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Central
Coast Mariners
Media Release
Thursday, 17 June
Mariners in Seventh Heaven
The Central Coast Mariners have begun
their Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Pre-season campaign in style, with a
7-1 win over New South Wales State League side Central Coast
Lightning, to retain the Central Coast Challenge Cup.
After enduring six gruelling weeks of pre-season training, the
Mariners were eager to play the first game of the new season in the
much-anticipated annual Central Coast Challenge. It is the beginning
of a new era for the Central Coast side and the players were keen to
impress new assistant coach Phil Moss, who is deputising for new
Head Coach Graham Arnold, away on Qantas Socceroo duty.
A fast, albeit damp Pluim Park surface greeted both teams as they
took the pitch for kick-off, and the traditional fog also made an
appearance, obscuring parts of the ground to the 1105 diehards who
braved the chilly weather. Clearly winter had arrived at the
spiritual home of Central Coast football.
Despite the wintry conditions the Mariners made their attacking
intentions clear in just the second minute of the match when an Adam
Kwasnik shot just sailed wide of the near post. The Mariners, it
appeared, were in a menacing mood, and two minutes later Marc Warren
and Josh Rose combined in a lovely one-two movement that should have
been rewarded with the opening goal.
After an exciting opening five minutes both sides looked to gain
ascendency in a traditional midfield battle as they settled into the
rhythm of the match. Mustafa Amini – rated as one of the most
promising young players in Australia – showed maturity beyond his
years as he distributed both long and short passes causing havoc for
the Lightning defence.
The match came alive in the 13th minute when new recruit Josh Rose,
in his Mariners debut, fired home the opening goal from the edge of
the penalty area after some strong lead-up play from Warren.
Another newcomer in the Yellow and Navy almost doubled the lead two
minutes later, but unfortunately for Rostyn Griffiths he was unable
to get the required accuracy on his header and the chance to extend
the lead went begging. It was left to the experienced Matt Simon to
net the Mariners’ second goal in the 22nd minute.
Not to be outdone, his partner in crime up-front, Daniel McBreen,
netted a third on the half hour mark. In a way it was a redemptive
moment for McBreen, whose finish was the polished product expected
of an experienced marksman after missing out on an easier
opportunity moments earlier.
Shortly before half-time, the Lightning, in their first real
attacking chance of the match, gave their fans something to cheer
about. Graham Toope with subtle acceleration was able to evade his
marker and drive home a shot past custodian Mathew Ryan.
A mass of changes during the break saw the Mariners begin the second
half with a different formation as some senior players got a
well-earned break. It didn’t harm the attacking mindset though, as
Adam Kwasnik netted a fourth goal two minutes after the restart.
The Mariners continued to press forward in the second half as the
match developed the tempo of a training run. The Lightning tried
hard but were unable to break down a committed Mariners defence.
A free kick awarded just outside the box in the 64th minute saw Brad
Porter step up. Porter drilled his free kick, sending his shot
swerving FIFA World Cup ball, Jabulani style, into the net.
Two late goals from Sam Gallagher and Matthew Lewis took the
Mariners tally for the evening to seven, and ensured a positive
start for the team as they build towards the next Hyundai A-League
season.
“I thought our finishes were excellent tonight. Given that it was
our first game and the stage of pre-season we are in I thought we
looked very sharp in front of goal,” said Mariners Assistant Coach
Phil Moss.
“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves with the performance,
there was certainly some rustiness there and it was good to get that
first game out of the way.”
The Mariners face a short turnaround before their next Pre-Season
Trial, in the Doug Turnbull Cup against Bankstown City Lions on
Tuesday at Jensen Park.
“We will probably mix things up ahead of the next game next Tuesday
night, there were some players who put up their hand for a start.
“We want the players to go into the season understanding a few
different systems of play,” Moss said.
In the curtain raiser to the main game, Players made up from FMS
Central Coast Premier League teams in the North of the region
combined to defeat a combined Southern side 3-1, in a seesawing
affair that produced plenty of highlights.
Selectors will now choose a squad from those two teams to represent
a Central Coast Premier League select XI and take on the Mariners on
Wednesday, 14 July at Pluim Park.
Central Coast Mariners 7 (Rose 13’, Simon 22’, McBreen 30’,
Kwasnik 47’, Porter 64’, Gallagher 75’, Lewis 84’)
Central Coast Lightning 1 (Toope 44’)
Central Coast Mariners: 1. Mathew RYAN (GK), 2. Daniel
MCBREEN, 3. Joshua ROSE, 4. Pedj BOJIC, 7. John HUTCHINSON, 8.
Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 15. Marc WARREN, 18. Alex WILKINSON (c), 19. Matt
Simon, 22. Mustafa AMINI, 23. Adam KWASNIK.
Substitutes: 5. Brad PORTER, 12. Matthew LEWIS, 16. Trent
SAINSBURY, 17. Chris DOIG, 21. Sam GALLAGHER.
Central Coast Lightning: 1. Josh BARRETT (GK), 3. Jamie LOBB
(c), 5. Nathan MOSELEY, 7. Keenan CRUM, 8. Dale HALL, 10. Nathan
BYRN, 11. Neil WOODCOCK, 12. Graham TOOPE, 13. Scott MCGINLEY, 14.
Pat DALTON, 15. Ben GLACHAN.
Substitutes: 36. Jake PURCHES (GK), 2. Paul MCGLINEY, 4. Darren
COOPER, 6. Matt MITCHELL, 9. Tim KNIGHT, 18. Daniel BIRD, 33. Dane
CHAMBERS.
Referee: Ryan SHEPHEARD
Mariners Memberships for the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season are
available online now at
www.ccmariners.com.au
<http://www.ccmariners.com.au> or by phoning 1300 767 442.
Ends
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