Bolton denies Mariners win

 

By , 23 Aug 2009 Peter Smith is a Roar Rookie

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Central Coast were denied a late win after some injury-time heroics from Sydney FC goalkeeper Clint Bolton in a scoreless A-League draw at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday.

An uninspired derby match burst into life in the dying stages with Bolton saving a penalty and making another crucial save seconds later.

The Mariners seemed set for a somewhat-underserved win when awarded a penalty after John Hutchinson was brought down in the area with ten seconds of regulation time remaining.

However Bolton kept Sydney’s unbeaten start to the season alive with a superb low save, diving to his left to deny Adam Kwasnik’s effort from the spot.

There was still time for Bolton to save his side again, stopping a shot from substitute Dylan Macallister with his feet in the last action of the match.

The result ensured Gold Coast will have outright control of the competition table after three rounds as the only team with a perfect record.

The NSW derby fixture that has produced 29 goals in the previous six encounters never looked like becoming a goal-fest on on Sunday.

There were few clear goalscoring opportunities, with the best for Sydney FC failing to John Aloisi , but Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic produced a remarkable stop to maintain the deadlock.

Aloisi had latched on to a loose ball from a Karol Kisel corner with 15 minutes remaining but the Mariners custodian somehow stopped his volley from point-blank range.

Nigel Boogaard had an early opportunity but pushed a free header over the crossbar in just the second minute with the Mariners defender unable to produce his goal heroics from a week prior which produced his first A-League goal.

Aside from that early foray it was largely Sydney FC who had the better of the first half.

Alex Brosque was on target from an awkward angle, and his shot was only just held by Vukovic at the second attempt.

Though serious threats to the goal were at a premium Kisel blazed an awkward volley over the bar virtually from the penalty spot later in the opening half.

Swiss defender Stephan Keller then flashed a header wide from a Kisel corner as Sydney edged closer to the opener.

Sydney’s dynamic Kofi Danning was contained well by Mariners defender Dean Heffernan while on the other flank Brosque looked one of the few avenues to goal.

© AAP 2012

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