Central Coast Mariners will play the second match in the Club’s history at North Sydney Oval this Friday night, and the team can take confidence from the fact that they claimed all three Hyundai A-League points the last time they were at the venue.
Last December a 27th minute Storm Roux strike helped the Mariners earn a 1-0 win over Wellington Phoenix a week out from Christmas, while Liam Reddy’s reactions also assisted the yellow and navy to trump their rivals from the land of the long white cloud.
Indeed, on Thursday 19 December 2013 Reddy saved a penalty from Belgian marksman Stein Huysegems and produced a wonder-stop to deny former Hyundai A-League star Paul Ifill from levelling proceedings late on.
It was this inspired form from Reddy, plus some outstanding acrobatics from Phoenix ‘keeper Glen Moss, that helped create an entertaining fixture for the 6,755 fans gathered at the iconic, picturesque venue.
This Friday’s game against Melbourne Victory presents Central Coast Mariners boss Phil Moss – a man who knows North Sydney Oval well courtesy of his time as a player at Northern Spirit in the National Soccer League – a different challenge.
Victory, one of the competition’s heavyweights, are set to arrive at NSO with a frontline bursting with attacking talent, including Besart Berisha, Fahid Ben Khalfallah, Kosta Barbarouses and Archie Thompson.
Nine Central Coast Mariners players that participated in last year’s North Sydney Oval match are in line to play in this season’s game at the venue – Reddy, Roux, Josh Rose, John Hutchinson, Anthony Caceres, Nick Montgomery, Matt Simon, Nick Fitzgerald, Storm Roux, and Mitchell Duke – perhaps giving the yellow and navy a psychological advantage in the round 9 tie.
Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Victory – Hyundai A-League 2014/15 Round 9
Friday 5 December 2014
North Sydney Oval, North Sydney
Kick-off: 7:40pm
Tickets: Please click here to purchase tickets to the match
Twitter: @CCMariners #CCMvMVC
