Golden Boot – Round 11

Besart Berisha – 9

Shane Smeltz – 5

Ryan Griffiths – 5

Carlos Hernández – 5

Mate Dugandžić – 5

Archie Thompson – 5

James Brown – 4

Henrique – 4

Jeremy Brockie – 4

Nicky Carle – 4

Patrick Zwaanswijk – 4

 Matt Simon – 4

Roar Break Record in 4-0 Walk Past Perth

Brisbane Roar 4 – Perth Glory 0
Four first half goals secured the thirty-sixth consecutive match without a loss for homestanding Brisbane Roar, breaking the national record across all codes. Two goals apiece for Besart Berisha and Issey Nakajima-Farran gave the home side more than enough to coast through the second half and keep six points clear of Central Coast Mariners. Berisha, the league’s leading scorer, got his first in the 23rd minute before Nakajima-Farran scored his second and third goals of the season in succession. Berisha blasted a shot past Danny Vukovic just before half-time to inflict the final score on the visitors from Western Australia. After winning their first three, the Glory have taken just one point from their past five matches and are currently hanging on to fifth place. Meanwhile, the Roar continue to show the finest football in the A-League, particularly at Suncorp Stadium.

Central Coast Mariners 3 – Melbourne Heart 1
In Gosford, Melbourne Heart were again victim to questionable refereeing as Central Coast Mariners won 3-1 at Bluetongue. Heart’s Eli Babalj got a 78th minute goal to draw level with the Mariners’ Matt Simon. Yet a handball in the box was called against Jonathan Germano with Daniel McBreen converting the resulting penalty in the 82nd. Patrick Zwaanswijk finished off Heart when he scored on an 87th minute header. The Mariners have not lost since Round 3, winning four games in the process, edging clear of Sydney FC for second place and trailing Brisbane Roar by six points. The loss for Heart was their first since Round 2, ending a run that leaves them in sixth place, barely holding on for finals football.

Round 2 A-League Team of the Week

Manager – Ian Ferguson (Perth Glory)

Goalkeeper – Eugene Galeković (Adelaide United)

Defender – Patrick Zwaanswijk (Central Coast Mariners)

Defender – Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar)

Defender – Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix)

Defender – Milan Šušak (Adelaide United)

Midfielder – Dario Vidošić (Adelaide United)

Midfielder – Daniel (Wellington Phoenix)

Midfielder – Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar)

Midfielder – James Brown (Gold Coast United)

Forward – David Williams (Melbourne Heart)

Forward – Shane Smeltz (Perth Glory)

Roar Make it 30 Straight in 2-0 Sydney Win

Sydney FC 0 – Brisbane Roar 2
Brisbane Roar recorded their thirtieth consecutive game without a loss in a 2-0 win against Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Sky Blues were again held scoreless, this time at home, as Michael Theoklitos saved Sydney’s best chances. The visitors were the lesser side for most of the first half but got the first goal after the usually sure-handed Liam Reddy could not hold Erik Paartalu’s shot, allowing Besart Berisha (pictured) to score the opener on the rebound in the 40th minute. Sydney fought back and came close to equalizing through Nicky Carle in the second half but in the end, Brisbane’s quality was too great. In the 70th, young Kofi Danning found Thomas Broich for an easy second Roar goal and the 2-0 score line. Brisbane claim the top of the ladder and drop Sydney ignominiously toward the bottom.

Central Coast Mariners 1 – Gold Coast United 1
This week, Gold Coast United were the side stung by a late equalizer as 36-year old Patrick Zwaanswijk headed in for Central Coast Mariners in the 87th minute. Just over 10,000 were at Bluetongue Stadium as the Mariners went behind just after half-time on another wonderful strike from James Brown. Gold Coast, who needed Brown’s stunner earned the first point of the season in Round 1, surely thought they would steal all three points from last season’s runners-up. But Brad Porter’s long cross gave Zwaanswijk enough time to come forward and send a floating header across goal and just beyond the desperate reach of Glen Ross. The point is the first of the season for Central Coast while United pick up their second 1-1 draw.