Four second half goals helped the Central Coast Mariners Youth team record a comprehensive 5-1 win over Melbourne Victory Youth at Tuggerah on Saturday.
Majestic midfielder Jake McGing was the star of the game – he netted a hat trick for Stu Jacobs’ side with two coming in the second 45.
McGing’s first, the game’s opener, was an accomplished finish following a flowing move involving Isaka Cernak and Josh Bingham in the 26th minute.
McGing’s first was cancelled out by Victory attacker Chris Cristaldo less than 10 minutes later, but while Darren Davies’ team showed they could stick with the mini Mariners in the first half, they simply couldn’t keep pace with the junior and navy after the half time break.
In the 52nd minute recent Hyundai A-League debutant Bingham sent a crisp shot into the back of the net following a cut-back by Brian Jamba, while just eight minutes later McGing stepped up to bury a penalty won by the influential Jamba.
In the 70th minute McGing made the score 4-1 after he reacted sharply to direct a Cernak shot at goal beyond Victory custodian Lucas Spinella, while eight minutes from time local junior Trent Buhagiar intercept a back pass intended for Spinella, rounded the keeper, and fired into the back of the net.
The game at the Club’s Centre of Excellence was enjoyed by an appreciative crowd of approximately 300 fans. The Mariners Brass Band even made a brief appearance to add to the atmosphere, while several Mariners Members made their way across to the game following the Club’s exclusive Members-Only Christmas Party.
Central Coast Mariners Youth 5 (McGing 26’, 60’, 70’, Bingham 52’, Buhagiar 80’)
Melbourne Victory Youth 1 (Cristaldo 34’)
Central Coast Mariners Centre of Excellence, Tuggerah
Central Coast Mariners Youth: 1. Adam PEARCE (20. Nicholas SORRAS), 3. Lewis BEUMIE, 4. Brian JAMBA, 5. Nic PETRILLO, 6. Jake MCGING, 7. Isaka CERNAK, 8. Liam ROSE, 9. Josh BINGHAM (19. Trent BUHAGIAR), 10. Jesse CURRAN (16. Daniel MCFARLANE), 11. Tom SLATER, 17. Hayden MORTON
Substitutes not used: 15. Mason VERSI
