This week saw the Central Coast Mariners Academy take on table toppers Sydney FC at Pluim Park, Lisarow on Saturday night.
Sydney FC Academy 4 (Lokolingoy, E.Gonzalez, C.Gonzalez, Antoniou) Central Coast Mariners Academy 0
With club captain Liam O’Dell missing due to injury, CCM NYL player of the year, Reece Papadimtrios took on the captaincy. It was a re-shuffle in defence with Daniel Tuddenham slotting in at centre back, and Brian Jamba going from defensive midfield to right back.
It was Sydney with the first chance of the game in the first minute when Charles Lokolingoy broke through the Academy defence and forced a stunning save from custodian Adam Pearce.
It was Pearce that kept the Academy in it on 19 minutes when it was again Lokolingoy who forced a good low save from close range to keep the scores level.
Chances were few and far between towards the end of the first half, and Sydney FC took the lead early on in the second half when a controversial call from the linesman ruled Lokolingoy to be onside, he went onto draw Pearce out and square his ball to Christian Gonzalez who made no mistake in finishing from close range in the 48th minute.
Sydney FC could’ve doubled their lead in the 55th minute but it was Pearce who stood tall to deny Lokolingoy 1v1 inside the box, and kept the Mariners in it.
Sydney FC did double their lead in the 58th minute when Bai Antoniou found himself with plenty of space and time on the edge of the box, Antoniou’s shot was hit low and hard passed Pearce to send the visitors ahead 2-0.
The Mariners nearly pulled a goal back in the 64th minute when a smart 1,2 play from Sean Pratt and Cade Mapu finished with Mapu’s shot being smothered by Sydney FC shot stopper Mitchell Evans to kill the danger and keep the score at 2-0.
Sydney FC sealed the game in the 74th minute when the ever present Charles Lokolingoy found himself in space on the edge of the box, Lokolingoy’s fierce strike fizzed past a helpless Pearce to send the visitors up 3-0 with 15 minutes to go.
Sydney added salt to the wounds in the 83rd when Emmanuel Gonzalez found himself with time on the edge of the box, sending his shot into the bottom corner, ending any hopes of a CCM comeback, with the score at 4-0.
CCMA: Trent Buhagiar, Thomas Heward-Belle ( GK ), Chrostopher Hurley, Brian Jamba, Thomas Lyons, Cade Mapu, Reece Papadimitrios ( C ), Adam Pearce ( GK ), Ryan Peterson, Sean Pratt, Daniel Tuddenham, Lachlan Wales, Steve Whyte, Cooper Buswell, Josh Forbes, Nathan Hundley
SFCA: Bai Antoniou, Daniel Araujo, Aaron Avery, Brendan Curtis, Duro Dragicevic ( GK ), Mitchell Evans ( GK ), Patrick Flottmann, Cristian Gonzalez, Emmanuel Gonzalez, Matthew Green, Nicola Kuleski, Charles Lokolingoy, Yianni Spyrakis ( C ), George Timotheou, Chris Zuvela, Finn Ballard-McBride
The Central Coast Mariners Academy are back in action next weekend away to Spirit FC at Christie Park on Saturday the 14th of May. U18’s kick off at 3:00, 20’s at 5:00 and 1st grade at 7:00.
Earlier results:
- U20’s lost 1-7 (Hornery)
- U18’s lost 1-2 (Sutherland)
Youth Academy (v Bankstown City):
- U16’s won 4-0 (Brady 2, Barwick, Belkadi)
- U15’s drew 2-2 (Kuzevski 2)
- U14’s won 4-1 (Simmons 2, Corcoran, Newbold)
- U13’s won 2-1 (Beatson, Martin)
Women’s Academy (v Sutherland Shire FA):
- Firsts: lost 0-5
- U17’s: lost 0-3
- U15’s: lost 1-3 (Dearie)
- U13’s: lost 0-2
