It was another hugely successful weekend for the senior men’s and women’s Central Coast Mariners Academy, with key wins coming on home soil in the Central Coast across two days.
The Central Coast Mariners Academy men struck late to take a 3-2 victory over Hills United FC at Pluim Park on Saturday evening, while our women’s side couldn’t stop scoring in an 11-0 win over St George at the International Football School on Sunday.
Central Coast Mariners Academy Men 3 (William 2, Peters) Hills United 2 (Fogarty 2)
An exciting contest between 2nd and 4th at Pluim Park on Saturday evening saw the Mariners’ Academy men take a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Hills United, thanks to an injury-time sealer from Emmanuel Peters.
The Yellow and Navy had taken a 2-0 lead thanks to key goals either side of halftime from Charles William, but were matched by a second-half brace to Daniel Fogarty, scores eventually leveled at 2-2 after 84 minutes of play. It took until deep into injury time for Peters to strike, delighting the home crowd on hand at Pluim and temporarily taking the Mariners to the top of the NPL 2 NSW table.
While competition leaders Mt Druitt Town Rangers recorded a victory over Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday to push the Mariners’ men back to second, the result opened up a five-point buffer between our side and third-placed St George FC after thirteen rounds.
Importantly, the result (together with a draw for the U20’s and win for the U18’s) takes the Mariners Academy men some 32 points clear in the NPL 2 NSW Club Championship standings.
The undefeated senior side will be looking to keep up their winning ways next Sunday when they host the 8th-placed Rydalmere Lions at Pluim Park.
Earlier Results
- U20’s Drew 2-2
- U18’s WON 3-0
Central Coast Mariners Academy Women 11 (Phelan 4, Snape 3, Blanch, Eyers, McAtamney, Evans) St George FC 0
Our Mariners’ Academy women enjoyed an absolute goal-fest at IFS Kariong on Sunday afternoon, trouncing winless St George FC 11-0.
Dominant from the opening whistle, the Yellow and Navy girls had netted seven goals by the 20-minute mark, stunning St George FC. The lead extended to 8-0 before halftime, and the Mariners added a further three goals in the second half to put an emphatic full stop on their sixth-straight win in the NPL 2 NSW Women’s competition.
The victory bought with it some important personal milestones – Candice Phelan’s four-goal haul saw the attacker extend her lead at the top of the golden boot standings, now with 24 goals from twelve appearances. Incredibly it’s not her biggest single-game haul – that came against Southern Branch back in Round 3.
15-year-old Iona Snape also netted a hat-trick after opening her senior team goalscoring account the week before against Gladesville.
Across the various grades no Mariners Women’s side lost over the weekend – ensuring the club maintains third place in the NPL 2 Women’s Club Championship, just six points behind second-placed APIA Leichhardt, and 17 shy of leaders Sydney Olympic.
The first-grade women’s side continue to trail just four points behind competition leaders Sydney Olympic FC, but face a battle to hold on to second place away to APIA Leichhardt Tigers this coming Sunday night at Lambert Park.
Earlier Results
- Reserves WON 2-0
- U17s Drew 1-1
- U15s WON 1-0
- U14s WON 3-0
