Mariners hang on for narrow win over Sydney

Central Coast Mariners have held on for a 2-1 win at home over Sydney FC on a wet afternoon in Gosford on Saturday.

After suffering four consecutive defeats – five if you count the mid-week loss in Korea in the Asian Champions League – the Mariners were in dire straits.

However, they were able to rely on Sydney FC returning to their inconsistent ways. After two wins, the Sky Blues went back to their losing habits and once again doubts have been cast about the glamour side’s ability to really challenge for the finals series.

Central Coast Mariners coach Phil Moss breathed a sigh of relief because, while his counterpart Frank Farina has been in the firing line from Sydney FC supporters, the Mariners coach largely has gone under the radar.

His inept leadership, combined with the series of losses in the last few weeks, would have been more heavily scrutinised at a larger club.

In the end Moss’ team managed to secure a victory thanks to a Mitchell Duke goal in the second half after Richard Garcia had equalised for the Sky Blues a few minutes earlier.

The first half-chance of the game favoured the visitors when Terry Antonis fired over the crossbar from outside the box and a few minutes later Corey Gameiro should have done better with his shot after some poor defending from the Mariners.

A powerful shot from Kim Seung-Yong forced Vedran Janjetovic into a nice reflex save before Joshua Rose couldn’t convert his header once again thanks to Janjetovic.

However, the Mariners didn’t have wait too long before the Korean maestro finally hit the back of the net. A masterfully taken free-kick from just outside the box went over the defensive wall and ended up inside the left hand post. There was nothing that Janjetovic could really have done.

Alessandro Del Piero didn’t really trouble too much goalkeeper Liam Reddy with his free-kick and, a few minutes later, a deflected shot from the Italian superstar once again didn’t bother Reddy all that much.

Del Piero went galloping on his own from near the halfway mark soon after but in the end his shot was beautifully saved by Reddy. It was undoubtedly the best chance of the first stanza of play for the Sky Blues.

In the 54th minute Del Piero went ever so close to equalising for the Sky Blues when a delightful free-kick almost ended up in the net but the Mariners can thank Reddy for turning the ball onto the crossbar.

Sydney FC deservedly equalised in the 61st minute when a powerful shot from Nikola Petkovic was parried by Reddy but only as far Richard Garcia who slotted home nicely from an acute angle. It was little more than the Sky Blues deserved.

A sharp shot from Duke brought out the best from Janjetovic between the sticks but he did score the winner a few minutes later when he received a nice ball from Mile Sterjovski which Bernie Ibini delightfully left to Duke who did the rest with a classy finish.

There were late chances for both sides but the majority of the over 6,000 spectators who turned out on such wet night went away satisfied.



Central Coast Mariners: Reddy, Rose (73’ Sim), Anderson, Seip, Bosnar (39’ Roux), Hutchinson, Caceres, Fitzgerald, Sterjovski, Seung-Yong (73’ Ibini), Duke


Sydney FC: Janjetovic, Calver (80’ Urosevski), Petrkovic, Jurman, Ognenovski, Gligor (76’ Thompson), Antonis, Abbas, Del Piero, Gameiro (45’ Garcia), Despotovic