Central Coast Mariners have returned to winning ways in Australia’s top flight following their 3-1 victory against Newcastle Jets in the #F3DERBY at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night.
Central Coast Mariners have returned to winning ways in Australia-s top flight following their 3-1 victory against Newcastle Jets in the #F3DERBY at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night.
Goals from Eddy Bosnar, Bernie Ibini and Glen Trifiro helped Phil Moss-s men to their ninth win of the campaign, and their 100th of all time in the Hyundai A-League.
It was a perfect start to the encounter for the hosts with Bosnar finding the net within the first minute of play. The former Suwon Bluewings defender struck a low, audacious effort at goal from long range, which Mark Birighitti fumbled over the goal line.
The Mariners doubled their advantage five minutes later as on-loan Shanghai SIPG man Ibini slotted home his fourth goal of the season from close range after finding a neat ball in from former Socceroo Mile Sterjovski.
Newcastle had a good opportunity to open their account in their 22nd minute as David Carney fired a free kick from range. Fortunately for the home side, the ex-New York Red Bulls player-s strike flew well over the woodwork.
The Jets found the net only moments later as forward Joel Griffiths struck his right-foot shot beyond Central Coast gloveman Liam Reddy after a pinpoint pass from Joshua Brilliante.
The away team nearly levelled the score in the 33rd minute as Ruben Zadkovich tried his luck from outside the area, however Reddy did enough to deny the Jets- skipper.
The Central Coast shot stopper was back in the action shortly after as Heskey sent a powerful header on target following a free kick from Carney. Reddy produced a superb save to keep the Mariners in front.
Newcastle started the second stanza brightly and came close to finding the equaliser just after the break via the boot of Carney as he tried his luck from outside the box, however Reddy made a sliding save.
Carney was handed another golden opportunity for the Jets with half an hour remaining, but he blasted his effort over the crossbar.
With Newcastle pushing forward in search of an equaliser, the Mariners were left with space to exploit in midfield. Flyers Nick Fitzgerald and Mitch Duke were looking dangerous, while substitute Matt Simon was at his combative best against the Mariners- fiercest foes.
Central Coast rounded out the scoring and sealed the three points in the dying stages as Trifiro netted his first goal in yellow and navy following a strike on goal by Simon, and another fumble by Birighitti. Following in the strike, Trifiro managed to prod the ball over the line to send the vast majority of the crowd into raptures.
Following the game Mariners boss Moss was delighted with the result, but was steadfast in his belief that his team can produce more polished performances.
“It was a good result, a fantastic result,” Moss said. “It wasn-t our best performance and I think with the ball we need to be better and we need to take more care of it. It-s gratifying for me that the players are in there disappointed with the performance.”
“But it was an outstanding result in a pressure game, a derby, and it was a true derby.”
“Credit to my players for really digging deep tonight and finding a way to win the game and obviously we got off to a flyer. They had nothing to lose so they threw a lot at us and it was a real derby atmosphere and a fantastic three points for us.”
“I thought the intensity with which we started the game was very good, and I sensed that coming through the week because the players trained with a lot of confidence. I think the ACL result really gave us a shot of confidence and we took that into the game.”
“Certainly we can take a lot out of the result, at this time of the year it-s all about results and the win consolidates our place in the top six,” he said.
Moss was thrilled with the effort, application and impact his three substitutes on the night – Nick Fitzgerald, Matt Simon and Glen Trifiro – made on the match.
“I thought our substitutions had a big impact on the game,” he explained. “Matt Simon, Nick Fitzgerald and Glen Trifiro all played their part off the bench and that-s crucial, you need that from your substitutes.”
“I was very happy that started got through the minutes and that the subs that came on had a great impact. I am delighted for Glen [Trifiro] getting his debut Hyundai A-League goal,” he said.
Central Coast Mariners will stay in Sydney tonight before flying to Beijing, China tomorrow ahead of Wednesday-s 2014 AFC Champions League matchday 3 meeting with Beijing Guoan.
Central Coast Mariners FC 3 (Bosnar 1-, Ibini 6-, Trifiro 88-)
Newcastle Jets 1 (Griffiths 23-)
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
Central Coast Mariners FC: 12. Liam REDDY (Gk), 3. Joshua ROSE, 4. Marcel SEIP, 5. Zachary ANDERSON, 7. John HUTCHINSON (C), 8. Nick MONTGOMERY, 9. Mitchell DUKE, 20. Bernie IBINI (11. Nick FITZGERALD 78-), 21. Mile STERJOVSKI (19. Matt SIMON 60-), 25. Eddy BOSNAR, 26. Kim SEUNG-YONG (28. Glen TRIFIRO 64-)
Substitutes not used: 1. Justin PASFIELD (Gk), 15. Storm ROUX
Yellow cards: Anderson
Red cards: Nil
Newcastle Jets FC: 1. Mark BIRIGHITTI (Gk), 4. Kew JALIENS, 6. Zenon CARAVELLA (5. Ben KANTAROVSKI 77-), 8. Ruben ZADKOVICH (C), 9. Emile HESKEY, 14. Josh MITCHELL, 15. Joshua BRILLANTE, 21. Sam GALLAWAY, 22. Adam TAGGART, 23. David CARNEY (11. Craig GOODWIN 82-), 29. Joel GRIFFITHS (7. Andrew HOOLE 73-)
Substitutes not used: 20. Ben KENNEDY (Gk) 24. Mitchell OXBORROW
Yellow cards: Caravella, Kantarovski, Mitchell
Red cards: Nil
Referee: Peter GREEN
Attendance: 7,455
