Melbourne City thrash Mariners to possibly shake-up A-League finals

Melbourne City ended the regular season in style with a five-goal drubbing of the Mariners.

Melbourne City’s Shayon Harrison celebrates against Central Coast at AAMI Park. Picture: AAP

Shayon Harrison’s dynamite dribbling helped Melbourne City end the regular season on a high, with a 5-0 win over Central Coast. Paradoxically, the belting could cost City as they aim to reach a first grand final in the club’s history.

Warren Joyce’s side ended their Mariners hoodoo at AAMI Park, overcoming the wooden-spooners for the first time this season in emphatic fashion.

Tottenham loanee Harrison scored a classy brace to bookend Riley McGree’s volley and Dario Vidosic’s tap-in.

Ramy Najjarine then hit the back of the net with a rocket for his first A-League goal, putting Alen Stajcic’s sorry outfit to bed.

The win takes City equal on points with fifth-placed Wellington, who travels to play premiers Perth on Sunday.

That result at HBF Park will now determine the final make-up of the finals. Should Glory beat the Phoenix by two goals or more, City will head to Adelaide for their elimination final instead of staying at home for a derby with rivals Melbourne Victory.

Given City are on a 12-game unbeaten streak at AAMI Park, haven’t lost to Victory this season, and captain Scott Jamieson has labelled Victory as their preferred finals opponents, their 5-0 win could well be bittersweet. But at least City will enter the finals with a head of steam up courtesy of their big win.

With the finals in mind, Joyce rested a string of key players — including marquees Jamie Maclaren, Ritchie de Laet and Eugene Galekovic. Harrison transformed a staid affair on 34 minutes with his fancy footwork, jinking past Matt Millar, Jacob Melling and Jem Karacan before toepoking home an effort off the far post past Jack Clisby.

The delightful effort laid a base for City to go on a spree.

McGree leathered home a close-range volley from Jamieson’s curling cross to make it 2-0 three minutes before the break.

Five minutes after halftime, Luke Brattan won possession and set up Lachie Wales, who slid a low cross for Vidosic to get in on the act.

Then Harrison reappeared to score a second, latching onto Wales’s through ball, to complete a 20-minute four-goal rout.

But City weren’t finished there, with Najjarine netting a breakaway effort in injury time to equal City’s biggest all-time win.

Joyce also threw on Idrus Abdulahi late in the match, making the 16-year-old the youngest man to represent the club.

Central Coast’s rancid effort ensures the Mariners have completed the season without a clean sheet.

AAP