Campbelltown City has claimed a glorious double after breaking the hearts of NPL grand final debutant Adelaide Comets
Campbelltown City has romped to the 2019 double and back-to-back grand final wins. But a post-game announcement from coach Joe Mullen has ensured some mixed emotions. See the match report and all the State League results.
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Just minutes after overseeing Campbelltown City win back-to-back NPL grand finals with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Comets, coach Joe Mullen told his side he was stepping down.
Mullen’s announcement in the Hindmarsh Stadium dressing rooms after the match came as a shock after former Adelaide United and Melbourne City striker Marc Marino helped the Red Devils to victory by jagging an incredible hat trick to claim the man of the match medal.
Mullen, who has led the Red Devils to four titles in seven seasons, is aiming to take a year off from senior duties before embarking on a well deserved holiday next year.
Campbelltown assistant and former Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets A-League boss Phil Stubbins will lead the club in 2020, signing on a one-year deal with a one-year option chairman Don Leombruno confirmed.
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Mullen will end his duties after the Reds Devils aim to secure the treble, starting with an away trip to Brisbane to face Lions at Lions Stadium in the quarter-final of the Australian NPL series on Sunday.
The SA club holds the national title after last year winning the treble.
“Joe (Mullen) definitely told the playing group he won’t be the coach,’’ Leombruno said.
“He said it in the changerooms and to whoever was in there that it was his last NPL game aside from what happens in the Australian NPL series.
“He’s taking a year off but he will be involved at the club in some capacity, helping development, reserves, our under 18s and junior coaches.
“He’s booked a month holiday away already in January.
“Coming across Joe in 2013 when we appointed him he asked us “what do you want to do?”
“And we said “we just want to win a championship Joe” and he did that in our 50th year celebrations.”
Marino’s hat-trick kicked off when the game was just five minutes old.
Comets turning the ball over inside Campbelltown’s defensive half cost the underdog dearly when Jake Halliday found Alex Mullen with a pass which spread Comets open.
Mullen’s searching ball to Joel Allwright wide on the right wing eventually found Luigi Di Troia inside the box.
Di Troia combined with Marino before the explosive striker found space to drive the ball home from 7m.
Halliday and Allwright were again involved a minute into first half stoppage time for Marino’s second goal.
They combined on the left this time before Marino powered the inviting cross into the back of the net from five metres.
Dion Kirk who broke his leg during last year’s grand final win over Adelaide City became the supplier for Marino’s hat trick 12 minutes into the second half.
His deft through ball broke Comets off-side trap before Marino cooly slotted the ball home with just gloveman Julian Torresan to beat.
Meanwhile State League 1, NPL-promoted sides produced an entertaining shock result in the curtain raiser, with Cumberland United overcoming premier Modbury Jets 3-1.
Tom Briscoe scored a brace in the second half after Callum Elms broke the deadlock for Cumberland.
Jets captain Michael Doyle scored before his teammates Taylor Martyn and Zac Miller were expelled in the second half.
In the State League 2 grand final Adelaide Hills claimed the double beating fellow promoted club Vipers 3-1 after extra time.
Daniel Hosking scored in the 17th minute before scoring again in extra time via the penalty spot after Hills Samuel Bowman scored.
Nicholas Stefanopoulos jagged the equaliser in normal time before Vipers Alex Georgakopoulos was sent off in extra time.