GET CRACKING, ROAR
FOOTBALL: Brisbane’s players have been told it’s up to them to find the spark to end their run of slow A-League starts.
The Roar host Central Coast at Suncorp Stadium this afternoon as the only team in the competition yet to score in the first half of a match in the 2019-20 season.
Their solitary win against Melbourne City a fortnight ago was a 4-3 comeback after being 2-0 down at the break.
It would seem last weekend’s loss to Wellington, where the previously winless Phoenix used Steven Taylor’s 10th minute opener to set them on their way to a 2-1 win, was the final straw for Roar coach Robbie Fowler.
“Let’s face it, it’s taken us to a go a goal down, two goals down before we start,” Fowler said.
“That can’t happen all the time. We know we need to do better in certain areas and that’s one of them.
“A lot of it is the players. We can give them as much motivational talk as we want, as much tactics as we want, but as soon as they cross over the white line on to the pitch then it’s up to them.”
The Roar have just one win and two draws from six matches so far but today’s game will be just their second at Suncorp Stadium this season.
Defender Scott Neville accepts
Fowler’s challenge and is hopeful a return to Suncorp will help the Roar find their form.
“We need to start bright and we need to start sharp,” Neville said. “Hopefully this can be the game which really kickstarts our season and propels us into the new year.”
The Mariners, who haven’t beaten the Roar in the past 15 A-League clashes between the clubs, head north buoyed by their first clean sheet in 39 A-League matches in their 1-0 win over Western United last weekend.
New recruit Jair won’t travel as he builds up his match fitness but otherwise the Mariners head to Brisbane with an unchanged squad. The Roar are also untroubled by injury.
In other round-eight games, Newcastle will host Western Sydney tonight, and tomorrow competition newcomers Western United take on Sydney FC, and Adelaide play Wellington.