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Mariners ready to pounce on Adelaide

Roar Guru
14th November, 2008
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Central Coast striker Dylan Macallister believes the Mariners have the perfect chance to catch Adelaide United napping and climb to second on the A-League ladder tomorrow night.

It is a pivotal game for the fifth-placed Mariners, who are both three points in arrears of the second-placed Reds and three points clear of of bottom-placed Perth Glory.

A win will catapult them into second and give them an opportunity to battle Melbourne Victory for top spot at Telstra Dome six days later.

Losses in both those games could leave them battling to stay off the bottom of the table.

In the Mariners’ favour is that United will be walking onto Bluetongue Stadium just three days after an arduous Asian Champions League campaign ended in Wednesday night’s morale-sapping defeat to Japan’s Gamba Osaka.

Macallister believes with the visitors having kept their game at a high level through a packed schedule for so long, they might be about to drop their guard.

“We’re getting Adelaide at the perfect time, there’s been so much focus on this Asian Champions League and I really think it’s going to be a time where we might just catch them off their game,” he said.

“They’ve been performing well in both Asian Champions League and the league, all credit to them.

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“We’re not taking this game lightly whatsoever, we know that there’s a lot at stake.

“A win on Saturday night will put us second and going to Melbourne the week after, who knows what could happen down there.”

Macallister has been a key member of a potent Mariners’ attack this season, with fellow dangermen Matt Simon, Sasho Petrovski and Nik Mrdja all sharing in the goals.

Central Coast have scored 20 goals in total, equal best in the league, despite having played one fewer game than all teams except tomorrow night’s opponents.

“We’ve got some fantastic attacking options, four strikers and Adrian Caceres who’s been sitting in behind us and really doing well for us as well,” Macallister said.

“The thing is all these players are really in form at the moment which is pretty much unheard of.

“Nik’s been coming back from a long-term injury and we’ve had a few doubts here and there, but all boys all over the park really are just in fantastic form at the moment … it’s a great position to be in.”

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While Adelaide will be weary from their Asian campaign, they can at least call on some reinforcements tomorrow night.

Goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic and experienced defender Angelo Costanzo, who both missed Wednesday night’s match through suspension, will be back.

Midfielder Jonas Salley and defender Alameo are also back in the squad, after being ineligible to play in the ACL.

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