First half goals by Sam Gallagher and Kwabena Appiah-Kubi, combined with a 53rd minute strike by Anthony Caceres, helped Central Coast Mariners secure a 3-0 win over Adelaide United in week 12 of the National Youth League played at Pluim Park, Lisarow on Friday.
A dominant Mariners outfit controlled proceedings throughout with the baby Reds restricted to all but a few half chances throughout the 90 minutes.
It was however the visiting Adelaide side who had the first real opportunity of the match. Crafty number ten Evan Kostopoulos intercepted a loose Gallagher pass from defence before bursting into the box. Unfortunately for Michael Valkanis- men, Kostopoulos- shot flew wide of Justin Pasfield-s left post.
Central Coast-s first opportunity of the game arrived after 15 minutes. Eager to impress the watching first team staff, Adriano Pellegrino – playing at right midfield – sent a delightful cross into the box. Perhaps with his vision obscured, Appiah-Kubi could only direct his header wide of Paul Izzo-s goal.
As he has been all NYL season, Mitchell Duke was in the thick of the action and it was the promising young attacker who was looking like the Yellow and Navy-s best outlet to goal. Indeed, it was in the 23rd minute that Duke sent a ferocious effort over Izzo-s bar having lost his marker outside the area.
On 32 minutes Central Coast would take the lead their weight of chances and possession probably warranted. Pellegrino placed an inch perfect corner into the six-yard box, with Gallagher timing his run to meet the cross. Leaping highest,
Gallagher thundered his header past Izzo and into the back of the net to hand the Mariners the lead.
Ten minutes later Central Coast doubled their advantage through speedy attacker Appiah-Kubi. Latching on to a long ball, Appiah-Kubi-s scintillating pace saw him power into the box and reach the ball ahead of the advancing Izzo, neatly diverting the ball over the goal line.
It took the junior Yellow and Navy just eight minutes into the second stanza to put the result beyond probable doubt. Impressive defensive midfielder Caceres – earmarked as a potential first team player in the future – made a thoughtful run through midfield having sensed a gap opening up at the back. Receiving the ball his run deserved, Caceres slid the ball under Izzo to all but ensure victory.
To their credit, Adelaide United Youth didn-t let the scoreline dishearten them, earning a their fair share of possession in the final third of the match and applying an increasing amount of pressure on the Central Coast backline as the game wore on. In the 82nd minute, substitute Anthony Trimboli went close with a shot that whizzed past Pasfield-s goal, while just 60 seconds later skipper Christopher Annicchiarico has his header fly inches over the bar.
Indeed, it was an action packed ending to the game with Adelaide-s impressive 15-year-old front man Teeboy Kamara having a shot palmed away by Pasfield before Brad McDonald raced down the other end only to send his shot millimetres wide of the woodwork.
Nevertheless, neither side could manage to add to the scoreline in the dying moments of the match as Tony Walmsley-s team recorded their fourth win from as many games in 2012 to lift themselves – albeit potentially temporarily – into first place on the National Youth League ladder.
Reduced to ten men late in the game following the dismissal of Liam Wooding, Adelaide United remain in ninth place in the NYL standings.
Central Coast Mariners Youth 3 (Gallagher 32, Appiah-Kubi 42, Caceres 53)
Adelaide United Youth 0
Pluim Park, Lisarow
