Mariners trial games in Canberra - July 2010

[kevrenor]

Capital Football
Media Release
Thursday 1st July 2010

MARINERS IN TOWN FOR DOUBLE-HEADER

Hyundai A-League side Central Coast Mariners will return to Canberra next week as part of their preparation for the forthcoming Hyundai A-League season and to bring an A-League experience to the McDonalds Kanga Cup. The Mariners will play local sides Canberra FC and Belconnen United in two mouth-watering fixtures for local supporters and interstate players.

The Mariners face Canberra FC on Monday 5th July at Deakin Stadium, kick off at 18:30, and will then play Belconnen United in their second fixture on Wednesday 7th July at McKellar Park, kick off 18:00.

Whilst the Blue Devils are old-hands when it comes to facing the Mariners, the clash will be the third time the pair has met during the A-League clubs pre-season campaign, the fixture with Canberra FC is a first for the ACT Premier League Champions.

The standard bearers of football in the nations Capital and last seasons treble winners will get the chance to show their class against a professional outfit for the first time. The current Gatorade Premier League leaders will have first crack against a Mariners side that drew its last pre-season outing 1-1 with Blacktown City Demons.

The last time the Mariners set foot in Canberra at the start of the 2009 McDonalds Kanga Cup they were held to a highly entertaining 3-3 draw with the ACT Rockets and Canberra FC will be hoping that they can prove that they are good enough to at least replicate that result.

Canberra FC spokesman, Marko Vrkic, is sure the match will be of huge benefit to the perennial title-holders.

It is a very important match and its sure to be a good experience for the boys as its the first time we have played this sort of high level opposition, Vrkic commented.

We have four or five really good talents that are looking to play in the A-League in the future and this will give them the opportunity to show what talent that they have. We have Ivan Pavlak, Josip Jadric, Adam Spaleta and Danai Gapare that are talented enough to make it in the A-League and work as a professional, Vrkic said.

The Mariners will be based at the AIS for the duration of their stay in Canberra and will be out and about at Kanga Cup fixtures in between their training sessions.

MATCH DETAILS

Monday 5th July
Canberra FC v Central Coast Mariners
(Deakin Stadium), kick off 18:30
ADMISSION: Free

Wednesday 7th July
Belconnen United v Central Coast Mariners
(McKellar Park), kick off 18:00
ADMISSION: TBC

 

[Ted]

Sweet, I'm taking my U12 Thunder team to Kanga cup so hopefully can fit one if not both games in.

 

[goingtoadisco]

yew go belco !

 

[fish]

we won tonight 4-0. Kwas hat trick and Mac Breen penalty, solid performance in freezing conditions

 

[goingtoadisco]

Yer just got back to the game, was actualy not to cold tonight

Kwassie was great, and the two backs sainsbury and griffiths played very well.

Goalie was also pretty good.

 

[midfielder]

Mariners coast home in chilly Canberra
By Lee Gaskin

Graham Arnold's first game in charge of Central Coast Mariners couldn't have gone any better for the former Socceroos coach, the A-League side thrashing Canberra FC 4-0 at Deakin Stadium last night.

Striker Adam Kwasnik claimed the accolades, racking up a hat-trick inside 53 minutes.

But it was hard to find a weak link in a Mariners outfit missing regulars Matt Simon, captain Alex Wilkinson and John Hutchinson.

Twenty-year-old midfielder Matthew Lewis was a standout down the left while Porter occupied a similar role on the right edge.

Twice Porter delivered the ball which led to a Kwasnik goal, and the 26-year-old made the most of it.

"More importantly, it was a good hitout for us physically and some good stuff we did on the pitch with the ball," Kwasnik said.

"Still a lot of work to do, but it's always nice to score and win the game convincingly."

Arnold believed last night signalled the start of a breakout season for Kwasnik.

"I'm expecting a big year from him," Arnold said. "He's got a lot of ability, a lot of talent.

"Kwasnik, on his day, is one of the best players in the league.

"I was happy with what I saw tonight. There were a lot of young boys I hadn't see much of since I've been away.

"We've got six or seven players sitting in the shed who are first-team players, so the depth in the squad has improved a lot."

It took the Mariners 18 minutes to breach Ben Klug's goal, the Canberra FC keeper failing to handle Bradley Porter's long-range effort, only managing it to knock it down in the path of a swooping Kwasnik.

Porter and Kwasnik went to work again to double the Mariners' advantage, the former delivering a looping cross which the striker latched on to as Central Coast took a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Kwasnik completed his hat-trick soon after the break, tapping in from Daniel McBreen's left-hand cross.

McBreen got on the scoresheet barely a minute later when the former North Queensland and Perth Glory marksman slotted home a well-taken penalty.

AIS product Mustafa Amini was brought down by Canberra's Matt Grbesa, with referee Chris Boyle pointing to the spot immediately.

The Mariners will field a vastly different line-up in tomorrow night's clash with Belconnen United at McKellar Park.

However, Arnold ruled out Argentinian midfielder Patricio Perez from making his Mariners debut, instead restricting the under-20s world championship winner to the training paddock.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 4 (Adam Kwasnik 18, 36, 53; Daniel McBreen 54) bt CANBERRA FC 0 at Deakin Stadium last night. Crowd: 850.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Was down for the Kanga and watched both games. Obviously not HAL standard opposition, but I thought our movement was better than I have seen it in a long time.

Many very good performances I thought - but Mc Breen in the first - And Bozanic in the second were my standout picks. Amini also impressed and is a genuinely exciting prospect.

 

[greenlig]

Anyone got footage of Amini playing?

 

[Ted]

Was down for the Kanga and watched both games. Obviously not HAL standard opposition, but I thought our movement was better than I have seen it in a long time.

Many very good performances I thought - but Mc Breen in the first - And Bozanic in the second were my standout picks. Amini also impressed and is a genuinely exciting prospect.

Agree with the above but I was also impressed with Rose.

 

[midfielder]

t - And Bozanic in the second were my standout picks. Amini also impressed and is a genuinely exciting prospect.

Can hardly wait to see these two players in our team...

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Was down for the Kanga and watched both games. Obviously not HAL standard opposition, but I thought our movement was better than I have seen it in a long time.

Many very good performances I thought - but Mc Breen in the first - And Bozanic in the second were my standout picks. Amini also impressed and is a genuinely exciting prospect.

Agree with the above but I was also impressed with Rose.

Yeah I agree Rose looked great. Warren also did very well I thought. I think our youthful depth is looking like a lot more solid squad than last years.

This is a squad that with good leadership by Arnold should be strong this year but pushing towards becoming truly excellent in the next couple of seasons thereafter.

Here's hoping.