Mariners fans told to keep faith

The A-League records the Central Coast Mariners are desperate to avoid tonight.

Kye Rowles, left, is sent off during the Central Coast Mariners’s loss to Wellington Phoenix on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

His side is on the verge of making the A-League history books for the wrong reasons, but Central Coast coach Mike Mulvey has asked the club’s long-suffering fans to stick by the club, suggesting the Mariners are ready to start the climb up the table.

Stuck at the bottom of the table with just two points, the Mariners are hoping to break through for their first win of the season after 12 rounds when they play against Melbourne City at Central Coast Stadium tonight.

The Mariners have not recorded a victory in their past 18 games stretching back to the latter part of last season and Mulvey’s men are facing the horrible thought that a loss will see them join the defunct New Zealand Knights for most consecutive games without winning a match.

They are also on a 10-match losing streak and another defeat tonight means that they will also join the Knights for the record for most successive losses. It is not what Mulvey envisaged when the championship-winning coach signed up with the club at the start of the season.

“We are on a journey and it is very unpleasant at times,” Mulvey conceded yesterday.

“It is not easy for Central Coast fans at the moment. They are hurting and have been so for the last four or five years.

“I just ask them to stick with us because the guys are giving everything.

“Everyone at the club is working diligently to turn it around and I genuinely believe we can climb up the table, I really do.”

Mariners coach Mike Mulvey is looking to the transfer window to bolster his floundering squad. Picture: AAP

The Mariners are looking to the January transfer window to bring in some reinforcements with Mulvey suggesting they could bring in as many as four new players to shore up the squad.

The Australian understands one of the key signings could be an overseas-based Australian defender with a strong background in the A-League.

Mulvey is also looking at an English striker who is currently playing in the English Football League Championship.

“I need to look at how I can help the rest of the squad other than in training and the way to do that is to ensure we bring in some extra bodies during the January transfer window … and that is going to happen,” he said.

“You can’t rush to do it in one go but we are trying to bring in some bodies that help the lads get over the line. It will be more than one. From talks it will be at least two and maybe three or four. We have the room and the backing of the club.”

Mulvey said the spirit and mood within the squad is good despite the tough times.

“Something like this can crush your spirit if you are not able to overlook it and get on with the next thing,” he said.

“Any success you have in life, it’s a lot more important if you have overcome some obstacles along the way and it’s not just been given to you.

“We have had a lot of obstacles put in our way at the moment but we keep going — there is no other alternative.”

The Mariners can take some heart from their recent efforts, a 5-2 loss to Sydney FC and a 3-2 defeat by Wellington Phoenix when they had a player sent off in both games.

They led 2-0 against Phoenix, but had Kia Rowles sent off just two minutes into the second half before the Kiwis finished over the top of them.

“Against Sydney we were the better side for 25 minutes and didn’t give them a sniff. Then we had a player sent off,” Mulvey said. “Against Phoenix we were completely dominant in the first half.

“You can see the players are playing their hearts out, it’s just a few things are not going our way.”