Mariners Academy continues late season surge
Central Coast Mariners Academy beat a fast finishing Manly United FC 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Cromer Park.
Former A-League midfielder Adriano Pellegrino was the difference between the two teams, with his intelligent link-up play and calmness on the ball there for all to see.
It took him just 4’ minutes to stamp his class on the contest. Appearing to shield the ball out for an early corner, he brilliantly played in Nathan Verity with an elegant back heel, and the defender slotted home from six-yards to open the scoring.
5’ minutes later, Pellegrino found Chris Payne in acres of space, but the Manly junior was denied a goal by Tonu Liiband, who did well to narrow the angle.
Payne then volleyed over in the 12’ minute following a Jamie Lobb cross from the left, leaving United’s supporters wondering when their team was going to wake from their slumber.
Manly finally came to life in the 22’ minute. A teasing Matt Sim cross found the head of Colin Iley, who headed over from point-blank range.
The game then went into a lull for the next 15’ minutes or so, with Sim keeping the crowd interested on 37’ minutes. He tested Jordan Nikolovski from distance, with the Mariners keeper up to the task.
In the 41’ minute Iley missed a simple volley and it proved costly with the away side doubling their advantage right on the stroke of half-time.
Payne released Brad McDonald in the area and he made no mistake, beating Liiband with a delicate chipped finish.
United boss Craig Midgley would not have been a happy man at the break, and eventually his team began to have an influence on the contest.
Sim shot inches over the bar on 59’ minutes, only to see the Mariners hit the woodwork seconds later after a great individual run from Ridge Mapu.
The right sided player showed blistering pace and struck his effort well past Liiband, but it bounced out to safety off the crossbar.
Sim looked the player most likely for United, so it came as no surprise when he halved the deficit on 73’ minutes.
The Mariners defence gave him far too much room and he didn’t need a second invitation, lashing an effort with his left peg past Nikolovski from 25-yards.
4’ minutes later, Sim turned provider for Iley, who hit the crossbar from six-yards out.
Pellegrino, who looked tired in the second-half, showed what he can do in the 86’ minute.
Turning his marker with ease, he fired a goal bound effort which Liiband did well to parry out for a corner.
United skipper Graeme Forbes almost stole a point late after a great volley, but it crashed against the crossbar and was hacked away by a relieved Mariners defence.
Mark Jones cut a happy figure outside the sheds at Cromer Park:
“I thought we deserved the three points, we dominated early on,’’ the Central Coast Academy boss said.
“We made life difficult for ourselves after they got one back but I still think we got the right result.’’
His opposite Midgley felt the contest lacked any real punch:
“We knew pre-game where they were strong – counterattacking and the pace of Brad McDonald,’’ the coach said.
“And sure enough for their second goal they broke in numbers and he (McDonald) scored –that summed up our afternoon.
“We need to be disciplined, but that comes with experience.
“At the end of the day, we didn’t play smart and take our chances, so I guess we deserved to be beaten.’’
Match Stats
Manly United FC 1 (Matt Sim 73’)
Central Coast Mariners Academy 2 (Nathan Verity 4’, Brad McDonald 45’)
Sunday 4th of August, 2013
Cromer Park
Referee: Kevin Peddie
Assistant Referees: Murray Wilson and Leigh Pigram
Fourth Official: Karl Davies
Manly United FC: 20.Tonu Liiband; 7.Scott Balderson, 12.Brendan Cholakian, 14.David Cain, (26.Nathan Sim 82’) 4.Graeme Forbes, 6.Danny Grant, 10.Colin Iley, (9.Lachlan McLean 86’) 5.Josh Lawson, 11.Matt Sim, 16.Josh Ward, 2.Leigh Egger (30.Jack Green 53’)
Substitutes Not Used: 1.Nic Perry, 24.Tommy Morrissey, 29.Max Hastings
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners Academy: 1.Jordan Nikolovski; 2.Matthew Crowell, 3.Jamie Lobb, 23.Brad McDonald, 22.Liam O’Dell, 6.Chris Payne, (5.Brady Smith 65’) 7.Adriano Pellegrino, (11.Louis Bozanic 90’) 16.Jed Prater, (8.Daniel Bragg 57’) 4.Kieron Stallard, 24.Nathan Verity, 26.Ridge Mapu
Substitutes Not Used: Nil
Yellow Cards: Kieron Stallard 23’,Nathan Verity 84’
Red Cards: Nil
-By Andrew Prentice
