The Central Coast Mariners Academy played out seven-goal-thriller against their neighbouring club, the North Shore Mariners in round 10 of the PS4 NPL 2 Competition.
Central Coast Mariners 3 (Duncan Stewart, Sean Pratt & Brenton Fox) North Shore Mariners 4 (Aaron Davis, Tadgh Purcell, Marquin Smith & Ricky Woodward)
The Central Coast Mariners Academy played out seven-goal-thriller against their neighbouring club, the North Shore Mariners in round 10 of the PS4 NPL 2 Competition.
After receiving his fifth yellow card last weekend against the Western Sydney Wanderers Academy, Shelford Dais was forced to watch from the sidelines, meaning coach Ben Cahn was forced to make changes to this weekend’s team.
It wasn’t the start the Mariners Academy were hoping for when Tadgh Purcell headed home from a North Shore corner in the 6th minute of play.
Unfortunately for the Central Coast, set pieces would be their Kryptonite at Pluim Park on Saturday evening.
However, the Mariners took control soon after and restored parity in the 15th minute when North Shore goalkeeper Stefan Giglio parried Brenton Fox’s shot into the path of the oncoming Sean Pratt. The Mariners’ outgoing midfielder struck the ball from just inside the area sending it into the bottom corner and levelling the scores at 1-1.
The Central Coast went so close to taking the lead five minutes later after some great play saw Fox played in behind the North Shore defence. North Shore’s keeper was up to the task saving Fox’s shot keeping the scores level.
It would be in the 30th minute that the Mariners would take the lead thanks to a great solo goal from Duncan Stewart. Stewart beat the North Shore centre back pairing and slotted the ball past a helpless Giglio in the North Shore goal.
North Shore Mariners came close to levelling the game six minutes later, but keeper Adam Pearce was up to the task, diving to his right to deny North Shore their second of the night.
After a tight start to the second half, it was North Shore who levelled the game in the 71st minute, when Aaron Davis tapped home after a goal mouth scramble on a corner.
In the 82nd minute, Fox & Stewart set off on a counter attack which started inside their own half. Stewart drew in the North Shore defender, then rolled the ball to Fox who made no mistake, finishing cooly into the bottom corner from close range.
The game wasn’t over however, with North Shore equalising thanks to Marquin Smith, after he tapped home a goal mouth scrap from another North Shore corner in the 85th minute.
Just as the game looked to end in a draw, North Shore captain Ricky Woodward had other ideas. Woodward had the ball at his feet outside the area and settled himself for a shot that dribbled into the back of the net, breaking the Hearts of the Academy side in the 91st minute.
Central Coast Mariners Academy: 1. Adam Pearce (GK), 4. Reece Papadimitrios, 5. Jake McGuinness, 6. James Enticknap, 7. Lachlan Wales, 8. Thomas Lyons, 9. Brenton Fox, 10. Duncan Stewart, 11. Peter Kekeris, 12. Yerasimakis Petratos, 14. Sean Pratt, 16. Gianni Stensness, 17. Jack Kuipers, 18. Steve Whyte, 20. Aidan Munford (GK)
Yellow Cards: James Enticknap, Thomas Lyons
Coach: Ben Cahn
North Shore Mariners: 1. D. Maunder, 3. Chris Lindsay, 4. James Scott, 6. Ricky Woodward, 7. Joe Esposito, 8. Mitch Arcosa, 9. S. Tonkin, 10. Brayden Cheng, 11. Freddy Ankumah-Sey, 13. Marquin Smith, 18. Mitch Smith, 21. Aaron Davis, 27. Robbie Kerr, 28. Michael Stojanovski, 33. Tadgh Purcell, 36. Stefan Giglio (GK)
Yellow Cards: Mitch Arcosa, Brayden Cheng, Ricky Woodward, Scott Tonkin, James Scott, Tadgh Purcell
Coach: Joe Haywood
Next Saturday The Mariners Academy will travel to face the Mount Druitt Town Rangers at Popendetta Park with first grade kicking off at 7pm.
Earlier results :
- 18s WON 4-2 (Johnson x2, Sutherland, Sparacino)
- 20s WON 2-1 (Cahill, Brader)
