FOOTBALL –
Jason Cummings was both hero and villain for the Central Coast Mariners, all in one exciting match, as the Mariners drew 2-2 with Western United on Saturday, April 2.
Taking on second-placed Western United at Mars Stadium in Ballarat, Cummings showed his brilliance with two goals, one to put the Mariners in front early in the match and the second to draw the scores level at 2-2 deep into the second half.
Three minutes into injury time, however, Cummings was handed a penalty and a chance to lift the Mariners into the top six.
It was not to be.
United’s keeper, Jamie Young, guessed correctly and lunged left to deflect a chest-high strike from Cummings and Mariners had to leave with just a single point.
The Mariners went into the match undefeated in their last five outings, but desperate for three points to sustain their late charge at the finals.
Injuries and illness forced some changes with Academy captain Brad Tapp called up to the bench.
The Mariners were lucky to escape a couple of early chances, again showing their vulnerability to corners this year.
But it was Cummings who drew first blood, heading in a corner from Noah Smith to put the visitor in front in the 39th minute after a VAR review.
Noah Smith then headed into the top right corner in the opening minute of the second half. Unfortunately for the Mariners, it was his own goal and the scores were level.
Aleksander Prijovic produced a third scoring header off a deft overhead pass, slicing in behind Kye Rowles to put Western United into the lead in the 63rd minute.
But Smith and Cummings combined again with some electric short passing to put Cummings through in the box to drive the equaliser into the bottom corner.
A shot from Jason Farrell just slid over the crossbar in the dying minutes, but a brain explosion from United’s Leo Lacroix – who decided to try to choke Marcus Ureña in the box – led to a final opportunity for Cummings to ice a hat-trick and seal the win for the blue and yellow.
So near and yet so far.
The point does keep the Mariners in touch with the top six with eight matches to play.
They now return home to face Wellington Phoenix on Tuesday, April 5, at Central Coast Stadium, kicking off at 7.05pm
The Mariners will play Phoenix, who sit just four points above them on the ladder, twice in the next fortnight.
Ross Barry