The Central Coast Mariners battled hard at Industree Group Stadium on Sunday evening but ultimately fell to a 3-1 defeat against Western United in the Ninja A-League.
While local star Annalise Rasmussen delivered a late goal to give the Mariners faithful something to cheer about, the night belonged to Western’s rising star Kahli Johnson, whose quick-fire double proved decisive.
The Mariners entered the match hoping to break into the top six, but despite flashes of promise, they struggled to capitalise on key opportunities.
Early in the second half, Shadeene Evans came agonisingly close to opening the scoring, lunging for a dangerous cross near the six-yard box, only to miss her connection.
Another golden chance came when Annabel Martin found Peta Trimis unmarked at the back post, but the ball glanced off Trimis’ thigh and away from danger.
Western United punished the Mariners for their missed chances, with Johnson stepping up to deliver two moments of brilliance.
In the 57th minute, Kiara De Domizio’s pinpoint cross found Johnson unmarked at the back post, where she calmly headed home.
Just three minutes later, Johnson doubled her tally, latching onto Aimee Medwin’s through ball, rounding Sarah Langman, and slotting the ball into the net.
Grace Maher added to Western’s tally in the 87th minute with a sublime free-kick, leaving Langman no chance as the ball curled into the top-right corner.
The Mariners, however, refused to leave empty-handed. Rasmussen, a proud local product, pounced on a rebound from Chloe Lincoln’s save to score from close range in the 89th minute, salvaging some pride for Emily Husband’s side.
The loss marks a second consecutive defeat for the Mariners, who will need to regroup quickly to keep their finals hopes alive.
Despite the result, the team’s resilience and Rasmussen’s goal offered glimmers of hope for the home crowd.
Fans can take heart that the Mariners remain a work in progress, with plenty to play for in the weeks ahead.
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