Mariners’ losing streak extends to 304 days

It’s 304 days and counting for the Central Coast Mariners as their season continues to go from bad to worse.

Newcastle’s Jason Hoffman scores a second half goal a Central Coast Stadium

It’s 304 days and counting for the Mariners as their season continues to go from bad to worse after yet another loss yesterday.

Still searching for their first win of the season, the Gosford-based club gave up the lead to suffer a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to bitter rivals the Newcastle Jets in the M1 Derby at Central Coast Stadium.

You couldn’t question their commitment and passion yesterday, but the Mariners just could not hold on as the Jets came from behind to record an important win that puts them into equal sixth spot on the table.

Mariners captain Matt Simon had given his side hope after opening the scoring in the 36th minute but the Jets were relentless and eventually equalised through Jason Hoffman in the 63rd minute, before Ronnie Vargas’s match winner with 10 minutes to go.

The Mariners have now lost seven in a row since opening the season with successive draws. Significantly, taking into account last season, they have now gone 15 games without tasting success.

Their last win was in February when they beat Wellington Phoenix in a round 21 match last season.

Mariners coach Mike Mulvey said he could not have asked any more from his players.

“We got a good goal in the first half and there was plenty of confidence that we could go on with it.

“But the critical point was not getting that second goal, and we had a chance to do that.

“Their goal sapped the energy out of the stadium and you could see the shoulders (of the players) sag a bit after that.”

Jets coach Ernie Merrick ­admitted he was a relieved man to see his side come away with the points even though he thought they had been impressive and dominated much of it.

“We played well in the first half but they got the goal and lifted,” Merrick said. “But I made a couple of tactical changes for the second half and it worked out well.”

Mulvey made three changes to the side following last week’s disappointing effort against the Phoenix and it certainly had the desired effect in the opening 45 minutes as the Mariners played like men possessed.

Still, the first 20 minutes or so lacked the intensity of a derby, though you could see things starting to brew with a few, niggly pieces of interaction between the players. But Simon’s goal was the catalyst for a change in the mood of the game. The Mariners captain had combined beautifully with Matt Millar down the right side in a one-two that saw Millar float in a delightful cross to the far post where an off balance Simon somehow managed to get his head to the ball to nod it in.

He celebrated in front of the huge contingent of Jets fans who had made the trip down the M1.

Newcastle started the second half strongly and had an early chance when Jair headed a cross over the bar in the 46th minute.

The Mariners should have had a second on 53 minutes when Connor Pain dispossessed Hoffman and had a clear run in to the penalty area and a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He took an early shot and Glen Moss did well to get down to it and block it.

It proved to be a costly miss with the visitors finally finding an equaliser when Hoffman jumped high to head home a corner from the left in the 66th minute.