Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix
Central Coast Stadium, Saturday 18 October, 5:00pm AEDT
Central Coast Mariners left it late to collect maximum points in the F3 derby last week, and host a Wellington side that were on the receiving end of a late winner against Perth Glory in the opening round. Wellington’s record on the road is not a healthy one and the Mariners have made Bluetongue Stadium a tough place to come in recent seasons. Withboth sets of attackers failing to capitalise on the catalogue of chances in their opening games, Saturday’s clash is set to be an all-out attacking onslaught.
The Mariners looked like a completely different side versus Newcastle Jets, as Phil Moss chose to play in an uncharacteristic manner to what we have come to expect of the silky control freaks in blue and yellow. The former champions stacked the midfield and invited the Jets onto them, and looked to inflict damage on the counter; a stark contrast to the typical Gosford side that held lengthy spells of possession and punished sides with intricacy and a potent demeanour.
Although the formula proved profitable for Moss on Saturday afternoon, it did not make the Mariners look threatening to the rest of the competition, and how Central Coast line-up versus Wellington will give a deeper insight to the type of team the A-League can expect. Their 5-0 win over Palm Beach Sharks midweek will give them even more confidence even if the side put out on Saturday will be a shadow of the one that dispatched of their Queensland opposition in the FFA Cup.
The competitive debut for new signing Malick Mane was impressive, with the stocky Senegalese striker looking dangerous but lacking a clinical edge, while match winner Mitchell Duke was distant for the majority of the game. It would be no surprise if Moss pushed Duke higher up the pitch to combine with Mane and cause problems for the fragile Phoenix defence.
The mistake from Wellington defender Ben Sigmund that led to the winning goal summed up a nervous looking back-line in the defeat to the Glory at Westpac Stadium. On paper, the Mariners present a less of a threat given the tactics employed by the Gosford side against Newcastle, so there is cause for the likes of Sigmund and Andrew Durante to gain the upper-hand if Moss is to stick to the same hymn sheet.
Under this system, the Mariners were regimented at the back and proved to be crack resistant. But former Mariner Michael McGlinchey, the Nix’ new midfield dynamo, was sharp on his Westpac debut, and the Kiwi attacker holds the key to unlock the doors at Bluetongue Stadium, providing access for the shiny new attacking duo of Nathan Burns and Roly Bonevacia to wreak havoc.
The last time these sides met, Wellington produced a tsunami over the Central Coast side with a 4-1 victory, however the Yellow Fever could only manage a draw the last time they travelled to Bluetongue Stadium. With the Mariners needing to recapture that Bluetongue ruthlessness, look to see the Gosford side take it to Wellington from the outset, while the Phoenix field a holding formation in an attempt to start positively on Australian soil.
Prediction: Central Coast 3-1 Wellington
Teams
Central Coast Mariners
1. Matt NASH (gk), 2. Storm ROUX, 3. Josh ROSE, 4. Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5. Zac ANDERSON, 7. John HUTCHINSON (C), 8. Nick MONTGOMERY, 9. Mitchell DUKE, 10. Anthony CACERES, 11. Nick FITZGERALD, 12. Liam REDDY (gk), 14. Malick MANÉ, 15. Matt SIM, 18.Glen TRIFIRO, 21. Michael NEILL, 23. Isaka CERNAK, 25. Eddy BOSNAR, 26. Kim SEUNG-YONG
***Two to be omitted***
Wellington Phoenix
1. Glen MOSS (GK), 2. Manny MUSCAT, 4. Roly BONEVACIA, 5. Michael BOXALL, 7. Kenny CUNNINGHAM, 8. Alex RODRIGUEZ, 9. Nathan BURNS, 10. MichaelMcGLINCHEY, 11. Jeremy BROCKIE, 13. Albert RIERA, 16. Louis FENTON, 17. Vince LIA, 18. Ben SIGMUND, 19. Tom DOYLE, 20. Lewis ITALIANO (GK), 21. Roy KRISHNA, 22. Andrew DURANTE (c), 23. Matthew RIDENTON.
***Two to be omitted***
Recent History: Central Coast v Wellington Phoenix
Date
Fixture
Score
2014-02-21
Central Coast vs. Wellington
1-4
2014-01-12
Wellington vs. Central Coast
1-1
2013-12-19
Central Coast vs. Wellington
1-0
2013-02-07
Central Coast vs. Wellington
5-0
2012-12-22
Wellington vs. Central Coast
1-1