Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners have the chance to brighten up what’s been difficult campaigns for both as they chance local bragging rights in Sunday’s F3 Derby.
The Jets and Mariners currently occupy the two bottom places on the Hyundai A-League ladder but it will matter little to both come kick-off at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Newcastle are winless in their last nine Hyundai A-League matches but come into this one on the back of a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Western United FC on Saturday.
If they fail to pick up all three points against the Mariners on Sunday, it will equal their longest winless run since the 2016/17 campaign.
While it’s been a tumultuous period for the Hunter club, the Mariners sit just one place and three points above their bitter rivals.
Last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Western Sydney Wanderers was their third on the bounce and left them eight points adrift of the top six.
The Mariners did win on their last trip to McDonald Jones (3-2 last season) but they have never won back-ot-back-matches at the venue.
Click here to buy tickets
Sunday, 9 February 2020
Kick-off: 4pm AEDT
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
HOW TO WATCH: All the action in Round 18
ROUND 17: Who made the Team of the Week?
Ways to watch
Download the MyFootball Live App now
Sign up for Kayo Sports
Get Foxtel
How to follow the action
Match centre: Live updates, videos and statistics
Follow @ALeague on Twitter and join the conversation using #F3Derby #ALeague
Team news
Newcastle Jets squad: 2.Bobby BURNS, 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (c), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Roy O’DONOVAN, 9.Abdiel ARROYO, 10.Dimi PETRATOS, 11.Nick FITZGERALD, 14.Kaine SHEPPARD, 16.Matt MILLAR, 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 19.Kosta PETRATOS, 20.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 23.Matt RIDENTON, 28.Pat LANGLOIS, 29.Connor O’TOOLE, 30.Keegan HUGHES (gk), 32.Angus THURGATE, 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY
**2-4 to be omitted**
Ins: 7.Roy O’DONOVAN (new signing), 23.Matt RIDENTON (promoted), 29.Connor O’TOOLE (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 1.Glen MOSS (calf – 1-3 weeks), 22.Lachlan JACKSON (knee – indefinite), 40.Noah JAMES (hand – 3 months)
Central Coast Mariners squad: 1.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 2.Ian Zygmunt GORDON, 3.Jack CLISBY, 4.Eunsun KIM, 7.Milan ÐURIĆ, 8.Michael MCGLINCHEY, 10.Tommy OAR, 11.Daniel DESILVA, 12.Adam PEARCE (gk), 14.Abraham MAJOK, 15.Kye ROWLES, 17.Sam SILVERA, 18.Gianni STENSNESS, 19.Matthew SIMON, 21.Ruon TONGYIK, 24.Chris HAROLD, 26.Joshua NISBET, 27.Lewis MILLER, 29.Jair BRITTO, 30 Dylan RUIZ-DIAZ
**2-4 to be omitted**
IN: 17.Sam SILVERA (Promoted), 21.Ryon TONGYIK (Promoted), 24.Chris HAROLD (New Signing)
OUT: 9.Jordan MURRAY (Foot – 1 week)
Unavailable: 16.Dylan FOX (Foot – 1 week)
Did you know?
- Central Coast Mariners have picked up competition points from their last two Hyundai A-League matches against the Newcastle Jets (W1, D1), as many wins as they picked up in their 13 matches prior against their local rivals (D5, L7).
- The Mariners have lost their last five Hyundai A-League away matches in succession, they’ve been kept scoreless three times in that period.
- The Jets have managed a league-high 43 headed attempts at goal this season, the most of any team in the competition, however, they’ve scored just three goals via this method.
- Mariners skipper Matt Simon has scored three goals as a substitute so far this Hyundai A-League campaign. No other player has scored more than one goal off the bench in 2019/20.
