Brisbane Roar see off Central Coast Mariners to go third in A-League

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:50 am

Brisbane Roar saw off a spirited Central Coast Mariners 2-1 to move up to third in the A-League table and extend their unbeaten streak to nine games.

Dimi Petratos' stunning free kick and Jamie Maclaren's sixth goal of the season were enough for the rampant Roar to leapfrog Melbourne City and sit on equal points with second-placed Melbourne Victory, leaving the Mariners in ninth.

Sunday's contest at Central Coast Stadium was far more absorbing than the scoreline suggested, as two hungry teams with a gulf in experience went end to end in the hunt for three points before Christmas.

Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

A flurry of chances brought the game to life after 20 minutes. Man-of-the-Match Jack Hingert hit the upright after a superb run into the box as Maclaren forced Mariners goalkeeper Paul Izzo into a point-blank save.

Central Coast were quick to reply, though, with Connor Pain sending in a pinpoint cross that goal scorer Roy O'Donovan couldn't quite get to, before Blake Powell dragged the winger's header across goal.

But while the Mariners team enjoyed incisive attacking forays, their more-experienced counterparts were quick to deal with any danger. And when Brisbane opened the scoring on 33 minutes, there was nothing Izzo could have done.

Petratos dispatched a free kick expertly, blending the perfect amount of power and direction from the edge of the box to swerve an unsaveable ball into the top corner.

But it was game on after the break thanks to a superb play from the Mariners' elder statesmen.

Returning captain Nick Montgomery started the move in transition before Fabio Ferreira laid off for O'Donovan to calmly slot home beyond returning Brisbane goalkeeper Michael Theo.

Opportunities came thick and fast as the game moved towards its conclusion. It arrived via a ferocious 76th-minute counter-attack that exposed Central Coast's defensive vulnerabilities and allowed substitute Thomas Broich to make an instant impact.

The two-time Johnny Warren Medallist waited patiently for Maclaren to make his run, then dropped the ball perfectly into his path for a straightforward header at the far post.