On another very wet day at Gosford 'the drought breakers', Central Coast Mariners, became the Glory busters when they shocked the confident Glory sending four goals into the away team's net for no reply. This was their first home win in the A-League proper after only displaying their best form on the road.
Perth came east again after beating Newcastle United comprehensively 5-1 in Newcastle last weekend, retaining Damian Mori for another week (and thus the NSL feared 'Frogger'/Bobby Despotovski combination) but were playing without Socceroo squad member Simon Colosimo and English striker Brian Deane.
Central Coast having slipped down the ladder from 2nd with a draw and a loss were on equal points with the Glory and thus desperate to to move back up. They were still without former Glory and star Mariners striker Nick Mrdja, who has missed all 8 rounds so far, and 'keeper John Crawley. This was a game expected to test former Australian U20 'keeper Danny Vukovic.
The teams took the field with rain teeming down, and it didn't stop all game, making the surface very fast and a little slippery however it handled it well considering its constant nature. The fans making up the surprisingly good 6,494 crowd huddled under the Stadium's overhangs, except the Marinators in Bay 16 who suggested to me at half-time that they were the best fans in the league for doing so - certainly they were the wettest - and didn't give up singing in the rain and supporting throughout!
The game started as quite an open one with both sides seeking an early goal, and Glory tested the Mariners defence with some nice moves on the left, getting a 5th minute corner out of a great interplay between Scott Miller and Bobby Despotovski.
Pressure was also applied at the Glory end, especially when Andre Gumprecht almost got a shot on target, and in the 13th minute it paid gold for Central Coast.
Fringe Socceroo Michael Beauchamp sent a ball down the right flank where make-shift striker Tom Pondeljak had ghosted. He got behind the defence and played a firm ball square across goal - skidding on the wet surface and evading Ante Kovacevic who was watching for the high ball, and with Perth goalkeeper Jason Petkovic not coming out for it the slot away by unmarked Stewart Petrie at the far left post was so simple! 1-0
Glory had looked more likely to that point and sent a raid forward on the left in the 15th minute through and Adrian Caceras and Hiroyuki Ishida from whose corner Caceras lobbed the crossbar.
That was pretty much it for Perth in the first half, with them having to drop back to defend under sustained Mariners pressure up the park.
In the 40th minute the Mariners Tom Pondelajk, who was roaming all over the park and making life a misery for his markers, send another nice ball to Petrie in the danger zone but the threat was cleared but a corner conceded.
Danger for the Central Coast two minutes before the break when Noel Spencer tracking back got to a Perth pass but propelled it goalward into the path of Billy Celeksi - whose shot was deflected past the upright only by Danny Vukovic's outstretched legs.
Would Perth Coach Steve McMahon go to his bench over the break, as the Mariners defence were isoltaing Mori and Despotovski and the midfield cutting off supply. No change!
Early danger for Mariners with Caceras getting behind Wayne O'Sullivan, as the journeyman slipped, however Despotivski could not capitalise on his cross.
No such problems at the otehr end two minutes later when Pondeljak received a ball wide on the right and as the defence lay off him he curled a perfectly weighted cross Stewart Petrie who read the early ball and unmarked he dived full length to head past a struggling Petkovic for a brace. 2-0
A further flurry of activity as Ishida hit a speculator over and then Pondeljak took responsibility himself but shot wide.
A 64th minute free-kcik from 20m by Stewart Petrie was on target bt easily held by Petkovic.
Bobby Despotovski was having to drop further and further back, making a lethal combination up front even harder to achieve. McMahon did bring some changes to bear but they were generally like for like and despite insisting at the mdia conference that he changed structure it did little.
Substitute Naum Sekulovski did however win a corner in the 75th minute.
The small band of Glory supporters that had also braved the weather for a trip from Sydney had nothing much to cheer about as it was all Central Coast, the Mariners grwoing in confidence and holding possession well.
In the 79th minute Pondeljak played O'Sullivan onto the ball, but he shot just wide on the left.
Three minutes later a shot was spilled by Petkovic but there was no one there to capitalise.
Just when it looked like the score would remain, Pondeljak again on the right laid a ball back to O'Sullivan who sent over a cross into the area that Dean Hefferna anticipating at the far post headed past the keeper. 3-0
Cause for concern at the other end briefly Matt Osman headed a clearance over his own crossbar from the edge of the area.
Into extra time and in the 92nd minute substitute Leo Carle latched onto a loose ball off, an interpassing move up the left, which was on target however Petkovic was able to parry. It fell wide on the left to Noel Spencer who evaded and advancing defender a slammed to ball into the far side pass a grasping Petkovic. 4-0
A deserved win to the home team, with the burden of a win at home at last lifted. Mariner coach Lawrie McKinna however claimed afterwards that "the win at home was not an issue for us, it was not scoring goals - that was remedied today!"
McKinna praised his defence for holding Mori and Despotovski and breaking up wide plays, and did the midfield.
Steve McMahon, as would expected was less positive, and said that he found the league "baffling, going from one extreme last week to the other!" "We never kept possession, and our final ball was poor, he added!" He recognised that the Central Coast were hungrier and wanted it more, whilst his team seemed to "start on the back foot, and stayed there!"
Best for Central Coast was very hard to pick, with most players making a huge contribution: Michael Beachamp and Andrew Clark making life impossible for Mori and Despotovski in defence, midfielders Gumprecht, Heffernan, and Spencer breaking up play, and putting their team into attack on numerous occasions, and strikers Petrie and Pondeljak making the big scoreline possible. For Glory Billy Celeksi tried very hard to make a difference, as did Ishida until he was subbed.
The Central Coast sitting 4th on goal difference now travel away to Newcastle next Sunday for a derby tackling 6th placed Jets who were revitalised by the return of key players for their 4-2 win over former leaders Adelaide. The Glory also have a tough one when they host 'Bling' killers the Melbourne Victory in Perth on Sunday.