After his team had humiliated Melbourne Victory 6-0 in last weekend’s derby, Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo looked as happy as a fan who had secured a grand final ticket before seeing his team lose the semi-final in a penalty shootout.
The City boss was determined to keep a lid on things: grim faced, staring straight ahead, he incanted the classic coach’s mantra, citing process, the need to keep proportion and stressing that one excellent performance will count for nothing if it is not followed up.
It might do little for the media or fans desperate to be inspired, but it certainly seems to work for his players. They took A-League newboys Macarthur apart at AAMI Park on Friday night, winning 3-0 to move up to second place on the table, six points behind Central Coast with a game in hand on the leaders.
Jamie Maclaren, the league’s top scorer, picked up two more goals on Friday night against Macarthur at AAMI Park.Credit:Getty Images
Excellent as they were against Victory, the caveat had to be recognised: Grant Brebner’s team are bottom of the league and lacking in confidence and City were expected to be too good.
Macarthur, second on the ladder and travelling to Melbourne for their first ever game at AAMI Park, would surely offer a stiffer test.
They did – but only for a few minutes as City, feeling out unfamiliar opponents, got into their groove – rather like a top boxer jabs and finds his range before unleashing a series of devastating combinations to send his rival crashing to the canvas.
Kisnorbo’s side pressed, pushed, hustled, harried and worked with great purpose. They didn’t let Macarthur, a team that likes to maintain possession, settle into any sort of rhythm and it didn’t take long for Macarthur to crack.
When they did strike, City did so with precision and ruthlessness, effectively putting this game to bed inside a 10-minute purple patch midway through the first half.
Andrew Nabbout has looked sharp and fit since returning from an early-season hamstring injury and the right winger is developing a good relationship with Nathaniel Atkinson, the right-back.
