It was a record-breaking night at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford as the Central Coast Mariners demolished a hapless Sydney FC outfit 7-2.
It was a record-breaking night at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford as the Central Coast Mariners demolished a hapless Sydney FC outfit 7-2.
The equal most number of goals in a Hyundai A-League fixture were scored as Daniel McBreen collected the first hat-trick in Mariners history.
Missing their key man in Alessandro Del Piero due to a hamstring injury, Sydney FC were no match for the home side despite their two strikes.
Panama international Yairo Yau came in for the Italian marquee player and opened the scoring for Ian Crook’s men in the eighth minute.
That goal spurred Graham Arnold’s side into attack.
After chances quickly fell to McBreen and Joshua Rose the Mariners opened their account in the 16th minute when Tomas Rogic blasted home after a goal-mouth scramble.
The Mariners scored again in the 29th minute with Rogic pivotal.
The Tuggeranong United junior’s shot wasn’t collected by Sydney FC shot-stopper Ivan Necevski only for McBreen to send the ball goalward before Sydney FC defender Sebastian Ryall got the last touch on the Mariners second goal.
The rampant Mariners struck again 10 minutes later when McBreen converted a penalty which came about after a neat interplay between Michael McGlinchey and Pedj Bojic.
Kiwi international McGlinchey was eventually fouled in the penalty area by former Mariner Trent McClehanan who was cautioned for the play.
Sydney FC’s Iraqi international Ali Abbas pulled the score back early in the second half to 3-2 after the midfielder latched onto a clever chip from Yau but the hope of something more for Sydney was short-lived as four goals in 12 minutes iced the match.
On 55 minutes McGlinchey produced a great solo effort which ended in a neat left-foot strike for a 4-2 lead.
Canberra-born Rogic bamboozled the Sydney FC defence to collect his second goal in the 62nd minute.
Two goals in the 65th and 67th minute brought up McBreen’s historic treble.
The first came after McBreen followed up a deflection off the post from a Mile Sterjovski shot and then McBreen was on the end of a cross from Joshua Rose on the left to round out a great night for the home crowd.
It has been 1533 days since Sydney FC have won in Gosford and that drought will have to wait a little longer to be broken.
Central Coast Mariners 7 (Rogic 16, 62, Ryall 29og, McBreen 39p, 65, 67 McGlinchey 55)
Sydney FC 2 (Yau 8, Abbas 54)
Bet365 Man of the Match: Daniel McBreen
Crowd: 15,686 @ Bluetongue Stadium
