John Crawley – Ray Younis (sent off 85min) – Velimir Kupresak – Eddy Bosnar – Vince Savocca – Nahuel Arrarte – Mario Jermen ( Aytec Genc 85min) – Ante Moric – Tom Pondeljak – Kain Rastall – Joe Moric

Cautions: Savocca (SU) 35 min, A. Moric (SU) 39 min, Vargas (GF) 69 min

Sent Off: Younis (SU) 85 min

Votes: 3 Ante Moric (Sydney United); 2 Robbie Puca (Gippsland Falcons); 1 Velimir Kupresak (Sydney United)

On a perfect evening at Mobil Park, the Gippsland Falcons welcomed a new look Sydney United team high in confidence after their first victory against the Football Kingz the previous week. The Falcons also high in confidence entered the game with an unchanged lineup after the previous week’s impressive encounter with Carlton, and were still without key defender and leader Mehmet Durakovic due to injury.

The game began at a frantic pace with both sides prepared to run hard and close down quickly in an attempt to gain midfield supremacy. The defensive trio of Kupresak, Bosnar and Savocca for United were having little trouble dealing with the Falcons high ball game, while at the other end the Falcons defensive trio of Savage, Gotis and Fak were matching up well with the United forwards.

As the first half progressed the influence of Ante Moric in the Sydney United midfield became more apparent. His ability to find teammates in space and support the forwards was becoming a headache for the Falcons who were finding it difficult to get behind a well-marshalled United defensive trio.

United were having the better of general play, with their free flowing passing game, however the Falcons were putting together better attacking moves drawing some six corners in the first half. Robbie Puca on the left and Doug Marcina on the right for the Falcons were overlapping well and constantly pumping teasing crosses into the United penalty area. The best chance of the half fell to the Falcons when an overlapping run by Marcina resulted in a pin point cross that found Nilo nestled in behind the tall United defenders, but his powerful header went just wide of the United goal.

United looked their most dangerous when ex Melbourne Knights forward, Tom Pondeljak got involved. His battle with Dean Fak was one of the few highlights from the first half, which ended 0-0, the scoreline a fair reflection of the status of play to half time.

The second half began with neither coach making any positional changes and content to try and wear down their opponents. The Falcons forward combination of Nilo and MacNichol were having little luck against a disciplined United defence lead by the "old fox" in Vladimir Kupresek. While the United striking pair of Jerman and Pondeljak were also finding life difficult against their tenacious Falcons markers in Fak and Gotis.

It became more and more apparent that with the two defences well on top, a goal would only come from some midfield creativity or a defensive error. With Ante Moric coming to the fore in midfield it was United that broke the deadlock in the 68 minute with a combination of some loose Falcons defending and great running by Ante Moric to take the chance when it finally came. From one of many Pondeljak runs down the right, the Falcons defence were caught napping when a looping cross which the Falcons keeper Bojo Jevdjevic should have attacked, found Ante Moric at the far post unmarked and he made no mistake to make it 1-0 Sydney United.

The goal resulted in some positional changes by Jeff Hopkins, who brought on the taller Peter Kakos for Nilo up forward, in his first home game appearance for the Falcons after joining from Port Melbourne in the Victorian Premier League in which he was the season’s top scorer. Hopkins also pushed Robbie Puca up into an attacking role in an attempt to get the Falcons back into the game.

The move of Puca into a more attacking role paid dividends for the Falcons when one of his teasing runs drew a foul just outside the United penalty area. Puca proceeded to deliver a low, curling cross which caught the tall United defenders flat footed and saw Dean Fak ghost in at the far post unmarked to tap in his first goal for the club and the equaliser; 1-1.

The Falcons continued to try and create chances for a winner, while United were content to lock the game up and go back home with a well-earned point. The game turned nasty in the last five minutes when United’s Ray Younis was sent off for a late and high tackle on John Hutchinson who was stretched from the ground. To the referee’s credit he handled the situation well and prevented what could have been a nasty end to the match.

In summary, the game never reached any great heights with the respective defences well on top. The best player on the night in my opinion was Ante Moric for Sydney United who looked fit and sharp and back to his form of earlier seasons. Robbie Puca for the Falcons seems to get better each week; his pace and teasing crosses made him a stand out on the night, while the "old fox" Vladimir Kupresak never seems to put a foot wrong and looks like he could play on longer than the great Milan Ivanovic.