Mariners finally taste success

Central Coast won their first match in 10 games with a 3-0 victory over a 10-man Newcastle at Bluetongue Stadium on Monday night.

The game was re-scheduled from Saturday, when heavy rain forced it to be postponed, and it was the Mariners who stole the show through goals by Nigel Boogaard, Adam Kwasnik and Matt Simon.

Boogaard opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Kwasnik doubled the score five minutes after the interval with a lob over Jets keeper Ben Kennedy.

Jets striker Labinot Haliti then made their task next to impossible and was berated by his coach Branko Culina after being shown a second yellow card in the 56th minute.

Simon then added some icing to the cake with a third goal in the 72nd minute.

Mariners midfielder Pedj Bojic was also forced off with a second yellow card in the 88th minute, but by that stage the match was over as a contest.

The Mariners’ victory is their first at home since the round-seven 3-0 triumph on September 19 over a 10-man Gold Coast.

The Mariners went ahead when Brad Porter’s corner was headed home by Boogaard at the far post.

Just two minutes later an Ali Abas shot was headed away by Shane Huke and his second shot stung the hands of Mariners custodian Danny Vukovic.

Porter was unbalanced with his shot from close range 10-minutes later.

Kwasnik had broken away down the right and was unlucky not to have won a free-kick with giant Jets defender Lubo Milicevic leaning all over him.

A smart move by Kwasnik shook off the ageing central defender and his cross found Porter free at the far post and only keeper Ben Kennedy to beat.

Porter’s shot sailed over the bar and into the video replay screen behind the Brisbane Waters end of Bluetongue Stadium.

Newcastle missed the chance to leapfrog Perth into fifth on the table, but Culina wasn’t too disappointed with his troops after the match.

“It was disappointing to lose but we played some good football,” he said.

“That was the best we’ve played over the last three weeks. It was only that they scored from defensive errors.”

Mariners counterpart Lawrie McKinna was delighted by the result after a tough season for the club.

“The last ten weeks has been hard, we feel a lot of these games we should have got more out of them but that’s football,” he said.

“Last home game, to get a very convincing win over Newcastle, our local rivals, was great.

“I’m just proud for the players, they’ve all worked hard all season, we’ve copped a lot of criticism for the poor run of results but that’s one of the most convincing wins we’ve played against a local rival.

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