, Trent SAINSBURY, Miles STERJOVSKI (Subs: Brent GRIFFITHS, ANthony CACERES, Mitchell DUKE, Justin PASFIELD (gk))