A-League wrap: Roar thump Glory, Victory draw again

A Besart Berisha brace helped Brisbane Roar to a comfortable 3-0 win over Perth Glory at nib Stadium on Saturday.

Berisha scored twice within four minutes in the second half to wrap up the three points for the Roar after Henrique had given them the lead before the break in front of 10,367 fans.

Henrique was later given a straight red card for slapping Jacob Burns, but second-placed Brisbane, who were impressive despite the absence of key playmaker Thomas Broich, held on against a lacklustre Perth to move five points clear of third-placed Wellington with just four games to play.

The defending champions’ fourth straight win also saw them move within three points of league leaders Central Coast, although the Mariners have a game in hand, while it all but ended the Glory’s top two ambitions.

Perth, who sit fourth after losing for just the second time from their past 11 matches, now trail the Roar by seven points but have a gap of four over seventh-placed Sydney.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Melbourne Victory’s finals hopes were left hanging by a thread after they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-placed Gold Coast United in monsoonal rain at Skilled Park.

For the second time in four days, an undermanned and resolute Gold Coast side were able to grind out a result against a more fancied opponent.

Maceo Rigters scored against the run of play in the 51st minute to put the hosts ahead, but six minutes later Carlos Hernandez levelled the scores with a rocket into the bottom corner.

The point means Victory stay in eighth place, four points behind cross-town rivals Melbourne Heart in the all-important sixth spot.

And Sydney FC are in serious danger of missing the finals after falling to Wellington Phoenix 1-0 at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Sydney played well enough to at least share the points with the visitors but they could not find a way past Wellington and New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston.

Striker Paul Ifill scored the decisive goal for the visitors in the 13th minute but it was Paston who was the real hero.