Nick Montgomery hailed the perseverance of strike duo Marco Urena and Jason Cummings as they helped the Central Coast Mariners to an impressive 3-0 A-League Men win over a 10-man Adelaide United outfit in Gosford.
REACTION: ‘World class’ Ureña hails arrival of Cummings for switch in momentum
Adelaide defended stoutly after goalkeeper Joe Gauci was dismissed in the first half and the hard work of the Mariners’ duo looked to be in vain.
But eventually the pressure tolled when Urena gave the Mariners the advantage with a classy volley in the 77th minute.
The floodgates opened when Cummings, who was a constant nuisance for the Adelaide defence, was rewarded for his graft with the Mariners’ second.
Substitute Matt Hatch made it three late into added time.
After failing to win a league game in January and February, Montgomery’s side finished March undefeated with three wins and two draws and will have confidence they can mount a challenge for the finals.
“They sat back and we were unlucky a couple of times,” Montgomery said.
“I told them (Urena and Cummings) last week that I needed more intensity. Jason could have had a hat-trick and he deserved that goal tonight.
“They track back after we went through a period where we didn’t have that. It was a good team performance and I’m delighted with three points.”
Adelaide struggled to fashion many opportunities away from home and their hopes took a blow when Gauci was dismissed for clattering into Urena on the edge of the box.
Initially referee Alireza Faghani produced a yellow card but eventually the Iranian official reviewed the decision on VAR and brought out the red, much to the dismay of Adelaide coach Carl Veart.
“We always seem to be on the wrong side of a lot of VAR calls,” Veart said.
“The referee saw it as a yellow and then VAR obviously thought it was clear and obvious.
“It seems to be a story for us with VAR this year and us, we just can’t get on the right side of it.”
The dismissal forced Lachlan Brook off and 17-year-old keeper Steven Hall came on to play in goal.
Adelaide defended narrowly and kept the Mariners at bay for the best part of 50 minutes but eventually they succumbed to the home side’s numerical advantage.
Urena got the breakthrough when he volleyed a Lewis Miller cross in with a quarter of an hour left.
Adelaide’s heads sunk and with defeat likely they allowed Cummings to pop up in the 90th minute.
Hatch added the Mariners’ third with a well-taken finish two minutes later.
The only concerns for the Central Coast was a late dismissal for Brazilian playmaker Moresche after he picked up a second yellow card of the night and a possible concussion for leftback Jacob Farrell.
RE-LIVE: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 3-0 ADELAIDE UNITED, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
A routine win in the end for the Mariners over the 10 men of Adelaide, with three second-half goals continuing the home side’s impressive run of form.
A second yellow card to Mariners number 10 Moresche put a dampener on the display from the home side.
90+3′: GOAL! Hatch makes it three (3-0)
The Reds crumble late as Matt Hatch gets in behind the defence to stroll in on goal and put the Mariners’ third goal through the legs of Hall and into the back of the net.
90+1′: GOAL! Ureña to Cummings to seal the result (2-0)
Game, set and match for the Mariners! It’s Ureña turning provider in the 91st minute, with the latter sliding the ball into the back o the net to make it 2-0.
77′: GOAL! Ureña with a touch of class to break the deadlock (1-0)
It took a touch of class to break the deadlock, with Ureña lashing Lewis Miller’s cross off the right wing into the back of the net with an emphatic volley.
75′: Hall standing tall in goal to keep Mariners goalless (0-0)
Since his first-half introduction to the game, stand-in Reds keeper Hall has performed valiantly to keep an incessant Mariners attack at bay.
The home side have 15 minutes of regular time to take advantage of their personnel advantage and take the points.
46′: SECOND HALF UNDERWAY (0-0)
The rain falls heavily on Central Coast Stadium as the second half begins.
HALF-TIME: MARINERS 0-0 ADELAIDE
Late chances to Ureña and Cummings saw the Mariners go close to breaking the deadlock, but the 10 men of Adelaide survive to the break.
RED CARD! Gauci dismissed after Ureña collision (0-0)
Reds keeper Joe Gauci has been sent to the stands after collecting Mariners striker Marco Ureña as he made his way behind the Adelaide defence.
Ureña reached the bouncing ball first and nodded it past Gauci, who collided with the Costa Rican to send him to ground.
Referee Alireza Faghani initially brandished a yellow card before the VAR beckoned him over to the monitor, where his decision was reversed.
Teenage keeper Steven Hall comes on as Gauci’s replacement, with Lachlan Brook sacrificed.
6′: CHANCE! Cummings spins his marker but fires just wide (0-0)
Jason Cummings went close to putting the Mariners ahead, duping multiple Reds defenders by taking the ball with his back to goal and chopping onto his left foot, before firing toward the bottom-right corner.
His shot went close but faded just past the post.
1′: KICK-OFF
The Mariners and Reds engage in battle at Central Coast Stadium.
