Preview: Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory

Happy New Year! Help Mariners celebrate in style, as they go all out for three precious points

Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
Friday 31 December 2010 6PM

Happy New Year! Help Mariners celebrate in style, as they go all out for three precious points against a resurgent Victory.

The Hyundai A-League brings in 2011 by serving up a real treat, as two sides with their eyes on Grand Finals glory go toe-to-toe in a New Year-s Eve Blockbuster at the Bluetongue.

It-s Graham Arnold-s young and exciting Central Coast Mariners side against the footballing force that is Melbourne Victory, and it-s sure to be a thriller, so secure some tickets for yourself and your family today and celebrate the New Year with a dose of footy fever!

If you-re not already drooling at the prospect of this game – the fast-pace of Mariners- positive style of play up against the goal-crazy Robbie Kruse and co – then the previous encounters between the two sides in the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season also suggest this game will be positively bursting with entertainment.

The first time the teams met, back in September, Mariners produced an outstanding display to bulldoze Victory out of the way. At the Bluetongue, two off-season recruits produced perfectly-timed headers without response to pick up the points. Melbourne simply had no answer to the goals from Rostyn Griffiths and Daniel McBreen on that occasion, so were looking for revenge when they welcomed the Yellow and Navy to AAMI Park in November.

However, they had to be content with a draw as the two sides shared four goals in an absolutely outstanding game. Thorn-in-the-side McBreen opened the scoring in the first-half before the hosts fought back with two strikes in as many minutes in the second period. However, their hopes of picking up three points were dashed when Mariners levelled the scores late on.

While Melbourne just about edge the head-to-head over the 15 times the teams have done battle, the tide is certainly turning towards Mariners. Having not beaten Victory at all in three seasons, they turned them over twice last year, including a 4-0 thumping in Victoria. What the Yellow Army wouldn-t give for a similar score-line on New Year-s Eve! They-ll face a Victory side that is having a something of a nightmare on the road in the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season too.

If you discount their ‘away- win against Melbourne Heart – played, of course, at their home stadium – they have only won once on their travels so far, all the way back in August, against a Gold Coast side that had come out of the blocks slowly.

So, the ingredients are there to make it a New Year to remember for the Yellow Army! Get along to the Bluetongue and get ready to party in the stands as your heroes do the business on the pitch.

Fill the ground with colour and noise and welcome 2011 in in style. There is surely no better way to see out the year than with top rate Hyundai A-League action. Grab some tickets today!

Click here for Central Coast tickets