United go down in second Mars game

WESTERN United had a two-game winning streak snapped by the visiting Western Sydney Wanderers going down 1-0 at Mars Stadium on Sunday.

Making his first Wanderers’ start, Jordon Mutch secured the win for the visitors when he seized on a calamitous error from Jerry Skotadis deep in United’s half, stole the ball and fired past substitute keeper Ryan Scott in the 57th minute.

“(Tonight) was a hard-fought win. Good teams find ways to win and I think tonight we needed to do that,” said assistant manager Kenny Miller.

Despite the loss United coach Mark Rudan had positive things to say about his team.

“It was a very good performance,” he said. “We did everything but score.

“We started off a little bit slow, they had a lot of the ball but they didn’t really do much but, then again, neither did we.

“I thought we had the better chances – it’s one of those games where I can’t fault the performance.”

United were forced into a reshuffle midway through the first half when standout goalkeeper Filip Kurto, was injured in a goalmouth scramble, moments after denying a deflected Graham Dorrans shot.

The Polish keeper will be monitored ahead of his side’s trip to Sydney.

“He got hit in the head, a knee to the head,” Rudan said. “There’s a history there with concussion, so we’ve got to go through the right processes and make sure he’s okay.”

Replacement netminder Ryan Scott’s first real test came in the 49th when Daniel Wilmering hammered a volleyed effort goalward, forcing Scott to get down low with his legs to keep it out.

He could do nothing, however, to stop Mutch’s effort eight minutes later.

His side pressing hard looking for a leveller, Dylan Pierias thought he’d equalised in the 65th minute when he created a yard of space from outside the penalty box and shot just wide.

Besart Berisha had calls for a late penalty turned down before Wanderers’ keeper Daniel Margush produced a strong save to deny Nicolas Milanovic a headed 91st-minute equaliser.