Central Coast Mariners have prevailed 2-0 over a depleted Perth Glory outfit in the opening match of Round 8 in Gosford.
Socceroo Josh Risdon was ruled out with a quad injury during the warm-up, before 2016 Johnny Warren Medallist Diego Castro succumbed to a hamstring knock in the 16th minute.
The pair was replaced by the returning Shane Lowry and Adam Taggart.
The Mariners opened the scoring 14 minutes after the Spaniard’s substitution through defender Harry Ascroft. Mariners captain Nick Montgomery’s corner found the 21-year-old in the box, who took a touch before poking the ball past Glory keeper Liam Reddy into the near bottom corner.
Glory came out strong after the half-time break, creating several chances before the home side struck on the break. Montgomery turned creator again, scuffing his long range effort into the path of Irish striker Roy O’Donovan, who placed his right footed strike into the far bottom corner across the body of Reddy.
Despite the loss, Glory remains in the top six and can only fall one place to fifth at worst after the weekend. The Mariners have moved up to sixth place.
Perth Glory take on Melbourne Victory in Victoria next Friday night, before returning home to take on Newcastle Jets at nib Stadium on Saturday 10th of December where former coach Bernd Stange will attend after launching his biography earlier this week.
You can purchase your tickets for our next home match here: http://bit.ly/2g7hWGa
Key Moments
First Half
2’ Galloway slides a low cross to a lunging Buhagiar at the back post, but the youngster can’t get enough on it to steer it on target.
10’ Castro puts a marvellous through ball through to Smiljanic, his shot one-on-one is blocked by the outstretched leg of Izzo.
29’ Pain beats Reddy to a loose ball and gets past the Glory custodian before sliding a shot on target to the empty net, Mills slides in to clear for a corner.
30’ Mariners score, 1-0. The subsequent corner is flicked on to Ascroft, who takes a touch and pokes home from close range through a crowd to open the scoring.
Second Half
50’ Harold tries a measured shot for the top right corner, it curls just over Izzo’s crossbar.
63’ Mariners score, 2-0. A scuffed shot from Montgomery lands at the feet of O’Donovan, who places a low shot across Reddy into the far bottom corner.
65’ Adam Berry latches onto a loose ball inside the box and slams a strong strike straight at Reddy, who parries the shot away.
71’ Marinkovic tries a curling shot from the left corner of the 18 yard box, Izzo tips the strike over the bar.
71’ Griffiths heads narrowly wide of the mark on the subsequent corner, making a smart run to the back post.
75’ Harold glides past a sliding Galloway on the right wing, before curling his left footed strike narrowly over the far top corner.
88’ Pain strikes a strong shot against Reddy’s crossbar from the top of the box.
MATCH DETAILS
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Ascroft 30’, O’Donovan 63’)
Perth Glory FC 0
Round 8: Bluetongue Stadium
Attendance: 5296
Referee: Shaun Evans
Assistants: Scott Edeling & Kearney Robinson
4th Official: Kris Griffiths-Jones
SQUADS
Perth Glory FC: 2. Alexander GRANT, 4. Shane LOWRY, 5. Rhys WILLIAMS, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS (C), 9. Andy KEOGH, 10. Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 14. Chris HAROLD (7. Joel CHIANESE 79’), 16. Joseph MILLS, 17. Diego CASTRO (22. Adam TAGGART 16’), 24. Milan SMILJANIC, 33. Liam REDDY (GK)
Subs not used: 13. Nicholas FEELY (GK), 15. Brandon WILSON, 19. Josh RISDON
Coach: Kenny Lowe
Yellow cards: Lowry 17’, Griffiths 22’, Williams 40’, Mills 82’
Red cards: nil
Central Coast Mariners: 2. Storm ROUX, 3. Scott GALLOWAY (21. Michael NEILL 79’), 5. Harry ASCROFT, 8. Nick MONTGOMERY (C – 6. Blake POWELL 69’), 9. Roy O’DONOVAN, 10. Mickael TAVARES, 11. Connor PAIN, 12. Trent BUHAGIAR (7. Fabio FERREIRA 84’), 14. Adam BERRY, 16. Jake MCGING, 20. Paul IZZO (GK)
0. Paul IZZO (GK)
Subs not used: 1. Ivan NECEVSKI, 17. Josh BINGHAM
Coach: Paolo Okon
Yellow cards: O’Donovan 36’, Powell 81’
Red cards: nil
