Adelaide United Youth have held on for a 3-2 victory against a ten-man Central Coast Mariners in the National Youth League clash at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday, with Evan Kostopoulos scoring an 88th minute winner after a Brett Rayner double.
United led twice only for the Mariners to equalise on both occasions while Sam Gallagher was dismissed just after the hour for his second bookable offence.
United’s Hyundai A-League vice-captain Lucas Pantelis was instrumental in the victory with two pin-point crosses from set pieces to set up Rayner and Kostopoulos for their goals.
Mariner Nicholas Fitzgerald was causing the Reds all sorts of problems early and carved out two good chances inside the opening two minutes.
Fitzgerald played a nice one-two with Mitchell Duke before bearing down on United keeper Luke Ostbye who managed to thwart the attack.
A minute later Fitzgerald tried his luck from just outside the area but Ostbye was again equal to the task.
The visitors continued to dominate and should have taken the lead on 26 minutes after a quick counter attack.
Fitzgerald was again involved and set up Max Glanville with a delightful cutback after some industrious work on the right.
With the defence beaten and an open goal at his mercy, Glanville appeared to take his shot too casually and his toe-poke rebounded off the post and away from danger.
The Mariners were made to rue the golden opportunity as the Reds went down the other end and broke the deadlock a minute later.
Rayner latched onto a long ball out of defence from Matt Halliday and controlled with his chest before slotting through the legs of Central Coast keeper David Bradasevic.
But, on the half hour the Mariners made amends and capitalised on some poor Adelaide defending.
Fitzgerald whipped in a free kick and United failed to clear after a couple of dummied runs, James Oates was left unchecked at the back post to tap in.
The visitors opened up the better of the two sides after half-time, with Duke going close in five minutes after the re-start.
His deflected shot from the edge of the area went just past Ostbye’s post and the ‘keeper was again called into action a short time later.
Duke skipped past two United defenders before firing from inside the penalty area only for Ostbye to bat the shot away.
Just after the hour Central Coast were reduced to ten men when Gallagher received his second yellow card after a foul on Kostopoulos.
From the resulting free kick, Pantelis brought out the best from Bradasevic who tipped the shot over the bar.
But the Mariners ‘keeper could do little from Pantelis’ next free kick which he floated to the back post where Rayner was on hand to side foot his second.
With the Reds seemingly in control, a defensive lapse allowed substitute Mitch Mallia to equalise in the 78th minute.
Mallia cut out an intended back pass from captain Matt Mullen before rounding Ostbye and tapping into an open net.
However, Pantelis provided another inch-perfect cross for Kostopoulos to nod in the winner from the in-swinging corner in the 88th minute.
