A-League 2020: Moon snares maiden win as an A-League coach as Roar dispose of Victory

Warren Moon celebrated his first win as an A-League coach as Brisbane Roar moved on from the Robbie Fowler era.

The Roar celebrate Scott McDonald’s goal in their 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

BRISBANE Roar showed there is life after Robbie Fowler with a 2-1 win over the struggling Melbourne Victory at Bankwest Stadium on Wednesday night.

Beaten 1-0 by Adelaide United in new coach Warren Moon’s first game in charge following the departure of Fowler, the Roar hit back to not only condemn the Victory to their fourth successive defeat but boost their own chances of a top-two finish.

Second-half headers to the impressive Scott McDonald and substitute Matt Ridenton sealed the three points for Roar, but not before a late scare when Socceroos attacker Andrew Nabbout converted from the penalty spot after being brought down by Brisbane skipper Tom Aldred.

But it was too little too late for the Victory, who have now lost four games in a row for just the second time in the decorated club’s history.

Scott McDonald heads home Brisbane’s first goal in the Roar’s 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

A-League 2020: Warren Moon replaces Robbie Fowler as Roar coach

While happy to have snared the first win of his A-League coaching career, Moon preferred to deflect the attention to his players.

“I’m more pleased for the boys,” Moon said.

“They put in a really good effort this week, and bouncing back from the result against Adelaide they were really positive and they deserved that tonight.

“We were in control at 2-0 and probably just switched off from a stoppage ... but good sides find a way to win and we found a way to win tonight.”

Victory coach Grant Brebner said his side deserved more from the match.

“I felt we were in the game all night,” Brebner said.

“We were in control of that game. There is frustration but it’s also disappointment. I feel for the players because they deserved something but again we’ll wake up tomorrow morning and use that as motivation to kick on.”

The Melbourne club started the better, with the pace of front three Marco Rojas, Andrew Nabbout and Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio causing headaches for the Roar defence.

But it was the Roar who had the first chance in the 17th minute when a goal-bound strike from Irish midfielder Jay O’Shea was well saved by former Brisbane goalkeeper Matt Acton.

Five minutes later it was the turn of Roar custodian Jamie Young – with the aid of the crossbar – to produce heroics when he got his fingertips on a sizzling strike from Victory fullback Storm Roux.

Ex-Roar defender James Donachie rescued the Victory in the 40th minute with a perfectly timed slide in the penalty area to thwart McDonald’s attempt to turn home a low Jack Hingert cross.

It was the first of three chances Brisbane had in the closing stages of the first half.

Attacking weapon Brad Inman failed to hit the target with an angled strike in the 41st minute.

Inman then burst into the penalty area in the 44th minute but instead of shooting laid a square ball that an unmarked Dylan Wenzel-Halls failed to reach in time.

The Roar went ahead in the 56th minute through McDonald, whose header from a Brad Inman cross got the better of Acton after taking a slight deflection off the head of Victory captain Leigh Broxham.

Ridenton headed home an inch-perfect cross from Corey Brown, playing his 100th A-League game for Brisbane, to double the Roar’s lead in the 78th minute.

Nabbout’s 86th minute penalty ensured a nervous ending for Brisbane, but they held on to win for the 11th time this season.