Central Coast Mariners have defeated Gold Coast United 2-1 in Week 10 of the National Youth League.
Central Coast Mariners have defeated Gold Coast United 2-1 in Week 10 of the National Youth League.
Brad McDonald secured all three points for Central Coast with his 59th minute goal from close range, after Gold Coast-s Jake Barker-Daish had cancelled out Adriano Pellegrino-s early strike.
The match started at a frenetic pace and it was the Yellow and Navy-s Tony Walmsley who was the happier of the two coaches in the early going. Indeed, it took his team just four minutes into their first match of 2012 to register a goal.
Neat work on the edge of the area by Nikola Stanojevic forced Gold Coast custodian Brendan White into a strong save, however the onrushing Pellegrino slammed home the rebound to give Central Coast the perfect start.
The home team continued their ascendancy in the early going with Stuart Musialik firing a strong shot just over White-s bar, while Daniel Bowles had Gold Coast-s best chance in the 20th minute.
Receiving the ball wide on the right, Bowles dribbled past his defender before having his shot smothered by the Central Coast defence.
In the 30th minute influential Gold Coast midfielder Barker-Daish levelled proceedings for his side – albeit with a slice of luck.
Barker-Daish drilled a free kick from 25 yards against the wall, with the deflection wrong footing-David Bradasevic inbetween the sticks for Central Coast.
Barker-Daish-s goal was to prove the last meaningful action of the opening stanza, with both coaches undoubtedly eager to address their chargers at the interval following the two-week NYL break.
As they had done in the first 45, Central Coast started the better of the two teams and it was the Hyundai A-League experience within the team that ultimately told.
On 53 minutes, McDonald-s incisive pass led to Adam Kwasnik firing over the bar, while six minutes later the pair swapped roles with Kwasnik crossing low for McDonald.
With the goal at his mercy, McDonald made no mistake in sliding the ball into the back of the net from inside the six-yard box to send the Yellow and Navy 2-1 up.
After McDonald-s goal the game opened up substantially, with Michael Mulvey-s team eager to restore parity to the match in the final half-hour.
Gold Coast-s persistent attacks forced Bradasevic into a number of fine saves, and opened chances for the home team at the opposite end.
Nevertheless, neither side could manage to bulge the back of the net again with Central Coast Youth hanging on to make it one from one in 2012.
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Pellegrino 4, McDonald 59)
Gold Coast United 1 (Barker-Daish 30)
Pluim Park, Lisarow
