Shane Smeltz has a slim lead in the goal-scoring figures. Photo / Dean Purcell
The golden glow surrounding newcomers Gold Coast United has become somewhat tarnished - off and on the field - as the A-League hits the season's halfway point.
Led by goal-grabbing Shane Smeltz, the rookie franchise quickly showed out as the team to beat.
Now they have dropped back to third
place - five points back of leaders Sydney FC who they face in the match of the round at Skilled Park on Saturday. Smeltz, too, is coming back to the field after threatening to race away with a second successive golden boot. At one time he had scored more goals than any of the other teams in the Hyundai A-League. His lead has been trimmed to two from Robbie Fowler.
There are other concerns for the franchise. The pathetic crowd of just 2616 who turned up in Robina on Saturday will have alarm bells ringing.
On the field Gold Coast matched Fowler's North Queensland side in most statistics but their failure to turn their 55 per cent share of possession into goals saw them slump to their fifth loss of the season and leave them, for the first time, with a minus goal differential.
It was much the same story for the Wellington Phoenix in losing 3-1 to Sydney. After a shaky start - losing goalkeeper Mark Paston to a hip injury and falling 0-3 behind inside 35 minutes - the Phoenix rallied to finish with 55 per cent of possession and trail the shot count just 12-13.
Maybe there was not enough "mongrel" in their performance. They gave up just five fouls while the home side conceded 19. Sydney had four players yellow-carded, the Phoenix just Vince Lia.
Melbourne Victory had an early helping hand in their 2-1 away win over Perth Glory when Chris Coyne conceded a fifth-minute own goal. The home side, playing in front of more than 10,000 fans at the Members Equity Stadium, got back to 1-1 within 15 minutes when Mile Sterjovski scored. Carlos Hernandez grabbed the winner in the 69th minute.
Newcastle Jets went ahead after 32 minutes through Labinot Haliti but that joy was short-lived when they conceded a hand ball penalty four minutes later. Sergio van Dijk hit home from the spot.
Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United drew 0-0 in Gosford.
