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Holman likes being a Villan ASTON Villa outcast Brett Wanderlust pays off Holman believes he can work his way back into the side by rolling his sleeves up SOCCER minor premiership race over crowned champions. A Mark ourselves a real chance. It’s a ‘‘The players have proved in the final two months. Central Coast Mariners and Bridge first-half brace and a one-off game, anything can that this week and last week, Holman gave his club ON A weekend that cele- made them the first expan- late 20m missile from Rocky happen,’’ Popovic said. big pressure games, they can manager Paul Lambert brates miracles, it seemed sion club in Australian foot- Visconte sealed the victory, ‘‘But we’ll back ourselves handle it,’’ Popovic said. something to think about only fitting the Western Syd- ball history to win a trophy in sounding the death knell for at home.’’ ‘‘Whether they’ve played scoring a wonderful late ney Wanderers put an excla- their debut season. the Jets’ finals hopes in front Such is the incredible two games or 20, they put that equaliser to pinch two mation point on one of their A feat made even more re- of a season-high crowd of depth of this hurriedly cob- shirt on and they put on a points from group rivals own. markable when you consider 22,518 in Newcastle. bled together squad that Po- true performance and they Oman and earn the Soc- The Wanderers did the un- the club did it with a rookie The Wanderers will be povic was confident handing give it everything they have. ceroos one themselves. believable — securing the coach in at the presented with the Plate in 19-year-old Yianni Perkatis ‘‘That’s all you can ask for It was Holman’s ninth Premier’s Plate in their helm and had only begun be- front of a home crowd in their his debut to replace the in- as a coach.’’ goal in 59 Socceroos appear- maiden A-League season ing assembled three months next match — the first semi- jured Aaron Mooy (knee) in In the revamped finals for- ances and could prove to be with a 3-0 victory over New- before the season kicked off. final on April 12 at Parra- midfield for the crucial game. mat, the top two sides now sit his most important. castle on Friday. Now all they need to do is matta Stadium. The Wanderers were also out the first week of the Relegation-threatened The triumph gave them an win their next two finals ‘‘If we can put on a good missing a host of other key playoffs — a luxury Popovic Villa host Liverpool tonight unassailable lead in the matches and they’ll be performance again we give players on Friday. is grateful to have. and Holman is confident the Birmingham-based club will avoid the drop with eight games left. The 29-year-old faces the possibility of playing Cham- Heart broken pionship football next season with no escape clause in his contract. Having started off the by Mariners season promisingly, Hol- man has been consigned to CENTRAL Coast will carry SCORE mainly substitute appear- plenty of momentum into the ances of late but he has A-League finals series after CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 2 no complaints. beating a 10-man Melbourne (Daniel McBreen 35m pen, Mitchell ‘‘I’m disappointed that I’m Heart 2-1 at Bluetongue Duke 63m) d MELBOURNE HEART not playing but I’ll work Stadium last night. 1 (Richard Garcia 73m) at Bluetongue Stadium. Crowd: 8,271. hard every single day and With the Premier’s Plate Referee: Jarred Gillett. try and work my way back already secured by Western in,’’ Holman said. on Friday, Graham ‘‘It’s disappointing be- Arnold played a severely we’re a better side than what cause every footballer wants under-strength side but the we were last year,’’ he said. to play but that’s the decis- Mariners still inflicted a dis- ‘‘We finished with 54 points ion of the manager. You mal end to a disappointing this season and last year we have to deal with that and season for their opponents. had 51, and we won it (the get on with it. Arnold made seven minor premiership). ‘‘I think we will given the changes to the squad that ‘‘We scored more goals quality of our squad and the beat last week in an than last season and con- run we’ve got in, I think effort to rest key players ceded less goals, and we also we’ll stay up.’’ ahead of their upcoming lost the least amount of hectic schedule. games in the league. The Mariners take on ‘‘It took a side who got 34 Chinese club Guizhou Renhe points out of 36 to beat us Full strength in Gosford on Wednesday over the line, but that’s life,’’ before playing them away on he said of the Wanderers, but on guard April 9 and then hosting their who won a remarkable 11 A-League semi-final a mere games out of the last 12. WITH his best available five days later. For Heart boss John Aloisi, squad to choose from, Ange Daniel McBreen opened the story couldn’t be any Postecoglou has finally con- the scoring last night after more different. ceded that Melbourne Vic- Heart defender Patrick Ger- The Heart are now staring tory have struggled without hardt was sent off for a con- down the barrel of the dread- their big guns. tentious hand ball in the box, ed wooden-spoon in his first But the Victory coach has gifting the Mariners a first- year as head coach, sitting warned against com- half penalty. equal on points with fellow placency against relaxed Mitchell Duke doubled the battlers Wellington. cellar dwellers Wellington hosts’ advantage in the Making matters worse, the Phoenix today at Westpac second half with Richard coach was left fuming after Stadium. Garcia getting a late conso- Gerhardt’s red card, himself , Mark lation for the visitors, scoring sent off for dissent for argu- Milligan and the Heart’s first goal outside ing with the referee — a pen- all return after missing last Melbourne in 499 minutes. alty that could have him sus- week due to international Veteran striker McBreen pended from Heart’s first duty and all are quite fresh now looks on track for the game of next season. for the final regular season golden boot award, scoring ‘‘It was very disappointing match of the campaign. his 17th goal of the season to because we ended up losing ‘‘We haven’t handled the extend his lead at the top of the last five games. With a comings and goings of our the scorers’ list ahead of Well- couple of wins we may have players all that well, but I’m ington’s , been playing next week,’’ a still confident that our who needs to bag at least a dejected Aloisi said. strongest team is a handful double against Melbourne ‘‘Before the red card we for everyone,’’ Postecoglou Victory today to claim the were well and truly in the said. ‘‘We’ve had our chal- prestigious award. game today. lenges over the course of the Arnold was not only left ‘‘I think everyone in the year but we’re certainly pleased with his charges’ stadium saw he didn’t hand- worthy of finishing third. effort yesterday but also with ball it, except the referee. ‘‘The international boys what he feels has been their ‘‘It’s hard not to get upset in are fine, Millsy (Milligan) strongest season. situations like that. If I don’t, didn’t play, Archie didn’t Mariners captain Patrick Zwaanswijk hugs goal scorer Daniel McBreen Picture: LIAM DRIVER ‘‘If you look at the stats, it means I don’t care.’’ play much and Marco only played the first game. ‘‘He (Milligan) is itching to get out and play. He’s dis- appointed not to have start- Grounded Jets short of killer weapon, says coach ed and by all reports felt

good about the way he train- NEWCASTLE coach Gary needed to win to keep alive ‘‘It was very disappointing pre-season and you get back While the Jets were com- PUB: ed. With him and Archie van Egmond was left lament- their playoff hopes. from the fact that we had so on the horse that threw you.’’ pletely outplayed on Friday, NTNE-WS-31-53KGE:MDA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: and Marco back in, it gives ing his side’s lack of killer in- The Jets, who regained much to play for,’’ van Eg- Under-fire coach van Eg- they’ve been exposed numer- us a massive lift. stinct after failing to make marquee man Emile Heskey mond said. mond, who has now failed to ous times through the season. ‘‘It’s been a disappointing the A-League finals for a from a three-week injury lay- ‘‘It’s all about trying to take the Jets to the finals the Van Egmond says if the year for them (Wellington third straight year. off, just couldn’t make any make the finals. past two seasons, knows the Jets are any hope of making Phoenix) but over the last The Jets crashed and real inroads into Wanderers ‘‘It’s a tough one to swal- public will be calling for his the finals next year they need few weeks they’ve probably burned at the hands of a ram- territory to be a genuine low. Everyone’s going to be head but says: ‘‘It’s up to to harness the killer instinct relaxed a bit and played pant Western Sydney, going threat, with the visitors too hurting now for a few weeks. management to make that de- of a team like the Wanderers. their best football. It’s never down 3-0 at Hunter Stadium quick on the counter-attack ‘‘Slowly but surely you’ll cision. I can only keep doing ‘‘What we need to become an easy trip.’’ on Friday — a match they and too strong in defence. start looking forward to the what I’m doing.’’ is ruthless,’’ he said. www.sundayterritorian.com.au Sunday, March 31, 2013. Sunday Territorian. 53