Weekend Wrap - Round 18

The festive cheer was in abundance around the Hyundai A-League this week, with Australian football fans treated to some magnificent entertainment to end 2007 on a high note.

The festive cheer was in abundance around the Hyundai A-League this week, with Australian football fans treated to some magnificent entertainment to end 2007 on a high note. Two clubs experienced record attendances for matches in the A-League and saw the one millionth spectator for the season come through the gates in record time; there was a record number of goals (21) for a round scored; all four away teams won for only the second time since the Hyundai A-League started; and we have a new leader of the competition, the first time they have led the Hyundai A-League in their history.

Results - Round 18 Adelaide United 1 lost SYDNEY FC 3 Newcastle Jets 2 lost WELLINGTON PHOENIX 3 Perth Glory 1 lost QUEENSLAND ROAR 4 Central Coast Mariners 2 lost MELBOURNE VICTORY 5

Game Wraps This match was shaping as once of the most crucial of the season - 4th against 5th - which could spell the end of a season for one or the other. Adelaide, struck down with injuries and form a little shaky, were also taking this game to a new home at Adelaide Oval, where 25,309 fans turned out in force, thus setting a new record for a domestic football match in South Australia. Unfortunately though, it wasn-t going to be an enjoyable one for many, despite Kristian Sarkies getting Adelaide off to a good start with the opening goal after 20 minutes. It turned sour after 33 minutes, when defender Robert Cornthwaite tugged at Alex Brosque-s arm as he was clean through and was subsequently sent off. Then came the cruelest blow, when Brendan Santalab scored a brilliant goal, with a curling shot from outside the edge of the area, a minute before half time. The second half saw Sydney take control and Steve Corica made it 2-1 after 54 minutes and the match was settled 12 minutes later by Robbie Middleby. The win saw Sydney jump to third and Adelaide slip down to fifth and hoping for results to go their way.

The result Adelaide was wishing for was in the next match of the round at EnergyAustralia Stadium, where it needed Wellington Phoenix to get something from their clash with Newcastle Jets and that-s exactly what they did. Even better, Wellington won 3-2 thanks to two quick goals after half time. It was Wellington that took the lead after 16 minutes, when Shane Smeltz was quickest to react from close range, after former Jet Vaughan Coveny has hit the bar with his attempted shot. Mark Bridge leveled it though from the spot after he was brought down by Glen Moss in the penalty area. The match was turned on its head in three crazy minutes, shortly after the break, when Michael Ferrante fired home from the edge of the box and Kristian Rees headed home to give Phoenix a two-goal buffer. Scott Tunbridge, getting a rare start, pulled a goal back with a good header with just less than ten minutes remaining to give Jets fans some hope, but Phoenix held on and kept their slim finals hopes alive.

Perth Glory was looking to start a three-game home run with a much needed win after its success before Christmas in Sydney. However up against Queensland Roar, who were looking to go equal top, this was not going to be an easy task and so it proved to be, with Roar running out comfortable 4-1 winners. It was Perth however that opened the brighter of the two and made all the running in the opening half hour. Just when things were looking good for the home side, came the classic sucker-punch, not once but twice, when firstly Robbie Kruse was put through by Tahj Minniecon and Kruse no made mistake with his shot. Then it was Reinaldo-s turn just before half time, drilling home a low shot past Tando Velaphi and give Roar a two-goal lead that their play had hardly deserved. Nick Rizzo gave Glory fans hope in the 57th minute, when he scored with a powerful shot from 12 yards, but within two minutes, Roar had regained their two-goal advantage, when Minniecon pounced on a mistake by Velaphi and James Downey and squeezed his shot inside the near post. The match was sealed after 74 minutes, when substitute Josh McCloughan headed home a Matt McKay free kick, the result leaving Roar exactly with the same record as Central Coast at the top of the table.

Having witnessed a nine-goal thriller just days before Christmas, Mariners fans were hoping for much the same but with a different result. Defending champions Melbourne Victory, have had a miserable year, especially in front of goal and so what followed left everyone at the ground shell-shocked. With a new record crowd of 18,686 jammed into Bluetongue Stadium, it was Melbourne that opened the scoring when Adrian Caceres pounced a poor back pass header by Damien Brown, to lob the ball over a stranded Matthew Trott. That lead was doubled after 24 minutes by Danny Allsopp, who headed powerfully home from a Caceres cross. Mile Jedinak brought a goal back for the home side, with an outstanding strike from distance that left Michael Theoklitos rooted to his spot, but in an action-packed first half the goals didn-t stop their and Archie Thompson quickly had Melbourne two goals again with a brilliant finish. To rub further salt into the wounds, Thompson won a penalty after being brought down by Tony Vidmar and Kevin Muscat, as is the norm, didn-t miss from the spot. Allsopp extended its lead to 5-1 when set up by Thompson, but within two minutes, John Aloisi brought it back to 5-2 and give Mariners some hope. The Mariners threw everything they had at Victory and could quite easily have added several more goals, but Melbourne hung on for a deserved win and also keep their slim finals hopes alive and knocked off the Mariners from top spot.

Highlights & Lowlights 21 goals from four games is nothing to sneeze at, although for the majority of fans most would have rathered the goals from their side and not the away teams. Over 25,000 went to the one-off game at Adelaide Oval, while for the second successive home game at Bluetongue Stadium, a record crowd was in attendance, which can only mean that fans can-t get enough of the Hyundai A-League.

>Weekend Goals Tally: 21 (Hyundai A-League record for most goals in a round)

Card Count: 24 yellows - 1 red

Attendance/Average: 68,446 / 17,112 (passed one million spectators for season in record time)

Goal of the Week From 21 there are bound to be some beauties and there was. Mile Jedinak-s was a terrific shot, but this week Sydney FC-s Brendan Santalab gets the nod. Getting the ball wide near the left corner of the penalty area, Santalab dummied and cut back onto his right foot and from just outside the box, curled a delightful shot to the far post that was inch perfect into the top corner. It was also timely and would have sunk the spirits of the Adelaide players going into the half time break.

Player of the Week Has been a tough year for last years Golden Boot winner Danny Allsopp , but his two goals and assist for Thompson against the Mariners, was his best for the year and will boost his confidence heading in the AFC Champions League that begins in March.

One to Watch Frank Farina has his critics, but there is one thing you can never accuse him of and that-s he doesn't give youngsters a go. So far Michael Zullo and Robbie Kruse have emerged as genuine talents and on Sunday night in Perth, we saw the arrival of Tahj Minniecon . Starting for the first time, the 18-year-old, set up the opening goal for Kruse with a perfect pass and then pounced and finished with a terrific shot that knocked the sails out of Perth, when it looked like they might come back into the game.

Leading Goalscorers 9 - Joel Griffiths (NJ), Shane Smeltz (WP) 6 - Alex Brosque (SFC), Jamie Harnwell (PG), Reinaldo (QR), Sasho Petrovski (CCM), John Aloisi (CCM) 5 - Archie Thompson (MV), Danny Allsopp (MV)