GIPPSLAND FALCONS 1(Vargas 66)
PARRAMATTA POWER 1(Laybutt 23)

"It was a hard game", was how Parramatta Power coach Dave Mitchell described his team's exciting tussle with Gippsland Falcons on Saturday night at Morwell. There was certainly little to choose between the teams throughout the encounter, and a draw always looked a likely outcome.

Although the match was dominated by very solid defences, there were extended periods of exciting end-to-end football that stirred the vocal crowd. And two cracking goals that brought the game to life when it twice threatened to be reduced to a dour struggle.

The contest started slowly, with the teams testing each other for weaknesses. Both seemed happy to move forward through long high passes, which were invariably quickly cut out by efficient defensive work. Tackles were hard, but mostly fair, although Manny Gotis (Falcons) and Jacob Burns (Power) both took heavy knocks in the first ten minutes.

Steve Laybutt in particular looked very comfortable on the ball, and as the game settled down he took several opportunities to move forward and test out the Falcons' midfield. But it was the Falcons who looked most dangerous, with striker Igor Mandic proving a handful for the Power defenders. Three times in quick succession Mandic went close to scoring, including a quick-thinking lob over the goalkeeper's head that went just wide of the goal. Mehmet Durakovic drew a fine save from Power keeper Mike Gibson with a powerful shot from 30 metres out.

Just when the Falcons looked likely to take control of the game, Laybutt stopped them in their tracks with a superbly taken goal in the 23^rd minute. A quick forward thrust by Power's Walter Ardone found Jacob Burns on the right wing. Burns' cross was cleared for the Falcons by Doug Marcina, only for Laybutt to smash a left-foot volley straight into the roof of the net from a good 25 metres out. The mix of audacity and arrogance with which the young Socceroo took the chance clearly stunned the crowd and the Falcons players, and Gippsland were very much on the back foot for several minutes afterwards.

Parramatta threatened to run away with the match, with Ardone, Burns and David Barrett forcing the ball forward relentlessly. But Falcons gradually regrouped, with some inspirational play from Durakovic, Clayton Bell and Andy Vargas. Vargas in particular began to get control of the midfield, and he went very close to scoring with a shot from outside the penalty area that left keeper Gibson flat-footed, only to see the ball curl onto the post and bounce clear. Then a jinking run by Vargas put Brian MacNicol through to shoot just wide of the goal.

The remainder of the first half was flowing and entertaining soccer. Power favoured the right side, mounting most of their challenges through Burns and Barrett. Falcons used both wings effectively, with Robbie Puca, John Henderson and Marcina keen to take on a defender to create an advantage.

Power brought on Joel Griffiths for Ardone straight after half-time, and most of their attacking moves were then aimed at utilising his phenomenal pace. Parramatta forward Mile Sterjovski had been well covered by Gippsland's Dean Fak, and the Power forward play began to look very predictable. Their most exciting moments were from Richard Plesa, who seemed to be on a shoot-on-sight mission, striking several powerful shots from well outside the penalty area.

Gippsland however were keen to run straight at the Power defence, with Mandic again going close to scoring. Then in the 66th minute, Vargas intercepted a Power clearance near the half way line, and charged down the centre of the ground. Seizing on a small opening in the Power defence, he calmly slotted a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. Within a minute, Gippsland almost snatched the game when Mandic latched onto a sharp cross from Puca to the near post, but headed just wide.

Parramatta had seemed to want to close the game out, systematically getting plenty of players back into defence as soon as Gippsland took possession. However, Vargas' goal stimulated another period of end-to-end play, but despite a series of goal-mouth scrambles, neither side was able to create a clear-cut chance at goal. In an effort to break the deadlock, Falcons brought on Juan Nilo for Mandic, and Power used Danny Townsend to replace Sterjovski.

Vargas and Steve Berry (Power) both went close late in the second half, and Nilo threatened to break through on a couple of occasions without actually getting a clear shot on goal. The game ended with both sides still pushing hard for a winning goal.

Vargas and Laybutt were outstanding. Laybutt has that touch of class that invariably sees him at ease when in possession, and he always looked dangerous when going forward. Vargas created enthusiasm and energy in the Falcons midfield, and just shaded Man of the Match because of the way he inspired his team-mates when the chips were down.

After the game, Falcons' coach Jeff Hopkins said that his team still lacked a finishing touch, despite a lot of recent work on that area of their game. He felt that it was vital that Falcons got something out of the match, and the performance gave them something to build on.

Dave Mitchell was happy with Parramatta's performance, given that "no-one takes Gippsland lightly playing here", but was disappointed to draw after leading one-nil because victory would have put Power into the top six.

Based on this performance, Parramatta looked like a team that will be thereabouts come finals time. A strong defence is supported by a competent midfield, but the one-dimensional nature of their route to goal was unexpected. In fact most of the more exciting and creative forward moves came from defence via Laybutt, Plesa and Barrett. But given that they obviously saw this as a very tough away game, the strategy may have simply reflected a determination not to lose.

Falcons have developed a compelling mix of youth and experience which bodes well for the future, providing they can discover that right combination of luck and brilliance that turns possession into goals.

Gippsland Falcons: Jevdjevic, Fak, Gotis, Durakovic, MacNicol, Vargas, Bell, Puca, Hutchinson, Marcina, Mandic (Nilo 70). [Not used: Savage, Robertson]

Parramatta Power: Gibson, Barrett, Eagleton, Plesa, Burns, Ardone (Griffiths 46), Sterjovski (Townsend 83), Berry, Laybutt, Byrnes, Gibson. [Not used: Blagojevic]

Yellow cards:

Falcons - Puca (4), Hutchinson (86)

Power - Gibson (43), Burns (90)

Referee: Gerry Connolly

Best -

Andy Vargas (Gippsland)

Steve Laybutt (Parramatta)

David Barrett (Parramatta)