Central Coast turned in one of their most emphatic performances of the National Youth League season on Tuesday night, outclassing the Newcastle Jets 3-1 at Pluim Park on the Central Coast.
The victory was set up in the first half with the clinical Mariners knocking in all their goals against the hapless Jets defence in the opening 45 minutes.
Striker Mitchell Duke gave the home team the perfect start in the third minute when his powerful header beat Jets goalkeeper Robbie Kolak.
Two great saves from Mariners goalkeeper Nikodin Matic kept the scores level in the 15th minute.
But five minutes later Central Coast went two goals up following a cracking strike from A-League regular Mustafa Amini.
Playing his first National Youth League since the early rounds, Amini controlled the ball well before unleashing an unstoppable long range volley into the back of the net.
The Mariners scored again in the 25th minute with in-form striker Bernie Ibini-Isei scoring an easy goal after a pinpoint cross from Duke.
It was Ibini-Isei’s 10th goal of the season.
The half-time deficit could have been greater but for a great diving save from Kolak to deny Amini in the 30th minute.
Newcastle showed more composure on the ball in the second half, but rarely threatened Matic’s goal.
Mariner Matthew Lewis had a shot go just wide seven minutes after the resumption and Nicholas Fitzgerald was denied by Kolac in the 62nd minute.
It was not until the 85th minute that Matic was beaten.
He did well to tip a Jets shot on to the bar before Fabian Iacovelli was on hand to score from close range.
Matic was injured attempting to deny Iacovelli and was replaced.
Central Coast 3 (Mitchell Duke 3′ Mustafa Amini 20, Bernie Ibini-Isei 25′)
Newcastle 1 (Fabian Iacovelli 85′)
