A-League: Central Coast Mariners draw 2-2 with Melbourne Victory in round 6
The Mariners might not have taken all three points in the draw with Melbourne Victory, but one key sign suggests that things are starting to click.
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The Mariners continued their improved form with an entertaining 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory at home.
It was certainly a game for the highlights reel, with some spectacular goals bookmarking the contest.
Catch up with some of the major news and talking points below with Mariners Central.
GOALS STARTING TO FLOW
There are some positive signs for the Mariners as the goals start to flow for the team following the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory.
After struggling in the first month of the competition, scoring just two goals from the first four games, the Mariners have now netted five in their last two and have generally looked far more potent in the final third.
The team’s first goal was all Alou Kuol, who showed excellent energy and intent to press and dispossess Victory defender Roderick, before showing enough speed to round oncoming keeper Paul Izzo and tuck the ball away.
And while the second goal – a penalty from a Victory hand ball in the box – may have been slightly more fortuitous, it was just reward for an impressive second half performance from the side.
The increase in goals in recent weeks comes on the back on some more impressive performances from the team, who have shown much more intent and cohesion, particularly in the front third.
Mariners players, coaches and fans alike will be hoping the recent flow of goals is a sign that their recent struggles are a thing of the past.
LEAKS CONTINUE TO FRUSTRATE
The match produced one hell of a highlights reel as Victory turned on the fireworks for its two goals.
The first, to veteran striker Bruno Fornaroli on the stroke of halftime, was perhaps one of the greatest goals of the A-League era.
Picking up the ball just metres from the sideline, the 36-year-old showed incredible strength and skill to hold off Mariners defender Brian Kaltak and then nutmeg oncoming defender Storm Roux. Not done there, he continued to hold off Kaltak and
Ben Hall, before unleashing an incredible shot into the top corner from 25m that left Central Coast keeper Danny Vukovic with no chance.
The stunning strikes continued in the second half, with Victory’s Nishan Velupillay looking to emulate his teammate with a sharp turn and excellent slotted shot from the top of the box to put his team in front in the 52nd minute.
And while acknowledging the quality of the goals, Mariners coach Mark Jackson was nevertheless frustrated with the manner in which the team conceded.
“Really disappointed, avoidable goals,” he said.
“It’s been our Achilles heel this year. The lads put the ball in the top corner, so you can say it’s a fantastic goal and finish, but you’ve got to stop it at the source,” he added.
“We’ve got to learn from that and we’ve to keep reiterating that to the players because when we do make those mistakes we get punished.”
FARRELL KEEPS ROLLING ON
While the Mariners’ season has had its fair share of ups and downs so far, one player that has been rock solid the whole time has been left-back Jacob Farrell.
The 21-year-old was once again outstanding for the team in another man-of-the-match performance, with the local lad continuing his rapid development this season.
“I’m really pleased with his performances,” said Jackson.
“For me as a manager, he’s got everything: he’s a fantastic young man to work with, really quiet, really quiet, but really intelligent in taking on board information and learning the game and learning what we want from him… He’s performing really, really well.”
NISBET CRACKS THE TON
Despite not getting the three points there was plenty of reason to celebrate after the game as fan favourite Josh Nisbet played his 100th A-League game.
A Mariners Academy product, the 24-year-old made his A-League debut for the club in 2018 and since become an integral part of the Central Coast midfield.
In a sign of just how highly respected he is among the coaching and plating group, Nisbet collected the Mariners Medal last season as the player of the year in the team’s championship-winning campaign.
GRUELLING TRAVEL PLANS AHEAD
The coach will need to manage to squad over the next few weeks as the team embarks on a gruelling travel and game schedule that will see them play four games in 14 days.
First up, the team has a short turnaround as it hosts Western United at home on Friday night, before travelling to the Philippines to take on Stallions in the AFC Cup on Wednesday.
They’ll be back at it on the following Sunday, playing away against Melbourne City, and then cap off the crazy fortnight in Brisbane against the Roar on December 21.
With a busy schedule ahead, Jackson outlining how he’d be looking to get his squad through the next few weeks.
“They’ll have to have time to recover and come down because whenever we do train, whenever we’re on the pitch, it’s intense.
“I think I mentioned before how we had a change in mentality in the international break: we try and replicate that match intensity in every exercise we do.
“We need to do that, we need to train that way – that’s what we’re instilling into the players, so when it’s time to recover, we recover, and when it’s time to work, we work, and there’ll be times for both of them this week in the lead-up to next game.”
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