After a bizarre week in which his A-League club was derided as a joke, Gold Coast United’s billionaire owner Clive Palmer nearly became a comic genius on Friday night.
Instead his brave Gold Coast side lost 1-0 to Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park to a late Eli Babalj goal.
Mining magnate Palmer appointed 17-year-old first-gamer Mitch Cooper as his captain, suspended his coach Miron Bleiberg, then rolled out a virtual youth team to take on the Heart – and few gave the bottom-placed club any chance.
Instead, Palmer and hastily-promoted assistant coach Mike Mulvey nearly had the last laugh after their side produced a disciplined and stoic defensive effort to frustrate the Heart for much of a dour contest.
While the Heart had much of the possession, they lacked a cutting edge and it took a 79th minute goal from substitute Babalj to win the match for the Heart and resuscitate their finals hopes.
If Gold Coast came into the match as a joke, the Heart were hopelessly unfunny throughout the first 45 minutes.
Their best chance was a 30th minute sitter fluffed by midfielder Fred when unmarked six metres out.
After a first half so bad people were looking for a cure rather than a refreshment during the halftime break, Gold Coast nearly brought the match to life following the resumption when Golgol Mebrahtu fresh-aired a good chance.
A Ben Halloran shot on 51 minutes needed Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton to be alert.
Then the Heart made changes, brought on midfielder Matt Thompson and Babalj and settled into a better rhythm.
Gold Coast defender Adama Traore cleared a Simon Colosimo header off the line on 65 minutes as frustration levels started to rise, before Babalj was the beneficiary of a rare Coast defensive error.
A ball lost in the back third was quickly shuffled forward by the Heart, with Babalj on hand from close-range to finish.
It was the Heart’s first win in nine games, and lifts them to fifth place.