Gold Coast has produced a great come-from-behind win to upset the Central Coast 3-2 in an entertaining Hyundai A-League clash at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford on Sunday night.
Replacement Andrew Barisic scored the winner in the 73rd minute after making the most of a terrible mistake from the normally reliable Central Coast captain Alex Wilkinson.
The goal capped an astonishing period of play which saw three goals in four minutes. After scores were locked at 1-1 at half-time Steve Pantelidis put the visitors in front in the 69th minute. Two minutes later Adam Kwasnik levelled after a fumble from Gold Coast goalkeeper Glen Moss.
Even after Barisic scored chances fell at both ends in a pulsating second half.
The home team dominated much of the first half and were finally rewarded when Matt Simon netted his fourth goal of the season in the 42nd minute. Oliver Bozanic won possession before releasing Joshua Rose who fired a perfectly timed low cross into the path of Simon.
The goal came after the Mariners created several good chances. Daniel McBreen watched a header go just wide in the sixth minute before Simon, Michael McGlinchey and Mustafa Amini all had good chances. Moss pulled off outstanding saves to deny Amini and McGlinchey.
Simon finally scored and Central Coast looked certain to go to the break 1-0 up but against the run of play Dino Djulbic fired home from close range in the 45th minute after the Mariners failed to clear a corner.
The second half started with Gold Coast-s Tahj Minniecon missing an easy chance after beating the offside trap. He was one-on-one with Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan but failed to hit the target.
At the other end of the field McGlinchey had another stinging shot pushed away by Moss.
The game came to life in a big way midway through the second half. Pantelidis scored his first ever A-League goal when he capitalised on some good lead up play from Adama Traore in the 69th minute. The home crowd did have to wait long for a reply with Adam Kwasnik scoring after Moss fumbled a long ball.
In an amazing period of play Gold Coast went ahead again in the 73rd minute when Barisic capitalised on a mistake from Wilkinson to score the winner. Wilkinson failed to clear before Barisic won possession and scored what turned out to be the winner.
Gold Coast 3 (Dino Djulbic 45 Steve Pantelidis 69 Andrew Barisic 73)
Central Coast 2 (Matt Simon 42, Adam Kwasnik 71)
Crowd: 9732
