29 Nov 2010

Brisbane Roar reinforce favourites tag with ruthless display

5:58 am on 29 November 2010

The Brisbane Roar produced football so fluid it should have come with a straw to destroy Central Coast Mariners 5-1 and underline their A-League title favouritism on Sunday.

The ladder-leading Roar unleashed the best 45 minutes played in the A-League this season in the first half to make the fourth-placed Mariners look like pub footballers.

While they hit cruise control at times in the second after leading 3-nil at halftime, the Roar added two late goals to show the points gulf between them and the rest of the league is as accurate as their short, slick passing game.

It leaves the Roar unbeaten in their past 14 games - a competition record - and almost certainly ensures them a top two berth and the double chance in the finals.

The Mariners' demise also helps second-placed Adelaide United's hopes of securing the double chance, keeping the seven-point gap between the Reds and third-placed Gold Coast United.

The top four teams in the league are at least five points clear of the fifth-placed Melbourne Heart, who drew nil-all with Sydney FC at AAMI Park on Saturday night to tighten a logjam of teams at the fringe of the top six.