Queensland Roar huffed and puffed but couldn't blow down the Newcastle United Jets goal, and as he always does, Joel Griffiths somehow found the winner at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
The Round 5 Hyundai A-League clash promised plenty with the visit of Queensland's bogey team, the champions, but the game didn't really deliver until the visitors' 82nd minute winner.
Queensland Roar had the better of a scrappy first half. Both coaches would have seen plenty to talk to their teams about at half time. Queensland started without much cohesion and grew into their game during the half. Newcastle started cautiously and conservatively and were gradually bustled off the ball.
Queensland's modus operandi is always to play an up-tempo game in front of their impatient home supporters, and try to defend from the front. The micro midfield of McKay, Murdocca and Tiatto had plenty of bite in the tackles, as usual, and Newcastle seemed to lose heart and composure as the half wore on. But with nothing to show for it, Newcastle were still well in the hunt for at least an away point.
The Newcastle strike force has been self-critical in recent weeks, with no goals in their last two games. But supply to the forwards was in short supply, with little time and space in midfield. Joel Griffiths was dropping deep to receive the ball, often creating congestion in the midfield.
Newcastle looked most dangerous when Jin-Hyung Song had the ball at his feet in wide positions, and looked to link up with Griffiths or Holland. But few chances came Newcastle's way. Their best opportunity was very early, in the 7th minute, when James Holland's dribble penetrated into the penalty box, but his attempted cutback cross was picked off by the Queensland defenders.
Queensland, on the other hand, just couldn't get started until about the 20th minute. McKay and Miller couldn't find any targets forward, and there was precious little width to Queensland's attack. Their only early chance came from pressure, as McKay chased through a back pass that Daniel Piorkowski had left short. McKay and Covic converged on the ball and though McKay was first in, he couldn't sneak it pass the big fella who got down quickly to make the save.
Four minutes later was Queensland's best chance of the half, when Van Dyk and Murdocca combined to set Massimo free down the right. Van Dyk hustled into the box and was rewarded by getting a good header on the Murdocca cross. It brought an even better save from Ante Covic, saving his side for a second time.
The better chances continued to go Queensland's way. In the 33rd minute, Mcatt McKay cut in from the right touchline onto his left foot, and floated in a cross that eluded Newcastle's defenders and came to Sergio Van Dyk at the far post. Van Dyk took one touch to control, but then blasted his half volley way over, admittedly from a tight angle.
After the break, Queensland still looked the most likely to break the deadlock. It was only the 46th minute when McKay set off on a teasing run, threatening to slide the pass to Murdocca, but then flicking the ball to the far post, where an air-borne Charlie Miller launched himself at the header. Covic did well to palm the ball away.
With the game still deadlocked, Farina brought on his young guns, Michael Zullo and Tahj Minniecon, for Reinaldo and Danny Tiatto.
Within seconds, Zullo had a low shot that brought a good save from Covic, and Minniecon had a penalty shout denied. The crowd were in the game more than ever. Edmundo Zura was brought on for Newcastle as both sides pressed for the win.
In the 72 minute, Tahj Minniecon surged forward at high speed with the ball at his feet, committing the Newcatle defenders. A defender lunged forward, Minniecon went down, the ball ran free, but referee Craig Zetter was absolutely unmoved.
In the 77 minute, Massimo Murdocca looked up and slid a beautifully angled ball through for Charlie Miller, who seemed certain to score, but just didn't quite find the right angle for his shot, and once again covic picked him off.
The gamebreaker was coming. But who or what would it be?
Newcastle were still dangerous on the break with fresh legs in the shape of Zura and the always hard working Joel Griffiths. Queensland had the weight of possession, the inventiveness of Miller and the speed of Zullo and Minniecon.
In the 82nd minute, Newcastle pressure lead to a corner on the left. Reddy came for it and missed, and in the subsequent goalmouth scramble, Joel Griffith was quickest to react and he scuffed the ball into the goal off the bottom of his boot. 1-0.
12,103 fans roared their disapproval at everything after that … every whistle, every pass, but they couldn't get their home team to equalise.
A colleague sent me a text with a couple of minutes to go: "So sick of this; every %$&#@! game the same story." I couldn't disagree, and a post-match interview with Roar skipper Craig Moore told a similar story of his anger and frustration at the performance his team put forward on a night when national coach Pim Verbeek came along to watch.
So Newcastle continue their hold over Queensland, through the excellence of Ante Covic in goal, the inability of Queensland to finish clinically, and the incredible ability of Joel Griffiths to always find a winner against the Roar.