Melbourne Victory used Melbourne Heart as a stepladder to climb a little closer to the A-League peak, with a pulsating 2-1 derby win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
A delightfully worked first half goal to Archie Thompson and Mark Milligan’s second half penalty capped second-placed Victory’s win as they closed within three points of league leaders Central Coast Mariners.
Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe was perhaps his side’s most important player – three huge first half saves denying the Heart as a frenetic opening 45 minutes swung in the balance.
With the Heart menacing early, Coe was called into action inside six minutes to deny fullback Jeremy Walker.
He produced a gem of a reflex stop from Eli Babalj on 13 minutes, then for the pick of the trio, a diving save high to his left to stop a goalbound Golgol Mebrahtu free-kick just before halftime.
His magnificence between the sticks allowed those outfield to work the necessary magic – midfielder Marcos Flores’ superb turn and chip freeing Thompson on 29 minutes to score and put the Victory ahead.
Both sides had excellent patches of play in the first half, before Victory were handed clear advantage early in the second when Heart midfielder Jonathan Germano manhandled Flores in the box off the ball and was caught out by referee Strebre Delovski.
Milligan hammered home the penalty to the delight of the majority of the 41,203 crowd.
But with the Victory seemingly in control, a neat individual goal from Heart winger David Williams in which he beat two defenders meant a nervous last 17 minutes for the home side.
Heart’s best chance of an equaliser was again created by the lively Williams, whose excellent cross on 76 minutes was headed just wide by Mebrahtu.
Heart goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne also produced two fine saves late in the match to stop the Victory going further ahead.
TomC
Roar Guru
Well well. Whatever could QSAF have said?
clayts
Guest
Seems to me MV fans forget pretty quickly the last two seasons when they couldn't win a game. Fickle
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Er, who made you boss QSAF? A long, long ban is in the offering with these kind of remarks. Heaven forbid, TomC might like two sports.
Ian
Guest
that's what happens when you are playing well. you can win games you might not otherwise do. yeah - the MV arrogance came though there............show MVFC and WSW games.....on behalf of every other team in the A-League ....... NO THANK YOU we already do create vibrant atmospheres. you need to pull your head in and realise people all over australia love football. but you are from Melbourne. you can create your own league and just play derbies with Heart every week. we'll play a proper competition. wow ----MV win a few games and its back to MV are the a-league. actually that's always there. if only you lived in the real world. "show MV games every week" how disgusting would that be? i love flares
Football United
Guest
Surprisingly, I've heard that lemons are good to get a bitter taste out of your mouth :D
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Comment removed.
TomC
Roar Guru
Now that's a strange post. What is an AFL advocate? I'm an AFL supporter, certainly. I'm lucky enough to get a great deal of enjoyment out of two codes of football. Having issues with your blog name? I had no idea you had a blog. Do you mean the pseudonym you use on this site? I don't recall having an issue with it. Anyway, pull your head in. Whatever you think Fuss has said that's upset you it's not a good look to start randomnly slagging off supporters of other clubs. Makes you look nasty and bitter. And frankly it makes you like you don't have anything intelligent to contribute.
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
You fat bastard,Glory Army,We are the Glory(to the tune of Waltzing Matilda),Nah nah nah nah Glory(to the tune of Hey Jude) among many others get sung on Perth Glory match days and have been way before the MV were a twinkle in Frank Lowy's eyes,they don't get sung with much gusto these days but performances on the pitch usually transcend to the stands,and over the 8 year history of the A-League the Glory have performed poorly over all.Perhaps if we jump up and down and mime bad 90's techno hits like you lot do the team might perform better!
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
Is that the Marconi club in you saying that?
Garcia
Guest
Viva The Poznań, Have to laugh at East Sydney Hakoah FC despite having a billionaire owner they still can't buy passion!
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
He doesn't watch too much football he is one of those who stands on the terrace with his back facing the playing field..
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@langou Perhaps, the PER crowd creates a fantastic match-day atmosphere, but my comment was purely aimed at how the home team's atmosphere transmits across the TV waves. And, as someone, who has watched lots of PER's A-League matches on TV, the atmosphere doesn't transmit well. All I hear is a very childish & boring "you fat b**tard" chant from The Shed every thime the oppostiion GK has a goal kick - maybe, that's what Perth resident classify as "pulsating match day atmosphere" but, it does nothing for cultured footbal fans in Melbourne town. ;-)
langou
Roar Guru
How many games have you seen in Perth Garcia?
Garcia
Guest
If Perth Glory has a fair idea why don't glory fans use this "idea" and create a good atmosphere?
langou
Roar Guru
I think with over 17 years of history, Perth Glory have a fair idea on how to create a good atmposphere
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
TomC----just remembered you're an AFL advocate... Are you still having issues with my blog name ?
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
More than you MV supporters I reckon... You can see I'm not a school yard bully like your main MV Cheerleader...
TomC
Roar Guru
Style and class, QSAF? How much do you reckon you're displaying on this thread?
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
We don't light flares they were smoke bombs and not dangerous.. I can't speak for the Roar fans... but I would expect them to only let off smoke bombs as well...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Not sure if you watched MVFC v SFC last week? SFC fans lit several flares during the game. Brisbane fans also lit flares this year. But I expect SFC & Roar fans to be hypocrites.