This can only be described as one of the most unbelievable combacks in the history of the
game. On the stats side, the 5-5 scoreline is the highest ever draw score for an Australian
National League match, the previous best being 4-4. The 10 goals scored ties for second,
but is still 3 behind the 10-3 win of Adelaide City over Mooroolbark some years back.
Newcastle came out fighting in the first half and completely dominated their opponents.
In this half the main destroyers were Scott Thomas and Troy Halpin. Halpin provided the first
chance with a cross for Thomas to latch on to. Mautone could only parry and Thomas was just
able to stab the ball across the line under Mautone's hand. Then later Thomas provided the
supplier as Halpin played a one-two with him and then calmly placed the ball past Mautone.
Finally in extra-time, Ralph Maier raced down the left hand side.
He crossed the ball to the near post where Halpin squuezed the ball past Mautone. That gave a
half-time scoreline of 3-0.
I don't think you need to be told what might ave gone on in the Cosmos dressing room and
having heard some stories from previous games, it would not have been for children. Anyway,
Canberra were rather unlucky early on in the second half when a Halpin drive across the
penalty area glanced off John Koch's head and into the top corner with Mautone having absolutely
no chance at all.
It was hear that things started to change towards Canberra. Whether it was some sort of complacency
on Newcastle's part or something else, what was really significant about all of Canberra's
goals was that they all came from shots in the 6-yard box. The main culprit for Canberra
who brought the team back was their top scorer, Paul Wade. Paul scored both of the first
two goals. This brings his total to 11 now and he's still running in the Top 5 scorers in
the league.