LAVALE STRIKES AS MARINERS BANK A HARD-EARNED POINT AT AAMI PARK

It was a controlled and committed display from the Mariners in Melbourne. With Victory reduced to ten men by an early red card to Shillington. The visitors held the ball and Lavale broke the deadlock just after the hour from Auglah’s through ball before the hosts levelled through Jordi Valadon six minutes later. The Mariners kept pushing for a winner with fresh legs off the bench, but had to settle for a point on the road.

First half

Melbourne Victory carried the early threat at AAMI Park. In the 9th minute Clarismario Rodrigues tested Andrew Redmayne with a right-footed effort from outside the box, and the Mariners keeper gathered it comfortably in the centre of the goal.

The game changed in the 13th minute. After Harrison Shillington fouled Ali Auglah, a VAR review saw the referee’s original decision overturned and Shillington was shown a red card for a professional foul as the last player. Victory reshuffled straight away, with Philipp Ziereis replacing Keegan Jelacic, and the Mariners were handed the initiative.

Auglah was the first to test Jack Duncan, a left-footed shot from outside the box saved in the bottom left corner in the 14th minute. Redmayne stood firm at the other end in the 16th, saving Charles Nduka’s left-footed attempt from the centre of the box.

The Mariners then took control. Bailey Brandtman’s left-footed effort from Chris Donnell’s pass was saved by Duncan in the 19th minute, and Haine Eames was denied by the Victory keeper three minutes later.

Oliver Lavale put a left-footed shot high and wide from Lucas Mauragis’ pass in the 31st minute, and Alexander Bolton also missed the target from Mauragis’ delivery in the 36th. Auglah forced one more save from Duncan in the 39th minute, but the sides went in goalless at the break.

Second half

The Mariners came out looking to make their extra man count. In the 55th minute Bailey Brandtman rose to meet a Lucas Mauragis cross, but his header from the centre of the box drifted wide to the left.

The breakthrough arrived in the 63rd minute, moments after Victory had brought on Denis Genreau for Louis D’Arrigo. Ali Auglah slipped a through ball in from the right and Oliver Lavale finished with his right foot from the right side of the box into the bottom right corner. Luke Becvinovski replaced Alexander Bolton straight after.

Victory answered six minutes later. Charles Nduka set up Jordi Valadon, who hit a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top left corner to make it 1-1.

The game turned spiky. Chris Donnell was booked for a foul in the 70th minute, and two minutes later Lavale and Ziereis were both shown yellow cards in the same flashpoint.

The Mariners kept pushing with fresh legs, Arthur De Lima and Jesse Mantell on in the 78th minute, and Mauragis headed wide from an Auglah set-piece cross soon after. Redmayne turned Franco Lino’s effort behind at the other end before Duncan saved from Donnell and, deep into stoppage time, from De Lima, and the Mariners had to settle for a hard-earned point at the final whistle.

Full time

The Mariners leave AAMI Park with a hard-earned point, and the numbers show how much of the game belonged to the visitors. Central Coast held 59.2% of the possession, attempted 515 passes to Victory’s 344 – the Club’s highest total in a single Isuzu UTE A-League Men match since the start of last season – and had 11 shots to the hosts’ 8, with seven on target against four. Jack Duncan made six saves for Victory to keep the Mariners at bay, while Andrew Redmayne was called on three times at the other end. Against ten men there was more on offer than one goal, and that will sit with the group, but the control, patience and resilience on the road are real positives to take from it.

Victory have been the tougher side in this fixture down the years, with 27 wins to the Mariners’ 15 and 17 draws before this match, so banking a point in Melbourne is worth having. Lavale’s strike was his second of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men season and Auglah’s through ball his first assist of the campaign, and the Club now carries the quality of this performance into the next round with the aim of turning that control into three points. Mariners fans can be proud of the way the side took the game to the hosts and shared the points.

Match details

Next match

The Mariners travel to face Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Friday 6 November, with kick-off at 7:40pm local time, looking to close the gap on the top six.