Central Coast Mariners rallied to trump Ninja A-League rivals Newcastle Jets 2-1 in Saturday night’s F3 Derby.
The finals-bound Mariners trailed 1-0 to Deven Jackson’s 57th-minute volley before mounting a comeback in the regular-season finale at Maitland Sports Ground.
Tianna Fuller came off the bench to equalise in the 78th minute before Jade Pennock completed the fightback five minutes later in Newcastle as Central Coast claimed a third straight win over the Jets.
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With the victory, Central Coast climbed up to fourth and will have to wait until Sunday to discover if they will end the home-and-away campaign in that position, while Newcastle concluded 2024-25 second from bottom following four straight losses.
Out to secure fourth spot on the final weekend of the regular season, the Mariners had a flurry of chances to break the deadlock in an end-to-end contest against their F3 Derby rivals.
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Somehow the Jets survived in the 15th minute as Brooke Nunn hit the crossbar before a chaotic goal-mouth scramble saw Isabel Gomez’s header saved before Peta Trimis hit the post.
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Nunn was in the thick of the action once more eight minutes later, forcing a diving save from Newcastle goalkeeper Danielle Krzyzaniak.
Krzyzaniak produced another great save with half-time approaching when Annabel Martin’s dipping shot nearly dropped inside the crossbar.
The Jets found the breakthrough goal approaching the hour when Jackson’s volley left Mariners goalkeeper Sarah Langman with no chance.
With 27 minutes remaining, Krzyzaniak thwarted Central Coast again. This time, she denied Pennock before the Englishwoman’s second effort was cleared off the line.
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The Mariners, though, did get their goal through Fuller after another goal-mouth scramble 12 minutes from the end.
Pennock and the Mariners were gifted the go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute after an attempted back-pass fell short at the Central Coast striker pounced to give the visitors the lead.
