Melbourne Heart have moved into second place on the National Youth League ladder after a stunning second-half double to skipper Joshua Groenewald helped them victory.
Melbourne Heart have moved into second place on the National Youth League ladder after a stunning second-half double to skipper Joshua Groenewald helped them to a 3-0 victory over Central Coast at Tuggerah on Saturday afternoon.
Adding insult to injury for the Mariners was the sending off of their striker Adam Kwasnik for dissent.
Kwasnik was given his marching orders in the 34th minute when he disputed a goal kick ruling from the near side linesman as the hosts sought reward in a match they had dominated up to that point.
The goals for the vistors came via Stefan Mauk (42nd minute) and skipper Groenewald who struck in the 60th minute and again in the 78th courtesy of brilliant free kick.
Heart goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, playing against his old side, kept his new team in the contest, particularly in the first half, as the Mariners failed to capitalise on their possession during a match played in slight rain.
Redmayne was forced into some important saves early after attempts from Patrick Dixon (third minute) and Mile Sterjovski (13th minute) both threatened the Heart goal.
Tomislav Cirjak forced a double save out of Redmayne after rattling the crossbar in the 27th minute and attempting another goal in the same phase of play.
Kwasnik’s dismissal, which followed another Mariners attempt on goal, changed the complexion of the match.
Mauk’s ice-breaker followed in the 42nd minute as he struck a sweet shot from the left hand channel just inside the penalty box.
The Heart extended their lead in the second half through skipper Groenewald’s strike which nestled in the net after striking the right hand and left Mariners shot-stopper David Bradasevic standing in disbelief.
Bradasevic was left lamenting again in the 78th minute when Groenewald’s free kick from 25 metres out on a slight angle seemed to go in almost untouched despite the keeper’s best efforts.
The current ladder leaders were profligate in the second half, wasting a raft of free-kick and open-play opportunities.
Melbourne Heart 3 (Mauk 42, Groenewald 60, 78)
Central Coast Mariners 0
Central Coast Mariners: 1.David Bradasevic (gk), 3. Michael Neill 5. Hayden Morton, 8 Adrian Pellegrino (2. Nikola Stanojevic 61), 10. Tomislav Cirjak (6. Daniel Bragg 46), 11. Patrick Dixon, 13. Brent Griffiths, 16. Zachary Anderson, 17. Anthony Caceres, 18 Adam Kwasnik, 19 Mile Sterjovski (14. Jordan Crighton 61)
Melbourne Heart: 16 Andrew Redmayne (gk), 2.Jeremy Walker, 3. Samuel Mitchinson, 4. Steve Gray 5. David Vrankovic, 6. Joshua Groenewald (c), 7. Ersin Kaya (11. William Abbot 61), 8. Paulo Retre, 10. Stefan Mau, 14. Andrew Mullet (12. Jonatan Germano 46), 15. Nicholas Epifano (9. Zac Walker 61)
