As derby matches go it was pretty much up to expectations when a full blooded local joust between Central Coast Mariners and F3 Freeway neighbours, Newcastle Jets, kept a noisy crowd enthralled for a full ninety minutes.
In the end the home side had prevailed but only by a slender 1-0 margin and there was little in it really as only poor finishing and some defensive blunders parted the two teams.
Main culprit on this occasion was Jets' 'screener' Jobe Wheelhouse who gave up possession close to goal on at least three occasions, escaping punishment twice before seeing the man who gave him the slip, Matt Simon, provide the pass for Dylan Macallister to break the deadlock in the 33rd minute.
Macallister, one member of a fired-up three-man Mariners' attack had missed earlier chances that a striker playing regularly might have taken. But the former Northern Spirit man had been struggling to break into the starting line-up after sustaining niggling injuries over recent weeks and it was only coach, Lawrie McKinna's plan to use a three man attack that allowed him back into the team from the beginning.
McKinna revealed later that a second member of the strike-force, Simon, had been ill for a few days and had missed some training sessions hence his replacement an hour into the game by another injury-plagued, Nik Mrdja, who will be keen to join Macallister as a regular member of the side after three frustrating seasons in Gosford.
Mrdja may not get many chances just yet as a three man attack is unlikely to become a permanent approach and both Saso Petrovski and Simon are still playing very well. Macallister has to break in himself while Mrdja, if he proves himself fit, may offer more from dead ball situations than anyone else, when the impressive Mile Jedinak is ruled out for one reason or another.
Jedinak, a Socceroo selection recently and currently injured, had to miss this one, while long time absentee, Andre Gumprecht, was given ten minutes late in the game playing up front once Petrovski took an early breather during stoppage time
The match began typically tightly and there was no indication which of the teams might prevail. It looked a good bet for a draw as Mariners' keeper, Danny Vukovic, now established again as the number one with the departure of Mark Bosnich, came to his team's rescue with some fabulous last ditch defending and crucial saves. In front of him Paul O'Grady, who was less than convincing a week earlier against Wellington Phoenix, had a blinder in front of his keeper.
Central Coast had an early chance when Adrian Caceres latched onto a corner form John Hutchinson in the second minute but saw his fierce volley cannon off a defender.
Three minutes later and tracked every inch of the way by Jets' skipper Jade North, Macallister advance towards goal from a John Hutchinson pass got him inside the six yard box but the Mariners' man gave Ante Covic an easy take.
That was one chance gone and there were a few more that had Macallister holding his head in anguish wondering if he would ever score in this important game for his club.
After six minutes he was to be denied again.
Petrovski sent Simon through, this time, but Covic came out well to boot clear.
A ninth minute corner from Matthew Osman offered Macallister another chance, with a strong, low shot that the keeper was to save very well.
Newcastle began to make some impression after this and it was only a bad angle that prevented Jesper Hakansson from opening the scoring after a big run down the right in the 18th.
Much maligned Ecuadorian striker, Edmundo Zura, ran onto a pass from the left by Matt Thompson and converged on the ball at the same moment as Vukovic, who fumbled his attempt to reach it, and the ball came off Zura for a goal kick as it flashed past the left hand upright. It could as easily have crept inside the post and Vukovic got hurt in the collision.
Zura also shot over the bar four minutes later as the crowd gave the import 'the bird' for having the temerity to get physical with their hero, Vukovic.
He was booed for the remainder of the game for doing what all strikers are entitled to do; go for the ball in a 50- 50 challenge inside the box.
After 25 minutes Macallister had yet another chance to open his account when Covic saved well at the near post after Wheelhouse had been robbed by Thompson on the left.
Macallister headed over after Petrovski had touched on a cross from Caceres from the left.
Finally Macallister made amends, turning sharply inside the box to shake off two defenders, including North, to fire home from close range past Covic after Simon had supplied the cross, having left Wheelhouse in his wake.
Newcastle got going better after the break with a far from fit Joel Griffiths working his socks off to try and get the better of his markers and become provider as well as potential scorer.
Mark Milligan had started the game after being signed midweek and tried hard to lift his new team.
Griffiths was unable to find the target, however, as Zura began to pepper the goalmouth with some useful crosses and Jin-Hyung Song ran hard without looking convincing once in striking range.
His headed chance ten minutes from the end was typical of his disappointing showings near goal as the ball flew well over the bar.
Newcastle might have done better when Zura had a chance in the 59th but Vukovic saved well.
Adam Griffiths defended well for the Jets and got forward to set up Joel in the 69th but the drive went just over the bar.
Vukovic also needed to be alert to prevent his own defender, Brad Porter's, downward header bouncing over him and into the goal; but the keeper climbed well to tip over the bar and avert the potential disaster.
Wheelhouse was thrust forward towards the end after Thompson was replaced by Daniel Piorkowski but Wheelhouse lifted his best chance over the bar in the 85th.
Joel Griffiths had a great shot tipped over by Vukovic in the 89th minute as the popular keeper showed why he was so highly valued by his club.
Adam D'Apuzzo broke late in the game for the Mariners but his shot was tipped over too.
In the end the home side took the bragging rights but there was not a lot in it. The catalyst this time was the Mariners' below par performance against Wellington that spurred them to redemption.
Being a derby one wonders if it was going to be needed, but it certainly gave the home side the fire and McKinna gave them the fire power to execute the plan.