Queensland Roar gave their fans a something to smile about for their last game at home, when they played an entertaining 2-2 draw at home to Central Coast. In a spiteful affair Spase Dilevski, perhaps harshly, was sent off in the first half.
As is usually the case at Suncorp, the Roar got off to a flyer. But more rarely, the Roar actually converted early. It took only three minutes for Alex Brosque to unleash a powerful strike into the top corner and out of the reach of Danny Vukovic.
With this match proving academic, the Roar kept up the pressure and entertained their home fans with some neat interchange of passing. Only a few minutes later and Brosque hit another superb shot, but this time Vukovic managed to stretch out and put it around for a corner.
Yet for all the Roar's dominance they were caught out by a soft goal. Remo Buess's miss-kick fell straight into the path of Stewart Petrie. The veteran striker didn't need a second invitation and easily placed the ball past Scott Higgins.
The goal sparked both teams into action, but unfortunately the match turned a little sour; A few minutes after the goal Spase Dilevski got involved in a tussle with Wayne O'Sullivan. What looked like a brush with the elbow sent O'Sullivan crashing to the ground. Referee Ben Williams saw malice and sent Dilevski off.
The Roar still tied to push forward but were unable to trouble the Central Coast defence. The Mariners looked as though they were waiting for next week's finals match with Newcastle.
You could have been forgiven for thinking it was the Mariners who had ten men at the start of the second half. The Roar continued their onslaught on the Central Coast goal.
It was substitute Michael Baird who would finish his career in Queensland with a grandstand finish. Baird intercepted the ball, played a one-two with Brosque and slotted past Vukovic to make it 2-1 for the Roar. But many Roar fans would have wished such coolness in front of goal could have been found earlier in the season.
A few minutes later and Baird could have had a second. Vukovic fumbled a shot by Massimo Murdocca, Baird came in for the follow up but his shot rocketed off the post.
The Roar looked in control, but it has been their inability to close out matches, which has hurt them this season. With only ten minutes remaining, Wayne O'Sullivan received the ball after a goalmouth scramble, and whacked his shot home.
It finished the scoring at 2-2, but the 13,000+ crowd cheered the Roar and the end of the game. They will be hoping for a more fruitful next season, while the Mariners now have the finals to look forward too next week.