The Crossbar: And the fans show up.

87,508 - Remember that number as it is the new mark set for attendance in a single Hyundai A-League round.

Now for a minute rejoice that the leagues most talked about KPI is on the up but in the same breath be disappointed as every game for the weekend fell below the expected attendance figure which could have taken the record above the magical 100,000 mark.

Will this beast get beaten before the Roar?

13,425 fans were wooed by a Brisbane team that are a class above the rest of the league as they motored in second gear against Gold Coast and still won 3-0 with half a tank left. Goals to Erik the Viking, Unabashed Mass Murdocca lover Berisha and our man Mitch Nichols kept the Roar on top of the table after three. The question is, who will be beaten first - Brisbane Roar or superstar of the track Black Caviar?


12,054 laughed as one at Hindmarsh at Michael Beauchamp gifted super Dario his first goal in Adelaide colours but it was the 54 or so away fans that laughed last as Jamie Coyne smashed home the equaliser and the oil slick himself Nicky Carle finished the Reds off. Brett Emerton finally shock off the cob webs for his best game in a sky blue (black pinstripe) Jersey.

39,309 or 44.69% of the total rounds attendance was on hand at Etihad to see the most uneventful derby in the history of football derbies the world over, and that I have stretched this out to over 40 words is blogging brilliance. Covic was great for Victory, our Mate, Mate was good for the Heart.

14,421 Sea Bogans (we were told that was a term of endearment) were at Tinklers joint for the F3 derby, the Jets were on the back end of a fabulous week, signing title winning coach Gary Van Egmond and the 'fox in the box' Franny Jeffers. Brad Porter had a stinker and Jeremy Brockie capped off a magical day for our Tasman friends. Graham Arnold looked unhappy after the game but we're not sure what level of unhappiness he was at since his unhappy facial expression never changes.

8,299 Glory faithful (we didn't spot an away fan as they were all watching that other game) cheered on their unbeaten Sky Blues. Smeltz did his bit for Kiwi pride by scoring against his old Phoenix mob and the shed was rocking again, eerily similar to last season when they started like a house on fire then stopped like.......... a house fire that was put out. Manny Muscat was sent off for Wellington keeping the statistic of having a Muscat sent off in every season of the Hyundai A-League in tact.

These snuck under the Crossbar and into The Sack

1. The Referees - Credit where credit is due, the round was billed as Rivalry Round and we only saw one red card. It just happened to be a Muscat. There were no game changing decisions, the refs got it right this round.

2. Close to 40,000 at Etihad. Ordinary place to watch football, ordinary game of football, but anytime we're getting those numbers is good for football.

3. Kiwi Pride, On their special day there were goals to Smeltz and Brockie. Could be classed under Alanis Morrisette's understanding of Ironic.

4. Besart Berisha's unabashed man love for team-mate Massimo Murdocca. "I'm Married but I Love him" was quality post match TV Friday night.

5. The Glory undefeated after three rounds. Hopefully it doesn't go pear shaped like last year. One of the best things in the Hyundai A League is a packed shed. 

What went over the Crossbar

1. The Melbourne Derby, what a stinker! No goals, no red cards, no atmosphere, no good.

2.  Mehmet Durakovic excuses - The team needs time to gel. You've had the longest pre season in sporting history champ. How much longer do you need?

3. Flares at the Melbourne Derby (and at the Melbourne Youth Derby) Stupid kids being stupid, where are you parents?

4. Zero Goals in 270 minutes of football from MVFC, (Can you pick the theme we're going with here)

5. Perth vs Wellington on Derby Weekend, someones at FFA is 'aving a laugh.