Mariners lock out the Heart.

By Mark Humphrey

Melbourne Heart was at home taking on the Central Coast Mariners who needed to win to keep in touch with the top 4. From the outset the Mariners made their intentions clear by shutting down the Heart attack as a priority.

Mariners were superb in defence and finished up  winning 2-1 courtesy of goals by Kim Seung-yong right on the half time break and substitute Bernie Ibini at the 76 minute mark.

4 minutes into the game Williams fired off the first shot for Heart which sailed high above the goals. Williams was looking to follow on from last week’s game where he was constructive up forward. Stand in Heart captain Robbie Wielaert was controlling the back half with help from Kisnorbo. Between the two of them they controlled the back half electing where to set up the teams attack forward.

12 minutes in Dugandzic had a half chance to open up the Heart account. Williams was next to line up for the Heart as they lifted the intensity. After breaking clear Williams wrong footed the Mariners defence to clear an avenue into goal with Mariners goalie Justin Pasfield the only obstacle between him and the goals. Williams shot was well high and was a touch disappointing after his clever work to run clear in the first place. The first real golden chance for the Heart was wasted somewhat with Pasfield having to do nothing to keep the ball out.Mate Dugandzic created opportunities up forward for the Heart

With 29 gone Heart had all the play and continually set up forward moves only to see the Mariners shut down any attacking moves with unselfish team instructed defensive play. Dugandzic was creative for the Heart and set up numerous attacks into the strike zone. Engelaar was getting involved and combined with Dugandzic to fire into goal.

The game had lost any sign of a spark as the Mariners played a controlled defensive brand of football denying the Heart any territory in their forward zone. Williams set up Hoffman for a cross which was barely defended by the Mariner’s Pasfield. Although the Heart was determined with their forward attacks the Mariners were simply shutting them down time after time.

Engelaar finally got the home crowd involved when he fired a shot in from his own defensive territory which managed to bounce over Pasfield’s head for Hearts first and only goal of the game at the 33 minute mark. Such was the dominance of the Mariners defence the only way Heart was able to penetrate it was by a super long shot one on one that bounced over the goalie’s head. Either way it was a super shot by Engelaar from outside the halfway line.

Heart had continued attacking looking for their second goal but time and again the Mariners block kept them out. With 1 minute of extra time called in the first half the Mariners cleared the ball down the left hand side passing off to Kim Seung-yong who slowed down the tempo momentarily to get past Jason Hoffman and slot the Mariners 1^st goal. With the half time whistle sounding the teams went into the sheds tied at 1 all.

Melbourne Heart looked to do all the attacking during the half and created numerous half chances and a couple of golden opportunities to score whereas the Mariners looked to shut down the game and set up their attacks creating half the opportunities. Half time statistics had the opposite with the Mariners having the majority of forward play.

Second half action was a mirror of the first half with the Heart desperate to make the play. Ramsay had set up a couple of opportunities for his teammates and took a Dugandzic free which was just kept out by the Mariners defence. Williams followed up for the Heart with a break away down the right hand side to set up a shot on goal. Unfortunately for Williams he couldn’t break the tag and his shot was under pressure resulting in Pasfield having non trouble keeping out the shot. Minutes later Williams was in the action again being on the end of a pin point cross from Dugandzic. His header was easily kept out by Pasfield who was basically flat footed. A bit of angle on the Williams header may have been a different story.

Mariners substitute Bernie Ibini rolled onto the ground with 25 left in the game. 11 minutes later Ibini ran the ball into the box getting it past Heart goalie Andrew Redmayne for the Mariners second goal. Ibini looked silky as he glided across the turn and easily got around Redmayne. The Mariners went 2-1 up and although the Heart kept on with the attack the result never changed with the Mariners winning the game and moving into 3^rd on the A-League ladder.

It was a good attacking effort put up by the Heart but the yearlong problem of not having a couple of quality strikers was evident once again. They have plenty of guys who set things up and Williams is one of the best but there is nobody on the end of the play. Wielaert and Kisnorbo were solid across the back half with support from Germano. Engelaar was awarded Heart’s man of the match if for nothing else his super downtown shot that finished up being Heart’s only goal.Robbie Wielaert (above) and Patrick Kisnorbo (below) were solid for the Heart in defence.

With 3 games remaining the Melbourne Heart will no doubt be still in there having a dip as they have all year.