Mariners leave it late to down Tasmania 3-0
Central Coast Mariners beat Tasmania 3-0 before a crowd of 1,768 at KGV Park this evening, but it took the A-League side 76 minutes to break the deadlock.
Tasmania put up a plucky performance and had several chances to score.
The opening half was goalless, but Tasmania may well have led by that stage as Andy Brennan twice missed good chances.
The Mariners played neat possession football and forced several corners, but they were unable to break down the resolute Tasmanian defence.
Patricio Perez was at the heart of most of the Mariners' moves, but the front runners, Daniel McBreen and Nik Mrdja were unable to capitalise on his passes, as well as the openings created by Oliver Bozanic, Matthew Lewis and Michael McGlinchey.
Will Abbott and Marc Iseli played valiantly at the heart of the Tasmanian defence, while Liam Scott and Jim Pennicott did well in pushing forward down the flanks.
Nathan Pitchford was reliable in goal and turned a Perez shot against the bar and out for a corner in the 8th minute, while in the 23rd minute, he did well to block a shot from McBreen.
Tasmania made four changes at half-time, bringing on keeper Sam Kruijver, as well as Tom Roach, Jonathon Lo and Daniel Brown for Pitchford, Brayden Mann, Bobby Eaves and Brennan. Ben Hamlett replaced Chris McKenna on the hour.
It may be the last time local fans see Hamlett for a while as he leaves for the United States tomorrow to take up a soccer scholarship at an American college.
Scott missed a great chance to score for the home side in the 50th minute after Mariners' goalkeeper Mathew Ryan failed to deal with a Tom Roach ball into the box, but his shot was tame and Bozanic managed to block the effort.
Mrdja hit the bar in the 53rd minute as Tasmania began to wilt, but it was not until the 76th minute that the Mariners finally got the breakthrough they had been seeking.
Shortly before that, they had brought on their big guns, with strikers Matt Simon and Adam Kwasnik replacing Perez and Mrdja.
In the 76th minute, Scott gave the ball away in midfield and Bojic gained possession and fed McBreen. He released Simon down the inside-right channel and the striker chipped the ball over the advancing Kruiver and into the net.
Kruijver saved well from Kwasnik in the 77th minute, but three minutes later he could only parry Bozanic's shot, after a pass from Brad Porter had put the striker through on the left, and Bozanic swept home the loose ball to make it 2-0.
In stoppage time, Simon found McBreen on the left and his cross was headed home by Kwasnik to complete the scoring.
Victorian referee Lucien Laverdure did an excellent job in the middle, ably assisted by Tasmanian's Michael Thain and Simon Natoli.
Match report by Walterpless
Good job getting this up :)
C00Lrunnings 1 year ago 5
Bad tassie kit.
zekeboy24 1 year ago