National Youth League Round 26

At Southport Tigers, Gold Coast

GOLD COAST UNITED YOUTH 5 (Halloran 9’/54’, Osman 12’/15’, Harold 58’)
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT 0
(match abandoned due to wet weather after 62 minutes – score stands)
HT: 3-0
Referee: Alan Milliner

GOLD Coast United Youth boosted their chances of securing a place in the National Youth League Finals Series with an emphatic 5-0 win over the Australian Institute of Sport at Southport Tigers.

Three points in their one remaining match, an away fixture against Adelaide United Youth next week, should be enough to guarantee Gold Coast a finals place in their inaugural season.

In torrential rain, Gold Coast hit the AIS with a triple salvo inside the opening quarter hour and effectively ended the game as a contest.

From then on it was shooting practice for Mike Mulvey’s side as they enjoyed almost total domination over their southern opponents.

The opening strike came after just 9 nine minutes with some neat build up work involving Tahj Minniecon and James Brown setting up Ben Halloran 20 metres from goal. A steadying touch was all Halloran needed before firing home powerfully to give his side the best possible start.

Brown struck the upright just moments later, but Gold Coast didn’t have to wait long before they doubled their lead. Halloran was fouled on the edge of the box and Matt Osman drilled home the resulting free-kick, giving AIS ‘keeper Aaron Lennox no chance.

From an identical position, Osman added the third with the aid of heavy deflection in the 15th minute as Gold Coast threatened to run riot.

The driving rain failed to relent and neither did United’s hunger for a goal feast. Halloran was heavily involved in most of Gold Coast’s attacks and the youngster should have made it 4-0 before the break. Tidy work again from James Brown engineered the chance, but Halloran side-footed wide with the goalmouth gaping.

Halloran made amends nine minutes into the second period though when he added the fourth for the home side. After a weaving run, the promising youngster finished coolly from just inside the penalty area and double his tally for the afternoon.

Three minutes later Chris Harold made it 5-0 when he lifted the ball over Lennox to register his 14th goal of the campaign and confirm his team’s dominance.

With water pooling all over the pitch and rendering it unplayable, the referee and officials made the tough decision in the 62nd minute to abandon the game in the interests of player safety. The score stood however, giving Gold Coast a vital three points towards their finals quest.

Gold Coast United Youth:
1.Jerrad TYSON [gk] (20.Tim ANDERSON [gk] 60’), 2.Dino DJULBIC (OA), 3.ROBSON (OA), 4.Matt OSMAN (OA), 5.Ben WEARING (15.Richard GREER 60’), 7.James BROWN, 8.Steven LUSTICA (c), 9.Chris HAROLD (10.Callum HARE 60’), 11.Ben HALLORAN, 12.Tahj MINNIECON (6.Mitchell BEVAN 55’), 14.Joshua BRILLANTE.
Unused Subs: Nil.
Yellow cards: Nil.
Red cards: Nil.

AIS:
1.Aaron LENNOX [gk], 2.Trent SAINSBURY, 4.Marc WARREN, 6.Patrick DIXON (12.Melvin BECKET 46’), 9.Stephen DOMENICI, 10.Nikola STANOJEVIC (c), 11.Christopher BUSH, 16.Ryan EDWARDS, 19.Curtis GOOD (17.Kevin DAVISON 55’), 21.Mustafa AMINI, 26.Aaron PETERSON (14.Sam GALLAWAY 55’).
Unused Subs: 20.Paul IZZO [gk].
Yellow cards: Nil.
Red cards: Nil.