A debut goal to birthday boy Nigel Boogaard couldn’t quite get the Central Coast over the line in an F3 derby, which once again failed to disappoint.
A debut goal to birthday boy Nigel Boogaard couldn-t quite get the Central Coast over the line in an F3 derby, which once again failed to disappoint.
The Mariners could well have been cruising to safety by half time, several times going close to opening the scoring.
After just 11 minutes the home crowd was celebrating the opening goal, only for the assistant referee to rule Matt Simon offside, after he had poked a near post header past Ben Kennedy following a good ball in from Dean Heffernan.
Kennedy showed safer hands minutes later when Michael McGlinchey tested the Jets custodian from 25 yards, while Danny Vukovic was forced into action to block a similar effort from Matt Thompson at the other end.
Dylan Macallister saw a sidefooted volley scrape agonizingly wide from six yards and John Hutchinson went even closer to a goal in his 100th competitive appearance, when his free kick floated untouched past a flat-footed Kennedy, and was denied only by the far post.
Already on a yellow card, Fabio Vignaroli could count himself not to have been sentenced to an early shower by referee Ben Williams, for what appeared to be a handball.
The Mariners had yet more chances as the half drew to a close, Kennedy somehow clawing a goal-bound header by Adam Kwasnik away, Kwasnik-s resultant effort narrowly missing the target, and Simon headed a Macallister cross wide soon after.
The Jets too saw an opening to hit the lead, last week-s two-goal man Jason Hoffman blazing wide after finding himself free inside the area.
Just two minutes after the resumption the scoreboard attendants were called into action, but it wasn-t the way the Bluetongue faithful would have been hoping for.
Tarek Elrich played a ball into the box and Petrovski managed to flick it on, allowing Jin-Hyung Song to fire past Vukovic.
It took the Mariners just three minutes to restore order though, Michael McGlinchey lofted a free kick into the area from the left edge, Nigel Boogaard celebrating his 23rd birthday with his first ever Hyundai A-League goal, leaping the highest to head past Kennedy at the back post.
The Mariners twice made good runs through the middle of the park looking for a second, Simon brought down by Nikolai Topor-Stanley as he looked to be away.
With the clock winding down, Alex Wilkinson had the chance to steal the win, heading just over from a Hutchinson corner.
Both sides desperately tried to find a winner, but with time running out and the players running out of steam, the near rivals would have to settle with sharing the points.
The Mariners- Hyundai A-League 2009/10 campaign continues next Saturday, 22 August when they take on Sydney FC at Bluetongue Stadium. Kick off is at 3pm.
Tickets for this match are available online here or by phoning 132 849.
Mariners Memberships for the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 season are now available online by clicking here or by phoning 1300 767 442.
Match Details
Central Coast Mariners 20. Danny Vukovic (gk), 4. Pedj Bojic, 5. Brad Porter, 7. John Hutchinson, 8. Dean Heffernan, Dylan Macallister (9. Nik Mrdja 71-), 14. Michael McGlinchey, 16. Nigel Boogaard, 18. Alex Wilkinson (c), 19. Matt Simon, 23. Adam Kwasnik (21. Ahmad Elrich 83-).
Unused Subs 1. Andrew Redmayne (gk), 22. Nicky Travis.
Yellow Cards Kwasnik 41-, Hutchinson 45-, Boogaard 72-
Red Cards None
Goals Boogaard 50-
Newcastle Jets 1. Ben Kennedy (gk), 2. Angelo Costanzo, 3. Adam D-Apuzzo, 5. Ljubo Milicevic, 7. Jin-Hyung Song, 8. Matthew Thompson, 9. Sasho Petrovski (15. Sean Rooney 74-), 11. Tarek Elrich, 16. Jason Hoffman, 17. Fabio Vignaroli, 24. Chris Triantis (4. Nikolai Topor-Stanley 46-).
Unused Subs 20. Neil Young (gk), 19. Jason Naidovski.
Yellow Cards Vignaroli 21-, Topor-Stanley 56-, Song 85-
Red Cards None
Goals Song 47-
Referee Ben Williams
Crowd 9,573
