Goals either side of half-time from Wurigumula and Kyah Simon have fired Central Coast Mariners up into second spot on the Liberty A-League ladder after they defeated Brisbane Roar 2-0 at Ballymore Stadium.
Both sides had several good chances to break the deadlock in the first half but the opener came just before the break as Chinese international Wurigumula expertly poked the ball beyond Jordan Silkowitz to make it 1-0.
The away side then came out firing in the second half, doubling their lead just a minute after the break as Matildas forward Kyah Simon slotted the ball beyond Silkowitz to seal an impressive win.
While the teams around them are yet to play this round the result moves Emily Husband’s side temporarily up into second spot on the ladder and hot on the heels of Western United.
As for Brisbane, defeat leaves their finals hopes hanging by a thread and they could find themselves seven points outside the top six come the end of the round.
Striding through midfield, Brisbane midfielder Ayesha Norie latched on to a ball inside from Mia Corbin before unleashing a powerful effort towards goal which was expertly tipped round the post by Mariners keeper Casey Dumont.
Forcing a turnover in midfield, Simon then fizzed a low effort towards goal which went narrowly wide of Silkowitz’ far post while the home side then had the best chance of the first half.
Sprinting clear of her marker down the left hand side, Roar winger Sharn Freier delivered a sumptious ball across the face of goal for Mia Corbin to tap home however the American dragged her left footed shot wide of the post from six metres out; a glorious missed chance that would prove costly.
On the stroke of half-time, Mariners fullback Annabel Martin drifted in off the left touchline before curling a pinpoint cross into the box and onto the outstretched foot of Wurigumula, who poked the ball beyond the keeper to make it 1-0 before half-time.
Less than a minute into the second half the Mariners made it 2-0 and Martin was the provider once again. After the Roar defence failed to clear an early corner, Martin pounced on a loose pass before pulling the ball back for Simon to slot the ball beyond the keeper and into the back of the net.
A Sharn Freier chance aside, Emily Husband’s team then managed the rest of the second half with complete assuredness, largely nullifying the Brisbane frontline to seal a first ever win over Brisbane which pushes them up into title contention.
