With a 2-1 loss to their 'F3 derby' rivals Newcastle Jets, the Mariners season has becalmed and they are still bailing just short of the line whilst the Jets swooped in to seal a finals berth in a closely fought game.
The home side went into this game with only 1 point from the last 9 and although leading the table they really needed a win here to get a hand on the Premiers plate, but did not deliver.
The Mariners have been consistently conceding soft early goals and this wasn't to be any different as 'the Coastie that got away', Budgewoi boy James Holland, fired in a 6th minute goal right in front of the 'welcome' banner that said, "Holland UR a Bogan".
With the Coast defence narrowed and men committed forward for an earlier attack, Denni found space on the right and sent over a regulation hopeful cross into the middle. Paul O'Grady tried some sort of cow-kick instead of moving quicker to meet the ball fully and it skewed around him off his rear-end. Young former Mariner Holland lept into action and poked it with his left to the far post, past Coast 'keeper Danny Vukovic. 0-1
The casual approach to defensive work by the home team continued with a lazy back pass by Andrew Clark being scooped up by an alert Joel Griffiths, and it was only Clarke's speed and covering work by Vukovic that saved red faces.
It all seemed forgiven in the 9th minute when it was the turn of the Jets defence to go to sleep. Adam Kwasnik, given a rare recent start, received the ball on the left flank and proceeded to almost amble forward as he does, and as an overlap by John Hutchinson took marker Jade North away, he cut inside. He strugged off a half-hearted challenge by Denni, then one by Adam D'Apuzzo. As Tarek Elrich raced to cover, Kwasnik looked up and slammed the ball to the right of Covic and inside the post. 1-1
Some better defending was seen in the 16th minute when Alex Wilkinson defused a dangerous run by Holland, with a text book 'in the box' tackle, and then one minute later a one-two with Saso Petrovski saw defender Andrew Clark one on one with Ante Covic but his APIA scoring days left him and the big Jets 'keeper scooped the shot up easlily.
In the 26th minute that man opposing fans love to hate, Joel Griffiths (who gave Adam Kwasnik a bloody nose later), had his chance with a free kick within range. As the ball penetrated the wall Danny Vukovoc made a diving save to his left. One minute later a hand ball call against Griffiths was turned down and the ball went back to Matt Thompson. The underated midfielder steered a firm shot goalward but the Coast's Olyroo custodian somehow got his right hand to it, to palm it out. Griffiths got a header in from a free kick after the corner was cleared but he was just wide.
The Mariners lifted and Alosi had a chance that Covic had no problem with. In the 42nd minute Petrovski steered the ball across goal with Covic beaten.
Just before half-time Hutchinson went to take a throw in front of the away fans bays (where 'The Squadron' fierce critics of Hutch were in residence), and having taken the ragging with good humour he was not so pleased to be hit with a missile.
Again an alleged hand ball, by the Matt Thompson, was 'missed' however it would have been just outside the goal area.
The second half was a tamer affair, although only 3 minutes in Griffiths (loosely marked all game inexplicably) got a free shot in
A moment that watching Pim Verbeek may have jotted in his notebook (for a number of reasons) came in the 52nd minute. Andre Durante received the ball from Covic, and looking up sent a 60m pass straight to the feet of Joel Griffiths, unmarked, deep in the Mariners half. O'Grady didn't move to intercept that flight. With Wilkinson racing back Griffiths just had to gather a ball that was played perfectly onto his main peg, and stroll forward and steer it past Vukovic. Which he did! 1-2
The next best chance of the half went to the Mariners but without the same result. In the 69th minute substitute Andre Gumprecht almost made his mark with a fine run on the right, and a cross (helped on by poor attempt to clear by a defender) that found Saso Petrovski. His diving header was going just under the crossbar, until an acrobatic Ante Covic got some fingers to it and steered it onto the bar, and it rebounded back into play.
The Mariners applied pressure, with renewed drive. Hutchinson saw his shot deflect but to Covic, and then Petrovski's snap shot was covered, and Gumprecht shot wide, and Hutchinson again over off a cross. These were quarter chances though and the Mariners never really made the opportunity they needed.
Three home games, three defeats that hurt. Defensive errors, from both sides. The big crowd deserved better.
One plus ... 19,238 spectators came through the turnstiles (capacity 20,090), overturning the football record at the ground for the 3rd game running. Although swelled by several thousand Novocastrians, it was a magnificant turnout! How many yellow shirted locals may risk more misery and return next Saturday for the clash with the Phoenix remains to be seen.
"We just weren't good enough". "We conceded two bad goals and in the second half Danny had only one save to make and their other shot was a goal," said Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna after the match. "We’ve went from being the best defensive team in the Hyundai A-League to probably the worst over the last few weeks and one win in seven is not good enough.
"It’s not just defending though, we’re creating chances and we’re not taking them, we’re taking the wrong options and not talking enough, definitely the boys have gone into their shells a bit." "Three home games, three bad results and there are no excuses, it’s not good enough," said McKinna.
"If you’re going to win the Premiership you have to win your home games and we’ve said that all along. "Our job now is to hope for a draw between the Roar and Sydney FC tomorrow and try to pick things up for the Finals Series."
Newcastle coach Gary Van Egmond said the team is now gunning for a top two finish heading into the Hyundai A-League finals. "It's always good to make sure that it is in our hands and that was part of the motivation" ... "To ensure that we didn't have to rely on other teams to get ourselves into the semis", Van Egmond said.
"I thought the boys were excellent tonight, I thought they got their reward for some good football out there and at times we had to grind a result out and full marks to them". "The boys are now very motivated to win our last home game against Perth".
Both teams will be watching the R20 Queensland versus Sydney game this Sunday with close interest, ahead of their own home games next weekend against cellar dwellars Wellington and Perth respectively. The Premiers Plate remains up for grabs by all now in the top four.