Mariners outlast Roar at Bluetongue

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Tight contest ... The Mariners grabbed the winner inside the final 10 minutes. Source:News Limited

Central Coast finally ended one of the A-League's longest hoodoos when they defeated arch-rivals Brisbane Roar 2-1 at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday.

Two-time champions Roar had previously not lost a game in 13 starts in seven seasons at the venue.

The Mariners' winner, which extended their unbeaten streak to five, came in deserved fashion in the 81st minute when Tomas Rogic volleyed home after Michael McGlinchey had cleverly kept in an Oliver Bozanic free kick.

Young gun Rogic constantly terrorised the Brisbane defence and was clearly the best player on the park until he was replaced in the 87th minute.

Mariners striker Bernie Ibini's header in just the fourth minute had been cancelled out by a rare Massimo Murdocca strike in the 32nd minute before a crowd of 9,084.

On a day that temperatures reached into the low 30s, the Mariners started the game in blistering fashion when Ibini scored from a pinpoint cross from Pedj Bojic.

After Rogic had prized apart the Brisbane defence further upfield, Bojic sent a lovely cross from the right of the box to Ibini to head in from the left for his second goal of the season.

It looked like the goal might be a double whammy for the visitors as captain Matt Smith went down with a leg injury in the lead-up. But he slowly recovered to resume his place in the Brisbane defence.

With conditions better suited to the Roar they were enjoying the majority of possession but it was the Mariners who were pressing the issue most.

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And they almost went two goals ahead when Rogic hit the woodwork in the 19th minute from a Joshua Rose cross.

With the Mariners looking for their third home win in as many starts it was the visitors who scored next to tie things up 1-1 in the 32nd minute.

A short corner taken from Thomas Broich caught the Mariners napping as Murdocca lined up a sweet strike from three metres outside the box to beat goalkeeper Matt Ryan for just his third goal since the start of the A-League.

The game then threatened to explode two minutes later with Besart Berisha at the heart of the drama.

The Roar striker executed a clumsy late challenge on John Hutchinson, then when the Mariners captain reacted, Berisha launched what appeared to be an attempted headbutt as a scuffle between the two teams ensued.

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Berisha was lucky to stay on the field and was given a yellow card by referee Chris Beath. Daniel McBreen, who rushed in to back up his captain, was also shown yellow.

In the testing conditions the game settled down after that until the latter stages when Matthew Jurman (80th), Hutchinson (87) and Mitch Nicholls (90) were all yellow carded.

Mariners coach Graham Arnold said his improving side were ready to prove themselves against Adelaide United next weekend.

"We are really looking forward to the top of the table clash," he said.

"The next few weeks will be very interesting with all the Socceroos players missing. It is a test of depth for all clubs.

"It is going to be a tight competition. We spoke before the year about how important it is to win your home games and we have won three from three so that is nine out of nine points."

Check out the goals and stats at Match Centre!

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SA on top after day three at MCG

In form ... Putland (C) grabbed three wickets to put the Redbacks right on top. Source: News Limited

South Australia are poised for their first Sheffield Shield win at the MCG since 1998 after a 10-wicket performance from swing bowler Gary Putland.

SHEF - Melbourne Cricket Ground

23 November 2012 - Day 3, Session 3

Victoria 2nd Innings

P. Handscomb	32	80	5	0	40
J. Hastings	10	40	1	0	25

Victoria will resume on Monday's final day on 6-86, requiring another 11 runs to make the Redbacks bat again.

South Australia had reduced the Bushrangers to 6-41 before a stubborn seventh-wicket stand of 45 between John Hastings (10 not out) and Peter Handscomb (32 not out) in 68 minutes.

Putland - who took 7-64 off 36 overs in Victoria's first innings - claimed the key scalps of Glenn Maxwell (0), David Hussey (six) and Cameron White (0).

The left-armer has proved almost impossible to score from, with figures of 3-14 from 15 overs.

Victoria's 6-41 was their third-worst start in a Shield match at the MCG. Paceman Chadd Sayers (3-25) dismissed Victoria's top order of Chris Rogers (two), Ryan Carters (three) and Aaron Finch (16).

Earlier, former Test opener Phil Hughes hit a superb 158 in South Australia's 443.

Callum Ferguson (73) and 18-year-old Travis Head (66) both made half-centuries for the Redbacks who had resumed on 2-244 in reply to Victoria's 346.

Hastings claimed 5-66 including 3-0 in five deliveries.

The 17-Test batsman Hughes has raced to the top of the Shield run-scoring table with 510 runs at 56.66 to keep his name in the minds of Test selectors.

Off-spinner Maxwell picked up the last four wickets to finish with a career-best 4-42.

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Bozza's Save of the Week R8

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Great save ... Paston pulled off a fine block against the Glory. Source:AAP

Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Mark Paston has taken out Mark Bosnich's Save of the Week for round eight of the A-League with a fine block against Perth Glory.

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Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert was thrilled with four points from back-to-back games on the road and he had Paston to thank from the clash with the Glory.

"When the ball is around your body like that it takes a long time sometimes to go all the way down with your hands," Bosnich said.

"You just have to use your feet – great save from Paston."

The Phoenix will look to keep their two-match unbeaten run alive when they host Western Sydney Wanderers at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

Was there a better save in the A-League this week? Have your say below!

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'Brisbane can't rest on laurels'

Leading the line ... Thompson (R) says it was tough work playing with ten men. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

Fox Sports' Mark Bosnich is joined by Melbourne Victory forward Archie Thompson to review round eight of the A-League, with the Socceroos hitman saying Brisbane Roar can't rest on being the league's benchmark team any more.

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Sydney FC 1 defeated by Adelaide United 2 at Allianz Stadium

Archie: Dario Vidosic is playing as well as I've seen. His confidence levels are through the roof. He's playing some great football and I think Adelaide wouldn't be as successful as they are at the moment without the likes of Dario playing the type of football that he is. His link-up play, his willingness to go at players, he has been fantastic. Someone like him for supporters to watch week in, week out, it's great.

Bozza: Everybody that's involved knows that decisions need to be made at Sydney FC. They have been left a little bit up the creek with manager Ian Crook resigning like that. They don't want to look as though they're desperate, but on the flip side of that coin they need to get somebody in as soon as possible. A good thing to bear in the back of the mind in this situation is it's better to pay a little bit more for something once, than having to pay a lot three or four times to get it right. That's probably why there's a little bit of a delay.

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Melbourne Heart 3 draw with Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park

Bozza: Newcastle can't afford to start off games like this. They were fortunate really that the game wasn't over by half-time. Melbourne Heart had a few other chances to basically put the game beyond them. It's a little bit similar to what happened to Melbourne Heart against Wellington. But then Craig Goodwin coming on for the Jets, he's their man and has been all season, along with Emile Heskey. It changed the game for them. They got back into it, then conceded again but showed great character and that's what you must do. You're not going to play well for 27 games over the whole season, so there's times when you don't play well that you have to fight and scrap and make sure you find a way of getting something out of that game.

Archie: I think Newcastle showed great character coming back. To be 2-0 down away from home, you'd have thought that'll be the match. If you've got a good blend of experience and youth you're going to go far.

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Western Sydney Wanderers 0 defeated by Melbourne Victory 2 at Parramatta Stadium

Archie: With just ten men we had to cover a fair bit more ground. The way we play is we like to hold two strikers out wide and up high, and that's where we start most of our attacks from. Going a man down we had to change that, and we had to tuck in a little bit more. The advantage was to Western Sydney so they pushed on a lot more and we had to get back and defend, but whenever we got the opportunity to break and attack we did it with purpose. We weren't going to get many opportunities, and we knew that, so the ones that we did get we had to make count.

Bozza: The last three games there's been ten men, we've had two wins from the ten men and a draw. Wanderers lost it a bit when the man was sent off. I think a lot of it has to do with the way their team is set up. They're actually more suited to playing away from home. I think they are caught a little bit between a rock and a hard place when they play at home and they do have to come out and play, it's against the way that they've been set up to play.

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Perth Glory 1 draw with Wellington Phoenix 1 at nib Stadium

Bozza: Perth aren't quite there at the moment. I don't know quite what it is with Perth, but if you look back 12 months they had a similar start to the season. People were calling for manager Ian Ferguson's head. It was a cracking game, I must say that, but I'm disappointed that Perth can't really find that killer instinct. They need to be a little more ruthless once they go ahead. Some of their decision making is a little bit poor. Once you're leading 1-0 and there's less than 15 minutes to go, there's no need to look to play champagne football. Just make sure that you keep possession, keep control of the game, and make sure you secure the three points.

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Central Coast Mariners 2 defeated Brisbane Roar 1 at Bluetongue Stadium

Bozza: I want to say congratulations to both sets of players. To play in that heat, it does make it difficult, and both sides put a great game of football on. Brisbane played quite well but will be a bit disappointed in both goals. I think they went to sleep. Michael Theo will be very disappointed he got beaten right down his near post because that's a goalkeeper's responsibility. Central Coast had a really good spell at the beginning but then couldn't get the ball. Brisbane started to really get into their passing and I thought deservedly got an equaliser. In the end they'll be very disappointed they gave away two crappy goals. For such a good performance, not to come away with something they'll consider themselves unfortunate.

Archie: Brisbane are definitely not playing like a team that deserve to be second last. They've been the benchmark for the last two years, but they can't rest on that. Obviously they've lost Ange, and we're thankful that we've got him, but it's not about what they've done in the past. It's what they do now. They're not getting the results but they're still playing decent football, and it will come.

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Robinson quits as Scotland coach

Failure ... Robinson had little success in his time as Scotland's coach. Source: AFP

Scotland coach Andy Robinson has resigned a day after his side lost to Tonga, the Scottish Rugby Union announced on Sunday.

The Englishman had been under contract until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but the 21-15 upset loss to the Tongans in Aberdeen meant that the Scots had lost 10 of their last 13 matches, including elimination from the World Cup at the group phase for the first time.

They also lost their three November internationals, all at home, to New Zealand, South Africa and Tonga.

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In a statement issued by the SRU, Robinson, who was appointed in June 2009, said: "It's been a privilege to be the head coach of Scotland and I'd like to thank the fans, players, coaches and staff for all their support over the years.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the players and the coaches in the last few years.

"I believe I have left the team in a better position than when I took over and have great confidence in the players and the coaches for the future.

"I am very disappointed by our recent results but I have belief in the players to develop into a winning team."

Scottish Rugby's Chief Executive, Mark Dodson, said: "Following the sequence of recent results during the EMC Autumn Tests a change in head coach is required to take the team forward and build towards the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

"Andy has overseen some fine results as Scotland head coach since he was appointed in June 2009 but the recent defeats have been very disappointing.''

A recruitment process for a new Scotland head coach will start with immediate effect, the SRU said.

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Panesar puts England on brink of win

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Fiver ... England spinner Monty Panesar has snared two five-wicket hauls in the second Test in Mumbai. Source:AP

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen struck record-equalling 22nd Test centuries before Monty Panesar spun England into a commanding position at stumps on day three of the second Test in Mumbai.

Cook (122) made an unprecedented fourth consecutive century as captain and Pietersen cracked a scintillating 186 as both men drew level with three all-time greats in Wally Hammond, Geoff Boycott and Colin Cowdrey as their country's most prolific centurions.

2nd Test - Wankhede Stadium

23 November 2012 - Day 3, Session 3

India 2nd Innings

G. Gambhir	53	109	5	0	48.62
H. Singh	1	1	0	0	100
G. Swann	13	4	39	2	3.00

Cook's second successive hundred against India - following his rearguard 176 in last week's defeat at Ahmedabad - and Pietersen's first since last summer helped England post 413, giving them a useful first-innings lead of 86.

It was then time for England's spinners to take centre stage and, with the pitch beginning to turn and bounce appreciably, they made immediate inroads to leave India tottering on 117-7 at stumps - a lead of only 31.

Panesar, fresh from his five-wicket haul in the first-innings, claimed five more in the final session on day three, a feat which sees him become the first England spinner to take 10 wickets in India since Hedley Verity did so in Madras back in 1934.

The left-arm spinner accounted for Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Ravi Ashwin, while spin partner Graeme Swann snared Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli to make England firm favourites to level the four-match series on Monday.

Sehwag was the first of seven India batsman to depart after tea, edging a spinning Panesar delivery to Swann at slip, while Pujara endured a rare failure, presenting Jonny Bairstow with a sharp catch at short leg.

Sachin Tendulkar, playing what could be his last Test match in front of his home crowd, once again fell to Panesar, playing back to a quicker delivery which pinned him lbw for just eight - his 10th successive score of less than 28.

India slumped to 65-4 when Virat Kohli inexplicably hit a Swann full toss straight to sub fielder Joe Root at mid-off and England's day got even better when Dhoni edged Panesar to Swann and Ravi Ashwin spooned the same bowler straight up to Samit Patel.

Gautam Gambhir (53 not out) held firm for India and remains key to the home side's fading chances of posting a target which may trouble England on a wearing pitch.
Controversial

Captain Cook and Pietersen shared a superb 206-run partnership for the fourth wicket to help England claim a vital first-innings lead on the stroke of tea at the Wankhede Stadium.

Cook, out on his own with his fourth century in his first four Tests as captain after his two while standing in for Andrew Strauss in Bangladesh two-and-half years ago, reached three figures with a cover-driven four off Harbhajan Singh.

Pietersen operated at a quicker tempo throughout in an innings which gave England telling impetus and truly rubber-stamped his return to the fold after his disagreements with management and senior players last summer.

Five minutes after Cook completed his century, Pietersen did likewise, from only 127 balls - with a reverse-sweep just wide of slip off Harbhajan for his 15th four.

When Cook finally departed, via a faint edge behind in forward-defence as Ashwin found some turn, Pietersen jogged 30 yards down the wicket and past the stumps to voice his personal acknowledgement as the captain made his way off the pitch.

New batsman Bairstow (9) fell shortly after in controversial circumstances in what proved to be the final ball before lunch, his bat/pad catch being taken by Gambhir at silly point, but not before the ball had deflected off the fielder's grille.

Pietersen continued to take the fight to India, sweeping Pragyan Ojha for three further sixes before the left-armer finally got his revenge with Dhoni claiming a sharp catch behind the wicket.

With the ball spinning and bouncing appreciably, England's tail meekly folded from 382-5 to 413 all out, with Ojha continuing his impressive series with figures of 5-143.

Wicketkeeper Matt Prior was involved in a mix-up with Stuart Broad and as a result run-out for 21, while Broad propped a catch to silly-point; James Anderson went in the same Harbhajan over; and Panesar was last out slog-sweeping straight to deep midwicket.

Read the full story at Sky Sports

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McIlroy ends season in winning style

Unstoppable ... McIlroy charged home to win by two shots. Source: AP

World No.1 Rory McIlroy responded in magnificent fashion to Justin Rose's course record round of 10-under par 62 by making five birdies in his last five holes to win the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday.

At the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, McIlroy had fallen two shots behind world No.7 Rose with a bogey on the 13th hole, but regrouped to finish at 23-under par following his final round of six-under par 66.

Rose had started the day six shots behind overnight leaders McIlroy and world No.2 Luke Donald, but his bogey-free round helped him set the clubhouse target at 21-under par 267.

McIlroy had already wrapped up the Race to Dubai European money list crown by taking an unassailable lead coming into the tournament. He also topped the money list on the USPGA Tour, only the second player to do so after Luke Donald last year.

Donald (71) finished tied for third place at 18-under par 270 along with 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

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'Time for Ponting to call it quits'

Time ... Malcolm Conn says Ricky Ponting must make Perth his final Test. Source: Greg Wood / AFP

What a tragedy it has come to this.

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Ricky Ponting, rated by Allan Border as Australia's greatest batsman after Bradman, should jump before he is pushed.

A retirement announcement and a fitting farewell during the last Test against South Africa in Perth would help to recapture some of the dignity lost in Adelaide.

The rehabilitation of Phil Hughes continues apace. His 158 against Victoria in Melbourne on Sunday made the left-hander the leading Sheffield Shield run scorer this season with 510 runs at 57.

He turns 24 on Friday and already has 20 first class centuries.

If there is ever a time to give Hughes another chance it is against Sri Lanka in the three-Test series starting in December, although the first Test in Hobart could be a torrid affair given Western Australia were bowled out for 67 there on Sunday.

Australia must try and put together a settled side for the Ashes in England next year, and clearly it is unrealistic to believe Ponting will make the trip, however much he wants to.

It is not just that Ponting has made 0, 4 and 16 in this series while Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey have filled their boots, or the fact that Ponting turns 38 inside a month.

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Hussey will turn 38 in May before next year's Ashes tour. His age is not an issue after 257 runs in this series at 86, with two centuries and a second innings top score of 54 on a wearing wicket on Sunday.

Ponting has 20 runs at an average of under seven and does not look like playing an innings of substance.

Tellingly, this is just the second time in a 167-Test career extending almost two decades that Ponting has been bowled twice in the one match.

The first would be a dim and distant memory when the India spinners got him on a dodgy Feroz Shah Kotla pitch in Delhi back in 1996 during just his fourth Test.

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This Test will be seared in his mind. First there was the full outswinger from Jacques Kallis which forced Ponting to overbalance and land on all fours as the ball clattered into his off-stump.

Then there was the tentative chop on to a regulation delivery outside his off-stump on Saturday, one of the worst shots, or non-shots, he has played during a long and illustrious career as Australia's most prolific batsman.

This is not a sudden tumble from the brief 60 career-average Ponting achieved with a century against England during the 2006-07 whitewash. It has been years in the making.

Ponting went two-and-a-half years scoring only one century and averaging just 33 before his amazing series last summer, when he played a central role in beating India 4-0 with a hundred and a double hundred.

A more detailed look shows his 108-run series average was a deluge amidst the drought.

During the past two years, Ponting's series averages have been 16 against England, 31 in Sri Lanka, 17 in South Africa, 33 against New Zealand, 108 against India, 24 in the West Indies and under seven in this series.

It's time.

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