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Mariners end Roar hoodoo in Gosford

Roar Guru
25th November, 2012
3

Brisbane coach Rado Vidosic blasted his side as “naive”, “silly” and of a kindergarten standard as the A-League champions slumped to their fifth loss in only eight games of the 2012/13 season, a 2-1 defeat to Central Coast on Sunday.

The two-time defending champions lost to the Mariners for the first time in Gosford in 14 starts on the back of a Tomas Rogic volley in the 81st minute.

A Bernie Ibini header in the fourth minute for the home side was cancelled out by a rare Massimo Murdocca strike in the 32nd minute for the Roar.

Brisbane sit in second-last place on the A-League ladder, ahead of only the hapless Sydney FC who are a point further behind.

Ange Postecoglou is proving to be an increasingly hard act to follow for Vidosic and his men and the frustrated former assistant at Brisbane left his players in no doubt about what he thought about their round-eight loss to their arch-rivals.

“The first half we did enough but in the second half we didn’t follow instructions to keep the ball and we got punished,” he said.

“There was more pressure in the second half, there were too many turnovers. We were naive and we got punished for it.”

Rogic’s matchwinner, which came after Michael McGlinchey cleverly headed an Oliver Bozanic free kick that threatened to go over the end line, incensed Vidosic.

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“I don’t know who was marking who but it was just kindergarten stuff,” he said.

“If they (the opposition player) goes to the toilet, they should follow them to the toilet.

“The players need to have a good look at themselves.”

In stifling conditions the game threatened to boil over in the 34th minute with Besart Berisha the agitator.

After a clumsy challenge by Berisha on John Hutchinson a scuffle ensued in which Berisha appeared to attempt to headbutt the Mariners captain.

Daniel McBreen rushed to his skipper’s aid and received a yellow card, as did Berisha for the tackle but he was lucky to stay on the field.
“That was a little bit silly,” Vidosic said.

“He is a passionate player but can’t get a little bit silly when things don’t do his way.

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“I had to tell him to take a drink and calm down after that.”

Mariners coach Graham Arnold insisted he had no problem with Berisha’s aggressive approach.

“That’s Berisha for you … he plays on the edge,” he said.

Arnold welcomed the victory as a milestone for his side.

In their 13 previous visits to Gosford, Brisbane had left with nine wins and four draws.

“The boys made some history today, it was great work,” he said.

“It was a good game and a good spectacle. I’m very proud of my boys.”

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The win was the Mariners’ third from three home games this season and they host Adelaide, who sit two points ahead of them on the ladder, in round nine on Saturday evening in a top-of-the-table clash.

Later that night the Roar play Newcastle in Brisbane.

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