Central Coast Mariners 1-1 Newcastle Jets
by Texi Smith (8/11/26)
Above: All eyes on the prize – Mariners and Jets prepare for the ball into the box. Photo: Ryan Miller-Woods for Impetus.
Central Coast Mariners were given a reality check in Gosford on Saturday afternoon,
as local rivals Newcastle Jets finished strongly to go close to a derby victory.
An early goal by Skye Halmarick ignited the Mariners’ fans expectations of another
dominant display from their heroes, but the Jets were no pushover, deservedly
equalising midway through the second half with a delightful finish from former
Mariner Tamar Levin.
The game was in the balance for the remainder of the contest,
the Jets coming closest in stoppage time with two gilt-edged chances, the hosts not
looking like the force that they have been so far this A-League season.
The opening exchanges were frantic, Te Reremoana Walker showing great feet for
the home side, but they seemed content to take risks at the back. Any doubts
defensively were completely forgotten though with only four minutes on the clock,
Danika Matos feeding Eliza Familton for the cross, and when the ball popped out to
Halmarick, she made no mistake with a low shot just inside the post for 1-0.
Normal service underway, and moments later Peta Trimis played in Halmarick but Claire
Henninger was out smartly. The Mariners’ early pressure gave way to five glorious
minutes for the Jets, a long throw from Poppie Hooks came to Claire Adams who
smashed a fierce shot just past the post from the edge of the area.
Next was a fantastic cross from the exciting Cameron Valladares, but Adams
miskicked with the volley, and another incredible cross from the flying right winger
saw the heads go up in the box and Adams reach for the knock down, but Morgan
Aquino made the save from right in front.
Zoe Karipidis then stole a ball in midfield and advanced, but got the shot all wrong. The Mariners did get another half-chance, Talia Kapetanellis doing well to keep the ball in on the left to cross for Halmarick, but the header was wayward.
That bravado at the back from the Mariners almost caught them out when Aquino dallied with the ball. Emma Dundas nipped in to steal the ball off her but the Mariners’ keeper was able to dive onto the loose ball and avert the danger.
Newcastle finished the half strongly, Allie Thornton on the end of some fabulous
interplay but her shot was way off target. This had been an entertaining half of
football.
The second half was wide open in the first few minutes, culminating in Henninger
underhitting a pass and Hamlarick seemingly fouled in the area in the resulting
panic, but referee Sophie Allum wasn’t interested.
Mariners looked like adding to their tally, Trimis weaving through to hit her shot straight at Henninger, then crossing perfectly for Familton to challenge for a header. It was the Jets who did have the ball in the net though, Valladares with a cross for Thornton to head home but the flag was already up.
The Jets were turning the screw; Rebecca Lake got lucky when turning her back on
the ball and it struck her arm, the visiting players quite rightly appealing for the penalty, and the home side went to the bench to try and shore things up.
The scourge of the corner straight out of play for a goal kick was experienced at both
ends as frustration started to creep in, and when Greta Kraszula slipped and fell on
the ball, Dundas couldn’t believe when the referee awarded a free kick to the
Mariners midfielder.
Trimis curled in a corner from the left that was an olimpico in the making, Henninger
getting a strong fist on the swirling ball, while up the other end, Aquino sold her
defence in trouble, Kraszula ambushed, Adams was blocked brilliantly by Lake as
she went to shoot and Valladares fired straight at the relieved Aquino.
The goal was coming, and when Familton slipped, Elin Flurey slipped in Levin who cut onto her right and curled a beauty past Aquino for the deserved equaliser.
The Mariners almost re-took the lead from the resulting kick off, as the Jets gave the ball away, Halmarick with the audacious chip from distance that fell just the wrong side of the post with Henninger stranded.
The Mariners grabbed the initiative, Trimis with a teasing cross that Morgan Witz met
at the far post with a volley that only just cleared the crossbar and there were further
chances, Trimis the architect, but the target was difficult to find.
The rain came pouring down. Conditions were suddenly very different. Charlotte Lancaster’s deflected shot was well handled by Henninger, before the Jets had two fabulous chances right at the end.
First Thornton played the perfect ball across the penalty area for Dundas to run on to, but her shot was hopelessly high over the bar, and with time running out, a corner fell to Levin at the far post but she too fired over with the final chance of the game.
The Jets will be delighted with their performance in today’s derby; they soaked up
the early pressure and turned the game around, the Mariners unable to conjure up
the attacking verve that we’ve seen in the opening games of the season.
For more of Ryan Miller-Woods’ photography from the game, check out our Instagram feed – @ImpetusFootball
Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4-4-2): Aquino, Buchanan, King, Kraszula,
Lake, Matos, Walker, Kapetanellis, Familton, Trimis, Halmarick. Substitutes: Karrys-
Stahl, Lancaster, Witz, Quilligan, Barwick-Grey, Fuller, Grove, De Domizio.
Scorer: Halmarick 5’.
NEWCASTLE JETS (4-4-2): Henninger, Prior, Karipidis, Adams, Valladares, Klos,
Levin, Davis, Dundas, Thornton, Hooks. Substitutes: Bates, Flurey, Allan, Sanhu,
Copus-Brown, Ritchie, Walandouw.
Scorer: Levin 71’.
Referee: Sophie Allum.
Attendance: TBC.
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