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　　VictorystilloutofbattlingReds'reach

　　PostedOctober24,200920:43:00

　　Grindingitout...HughesscoredAdelaide'slonegoal,butthecontestwascloserthanthescoreline.(GettyImages:LucasDawson)

　　Map:Melbourne3000

　　AgutsysecondhalfeffortbyAdelaideUnitedgaveMelbourneafrightbutthereigningA-Leaguepremiersescapedwitha3-1victoryatDocklandsonSaturdayevening.

　　An88th-minutegoaltoAdrianLeijer,completelyuntroubledbythevisitors'defence,wasenoughtosealUnited'sfateforgoodafteryoungsterMateDugandzicscoredtheopeningtwogoals.

　　ThethreepointssentMelbournetemporarilytothetopoftheA-League,anditwillstaythereifGoldCoastandSydneylosethisweekend.

　　Adelaideislefthoveringinthemiddleofthecompetitiontableafter12rounds.

　　ThegrandfinalrematchwastheeighthtimeinarowtheRedshavelostagainstMelbourne,buttheyoftenlookedeverybitasgoodastheiropponents.

　　CoachAurelioVidmarsaidearlierintheweekthattheteamhadbeenworkingonself-beliefanditcertainlyshowedafterthebreak,whenthevisitorscameoutwithrenewedvigourandkepttheVictoryonatightleash.

　　ButastrikebyAdamHughesinthe63thminutecouldonlylessentheblowforUnited.

　　HeturnedasweetheaderfromLloydOwusuaroundthecornerandintothebackofthenetpastGlenMoss,whohadabusynightintheboxasAdelaideattackedwithfervour.

　　Dugandzicbangedintwogoals,oneoneithersideofthebreak,tosendtheRedsamessagethattheywouldhavetobattleforawininfrontofarabidMelbournecrowd.

　　Heopenedthescoringinthe17thminuteoffthebackofanassistfromThaiinternationalSuteeSuksomkit,whostartedfortheVictoryinhisfirstA-Leaguematch.

　　SuteeseemedtohaveplentyofconfidenceonthefieldandwasgivenampleopportunityontheattackashesharedthemidfieldwithDugandzic.

　　DugandzicextendedMelbourne'sleadwhenhefinishedfromatidyCarlosHernandezsetupafterMatthewKempthreadedalongballthroughtheamblingAdelaidedefence.

　　The20-year-old'ssecondgoalwasalmostanodtothereferees,whodealthimayellowcardjustminutesearlierfortalkingback.

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　　LockyersalivatingatMarshallchallenge

　　PostedOctober24,200919:46:00

　　Opposingnumbersandskippersaresettogohead-to-head.(GettyImages:CameronSpencer)

　　Theone-on-onebattlebetweenBenjiMarshallandDarrenLockyeristheonethatcoulddecidethewar,andithastheKangaroos'skippersalivatingaheadofhisside'sopeningFourNationsclashagainstNewZealandonSundaymorning(AEDT).

　　Whileeachwillneedalittlehelpfromteam-mates,particularlytheforwards,whoevercomesoutontopinthisman-on-manmatch-upatTheStoopinLondonwillputtheirsidewithinsightofaFourNationsfinalberth.

　　"It'snotregularthatyouroppositenumberisalsotheoppositioncaptain,butthat'salittlechallengeoutthereonthefield,"Lockyersaid.

　　"AsIstarttothinkmoreaboutthegamebetweennowandkick-off,they'reareoneofthelittlebattlesthatwillgetthebloodflowing."

　　Marshall,too,iseagerlyawaitingtheshowdown.

　　"Ilovechallengingmyself...togettheopportunitytoplayagainsttheworld'sbestfive-eighthinaTestmatchissomethi