Another rainy week across the eastern seaboard saw multiple games for our Youth and Senior squads postponed as the Mariners Academy teams took on North West Sydney Spirit and South Coast Flame FC.
For the Youth Girls, the persistent rain across New South Wales saw their ties against the Flame also postponed to a later date due to wet weather.
Despite the poor weather not allowing our Youth squads to get on the pitch on the weekend. Four of our Senior sides were able to play out their respective matches against North West Sydney Spirit and South Coast Flame.
Our 20’s Girls squad were able to pick up a victory as Kiah Carmody netted the winner in a 1-0 win, before our First Grade Women’s squad picked up a very important 3-2 win at Ian McLennan Park.
In what was an exciting contest, the Mariners edged the contest between the two sides and it was exactly what Central Coast Mariners head-coach Pete Preston wanted.
However, there was one player for the Yellow and Navy who stole the headlines. Chloe Smith scored a superb hat-trick as she continued her fabulous run of form. Smith scored twice in the first half before completing her three-goal haul in the 56th minute with a lovely finish.
The Mariners were pegged back in the first half when South Coast Flame briefly equalised through Sariah Wilson after Smith opened the scoring for the Yellow and Navy but the hat-trick from Smith put any hopes of a comeback away.
Speaking to media after the game, Preston said he was impressed with the result considering the journey to get there.
“It was a really good game from both teams, and I thought we shaded it in the end,” he said.
“I’m happy with the result, especially with the travel involved.”
Our Youth Boys were scheduled to face off against Wollongong Wolves at Albert Butler Park but washouts across all grades postponed those games which will be played at a later date.
For the opening match of the day at Christie Park, our 20’s squad defeated the Spirit 2-0 while First Grade played out an entertaining 0-0 draw.
After the Spirit came out guns blazing in the first-half, Patrick Beach was called upon a number of times in the opening 45 minutes and the young keeper made a number of important stops to keep his side in the game.
Michael Konestabo had a chance from point-blank range but Beach’s save denied him and two minutes after denying Konestabo, he once again denied Spirit taking the lead with a save low down to his right once again kept the Mariners in the game.
After a goal-less first-half, it was the Yellow and Navy who started to build into the game as Nikola Skataric and Lachlan Bayliss both had chances to grab the goal ahead for the Mariners, but the Spirit keeper saved both efforts.
The closest either side came to opening the scoring was when Kota Odakura and Musashi Kokubo combined from a set piece but once again Beach denied Darko late on to keep the game scoreless.
FULL LEAGUE ONE WOMEN’S RESULTS:
South Coast Flame FC U20’s 0-1 Central Coast Mariners U20’s
South Coast Flame FC First Grade 2-3 Central Coast Mariners First Grade
FULL LEAGUE ONE MEN’S RESULTS:
North West Sydney Spirit FC U20’s 0-2 Central Coast Mariners U20’s
North West Sydney Spirit FC First Grade 0-0 Central Coast Mariners First Grade
