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Mariners Sail Through A-League - PreSeason Cup - Semi Final 
 lost to Central Coast Mariners FC 3 (Tom Pondeljak 39' pen, 53', Damien Brown 66')  (Nick Mrdja & coach Lawrie McKinna - Archive Photo Chris Dunkerley BOTN)
Central Coast Mariners had a come-from behind win against Melbourne Victory at Olympic Park on a cold Friday evening to advance to the Final of the pre-season Cup. Although Victory took the lead after half-an-hour when Mark Byrnes headed in a Kristian Sarkies free-kick, Mariners levelled nine minutes later from a Tom Pondeljak penalty.
Tom Pondeljak netted again and Damien Brown slotted one away in the second half as Mariners ran away with the game.
To confirm Victory’s bad night, Byrnes was dismissed for violent conduct with more than a quarter-hour to go, making it so much harder for the home team to scrap its way back into the contest.
Mariner’s coach Lawrie McKinna was delighted to be in his second Final in as many attempts. “We’ve always thought we were a good team. We’ve backed ourselves we’ve deserved to be in two Finals.”
“It wasn’t easy. At the end, three-one is probably flattering, but we came down here to get into the Final and we did it.”
Victory coach Ernie Merrick was disappointed to lose, but still drew comfort in the chances his side had created, even though they were unconverted. “It’ll bring the crowds back. It was end-to-end stuff there were lots of goalscoring opportunities at both ends, but they took their chances far better than we did.”
“We created eight or nine good quality chances I didn’t think we were outplayed,” he said. “We fought right to the end.”
Archie Thompson was a surprise inclusion in the Victory team, having decided to delay his flight out to the Netherlands for the Socceroo training camp under new coach Guus Hiddink, as his wife was close to giving birth to their second child. “If my wife goes into labour, I’m going to be there, no matter what.”
This was an entertaining game Mariners had decided to attack, and this led to a fast and open contest. From the early moments, it looked as if Mariners would overwhelm Victory’s defensive right side. Dean Heffernan was linking productively with Damien Brown, and as a pair, sent in a number of dangerous crosses after getting in behind Victory’s defences. Four good chances were created by this avenue before the first-half’s mid-point.
But Victory opened the scoring against the run of play when Kristian Sarkies took a free-kick after a foul on Thompson by Andre Gumprecht. The youngster lofted the ball to the penalty-spot where Byrnes was first to reach it, heading powerfully past John Crawley.
But before ten minutes had elapsed, Mariners drew level. Kevin Muscat made a rash lunging challenge in the penalty-area on Brown who was ready to meet a Pondeljak cross, and referee Mark Shield instantly pointed to the spot. Pondeljak converted without trouble.
The early moments of the second half were Victory’s. Thompson had been found by a clever ball from Richard Kitzbichler which split the Mariner’s back-line, but was thwarted by a great Crawley save. Michael Beauchamp came to Mariners’ rescue just two minutes later when he was able to block a sharp chance falling to Thompson after a fine pass from Daniel Allsopp.
But a quick break involving short one-touch passing from Pondeljak and Brown at the edge of the Victory penalty-area saw Pondeljak wriggle through and score from point-blank range.
It was enthralling and daredevil football as the ball was quickly moved end to end with opportunities swiftly created in front of both goals. Victory was by-passing the midfield in its attempts to get back into the game, and Mariners counter-attacked at every chance. Andy Vlahos and Thompson combined effectively just on the hour but Thompson’s shot went narrowly wide.
Dean Heffernan was put through but Muscat was able to make a last-ditch tackle.
Then Thompson failed to convert after running onto a long through-ball, rounding both Beauchamp and Crawley, but hit his shot against the upright with the goal unguarded. Within an instant, Mariners had scored its third.
Brown got the third of a series of shots after Victory’s defence was carved open and chasing shadows. Two earlier attempts had been blocked by Michael Theoklitos in fine reaction saves, but the Victory defence was unable to scramble the ball to safety. Brown gave Victory no chance to get near the third attempt.
Victory’s chances to claw back a two-goal deficit were seriously damaged when Byrnes tangled with Nick Mrdja. Shield showed Byrnes a straight red card for his part in the incident which required Mrdja to depart the pitch for three minutes to stem a nose-bleed. Before departing, Mrdja was cautioned for his part in the fracas.
Vlahos confirmed it was not going to be Victory’s night when his well-struck last-minute volley following a Steve Pantelidis long-ball crashed against the post and away.
A-League - PreSeason Cup - Semi Final Crowd: est. 4,000
MATCH STATS:
Melbourne Victory FC
Coach: Ernie Merrick
Yellow Cards:
Mark Byrnes 29', Ricky Diaco 68' Central Coast Mariners FC
: Coach: Lawrie McKinna
Yellow Cards:
Wayne O’Sullivan 62', Nick Mrdja 73' Referee: Mark Shield Pitch rating: 7/10 Game rating: 8/10 Best Players
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3. Tom Pondeljak (Central Coast Mariners) Match
Report by Alan Clark
Central Coast Mariners FC play in the final next weekend, vs either Sydney FC or Perth Glory FC
Disclaimer: The content of this report is the responsibility of the writer. Stats are either as recorded by the writer at the game, or as supplied by FFA, or a mixture - no responsibility can be taken for their compete accuracy although we do strive for that. FFA has not this season accredited any Photographers for BOTN, so any photos used here, unless attributed, are as supplied by FFA and used by permission.
Crafted
lovingly by hand |
