Roar hold out desperate Central Coast

The sweet taste of victory finally savoured by an embattled Brisbane Roar was soured
by a long term injury to key midfielder Matt McKay.
Typical of Brisbane's rollercoaster A-League season start, the Roar's celebrations
over their breakthrough 1-0 win over Central Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday
were cut short by the prognosis on McKay.
The former Socceroo faces four to eight weeks on the sidelines with knee ligament
damage.
After setting up skipper Craig Moore for the only goal, McKay hobbled off midway
through the first half after falling awkwardly in a challenge on Pedj Bojic.
Scans on Monday will reveal the full extent of the damage.
In another worry, a record low Suncorp Stadium attendance for a Roar game was
recorded for the second straight week.
A paltry 6,433 wandered into the venue - easily below the previous worst of 7,084
set the week before in Brisbane's disastrous 1-1 draw with Wellington.
At least the majority of the sparse crowd finally left happy - including keen
spectator, Roar coach Frank Farina.
The Brisbane mentor was relegated to a seat in the spacious grandstand after copping
a one game sideline ban for dissent following the heated last round clash.
The reins were left with Rado Vidosic who enjoyed instant success - but not without
some anxious moments.
Indeed all the hallmarks were there for another frustrating result for the Roar.
Like previous weeks, Brisbane dominated early to grab the lead only to let their
opposition keep them honest and threaten a draw.
And the yellow cards kept coming for the A-League's new bad boys.
Matt Mundy, David Dodd and Bob Malcolm were all booked in the second half - boosting
the Roar's tally to 17 yellow cards in four games.
However, when the dust settled, Brisbane emerged with a much more significant stat -
the first win of the season.
"That was extremely important for us," Moore said of Brisbane, now boasting a 1-2-1
win-draw-loss record.
"Hopefully off the back of this win we can grow in confidence and look to get
ourselves slowly up the table."
After demanding his troops to "stand up" in a withering mid-week spray at training,
Moore led by example by opening the scoring in the 11th minute.
Moore's header from a McKay corner eluded Danny Vukovic, giving the Central Coast
gloveman a nightmare start to his 100th game.
But the Mariners keeper recovered magnificently to almost singlehandedly keep the
visitors in the contest despite constant pressure from Charlie Miller and Henrique
Silva.
"It was very similar to previous weeks, we could have gone in three or four-nil up
at halftime and then the game is dead," Moore said.
"If you don't get that second goal you are giving a team a chance.
"So for us I think it is important that we work on finishing teams off."
Meanwhile, Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna lamented the first loss of the season for
the Central Coast (1-2-1 record).
"We put them under some pressure but it was more huff and puff - we were pretty
flat," he said.
On Vukovic, McKinna added: "He had some great saves - he has been in great form all
season."