A second-half goal avalanche has propelled Adelaide United to a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 triumph over the Central Coast Mariners in Sunday’s Foxtel National Youth League clash at Thebarton Oval.
A second-half goal avalanche has propelled Adelaide United to a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 triumph over the Central Coast Mariners in Sunday’s Foxtel National Youth League clash at Thebarton Oval.
Down 2-0 at half-time, the young Reds turned things around spectacularly after the interval with four goals inside 24 minutes to Nikola Milusenic, Anthony Costa, Jack Bladen and Nathan Konstandopoulos.
The Mariners, so impressive and composed early in their bid for a drought-busting maiden win of the season, crumbled as they were reduced to nine players as a result of two red cards.
United had a hot chance early when Ryan Kitto smashed a free kick into the left upright in the fourth minute, but otherwise it was Central Coast doing most of the attacking in the initial stages.
Breathing a sigh of relief at Kitto’s near miss, the Mariners were soon celebrating heartily when they got on the board in the 11th minute, albeit with a stroke of luck, when Cameron Watson was whistled for a ticky-touch challenge just inside the box.
Adelaide’s coaching staff expressed their dismay as Adam Kwasnik duly stroked the penalty past wrong-footed Reds custodian John Hall.
United had a couple of decent chances to get even, through Jacob Melling and Kitto, but Central Coast gloveman Justin Pasfield was alert and up to the task.
The Mariners deservedly doubled their advantage in the 65th minute, with no luck required this time, as Dillon Vorster laid one nicely to set up Nick Fitzgerald, who thumped it past Hall, who had no chance.
Central Coast had multiple goals for the first time all season and looked in control, notably in defence where Nathan Verity was posing problems.
But the expulsion of Brent Griffiths in the 28th minute for illegally denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to Melling left the visitors undermanned.
Adelaide sprung the changes at the interval, injecting Costa, Konstandopoulos and Daniel Bowles for a triple substitution, and the reinvigorated Reds looked a completely different outfit in the second half.
Milesunic halved the margin in the 59th minute with some nice evasive skills, spinning past two defenders and unleashing a rifle from close range.
Six minutes later, Costa equalised to make it 2-2 on the back of some clever play from Awer Mabil.
From a second successive corner, Mabil fashioned a sweet solo effort, finding an opening and honing in on goal.
His effort was blocked by Pasfield, but ricocheted to Costa, who found the back of the net in heavy traffic.
With the hosts having completely seized the momentum, Jack Bladen capitalised in the 70th minute when he poked home a second bite at the cherry after his first attempt was parried by Pasfield, straight back into the United striker’s lap, the home side suddenly in the lead.
The Mariners were rattled and were dealt a blow when Michael Neill was given his marching orders in the 75th minute after receiving his second yellow, for abusing no-nonsense referee Kyle Bartlett.
Costa had a crack at a brace but couldn’t quite get enough meat on a strike from the left in the 78th, but the Reds were charging hard.
In the 83rd minute, Konstandopoulos found a gap in Central Coast’s suddenly hole-filled defence and joined fellow substitute Costa in the goal-scoring act to double the Reds’ lead and seal an amazing fightback.
Adelaide United Youth 4 (Milesunic 59-, Costa 65-, Bladen 70-, Konstandopoulos 83-)
Central Coast Mariners Youth 2 (Kwasnik 11- (Pen), Fitzgerald 44-)
Thebarton Oval, Adelaide
