Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium is proving to be a truly marvellous place for the Central Coast Mariners to play football.
The Mariners have adopted Mudgee over the past few years as part of their commitment to developing football across the state.
This year’s tour to the inland wine region yielded a 4-1 win over MacArthur FC on March 11.
Underpowered, thanks to a combination of red card suspension, injury and national team duty, the Mariners squad comprised many young players itching to make their mark.
As the young squad was finding its feet the more experienced MacArthur Bulls team fired up a cracking combination to put the first goal of the match into the nets in the 11th minute thanks to Daniel De Silva. Game on!
The points were well and truly up for either team at this point until young James McGarry scored in the 30th minute for the Mariners with a shot that hit the crossbar on the underside and went where it was intended.
McGarry’s goal was his second in five matches and lifted the squad up to the break.
Scores were level at halftime and nervous energy surrounded the stadium among visiting and locally-based Mariners fans.
As it happened there was no need to worry as that energy was now unleashed into a goal fest for the Central Coast side.
True to form it was Jason Cummings who broke through thanks to some brilliant footwork from teammate Max Ballard only two minutes into the second half to put the Mariners ahead.
Then just five minutes later it was Marco Tulio’s turn to score thanks to some great teamwork from the rising young squad.
In the 62nd minute, Cummings stepped to take a penalty shot and scored his second and the team’s fourth goal.
The rest of the match was a game of cat and mouse as coach Monty subbed in as many young players as he could justify.
Nicholas Duarte came on for the very in-form Christian Theoharou and goal scorer James McGarry came off for Josh Nisbet.
It was a special day too for young Mariners Academy player Zac Zoricich, who made his A-League debut in the 82nd minute.
The Mariners’ 4-1 win secured not only the victory but also the much-needed three match points.
The Central Coast’s magical run at the ground continues, as the side builds back up the ISUZU-UTE A-League men’s ladder to the third spot just behind Adelaide United and Melbourne City.
The squad posed for a traditional Mariners’ family photo after the game as conducting the usual ball signing ceremony for the wide-eyed young locals.
The team heads south to play Melbourne Victory on Sunday afternoon, March 19.
David Abrahams