Referee: Gerry Connelly (who upset Perth Glory supporters) 7/10 Game score: 8/10 (not great heights but very exciting - total commitment from both teams) Yellow card: Banini MK for time wasting.
Northern Youth League keeper Brad Swancott came into the game as Liam Baker has a virus; Thomas, Austin, Wilson all out, and then Bennett out after an accident just before kick-off left him lying bleeding! MK: ?
Well this is how a side can dominate for 80 mins and lose. Two awful mistakes in the first 3 mins by the re-shuffled Breakers defence and a toughly defending Knights. Pondeljak and Marth both took the chances set up for them by blunders by Pryce, McManus, and Ironside. 0-2 !
For the rest of the first 10 mins the Knights dominated with Pondeljak and A.Cervinski having chances. 17 yr old Swancott had to make good saves. Halpin starts to lift his team and by the 25th min the Breakers are dominating, winning corner after corner. Dogged defence by Melbourne keeps them out. Ironside, then Zane, then Lowe, then Ironside again fail to take the chances.
At the 42 min Zane and MK keeper Didiluca clash, followed by more pressure by the Breakers. Zane takes a nice goal by a header from a cross from the left. 1-2 The cross is an absolute ripper, 35m from Troy Halpin. He should be on the verge of international honours. Pondeljak tries to lead a rally but the whistle blows.
After the break mounting pressure is applied by Newcastle and the Knights backpeddle from the onslaught but defend in depth doggedly. 46 min and an excellent move: Halpin - Lowe - Halpin - over the bar by Ritchie! A great ball from a run by Zane and Roberts is through only to have it smothered. At the other end at the 55 min Marth forces a good save from Swancott.
By the 60th min Glen Sprod's rising involvement starts to 'light up' the park and the pressure on Mk seems irresistable. 70th min, Didiluca makes a save off Zane. Zane replaced by crowd favourite Harry James but to little effect. Major tussles in the middle of the park for control, James heads weakly and despite much more pressure, includng some from MK, and the game runs out at the 90th+ minute.
Best: Newcastle - Sprod, Halpin, Zane (he actually worked)
Knights: Didiluca, Pondeljak, Marth.