Two goals in six first-half minutes and a penalty save from Justin Pasfield have given the Central Coast Mariners a hard-fought first-up 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets in the National Youth League fixture at Tuggerah.
Two goals in six first-half minutes and a penalty save from Justin Pasfield have given the Central Coast Mariners a hard-fought first-up 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets in the National Youth League fixture at Tuggerah.
Tomislav Cirjak and Adam Kwasnik were on target for the Mariners, before Mitchell Oxborrow pulled one back for the Jets in the second half – however, it would prove to be consolation.
The Jets were attacking in the early stages of the contest, despite dreary conditions and light rain.
Brazilian import Bernardo Ribeiro inspired a chance on goal, which saw the visitors appeal for a handball foul inside 60 seconds.
In the 11th minute the Jets had another opportunity when Ben Kantarovski headed over the crossbar.
Four minutes later Oxborrow, who was cautioned later in the half for a tackle on Oliver Bozanic, missed to the left after a ball from Jacob Pepper.
The first goal for John McLafferty’s men came in the 17th minute when Troy Hearfield, backing up from a substitute appearance in the A-League F3 Derby, supplied the ball from the right for Cirjak to slide home past Jets goalkeeper Jack Duncan.
Kwasnik then fired home a header after a delivery from Patrick Dixon to increase the Mariners’ advantage.
The Jets’ best chance of the half came in the 26th minute when striker Stevan Ilic hit the upright with a shot which looked to have Mariners shot-stopper Pasfield beaten.
Clayton Zane’s side started the second half with the same fervour of the first halving the deficit when a dipping shot from Oxborrow made it 2-1.
The Mariners’ best second-half chance saw Duncan save a shot from Daniel Bragg, who should have done better after the Jets gave the ball away in the midfield.
A match-hardened Jets side, having featured in the Northern NSW State League in winter, attacked the Mariners with more purpose late in the encounter.
And they had the chance to get something out of the contest late, when Hearfield pulled back Jets substitute Kale Bradbery in the penalty box.
Mario Jesic, a player who has been in the Jets set-up since 2008, took the spot kick, but he sent a weak shot to Pasfield’s left, who pulled off a double save, as Jesic’s follow-up attempt also failed to beat the ex-North Queensland Fury custodian.
The Mariners held out late, after a clutch of Jets corners, to register an important win.
The match saw the first time the Bozanic brothers – Australian Under-20 representative Oliver and his brother Louis, a former Jets youth team player – feature together when the latter came on as a second-half substitute.
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Cirjak 17, Kwasnik 23)
Newcastle Jets 1 (Oxborrow 47)
