The Central Coast Mariners have come from behind to register a gritty 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets in their Round 19 National Youth League fixture at Adamstown Oval on Friday evening.
Newcastle dominated the first half and scored in the 24th minute via livewire winger James Virgili and could have added two more before the half-time break if it not for some great defence from the visitors and some wayward shooting.
But the Mariners held on and came out after the break and found their rhythm with a scrappy goal to Nigel Boogaard in the 54th minute to level the scores.
From there Central Coast took control of the match and sealed the win with a Matthew Osman volley.
The win sees the Mariners move to 20 points on the NYL ladder, equal with Perth but behind on for and against, while the luckless Jets remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The match started in hot and humid conditions and it was Newcastle who adapted the better launching all the attacks in the opening period.
Mariners goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was under fire and produced a remarkable save in the 11th minute when he rushed out and smothered a goal-bound shot from Jesse Pinto.
The Jets went close again in the 21st minute when Hyundai A-League striker Brodie Mooy picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired a curling shot that sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Newcastle was eventually rewarded for its endeavours when Virgili brought down a Jesse Pinto cross, took a touch and slotted it home low into the corner of the net.
Mooy could have doubled the lead a short time later when he had an open shot on goal but he sent his right-footed volley inches wide of the right post.
The Mariners scrambled to hold on until the break and went into the half-time interval thankful to only be trailing by one goal.
If the first half was dominated by the Jets the Mariners won the battle in the second 45.
The visitors changed their midfield pattern and it worked wonders as they looked more penetrating in attack.
Boogaard profited from the change in shape and levelled after a goal-mouth scramble following a corner kick and a period of sustained pressure.
The Mariners took confidence from the goal and Osman gave his side the lead nine minutes later when Andrew Clark sent in a pin-point cross to the penalty spot where an unmarked Osman fired home a powerful volley.
In the dying moments of the match Mooy latched onto a Pinto through-ball but his first touch let him down as he tried to round the keeper and the Mariners held on for the win.
Newcastle Jets 1
(Virgili 24)
Central Coast Mariners 2
(Boogaard 55, Osman 63)
