The Central Coast Mariners travel to Coopers Stadium to take on Adelaide United in a clash to decide if they can continue to equal each other’s rapid downward acceleration. Join The Roar at for live scores and commentary from 7:20pm (AEDT).
In the last six games, both teams have garnered only seven points – two wins and a draw apiece – leaving Central Coast out of the top six, and Adelaide precariously sitting in fifth place.
In those six matches Adelaide have only beaten the bottom two sides at home: they skipped past the Wanderers 2-1, and they smashed Newcastle 7-0.
Removing that Newcastle game from the records, in Adelaide’s last five games they’ve scored four goals and conceded nine. Previously having the outright best defensive record, those nine goals have now made them equal best with Wellington on 23 conceded.
That particular slide really goes to show how far they’ve left behind those early season trade-winds.
The big news in the Mariners camp is of Phil Moss’ removal and replacement by interim coach Paul Walmsley. Walmsley led Central Coast to a much-needed 1-0 win at home to the improving Melbourne City, keeping the Mariners’ faint finals hopes alive at least one week longer.
The real fizzer to this match will be the rather dumb reports that United’s Catalonian commander-in-chief Josep Gombau will become rather stroppy if former Red Fabio Ferreira turns out for his new side. Former Mariners boss Moss apparently had a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to not play Ferreira against Adelaide. Not since the time of musket duels have such conventions actually mattered, so expect to see the Portuguese strut his stuff at his old ground.
This clash will be the last of the side’s three in the regular season. Both of the games played so far were in Gosford, with Adelaide winning 2-0 on November 23, before Central Coast avenged that defeat on February 7 in a 2-1 victory.
The aforementioned Ferreira has three goals in four games for the Mariners to already be joint top-scorer at the club, so he’ll at least been one to watch. The player he was booted by the Reds for, Miguel Palanca, should be expected to take up the right-midfield position for Adelaide. This Iberian battle will no doubt dominate the commentary, and probably the game too.
Prediction
While the Mariners may be on a new-coach bounce, Adelaide United have good home-form themselves, having won their past four games at Coopers. Coupling that with their exemplary defensive record, expect to see them over the line, even if a former player of theirs might cause them a bit of trouble.
Also of note is the pitch: if it hasn’t survived the Foo Fighters concert from last Wednesday, there’s a chance that this game will be as bland as their music.
Adelaide United 2 – 1.
Catnap
Guest
The refs have to lay the law down before the game and tell players that only the captain can speak to the ref and if another player speaks the get a card that would quickly stop the harassment!!!!!
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
Alright that's me - thanks for joining. I'd love to go to sleep but I've now to write up the preview for the Highlanders v Waratahs game on Saturday evening at 535pm. If you're up for that, join me then. If that's not the case, have a nice weekend, a lazy Friday and see you next time round! Cheers
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
FULLTIME ADELAIDE 2 - CENTRAL COAST 1 PEEEEEEP! That's the game. Adelaide jump over the Mariners lazy fox in a game that was probably marred by the horrible pitch. Every player looked tuckered out too. That's the first win for the Reds for 3 games or so, and keeps their playoffs alive. On the other hand, the Mariners are all but out of the finals. On a positive note, they definitely had a strategy and were executing it well as long as their legs let them, but unfortunately that was only 30 minutes. Marinators will be hoping that they take that early game form into their next home games to keep their finals chances at least mathematically alive.
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
93' Ooooh, CCM almost steal it there, with a long shot fizzling just off to the right of Galekovic's fiefdom Palanca's coming on for Djite. I hope 4 Adelaide players break down just to stick it to Gombau ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
92' SUB: Malik comes on for the impressive Carrusca. You've got a minute to uh... to uh.. I dunno. Anyway, the latino Will Smith finds himself bearing down on goal with only a defender just behind him, Roux is the defender and he executes a very nice slide to stop White Blanc ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
91' We've 3 extra minutes There's a lot of attacks where the final ball goes a bit astray. That's the A-League!! ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
89' Hmm I typed something, maybe I didn't 'Add Comment' and it hasn't showed up - anyway, Reddy made a really good save. Things are quiet now, except for the ref who's giving his lungs a bit of a workout ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
Welcome to football - referees are treated absolutely disgustingly
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
87' Adelaide attack, down the right, nice crossing from the right meets Jeggo's head on the left who forces Reddy into a "panther like" save (Zelic), who has to launch himself down low to his left to one a convincing paw on the ball ADL 2 CCM 1
Catnap
Guest
It's outrageous how these players treat. The Referee !!!!!!
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
86' From the resulting fracas, and miscontol, Carrusca launches into an ankle-aiming tackle which gets players fired up. The Japanese ref gracely tells them chillax and shows the Argentine a YELLOW.
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
85' Freekick comes to nothing. Come on A-League, up your game. Reddy, as he does belts the ball into the stratosphere and...
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
82' What's wrong with Olaf Sanchez? That'd make you want to talk to him. Anyway, Adelaide attack and on the 18 yd line Zak Anderson has the ball kicked into his stretched hand. Ref books him (YELLOW) and Adelaide have a chance to bury this game. Agree with Zelic - harsh booking. ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
81' Why on earth, if you KNOW your kid is going to have the surname Sanchez, and you're some sort of Hispanophone, would you call your son Pablo? Why God why? It's like being a Smith and calling your son John. ugh, I guess there's a reason why The Big Bang Theory has been on tv for so long ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
80' Fabio Ferreira gets a YELLOW for a dumb foul - dumb in the rule sense. Adelaide now have a promising free kick ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
79' SUB: The Marines are chaing things. Trifiro on, Montgomery off ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
77' Phew! My knuckles smile, as Adelaide take a breather to knock the ball around. Elrich, and then Djite, probe down the left/right wings, before being rebuffed by the Mariners defensive force field. The Mariners eventually win the foul before they promptly lose with an unfortunate handball. The Reds have them right where they want them ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
75' Djite is now being held almost in a Full Nelson hold to prevent him causing havoc. Djite wins a corner, and rather ironically considering their pretty style, Zelic is quite right in saying Djite reminds him of English strikers of the 80s (Nothing comes of the corner but that's to expected, right?) ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
74' A desperate counter-attack from the Mariners earns them a reprieve and an opportunity to attack. They keep the ball in the Reds half for about 2 minutes, before a reciprocative foul hands the ball back to Adelaide ADL 2 CCM 1
Nicholas Hartman
Roar Guru
71' SUB: Goalscorer Goodwin is coming off to be replaced by stereotypically monikered Pablo Sanchez ADL 2 CCM 1