The Central Coast Mariners dominated the game at Bluetounge Stadium in Gosford tonight but could not get the ball in the back of the net, although one arguably crossed the line but was not given. The game left the Mariners almost bereft of a top 4 chance, but continued the Knights run of solid results.
Central Coast Mariners home run to the finals has been crumbling for weeks with lack of goalscoring the main reason and this 0-0 draw against the Knights was no exception - possession and shots on target favouring the home side by a significant margin.
The Mariners came into this game with almost half a first choice side missing and makeshift attack without the perennialy injured Nuk Mrdja and the departed Damian Mori who had scored in Auckland in the last meeting.
Central Coast came out of the blocks determined to put immediate pressure on a Knights defence that had stymied Sydney the week before. Three minutes in and a cross from Spencer exposed the slowness of response by the Knights but the ball was cleared.
Knights cleared a 6th minute corner but the ball fell to Andre Gumprecht. He immediately slotted the ball out to the right to Adam Kwasnik but the striker's shot was wide across goal.
The Knights were on the defensive and Dean Gordon was reduced to a speculator from 20m that went well over the crossbar.
One minute later Kwasnik beat his marker to the ball, turned and shot over the cross bar.
One of the best chances for the Mariners came in the 12th minute when Mile Jedinak received from Petrie, and turned with the ball on the spot, slamming it against the crossbar from 20m.
22nd minute breakaway from the Mariners, and Adam Kwasnik shot over on the run.
Three minutes later and from a free kick from the right, Mile Jedinak rose at the far post to head on target but it was saved by Mark Paston.
After play was stopped to bandage Richard Johnson's head, injured in a clash with his own player, Spencer tried one of his long range speculator shots but to no avail.
In the 32nd minute Gumprecht shot just wide on thr right from 25m.
It was almost all the Coast, however in the 35th Alen Marcina sent in a cross from the left that evaded Neil Emblen.
Just before half-time Alex Wilkinson got up on the left for a header from the corner from the right. He steered it wide of the right post.
Knights started well, but Emblen could got get a header on the end of a 48th minute cross.
Fifty six minutes in and Kwasnik's shot is blocked, and short term signing Matt Simon has his shot blocked within 30 secs of coming on.
Petrie made space in the 67th minute, and got the ball to substitute Jamie McMaster whose shot waqs also deflected.
Danny Vukovic had been like last week almost a spectator but a Gao Leilei shot in the 71st minute drew a save from the Olyroo custodian.
The good spell for the Knights continued with Neil Emblen posing a danger but Paul O'Grady was quick to cover.
Controversy in the 76th minute when a Stewart Petrie shot was covered by Paston but he only took the pace off it. The ball continued toward goal as Richard Johnson raced to cover. Mariners fans celebrated as the ball appeared to have gone over the line before the Knight got his foot to clear it but referee Ben Williams was unmoved, as was the assistant.
Richter shot from range but Vukovic had no problem, but play swung to the other end where Matt Simon challenged the keeper but Paston came off on top.
Johnson shot wide on the left and the Mariners re-focussed with an 84th minute shot by Paul O'Grady on the run that went just wide on the right.
O'Grady back one minute later to take the ball off Alen Marcina, and in the 88th minute Brad Porter's long free kick found a team-mate at the Knights far post but the header was just wide.
In extra time Mile Jedinak's header was over and the excellent Mariners Thursday night home crowd of 10,637 groaned as the whistle went.
More pride for the Knights, with their small group of adopted Barmy Army fans, but mathematics and a win over Adelaide consuming the Coast camp, with coach Lawrie McKinna despondent.