Reds captain Eugene Galekovic does not need reminding of what the Central Coast Mariners will bring to the table this weekend.
Reds captain Eugene Galekovic does not need reminding of what the Central Coast Mariners will bring to the table this weekend.
Galekovic and co will front up against the reigning Hyundai A-League champions for the second time this season on Saturday at Coopers Stadium, a team that has enjoyed a string of favourable results over the Reds of late.
The Mariners have proved a bogey side for Adelaide United to overcome, to the extent that while reluctant to mention it, the team from Gosford has won the past nine meetings between the sides.
But coming off arguably their best performance of the season last Friday night against Brisbane Roar despite not having any points to show from it, the Reds have the chance to rectify their Mariners hoodoo on Saturday.
Prior to new Central Coast coach Phil Moss taking over the reigns from Graham Arnold, the Mariners were renowned as a tight, compact and disciplined outfit that has proven difficult to break down and score against.
Galekovic does not expect them to be much different under Moss, and with a wealth of attacking options up front and the creativity of former United playmaker Marcos Flores, the United keeper knows the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead.
“We played them (the Mariners) in the pre season and also in the first few rounds so we know what to expect,” Galekovic said.
“Maybe they-ll be a bit different under the new coach but I don-t think too much has changed.”
“We know they-ll play for 90 minutes, they-ll run all day, they-ll kick all day, and we-ve just got to be prepared for it.”
The Mariners snapped Sydney FC-s winning streak last weekend and will come to Coopers Stadium confident in the knowledge that they have had the Reds- measure in recent times.
Although the Reds have only managed one win so far this season, Galekovic says the players know if they can bring a similar mentality and output to what they showed against the Roar, they give themselves every chance of a victory.
“We believe that we can turn the way we-re playing around and you can see that in the last game, I think we did well, but we also need to change results,” Galekovic said.
“Hopefully that can start happening and if we can play like we did on the weekend I think we would have probably beaten most other sides in the league so we have to keep going and try to get results now.”
Galekovic also knows for the Reds to get past the Mariners, they need to stop conceding goals in the last third of games.
“Out of five games I think we-ve been leading and we-ve dropped points so that-s a disappointing thing,” Galekovic admitted.
“I don-t know what that comes down to but it-s one thing we-ve got to get better at – trying to hold onto leads.”
“If we-re in front trying to hold on or trying to kill games off and finish teams off completely, that-s one thing we-ve got to get better at, and if we do that then we-ll get results.”
Back in Round 3 a 2nd minute Nick Fitzgerald goal was enough to see the Mariners claim all three points at Bluetongue Stadium.
Tickets for Saturday-s game are available through Ticketek.
