Nick Montgomery steering his Central Coast Mariners side to the A-League grand final on a shoestring budget is one of the most remarkable success stories in the competition’s history.
Montgomery missed Central Coast’s 2013 grand final win through suspension, which is perhaps why he looked so relieved to see his battling Mariners outfit come through their 2-0 win over Adelaide United on Saturday unscathed.
The Leeds-born, naturalised Aussie is as combative a coach as he was a player – yet he’s also proven himself to be one of the shrewdest tacticians in the league.
And on a glorious night when 20,059 fans crammed into every single seat at a sold-out Industree Group Stadium in Gosford, we got a much-needed reminder of why we love the A-League.
Kudos to Adelaide United, who took the game to their hosts and came desperately close to opening the scoring on the break when Ben Halloran cut the ball back for Zach Clough to shave the outside of the post with a first-time volley.
We can only wonder how different the complexion of the tie might have been had Clough’s well-struck effort flown in, but the truth is the Reds were outclassed over the two legs.
And any doubts about the effectiveness of Jason Cummings – not that there should be for a player who has scored 17 goals and chimed in with five assists so far this season – were surely dispelled by his star second-half performance in Gosford.
It may have been the industrious Josh Nisbet who won back possession on the halfway line in the build-up to Central Coast’s opener, but it was Cummings’ turn-of-speed that saw him outpace Ben Warland and lay the opening goal for Sam Silvera on a platter.
Mariners coach Nick Montgomery. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
And the Mariners reeled off a classic one-two punch and put the tie to bed when the equally effective Marco Tulio raced clear four minutes later, only to see the hapless Warland deflect Tulio’s cross back towards his own goal.
Joe Gauci did well to claw out Warland’s interception, but the quick-thinking Tulio simply threaded the needle and placed his follow-up effort between the Adelaide custodian and the near post.
It sparked bedlam in the packed stands and saw the Mariners confirm their spot in the grand final against Melbourne City in a fortnight’s time.
How good was it to see more than 20,000 Mariners fans going absolutely wild in Gosford? It’s been years since we’ve seen the stadium heaving like that!
And while it’s invariably worth pointing out that we could have these scenes every single week in the A-League if supporters chose to turn up, that shouldn’t take away from the feel good factor of watching the competition’s smallest club battle their way to the decider.
The contrast between the Mariners and the nouveau riche that is Melbourne City couldn’t be starker.
City were clinical in their 4-0 demolition of Sydney FC on Friday night, even if they were helped by Max Burgess’ deserved red card for a horror tackle on Marco Tilio.
The Sky Blues weren’t helped by the absence of key wingers Joe Lolley and Robbie Mak and their resistance was as good as over as soon as Burgess saw red.
Even so, it was still a devastatingly effective performance from Rado Vidosic’s men – and they’ll take some stopping in the grand final on June 3.
Vidosic, like Montgomery, probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He may have inherited a winning team from his predecessor Paddy Kisnorbo, but that doesn’t make Vidosic’s achievement in steering City to a fourth straight grand final any less impressive.
What is less impressive is the fact we now have to wait two weeks for the decider on the back of the Australian Professional League’s calamitous administration of the game.
The less said about the APL, the better.
Saturday night was the perfect advertisement of why we fell in love with the A-League in the first place, and a powerful reminder of what football could be if it actually looked after its own fans.
Limo
Roar Rookie
Yes very proud but very very ashamed and embarrassed that ch 7 and ch 9 ignore 2 million kids who love and play the game. They are not commercial entities. They do NOT care about our kids
Limo
Roar Rookie
Once promotion and relegation is introduced interest will grow dramatically for the a league. Competition is a GOOD thing
Limo
Roar Rookie
Yes it is
Limo
Roar Rookie
Agree. The quality produced by the a league this year has been the best for a long time especially those 4_4 draws, the sydney derbies etc. Thankyou ch 10 for supporting the game and showing our 2 million kids that play the game that you really care. Kids are the future and 2 millions kids love and play football!. The clubs need to embrace these kids and give them FREE entry for the new season with free jerseys..they are OUR future!!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
No one knows the matches are on Friday on Channel 10 , they know about Saturday, and why has Channel 10 told no one. I was going to watch on paramount, is the grand final going to be on 10 I dont have a clue.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Everybody likes an underdog! Us City slickers are plastic and full of oil money :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
NoMates
Roar Rookie
City vs SFC only got 32k watching, looks like Mariners are the show piece for general public viewing.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
that was an option and i know people were calling for it, but ultimately it was never going to happen. nestor has started matches for the sa npl side in the past 2 seasons, but his productivity even at that lesser level was not up to standard from the start (thats not to be disrepectful to the player) thats just the cold hard facts of his game at this tender age. at this point in his developement he's nowhere near as good against fresh legs compared to tiring legs (especially when you're talking the professional a league level) i was at training during the week and him starting was never a reality - purely mindgames from the coaching staff. he was tried on the left side of the attack, as well as through the middle (which happened in the match) at training and was told not to react when he gets tackled. the game almost did change with a goal in the first half, clough clanged the post - if that goes in, who knows how the tie would've unfolded?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
should never happen in a million years given his height and weight, but this is what i mean when i say they out fought adelaide
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
There's one that stands out from the rest. 99.9% of the time these blokes conduct themselves like pros, they articulate themselves well, they conduct themselves like pros. I will admit, that I was the first to wave the flag and say Muscat was the dark side. Have you watched any J-League lately? Not only is it cracking football, but Muscat has evolved. he has learned, he has improved himself and his football. And when you look at international experience on the sideline, Talay has experience from Turkey as an Asst-Gaffer, as does Popovic, Kisnorbo, Aloisi, Milicic, Vidmar, Corica has some o/s experience but nothing like the others, and he seems incapable of self-improvement, learning and evolution.
Hudddo
Roar Rookie
None of these players have copped a direct red as a coach from what I'm aware.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
That might be the largest TV audience for the ALM this 2022/23 season?
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The only thing evident from the Mariners figures is playing in Mudgee is really stupid. What is the story there, Central Coast is actual the furthest NSW team from Mudgee by road. If you take into account the opposition and special occasions like new years eve there seems to be little effect by time of match.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Only coach to be given a red in the history of the comp? Are you serious. You have a rolls royce list of red card earners who have coached off the top of my head. Muscat no 1 thug of all time. Zadkovich the special one. Corica and Talay Rudan, Popovic, Kisnorbo, Garcia I assume they got reds. Sterjovski, John Aloisi, Milicic,Aurelio Vidmar I think are the ones that didnt.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
100,000 on a secondary station is very good. AFL has been getting poor ratings this year.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
No they dont and you mean the APL not the FA. Cummings already signed an extension to the MAriners for next season if they want him they have him already. The Mariners though will do as they usually do and sell out. Cummings to India, Mohun Bagan.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Another of many things done in the community... https://ccmariners.com.au/news/mariners-in-the-community
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Pun You said, “”””” look at the great work CCM has done in the community. I have a friend living up there a RL fan, he is a diehard Mariners fan, more than a football fan.”””””‘ You are so right, the general support on the Coast for the Mariners is huge after a game walking thu the streets people in RL & RU shirts, will ask how did we go…. Watch this re maths schools and the Mariners..if another code it would be major news… https://twitter.com/CCMariners/status/1643855368072888320
NoMates
Roar Rookie
SEVEN’S AFL: SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven Network 466,000 PEPPA PIG-AM ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus 133,000 FOOTBALL: ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE 10 Bold 100,000
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Class as in technique yes, and Maclaren is a class below his teammates. Thats not the same as overall value as a player.