Central Coast Mariners still living finals dream

Central Coast, the team the critics have constantly laughed at and derided over the past couple of seasons, continue to live the finals dream.

Central Coast, the team the critics have constantly laughed at and ­derided over the past couple of seasons, are continuing to live the finals dream after a win over ­defending champions Adelaide United at GIO Stadium in Can­berra yesterday.

Goals either side of halftime from former United attacker Fabio Ferreira and Kwabena ­Appiah, his first in 52 games in the A-League, secured the three points for the Mariners in a massive result for coach Paul Okon and his much maligned team.

Jordan O'Doherty gave United some hope with a cracker in ­stoppage time, but it was too little too late.

While the Mariners remain in ninth-spot, they are now on 16 points and just five behind sixth-placed Western Sydney, who they play next week in a match that may well define their season.

Importantly, it also puts them five clear of last-paced Adelaide United, who must now be favourites to become only the second team in A-League history to win the title one season and finish with the wooden spoon the next.

While the Mariners did well, they can thank goalkeeper Paul Izzo, who had a magnificent game by pulling off a string of saves. He was a deserved man of the match, especially after copping a knock to the head in the second half that left him dazed for several minutes.

Despite starting the game ­slowly in the opening 10 minutes and having just 40 per cent possession, the Mariners found themselves leading 1-0 at the break, and it was probably quite deserved.

Once they settled into the game, Central Coast used the ball to great effect, taking advantage of their speed down the flanks through Trent Buhagiar and Connor Pain while Ferreira was given a roving role and got himself on the ball a fair bit.

For all their possession, Adelaide hardly created any chances and their only shot on target in the half came just before halftime when Ben Garuccio slammed a left foot shot that Izzo did superbly to batter away with his legs.

The Mariners certainly looked more dangerous with their direct football and it took some quick thinking from United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic to halt a dangerous attack after Buhagiar almost got on the end of a long ball.

However, Galekovic was forced off the field on 31 minutes with what was reported to be a torn muscle in his shoulder, and was ­replaced by John Hall.

Just six minutes later Hall was picking the ball out of his own net. Buhagiar had put in a teasing ball across the face of the goal. Hall couldn't get to it and it fell to Pain whose shot slammed into him. The ball eventually ballooned ­towards the goal and was cleared by a defender. However, it fell to Ferreira, who slammed it into the right-hand corner of the net as Hall scrambled to get across.

The Reds came out with more intent in the early stages of the second half, forcing Izzo to make two wonderful saves in the space of two minutes.

First a Tarek Elrich cross from the left found Mark Ochieng, whose far post header was scrambled away by Izzo in the 49th minute. Then Sergio Cirio found himself in space on the right, in the box. The Spaniard fired his shot from close range with Izzo wearing the full brunt in the face.

Adelaide were made to pay for squandering their chances when Appiah produced some scintillating football. He showed extraordinary speed down the right flank, leaving two players in his wake before laying the ball off for Pain in the box. Pain's shot was blocked by Hall. However, the ball rebounded to Appiah and he did well to deftly plant a first-time shot into the net.