THE man they had all come to see ensured the fireworks were not limited to the stands but it still wasn't enough to earn his side victory.
The Aurora Stadium attendance of 5268 may not have been exactly what the organisers of Tasmania's first A-League match were hoping for, but a goal by Harry Kewell certainly was.
The competition's marquee player lived up to his billing, claiming three of the game's clearest chances and what looked to be its decider.
But his post-match Fox Sport interview was destined to feature the word ``disgusting'' three times after fellow Socceroo Michael Thwaite scored the first goal of his decade-long senior career in the third minute of stoppage time to deny a win to the league's draw specialist.
Kewell's crisp 65th minute free-kick strike, through a crowded penalty box from a Marco Rojas set-up, looked to have simultaneously started the round-ball rolling in Tasmania and kick-started Victory's spluttering season into life.
The much-hyped scorer could celebrate a rare goal from open play, his coach Jim Magilton seemed destined to enjoy a first win in charge and his new-found Tasmanian fans could dream about what the future might hold for their state in this competition.
But when Thwaite stole forward in the final minute of play, exchanged passes and beat disbelieving Victory keeper Ante Covic at his near post, a sense of deja vu hung over Victory like the darkening clouds over Mount Barrow.
Denied a win in similar fashion and timing in its last outing against Sydney, Victory was left to reflect on a match which mirrored its season - plenty of promise, flashes of brilliance but a frustrating return.
Kewell provided most of the first two but cut a lonesome figure as he trudged off contemplating the third.
As the game progressed, so did the 33-year-old former Liverpool star's likelihood of scoring.
A 32nd-minute downward header was kept out in bizarre fashion by United keeper Chris O'Connor who looked well beaten when Kewell's ferocious free-kick immediately after the break flew just over.
But while O'Connor also produced a more orthodox save to deny Rojas from a Kewell set-up on the stroke of half-time, it was his opposite number Covic who proved the busier keeper.
Having blocked United left-back Adama Traore in the unlikely setting of his opposing right goalline, Covic twice pulled off excellent one-handed saves to deny substitute Golgol Mebrahtu.
The match, much like the crowd, took a while to get going.
With impartial Tasmanians unsure who to support, the atmosphere was a little reminiscent of the Romania-Namibia 2003 rugby world cup fixture.
Both sides were content to play a patient, possession game, but tight defending and frustrating showings by Victory forwards Archie Thompson and Jean Carlos Solorzano - a surprise selection in place of fellow Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez - plus United counterpart Maceo Rigters made breakthroughs difficult.
So it was little surprise that the half-time scoreboard read 0-0 - or indeed 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) when it resorted to AFL mode.
The Kewell goal, an eye-catching flare and a couple of potentially eye-removing fireworks suggested that the Victory fans would be heading home happy but when an out-of-sorts Thompson created, then spurned a glorious chance in the first minute of injury time, the writing was on the wall.
Thwaite confirmed it at the death, choosing to celebrate his long-overdue strike by sprinting into the deserted section of the ground and enjoying his moment in the spotlight in the gloom of the construction site on the railway workers' hill.
THE TEAMS - VICTORY: Covic; Fabio, Milligan, Leijer, Kemp (Franjic 73); Broxham, Brebner, Rojas, Kewell; Solorzano (Allsopp 83), Thompson. Unused subs: Velaphi, Hernandez. Yellow cards: Leijer (73, foul), Fabio (74, encroachment).
UNITED: O'Connor; Thwaite, Rees (Bowles 76), Rozic, Traore; Halloran, Brown (Mebrahtu 26), Jungschlager, McGowan (Harold 69), Salley; Rigters. Unused subs: White.
Yellow cards: Thwaite (60, foul), Rees (64, foul), Traore (78, obstruction).
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