In preparation for tonight’s 31st edition of the F3 Derby we cast our eye over some classic encounters between the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets.
The name of the stretch of road connecting the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets may have changed but it will always be known as the F3 Derby. The Round 4 meeting of these two sides reminding everyone of the passion that goes into this contest on the pitch and in the terraces.
For Newcastle’s Clayton Zane, his first taste of the head coaching role couldn’t come any hotter as the Jets travel to play their nemesis for his maiden game in charge tonight. Meanwhile the match also represents Mariners coach Phil Moss’ first time as head coach in the cauldron of this fierce rivalry.
The Mariners can move into second on the ladder with a win tonight, while the Jets will be desperate to force their way back into the top six. In preparation for tonight’s 31st edition of the F3 Derby we cast our eye over some classic encounters between the Mariners and Jets from the nine seasons of the Hyundai A-League.
2005/06 Round 9 – Jets 1-0 Mariners
After the first every F3 Derby in Round 2 had ended in a 1-1 draw, Newcastle secured their first Hyundai A-League win over the Mariners courtesy of Franco Parisi-s 88th minute winner at Hunter Stadium.
2005/06 Round 16 – Mariners 4-1 Jets
With 11,612 spending the last day of the year at Bluetongue Stadium, Lawrie McKinna-s team put on a display of football excellence to silence the Jets. Andre Gumprecht got the ball rolling with an early strike, before Damien Brown doubled the Mariners- advantage before the break. In the second stanza, current Central Coast captain and #F3Derby aficionado, John Hutchinson, netted twice in the space of 11 minutes to give the Mariners a 4-0 lead. Vaughan Coveny scores an 85th minute consolation goal for Newcastle, but it-s too little, too late for the Jets.
2007/08 A-League Grand Final – Jets 1-0 Mariners
In the greatest F3 Derby of them all, the Jets secured their first A-League Championship with a 1-0 win over the Mariners in front of 36,354 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium. Mark Bridge-s strike past Danny Vukovic in the 64th minute of the contest proved to be the difference between the two sides on a day that will live on in the memory of Jets fans forever.
2008/09 Round 17 Mariners 2-1 Jets
Boxing Day 2008, and the Mariners were up for the fight! After going down 1-0 early to coolly converted Joel Griffiths penalty, Central Coast rally in the second stanza to earn a 2-1 win. Goals from Sasho Petrovski and Matt Simon do the damage for the Mariners against the Jets in a season where Newcastle finish with the wooden spoon.
2012/13 Round 3 – Jets 2, Mariners 1
In the first F3 Derby of the current season, former England international Emile Heskey scored his first goal at Hunter Stadium after some classy lead-up work by James Virgili. The goal proved decisive as the Jets held-off a late comeback from the Mariners to secure a 2-1 victory in front of 15,289 fans.
2013/14 Round 4 Mariners 2-2 Jets
After falling to a 2-0 deficit early in the second half, then Central Coast Mariners boss Graham Arnold outfoxes then Newcastle Jets coach Gary van Egmond by switching from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-4-2 structure inclusive of a midfield diamond. The switch goes seemingly undetected by the Jets’ coaches, and allows the Mariners to begin to create plenty in attack. Goals from Marcos Flores and Mile Sterjovski ensure the Mariners earn a point from their visit to Hunter Stadium. Newcastle are denied their first victory over the Mariners in the last four matches between the two teams.
