Central Coast Mariners came very late from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against Gold Coast United in front of a bumper Gosford crowd of 10,394.
You would have to wonder however how many will be back in two weeks with the display dished up on a beautiful spring evening. The Mariners, despite playing on an absolute carpet (a credit to the groundstaff) hit wayward passes all night and the visitors ground out dogged play more akin to some state league sides.
The game started with much exploratory testing by both sides, and it wasn't until the 7th minute that the blood could warm a little when the Mariners left-fullback Joshua Rose made a raid up the left but hit his shot weakly and wide of the left upright. From the goal-kick the ball failed to leave the Gold Coast area and Matt Simon lept on the ball and hit a grass-cutter shot that could only be parried by the visitors 'keeper Glen Moss.
Although the visitors from Robina tried to exert some pressure across the park the Mariners' 'keeper Matt Ryan had little to worry him. This was exemplified by James Brown in the 26th minute when he skied a shot high and wide from 30m out.
In the 29th minute there was a cross from the right by United's Peter Jungschlager that evaded Matt Ryan and fell to Ben Halloran - who also hit high and wide on the left.
Brown had a snap shot deflected away in the 38th minute, and at the other end the Mariners couldn't even get a shot in for a long period.
After the break the visitors took the lead within the first 2 minutes. Adama Traore made a diagonal run from the left toward the middle and was clipped by Michael McGlinchey. Before Traore went to ground he got the ball away out to the right to Dylan Macallister, who cut the ball back inside for James Brown. Striding free 35m out the Olyroo picked his spot in the top left corner of the goal and gave Matt Ryan no chance. 0-1
The Mariners tried to respond. In the 58th minute Joshua Rose took the ball into the penalty area from the left but his shot was poor and was parried.
Robson hit a shot wide under pressure from make-shift central defender Brad Porter.
Come back from the dea for the Central Coast, much to the relief of their fans, when to a ball from the right Patrick Zwannswijk rose from among a clutch of players on the left and headed past Glen Moss. 1-1
Mariners coach Graham Arnold was brutally candid about the style of the team's play tonight - “Our ball movement was too slow, and movement off the ball was almost non-existent. I don't want to be in top form in October. It's a long season, 27 games plus the Asian Champions League, so it's a chance for the players to get 90 minutes into their legs. The boys are sitting in the dressing room now quiet which is good as they're setting themselves high standards."