‘That is part of the whole DNA here at the football club’: Yorke wants to make Campbelltown a fortress

Coach Dwight Yorke says he wants his Macarthur team to make Campbelltown Sports Stadium a fortress, starting with the home Isuzu UTE A-League clash with Central Coast on Friday night.

Macarthur have won three of their past four games to move to 17 points and fourth on the ladder, two points behind the second-placed Mariners, who have won four of their past five matches.

Macarthur have never beaten the Mariners at Campbelltown and have won three of five home matches this season.

“We know that if we want to challenge the big teams this year that consistency is one of the big achievers. Our home games are very important,” Yorke said.

We want to make Campbelltown Stadium a place that teams find it extremely difficult to come and play against us. That is part of the whole DNA here at the football club, and we expect that to continue.

“We are not taking anything for granted here, certainly not under my watch. The players expect to deliver again. The Mariners will be a very good test for us.”

A day after Vanuatu defender Brian Kaltak re-signed until the end of the 2024/25 season, the Mariners announced a one-year extension for New Zealand international right back Storm Roux.

Kaltak, 29, said he was excited about his re-signing, as were his family back in Vanuatu.

“Before they announced it I let Mum and Dad know. They are over the moon and happy for me,” he said.

“I just have to keep doing what I signed here to do.”

Kaltak was sent off the last time he played Macarthur in a fiery 3-2 loss that was decided by a stoppage-time goal.

“I have learnt from my mistakes,” he said.

Mariners coach Nick Montgomery said his side was unlucky not to win the previous encounter between the teams, adding that Macarthur would provide “another test”.

“They have got some good players in that front third,” he said.

“We are defending well. It was nice to get a clean sheet on the weekend. We know clean sheets win games and … we know we have enough in the front third to score goals against anybody.”

Montgomery said Kaltak had proved all of his doubters wrong and was one of the best defenders in the competition.

“I am really proud of him. He is an inspiration to everybody in Vanuatu, the Pacific Islands and his teammates,” the coach said.

Montgomery said the extension of Roux was “another bit of good news” and well deserved.

“‘Stormy’ is a player who came from Melbourne Victory and was lacking a bit of belief and confidence, but this season he has been outstanding,” he said.