Late drama as Sharks steal a point with Mariners
Late drama as Sharks steal a point with Mariners
19 February , 2023 By Football NSW Watch Highlights here - https://fb.watch/iR6Dxm-8QC
The Sutherland Sharks have found a way to deny the Central Coast Mariners their first win of the 2023 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season thanks to a 93rd minute equaliser with the match ending 2-2 at Pluim Park on Sunday.
It was a chapter of new beginnings for the Central Coast Mariners after the departure of former coach Luke Wilkshire. In his place, the Mariners appointed A-League assistant Lucas Viela, former-Socceroo Andy Bernal, and club legend Matt Simon to the coaching staff, as the club searched for their first win of the season.
Similarly, the Sutherland Sharks were searching for their first win and goal of the campaign, after successive 3-0 defeats to start the season.
Coming into the match, the Mariners and Sharks had completed the most passes out of any team in the league. The match began perhaps as expected, with both teams keen to keep possession and pass the ball around.
The Mariners were dealt a blow in the seventh minute as last weekend’s goal scorer Aidan Milicevic was forced off through injury.
It didn’t take too long for the Mariners to get the first goal of the game, though, with a perfect Sasha Kuzevski corner finding the outstretched boot of Zac Zoricich in the 15th minute.
The remainder of the first half saw very few chances as both teams were keen to keep possession and be patient in their build up.
The match became heated in the 49th minute when Sutherland goalkeeper Marko Bulic conceded a controversial penalty. The gloveman claimed the ball off the ground and rose with firm arms, and the ball pressed against his chest. His forearms made contact with Nicholas Duarte, which saw a penalty and a yellow card awarded.
Mariners midfielder Lachlan Bayliss calmly dispatched the penalty into the bottom left corner.
Marco Arambasic was substituted on in the 65th minute and almost made an immediate impact with his second touch as the ball flashed across the goalmouth begging to be tapped in.
Both teams battled for momentum for the next 15 minutes, before Sutherland scored their first goal of the season through Alexander Brown. The midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the box and dazzled his way through five Mariners defenders before placing his shot into the bottom-right corner.
Sutherland continued to apply pressure and build their way forward chasing an equaliser, whilst the Mariners failed to connect with any meaningful counterattacks.
Sutherland found a late blow in the 93rd minute when substitute Jesse Photi got around Zoricich and found Brodie Clarkson who tapped it first time into the net.
Sutherland coach Damir Prodanovic felt it was no less than his team deserved.
“We had our chances and we took them, and I think a draw is a fair result,” he said.
“I thought we didn’t move the ball quickly enough in the first half, and then the game opened in the second half for both teams.
“A silly error gave them a pen, but we then had our chances and took them.”
Despite being winless in their last 15 games, Prodanovic sees the positives in the draw, their first point on the season.
“When you come back from 2-0 down and equalise away from home, there’s a lot of positives to take from it,” he said.
Mariners coach Lucas Viela, meanwhile, believed his side were deserving of more than a point.
“I thought we controlled the game, but that’s football,” he exclaimed.
“We were trying to go on the counter and lost the ball, our boys were already moving forward and that’s it.
“We have young boys with loads of talent, and we had some good opportunities in the game, but we didn’t finish them. We’ll move on and work harder next week.”
Match Stats
Central Coast Mariners Academy 2 (Zoricich 15’, Bayliss 52’)
Sutherland Sharks 2 (Brown 79’, Clarkson 90+3’)
Sunday 19th February, 2023
Pluim Park, Lisarow
Referee: Ivica Covic
Assistant Referees: Kyle Hockings, Thomas Bury
Fourth Official: Mikayla Ryan
Central Coast Mariners: 30. Patrick Beach (GK), 2. Sasha Kuzevski, 3. Cameron Windust (c), 4. Dean Larson, 7. Aidan Milicevic (18. George Daniel 8’), 8. Lachlan Bayliss, 10. Nicholas Duarte (5. Joshua Hong 81’), 12. Olayinka Sunmola (14. Marco Arambasic 64’), 15. Jordan Segreto, 21. Maksim Kasalovic, 22. Zac Zoricich
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Dylan Peraic-Cullen (GK), 11. Tobias Peil, 17. William Arnold
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Marko Bulic (GK), 2. Takahide Umebachi, 3. Jordan Roberts (c), 4. Mitchell Stamatellis, 6. Brodie Clarkson, 7. Connor Rose (5. Jesse Photi 66’), 8. Alexander Brown, 9. Hamish Lamberton (14. Chris Lindsay 55’), 11. Fumoto Kamada, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 33. Louis Khoury
Substitutes Not Used: 17. Levi Sciuriaga, 22. Jacob Cremen-Cowan, 25. Oliver Randazzo, 91. Jonty Busch
Yellow Cards: Lamberton 29’, Bulic 49’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Alexander Brown (SUT)
2 – Sasha Kuzevski (CCM)
1 – Mitchell Stamatellis (SUT)
-By Cameron Smith
