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Back in the fold ... Troy Hearfield (c) is relishing his chance to be a goal-scorer again. (AAP Image: Dean Lewins)
Central Coast recruit Troy Hearfield is looking for lots more goals after his stunner on debut delivered the Mariners an upset 1-0 victory over Scottish soccer titan Celtic at the Olympic stadium on Saturday.
Hearfield's unstoppable curler from the edge of the area inside the last five minutes proved the difference in a tight contest.
The second-half substitute only arrived at the club a few days earlier following a stint with Indonesian side Pelita Jaya.
After being used primarily as a defender in Indonesia and at his previous A-League club Wellington, Hearfield is looking forward to a more attacking role with the Mariners.
"I've been signed to the club to be a goalscorer and get back to goalscoring," he said.
"I've been at the back for a long time at Wellington and it's just good to get forward and get back shooting.
"I was in camps with the Olyroos with (Mariners coach) Graham Arnold and he knows what I can do, he's seen me play when I was younger.
"He signed me to the club to be explosive and to run at players and get back to my natural game which is going forward."
Arnold was very aware of Hearfield's attacking prowess.
"I've got a very high opinion of Troy, more in the attacking half than in the defensive half, where he has played with Wellington," he said.
The chance to use recruits Hearfield, Adriano Pellegrino and Brad McDonald was a positive for Arnold, who admitted with 13 weeks to go to the A-league kick-off, he could not really take anything out of Saturday's game.
He was delighted with the performances of versatile Rostyn Griffiths in the unfamiliar role of centre back and fellow central defender Patrick Zwaanswijk, who was also complimented by Celtic coach Neil Lennon.
Left back Josh Rose was the home player who received the warmest praise from Lennon.
"I thought he got forward very very well, and (was) very athletic and very good on the ball," Lennon said of Rose.
The full-back revealed he was determined to show he was more than a one-season wonder following an outstanding 2010-11 campaign.
"One of the things I wanted to do was back it up again this year, prove to people out there that it wasn't just a one-off and I've been working pretty hard during the preseason," Rose said.
Lennon said he would have liked to watch injured Mariners midfield ace Mustafa Amini play, although the highly rated youngster still made an impression on the visiting coach.
"It's a hell of a hairstyle he's got," joked Lennon.
Mariners midfielder John Hutchinson has joined their sister club, Chinese Super League team Chengdu Blades, on loan until October 30.
- AAP
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/03/3259698.htm
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