Mariners maintain second spot on ladder after draw in Perth

Football

Despite the 2-2 draw against Perth Glory in Perth and despite only winning one game in the last five the Central Coast Mariners remain in the second spot on the ISUZU UTE A-League ladder.

The Mariners sit on 27 points after playing 17 games, Melbourne City sits aloft on 34 points with one game in hand.

Adelaide United are also on 27 points, the Western Sydney Wanderers are on 25 and Wellington is close with 24 points on the tally.

The battle for the second spot between the four teams has undoubtedly increased the pressure in this season’s completion, as all four teams are only a win or loss away from climbing or sliding in the rankings. blocks quickly in the second half with the rewards almost instant. Raso, a threat all game, latched onto a Kerr through ball to open the scoring. She was helped by a deflection from Anna Dlaskova, but it couldn’t take the shine off the well taken finish.

The Mariners are back home at Gosford’s Industree Group Stadium on Friday night, so local fans are in for a do-or-die game against Wellington Pheonix.

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The Queenslander doubled the Matildas’ lead soon after with a well-placed Catley corner, finding debutant Hunt at the back post. She headed it back across the face of the goal to the unmarked Raso, who gratefully accepted the invitation to head her second goal. The 68th minute saw a triple substitution – Larissa Crummer, Emily van Egmond and Alex Chidiac entered the field in place of Vine, Mary Fowler and Katrina Gorry.

The substitutions almost immediately paid dividends. Chidiac was able to get a shot away after great work from Charlie Grant to find a cross into the box.

The resulting deflection found the path of Kerr who slammed home her 62nd goal for Australia.

The final goal came off the foot of the night’s captain. A Chidiac corner found Raso, who was able to steer the ball into Polkinghorne’s path and she prodded home for a milestone goal.

Next up for the CommBank Matildas is a game against world number seven Spain at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday, February 19, with kick-off at 6pm.

Then the Matildas play Jamaica on Wednesday, February 22, at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle with kick-off at 7.10pm.

David Abrahams