Central Coast Mariners have retained their lead atop the National Youth League following a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Brisbane Roar at Pluim Park in Gosford on Friday night.
Central Coast Mariners have retained their lead atop the National Youth League following a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Brisbane Roar at Pluim Park in Gosford on Friday night.
Mariners striker Mitchell Duke pounced on a short goal kick from Roar goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne in the 34th minute to score his first goal, before completing his brace with the final kick of the match in the fourth minute of second-half injury time to hand Central Coast their sixth win in a row.
As they so often do in the Hyundai A-League, the Roar dominated possession and field position for long periods of the match, but could not convert several good chances.
The table-topping Mariners showed great character in what was a free-flowing first period in testing conditions.
Mariners goalkeeper Dylan Mitchell was required to make several saves, while at the other end of the field Redmayne was also in the thick of the action against his former club.
A-League regular Luke Brattan watched a powerful shot go just over the bar midway through the first half for Brisbane before Duke pounced on a poor error to open the scoring.
It was a similar story after the break with the Roar building up play nicely but failing to beat Mitchell.
Tomislav Cirjak and Matthew Thurtell both had good chances to equalise, while Mariner Brad Porter had a stinging shot blocked in the 66th minute.
It was not until Duke scored his second with the final kick of the match that the Mariners could relax.
For the most part Brisbane dominated field position in the second half but It was Central Coast’s ability to keep them at bay which was the most pleasing aspect of the performance for coach Tony Walmsley.
Central Coast 2 (Duke 34, 90)
Brisbane 0
