Match preview –
The Central Coast Mariners return to Gosford’s Industree Group Stadium this Saturday, Nov 29, keen to bounce back after a tight 3–2 loss to Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium last match.
The damage came early, with the yellow and navy conceding three goals in the opening 23 minutes.
Second-half strikes from Lucas Mauragis and Alfie McCalmont kept the Mariners in the contest, but with only three shots on target after the break, a late comeback never fully materialised.
There were encouraging signs, though. Experienced defender James Donachie made his club debut after coming on at half-time and settled quickly alongside Nathan Paull.
The reshuffle pushed captain Bradley Tapp back into midfield and freed McCalmont to operate higher up the pitch, a tactical shift that may prove important in the weeks ahead.
Interim coach Warren Moon says the challenge remains finding a clinical edge in the final third. McCalmont, with two penalties, is the only multiple goal scorer so far this season for the Marieners.
Di Pizio, Duarte, Ngor and Brandtman have one each, but the Mariners will need more fluency and decisiveness up front if they’re to turn strong patches of play into competition points.
Saturday marks the club’s first home match since Round 3, and they’ll be facing a Melbourne City outfit still stinging from their 4–1 loss to Adelaide United.
City have been patchy to start the season, recording two wins, two draws and a loss and sitting just one point above the Mariners on the ladder.
With three straight home games ahead and a tight top-six race forming, this weekend’s clash looms as an important moment in the Mariners’ season.
Catch all the action live on Coast FM 96.3 with the A-Team from 4.30pm this Saturday.
