Central Coast Mariners and Western United played out an entertaining battle on Wednesday evening.
The Mariners extend a strong unbeaten run against Western, now unbeaten in eight matches against the Tarneit side after holding firm against the A-League’s form side, who had won six of their last seven.
An entertaining game on a windy night in Victoria saw both sides come from behind, with a draw in the end a fair result.
A blistering end to the first half saw the Mariners head into half time in front, with quick-fire goals from Mikael Doka and Ryan Edmondson overturning Noah Botic’s opening goal.
Ben Garuccio’s free-kick was the only goal of the second half, earning Western a point, but both sides had chances to win the game.
Western have been kings of the late show this season but the Mariners almost dealt them a taste of their own medicine in stoppage time, Matt Sutton coming up with a big save for the hosts to deny Doka the winning goal.
Doka from 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐠 range to get his second in three games!
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) January 29, 2025#CCMFC #WUNvCCM #RideTheWave
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Line-Up
Mark Jackson made two changes to the starting eleven from Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Wellington in Christchurch, with Trent Sainsbury returning and Edmondson starting for the first time in the A-League since Round Four.
There was a special moment for Lucas Scicluna, whose introduction off the bench saw him make his first Mariners appearance and follow in the footsteps of his older brother Dylan by playing in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Starting XI: Peraic-Cullen (GK), Kaltak, Sainsbury (C), Theoharous, Doka, Roux, Steele, Paull, De Lima, Eames, Edmondson.
Substitutions:
46′ ON: Faisal OFF: De Lima
62′ ON: Kuol, Kuzevski OFF: Theoharous, Edmonson
80′ ON: Scicluna OFF: Eames
90′ ON: Feijao OFF: Roux
Unused subs: Pavlesic (GK), Herrington.
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) January 29, 2025
Our team to take on Western tonight is in!
Trent returns
Edmo in from the beginning
Back-to-back starts for Haine#CCMFC #WUNvCCM #RideTheWave
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First Half
Arthur De Lima had the first opportunity of the game, stealing the ball in the attacking third but shooting straight at Sutton from the edge of the area.
Western took the lead just after the half hour mark as Riku Danzaki crossed for Botic to head home his seventh of the season.
Dylan Peraic-Cullen held firm as Western looked to double their lead, saving from Matthew Grimali, before a scintillating couple of minutes from the Mariners turned the game on it’s head.
First, Doka swung a free-kick in from a deep position on the left, with the ball evading everybody and curling in off the post to level the scores.
A fantastic move moments later then saw us take the lead before half time, Edmondson finishing clinically at the back post after a flowing move down the left involving an incisive pass from Haine Eames and a marauding run from Nathan Paull.
Second half
There was a huge let off for the Mariners early in the second half, the wind playing a part as an in-swinging free-kick evaded Peraic-Cullen and left Tomoki Imai with an open goal, but he somehow headed wide.
Substitute Abdul Faisal showed bright moments in the second half, on the hour mark he beat his man on the left before crossing for Edmondson who was once again well positioned at the back post, but this time couldn’t quite stretch enough to guide the ball on target.
The leveller came on 73 minutes for Western, Garuccio finding the back of the net directly from a free-kick.
Neither side were willing to hold out for a draw in the late stages, with the Mariners threatening on 80 minutes, Faisal beating his man on the right this time and cutting the ball back, Sasha Kuzevski then Harry Steele both seeing efforts blocked by Western bodies.
At the other end, Brian Kaltak made a crucial intervention at the near post to deny Hiroshi Ibusuki, from Garuccio’s cross.
It was the Mariners who had the final chances in stoppage time, Doka was denied one-on-one by Sutton, a huge save from the Western keeper.
Doka then saw what would have been an incredible winning goal, a bicycle kick from Faisal’s cross, saved by Sutton.
In the end, a point was a fair result, with the stats reflecting an even encounter at Ironbark Fields. The Mariners make it three games unbeaten at the end of a tricky schedule of five consecutive away matches in January.
Post-match reaction via Central Coast Mariners YouTube
Watch the full highlights below, with further match reaction including post-match interviews available via Central Coast Mariners on YouTube.
Next up
Your Mariners are FINALLY back on home turf this weekend, hosting a massive F3 Derby Double Header on Saturday 1st February. Get your tickets now!