The Central Coast Mariners have recorded back to back wins for the first time in the 2017-18 A-League season, after defeating Perth Glory 1-0 at Central Coast Stadium, thanks to a goal by substitute, Blake Powell.
The Mariners were hoping to continue their form after last week’s dominant display against Wellington, and started the game as the better team.
Kwabena Appiah had a golden opportunity to put the Mariners ahead in the first half.
A fine display of attacking football found, Jake McGing, on the right hand side and able to whip the ball into the Perth Glory box to find the head of Appiah, only to be denied by Perth’s keeper, Liam Reddy.
Another chance came later on in the first half when, Jake McGing, had plenty of space in the front third, and passed the ball across the face of goal, only for, Connor Pain, to hit the ball wide.
Both teams went into the sheds at halftime looking to break the deadlock after limited chances came in the first 45 minutes.
Looking to improve their finishing touch, the Mariners continued to display their finest attacking football, and almost took the lead, after, Wout Brama, dribbled the ball into Perth’s penalty box and crossed the ball to Appiah, but Perth Glory staved them off again.
Paul Okon was looking for all three points, and decided to substitute Appiah for, Blake Powell, who wasted little time getting into the game, after a fantastic, counter-attacking goal from the Mariners, resulted in, Blake Powell, scoring one minute into his first home game of the season.
Man of the match, Daniel De Silva, won the ball from the defensive half of the pitch, and played the ball to, Connor Pain, for a one two, with De Silva, then playing a one-two with Powell, before dribbling into space, and cutting the ball back to Powell in the late stages of the game, to take away a well-deserved three points.
Mariners’ coach, Paul Okon, said: “I think we weren’t clinical enough in the first half, we had the header from ‘Kabsy’ which probably should go in, and we had one or two that just needed a tap in.
“We’re getting into those areas, and that’s the first part of it, but you need to capitalise on it, and if you don’t do it, then you don’t build scoreboard pressure, and you allow the opposition to stay in the game.
“’Powelly’ scores those goals every day in training, we know he can do that.
“We’re not going to take the credit for putting him on, that’s Powelly’s job, to come on and make a difference, like every sub did today.
“We didn’t listen at the start when they said, same old Mariners, Mariners again conceded and Mariners this and that, we didn’t listen to it then, so we aren’t going to listen to it now.
“We know we are a very good football team, we know we can compete,” Paul Okon said.
The Mariners will potentially have crucial players returning to the squad with Storm Roux, Josh Rose, and Asdrubal all looking to get back into the first team after suffering injuries, which will, no doubt, cause a welcome selection headache for Paul Okon.
The Mariners currently sit in fourth place with 12 points, and will face third place Melbourne City on Sunday, December 10.
Source:
Match Report, December 3
Central Coast Mariners vs Perth Glory
Press Conference, December 3
Paul Okon, Central Coast Mariners
Satria Dyer-Darmawan, journalist