Central Coast Mariners will be looking to begin a new era under Mike Mulvey on a high note but recent history is stacked against the hosts for the arrival of fierce rivals Newcastle Jets on Saturday evening.
The ninth-placed Mariners have lost five consecutive matches heading into the local derby – they haven’t been on a run this poor since losing six on the trot in February-March 2016. Should Wellington Phoenix defeat Melbourne City prior to kick off the Mariners will be staring down the barrel of a last-place finish and will require a point to avoid wooden spoon.
Although the Jets themselves enter the encounter in a rut having lost three matches in a row, Ernie Merrick’s side have won four of the last seven F3 derbies, including each of the last two by a combined score of 7-1.
Mulvey’s men will no doubt be desperate to impress the new boss and secure derby bragging rights to sign off from the 2017/18 campaign in the most uplifting fashion possible.
Check out all the key facts and figures for tonight’s F3 derby below thanks to Opta data.
- The Jets have won three of their last four games against the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium, this after having won only one of their previous 17 games at the venue (D7 L9).
- Newcastle Jets have won only one of their last eight away games within New South Wales (D3, L4), though that win came in the form of a 5-1 victory in their most recent away game against the Mariners in October 2017.
- Central Coast Mariners have scored just 10 first-half goals this campaign, fewer than any other team in the competition.
- No team has landed more shots on target this season than Newcastle Jets (147), while no team has as few as the Mariners (84).
- Connor Pain has been directly involved in three of the Mariners’ last four A-League goals (two goals & one assist).
- Dimitri Petratos has created 70 scoring chances this campaign, which is more than any other player in the competition and 20 more than Mariners’ best Andrew Hoole (50).
