Mariners get first win
31/08/2008 7:57 PM
Simon White at Suncorp Stadium
his first touch inside the opening 30 seconds but wasn't called into serious action until the 46th minute, when he came to claim a dangerous looking Miller free kick.
That said, the former Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa stopper would have had some work to do had the Roar enjoyed a little better fortune on its forays forward.
Miller found Michael Zullo with a delightful cutback in the 23rd minute, but the dimunitive winger could not make decisive contact with his shot.
Van Dijk also had a good first-half chance, but his potentially goal-bound right-foot strike hit Central Coast bodies and bounced around the area like a pinball.
The Mariners suffered a major blow in the 12th minute when Ahmad Elrich left the field with what was suspected to be a season-ending knee injury.
Queensland Roar 2 (Miller 69, van Dijk 73)
Central Coast Mariners 4 (Simon 31, Jedinak 48, Macallister 64, 71)
Crowd: 12,185 at Suncorp Stadium.