Central Coast midfielder Jake McGing feels a sloppy second half cost the Mariners dearly in Sunday’s Hyundai A-League loss to Melbourne Victory.
Paul Okon’s side asked the visitors plenty of questions in the first 45 minutes but still went to the break trailing 1-0 at Central Coast Stadium after Besart Berisha’s goal.
But they couldn’t maintain their intensity after the break, with Victory adding two more goals to eventually run out comfortable winners.
REPORT: Berisha brace guides Victory past Mariners
“In the first half I thought we were very good,” McGing told Fox Sports.
“We were knocking the ball around very well and were moving them around well.
“But in the second half I think we let ourselves down a bit, we lost our intensity on the ball and off it.”
The defeat snaps the Mariners’ three-game winning streak and puts a dent in their top six hopes.
They are now five points behind the sixth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers ahead of next weekend’s massive F3 Derby against the Jets.
“The focus on next week now. Everyone is up for this game,” McGing said.
“No matter what the occasion, everyone is always up for a derby.
“We’re going to look forward to that and hopefully we can get the three points.”
