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Loss will make Mariners stronger: Moss

Roar Guru
17th April, 2014
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Adversity is the mother of progress. That’s what Mahatma Gandhi once said and Central Coast coach Phil Moss insists his charges will prove the famed saying right when they host Adelaide in their do-or-die A-League finals match on Saturday.

The Mariners endured a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat to FC Seoul on Wednesday.

Deadlocked at 0-0 until the 92nd minute, a point would have left the Mariners well-placed heading into their final Asian Champions League group match.

But skipper John Hutchinson’s injury-time own goal leaves them facing a must-win match away to Japanese giants Sanfrecce Hiroshima next week to progress to the knockout stage.

Before then they face another crucial encounter against a dangerous Adelaide outfit at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday and Moss says the loss will only serve to strengthen them.

“When we go through adversity, and last night was adversity losing in the manner that we did, it just galvanises us,” Moss said.

“I think it will make us mentally tougher for what’s ahead on Saturday night.

“I only see positives and you can see in the players’ eyes this morning in recovery that they’re really focused on the finals.

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“If things go against us it makes us stronger.

“So Adelaide will be in for a tough challenge on Saturday night.”

With such a quick turnaround the Mariners have already moved on from the devastation of Wednesday with Moss joking: “Hutch put his hand up to play striker this weekend after such a great finish.”

But while the pain is a bit deeper for Hutchinson himself the skipper is also able to make light of his mistake .

“It was probably one of the worst times of my career scoring an own goal in such a big game at home,” he said.

“I saw the cross come in and tried to clear it and it went off my right shin and straight past Rocket (Liam Reddy).

“I said to him at the end of the game ‘you’ve saved every other ball. Why couldn’t you save mine?’

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“It wasn’t nice but we just have to move ahead to Saturday.

“The team always comes together in these sorts of times.

“I got some funny text messages last night off the boys… laughter is the best cure some times.”

The last two times the Mariners have played Adelaide, Josep Gombau’s men have put six goals past them.

But while Moss knows he’ll have a challenge on his hands, he says it’s a much-improved Mariners side they’ll be meeting on Saturday.

“I think when we lost to them 4-0 down there in December it was probably the lowest ebb that we were at within our transition period.

“We’ve come a long way since then.”

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