Central Coast Mariners captain Alex Wilkinson says his team are relishing the challenge of their sudden-death Hyundai A-League preliminary final against Perth Glory.
Central Coast Mariners captain Alex Wilkinson says his team are relishing the challenge of their sudden-death Hyundai A-League preliminary final against Perth Glory.
The Mariners take on the Glory at Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday evening, with victory a must if they are to set up a replay of last year’s Grand Final against reigning champions Brisbane Roar.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold has given the team two days off to freshen up for the week ahead – which will include a trip to Korea to meet Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in the AFC Champions League next Wednesday – and Wilkinson believes they will be at their best.
“If anything you enjoy playing the games,” Wilkinson said. “This is the time of the year that you want to be involved in.”
“The AFC Champions League is a fantastic competition that we’re fully embracing and enjoying. And it’s the finals series so it’s not like it’s tough to get up for games at the moment.”
Wilkinson predicts a tough test from the Glory on Saturday, with Ian Ferguson’s side winning five out of their last six matches, while the Mariners will have to bounce back from their 3-2 loss to Brisbane Roar on Sunday which saw them lose their major semi-final 5-2 on aggregate.
“They’re (Glory) on a good roll,” Wilkinson said. “They’ve probably scored 10 goals in the last three games so they’re definitely going to be tough.”
“But obviously we’re at home and as ‘Arnie’ said the performance (against Brisbane) was pretty good.”
“A lesser team at 2-0 down could’ve chucked it in and it could have been four or five. But the spirit we’ve got in the change room is fantastic here, the boys always work for each other – there’s a great belief in each other.”
