Former Crewe striker puts Melbourne into A-League final

AFP - 4 February 2007 13:29

MELBOURNE (AFP) - English substitute striker James Robinson headed an injury-time winner to put Melbourne Victory into the Australian A-League grand final.

Robinson´s goal in the second minute of stoppage time earned Melbourne a 2-1 win over Adelaide United in the major semi-final to qualify for the season decider in Melbourne in a fortnight.

Adelaide will play Newcastle Jets at home next weekend to decide Melbourne´s opponents in the grand final.

Melbourne looked headed for next week´s preliminary final when they were unable to break down Adelaide, who would have gone through on away goals after last week´s first leg ended scoreless.

But Robinson, who played for Crewe Alexandra and Altrincham in England, was unmarked from a corner and headed home from beyond the far post to send the crowd of 47,000 into uproar.

Adelaide led after Socceroo Travis Dodd´s fourth-minute goal for a 1-0 half-time lead, but striker Daniel Allsopp equalised for Melbourne with a left-foot strike three minutes after the interval.

But Melbourne could find no way through the packed Adelaide defence until Robinson´s injury-time header.

Newcastle beat Terry Butcher´s Sydney FC 2-0 on Friday and 3-2 on aggregate in their minor semi-final to qualify for the preliminary final against Adelaide.