Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna was left to rue a disappointing second half display in the 1-1 draw with North Queensland on Saturday night.
After taking a third-minute lead through striker Nik Mrdja, the Mariners somewhat fortuitously conceded an equaliser through a deflected strike from Kiwi forward Jeremy Brockie.
The home side dominated the first 45 minutes but faded in the second half much to McKinna’s frustration.
“The first half was great. We got great service from the right and left sides and we created I don’t know how many chances and we scored a good goal early and dominated the game,” he said after the game.
“But we never went on with it in the second half and we lost the momentum in the first five minutes [of the second half].”
“In the second half both teams got tired, the game got longer and we stopped playing the football we were playing in the first half.”
McKinna said there were still positives to be taken out of the game.
“The big thing was we never lost. And [Chris] Doig got through the game fine and [Dean] Heffernan, [Brad] Porter and Mrdja did well in the first half.”
“But the game just phased out in the second half.”
The draw snapped a five-game losing streak for the Mariners but they remain outside the top six on 25 points equal with North Queensland.
A feature of the first half was a commanding display by attacking left back Dean Heffernan who caused the Fury defence problems with his enthusiasm to attack the space in front of him.
The 29-year-old had only got off a plane from the Middle East on Friday after playing a full game and scoring for the Qantas Socceroos in Thursday morning’s 2-2 draw Asian Cup match with Kuwait in Kuwait City.
Heffernan created a number of chances but cramped up later in the game and was substituted after 66 minutes.
“It was tough. I spoke to the gaffer yesterday and he said just go as hard as you can for as long as you can,” he said after the game.
