The last home game promised a tough battle for the wooden spoon. With daylight saving gone the NYL game finished after nightfall with a 3-1 win the the Breakers (top 6 chance), and it meant a perfect night for football. Canberra came with 3 ex Breakers, former crowd favourite Harry James, Andy Roberts (also ex Marconi), and Damian Brown. As anticipated the first two played out of their skin against their old club and more importantly their old coach John Kosmina. With Raul Blanco being in a box running his rule over some players it was hoped for plenty of commitment.
The first half started slowly but it was soon clear that Canberra were not there to be pretty and Con Diomis started handing out yellows to them very early on. After 10 minutes the Breakers got some rythm and for the next twenty played some good football with out success (nor importantly really troubling Giannasca in the Cosmos goal). Clacka Zane and Tolenare were being held well with Roberts troubling the Olyroo. Clacka broke through in the 12nd min and Harry James kicked out his foot to bring him down in the box. The penalty was well taken by captain Pryce. The rest of the half saw little action from Canberra but no real chances from the Breakers.
The second half saw Canberra pick up tempo and the Breakers fall away. Canberra made some chances especially to James and Buljan but Swancott was erqual to them. At the 59 min Zane waltzed through and clipped by a Cosmos player made a very clear fall. The free kick just out of the area was taken by ex AIS captain Eddie Bosnar and his kick bent around the wall and then moved away to beat the keeper. 2-0 Whether it was complacency or what, the Breakers lost all cohesion and despite having Perinovic sent off for a 2nd card after a brutal challnge on Swancott they were on top. It was no surprise then when from a Juric corner an unmarked Peter Buljan who slotted the ball home past an exposed Swancott. Canberra could have equalised but the game ran out to a srappy affair marred by so many cards.
With the wooden spoon probably avoided Newcastle will have to re-organise to beat UTS Olympic in their last season game next week. The future of Kosmina, many players, and the club's future hang in the balance. Will Collins sell and piss off, or stay and piss everone else off?