Ben's blunder a tough one on the Roar

Round 14 match analysis, Sydney FC 3 v Queensland Roar 0

NOT much was said about it during the commentary of tonight's game on Fox Sports and it remains to be seen how much Frank Farina and his Roar camp will make of it in the post match, but the significance of a decision by referee Ben Williams shortly after 10 minutes shouldn't be underestimated.

When Sydney midfielder Ufuk Talay launched himself recklessly, two-footed, at a loose ball in central midfield, the referee brandished a yellow card. Talay and Sydney were lucky. Spase Dilevski, the Roar player who had shown enough of the ball to entice Talay into the challenge, was also lucky, lucky not to end up in hospital.

It was a sickening challenge, the sort that should be grounds for immediate dismissal. The reaction of the Roar players, particularly skipper Chad Gibson, nearby, told the tale.

Ironic then that it was he, less than 10 minutes later, who was shown a straight red after an over-hit Dilevski ball in the centre of midfield had forced him to lunge, studs showing, into a challenge on Terry McFlynn.

Gibson had used one foot and been shown a straight red (albeit a yellow card would have meant dismissal after he picked one up a minute earlier) while Talay went in two-footed, essentially to protect himself, and stayed on to have a major influence on the game. Figure that.

Much fuss is made about simulation being a blight on the game, and that fuss is fair enough, for it needs to be stamped out, but there few greater sins on the footabll field than the gutless two-footed challenge, and officials should do everything in their power to stamp this out.

Thankfully, we don't see too many in Australia, at least not compared to say the EPL, where the likes of Wayne Rooney often get away with challenges that are 'on the edge' as the referees and commentators turn a blind eye. Lets hope that doesn't become the norm here.

The disappointment for Farina and his team is that the Roar had started this game well, with Gibson influential in the centre of midfield after a lacklustre perfomance there last week when he was rushed into it.

Here Farina shaped up in a 4-3-3, clearly intent on matching Sydney in central midfield (through Dilevski, Gibson and McKay) and keeping their fullbacks busy through Milicic on one side (right) and Reinaldo on the other.

In truth, the Roar should have been rewarded for this positive start with the advantage of an extra man. At the moment though they can't take a trick. Soon enough they were a man and goal down, and it was game over, as if to emphasise that referees do influence outcomes.

Sydney had dodged a bullet, a point appreciated by injured stopper Jacob Timpano at half time, who said his side had had some luck, but they also played some neat stuff afterwards, controlling the ball, moving it around quickly (unlike earlier in the season), getting it out wide and testing Liam Reddy on more than the odd occassion.

Had it not been for a number of world class stops the score could have been anything. Sydney however will argue that the luck that deserted them earlier in the year has finally gone their way, and three wins on the spin, nine goals in the process, puts them in an ominous position.

While Melbourne have bolted and are unlikely to be caught before the finals, they'll be hoping Sydney don't carry this recent momentum into the finals.

The Roar, meanwhile, need to put this one behind them and focus on the positives of their good work in the opening exchanges.