The Central Coast Mariners can guarantee they’ll avoid the spoon if they draw with or defeat a Newcastle Jets side that has nothing to play for in Round 27 of the 2017-18 A-League season. Join The Roar for live scores from the match at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night, starting from 7:50pm AEST.
Unfortunately for the Mariners a poor season means that they enter this final week of the home-and-away knowing that there is no chance of them playing beyond it.
They have recorded just four wins from their 26 games so far, along with eight draws and 14 losses, and kicked only 26 goals for the year, the least of any team.
Despite that however, they enter the round ahead of the Wellington Phoenix – and only the Phoenix – on the A-League table, and will be hoping to stay in that place and avoid the wooden spoon.
While the Nix have kicked three more goals this year, they’ve also conceded an extra 13, and lost two more games than the Mariners.
That means that if the Mariners can get a point from a draw, or three points from a win, then there’s no chance the Nix can overtake them, even if they win their game today.
Well – full disclosure, if the Mariners drew with the Jets and Wellington beat Melbourne City by at least 11 goals then Central Coast could still fall to tenth.
Safe to say that is at least somewhat unlikely.
As for the Newcastle Jets, they’ve had a great season in most regards and second spot on the table is already locked in, as it has been for a number of weeks.
This match offers the chance to enter the finals in good form, but little else aside from that.
Join The Roar for live scores from the match at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday night, starting from 7:50pm AEST.
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