A-League wrap: Gold Coast held, Sydney off bottom

Gold Coast United’s hopes of a top-two spot hit a roadblock on Monday as they failed to overcome Perth Glory in a dour 0-0 draw at Skilled Park.

Gold Coast could have leapfrogged the Central Coast Mariners into third place on the A-League table but turned on a flat performance.

Both sides produced uninspiring football during the first half, typified by overblown crosses, fluffed passes, heavy touches and shots that sailed harmlessly wide of the target.

What the match lacked in creativity it made up for in physicality, as referee Peter O’Leary tucked away the whistle for the most part and let a number of challenges set the tone of the match.

Gold Coast, who were without captain Jason Culina and vice-captain Michael Thwaite, saw most of the ball but did little with it, as keepers Glen Moss and Tando Velaphi were barely tested at either end.

The second half began with a bit more promise, Kristian Rees almost breaking the deadlock for the home side.

In Monday’s other A-League fixture, Sydney FC kept their A-League finals dreams alive with a fighting 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets.

Sydney was forced to attack on the counter for most of the match but capitalised on two lapses in concentration to hold a 2-0 lead at half-time courtesy of goals to imports Hirofumi Moriyasu and Bruno Cazarine.

Newcastle pulled a goal back through substitute striker Labinot Haliti in the 65th minute but despite dominating possession and territory for the remaining 25 minutes they were unable to get the equaliser and Sydney held on to register just their fifth win of the season.

The victory lifts Sydney off the bottom of the table and catapults them into ninth spot on the ladder just four points behind the Jets in eighth place.

The Jets started the match without match-winning striker Francis Jeffers, who was forced to miss the last match of his 10-game guest stint with a groin strain.