The Central Coast Mariners Academy suffered just their second loss of the season with the boys going down 3-1 to Branko Culina’s Fraser Park.
The Mariners Academy started the match with pace to burn up front with Trent Buhagiar, Josh Bingham and Lachlan Wales all featuring in the front third.
Fraser Park had the first chance of the match when a free kick was well saved by Tom Heward-Belle in the 12th minute.
The Academy had a great opportunity to strike first when a pin point Reece Papadimtrios free kick found his skipper, Liam O’Dell who couldn’t quite put his header on target from a good position just outside the six yard box in the 22nd minute.
A great run from Fraser Park’s winger nearly saw them take the lead in the 34th minute when it found the head of Nicholas Dimitropoulos who put his effort wide of Heward-Belle’s goal.
Academy’s Lachlan Wales had a great chance to bag a goal just before the break when he found himself in a great position just inside the edge of the 18-yard-box, but couldn’t get his effort past a diving Wayne Estevao.
Academy Head Coach Ben Cahn’s half time words looked to spur his players on, the Academy came out firing and took the lead in the 48th minute via a brilliant finish from O’Dell who turned in a first time strike from a Papadimtrios free kick.
Fraser Park nearly leveled proceedings in the 51st minute when a defensive lapse handed the ball to Fraser Park in attack but Verity recovered well and won the ball back.
The Mariners Academy went close to doubling their lead in the 53rd minute when Buhagiar found the feet of Ryan Peterson just inside the penalty area, but put his shot just wide.
Fraser found themselves with a penalty in the 57th minute when Verity was controversially called to have hand balled in the box. Peter Crevani stepped up for the home team and made no mistake with his spot kick.
The home side shot to the lead in the 61st minute when a cut back from the winger found Crevani on the edge of the box who doubled his tally for the night.
The game was sealed in the 83rd minute when Kevin Oliveria found Nathan Sansom who calmly finished from close range to make it 3-1 in favour of Fraser Park
Fraser Park 3 (Peter Crevani 57’ (pen), 61’; Nathan Sansom 82’) Central Coast Mariners 1 (Liam O’Dell 48’)
Fraser Park: 1. Wayne Estevao (GK), 3. Davide Talone (15. Daisan Kim 68’), 4. Peter Crevani, 5. Nicholas Dimitropoulos (C), 6. Aleksandar Todoroski, 7. Kevin Oliveira, 8. Zac Ribeiro, 9. Jeffrey Issa (17. Nathan Sansom), 11. Jordan Roberts, 13. Pasqualino Cappuccio, 18. Askin Oygur
Unused Substitutes: 16. N Mouzourakis, 20. Adem Kir, 21. J. Dimitrakas (GK)
Coach: Branko Culina
Central Coast Mariners FC: 1. Thomas Heward-Belle (GK), 2. Brian Jamba, 3. Reece Papadimitrios, 5. Daniel Tuddenham, 6. Liam O’Dell (C), 7. Lachlan Wales, 9. Josh Bingham, 10. Ryan Peterson (18. Cade Mapu 63’), 11. Christopher Hurley, 12. Trent Buhagiar, 14. Nathan Verity (15. Nathan Hundley 74’)
Unused Substitutes: 8. Lewis Miccio
Yellow Cards: 3. Reece Papadimitrios (56’)
Coach: Ben Cahn
Earlier results
- 18s: 4-1 WIN (Macey, Hatch, Caisley, Glassock)
- 20s: 3-1 WIN (Buswell x 2, Miccio)
Youth vs Manly
- 16s : 2-0 LOSS
- 15s : 1-0 LOSS
- 14s : 1-0 WIN (Philips-Tapsell)
- 13s : 0-0 DRAW
