Central Coast Mariners
Media Release
Monday, 19 May
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Experimental Mariners line up ready to strike against Lightning
The Central Coast Mariners will open their pre-season trial match campaign against the Central Coast Lightning at Pluim Park tomorrow (Tuesday, 20 May), where an experimental squad will line up for the beginning of the Mariners most arduous Hyundai A-League season to date.
Tomorrows fixture, the fourth annual Central Coast Challenge Cup, pits the Mariners against their NSW Super League counterparts, who recorded their second win of the new season away to Rockdale City on Sunday.
Each previous edition of the Central Coast Challenge Cup has resulted in a win to the Mariners, with former Mariners players Stewart Petrie and Tom Pondeljak contributing goals to the Mariners 3-0 triumph in 2005, Damien Brown and Adam Kwasnik netting strikes in the Mariners 2-0 win one year later and, most recently, Matthew Osman and Nik Mrdja supplying the match winners in 2007 in a match that also finished 2-0.
The inaugural Central Coast Challenge Cup was played between the Mariners and a local selection made up of the best talents from the Central Coast Premier League, which at the time included current Mariners striker Matt Simon.
The Mariners are hopeful of uncovering more outstanding prospects tomorrow, with Football Manager Lawrie McKinna including seven triallists to boost his depleted squad, including many that will potentially play a part in the yellow and navys inaugural National Youth League tilt.
"Weve been training for three weeks now and the boys are looking forward to the game," said McKinna.
"Were short on numbers, but well give an opportunity to a few young boys that have been training with us, who wed potentially be looking at for the National Youth League.
"Our objective now is to give the boys who are fit an opportunity to play games together and get to know each other and as the next few weeks go by well have Nik Mrdja, Matthew Osman, Greg Owens and others coming back from their injuries."
The seven triallists that will wear Mariners colours tomorrow include two graduates from the Mariners Youth Academy Nathan Moseley and Brady Smith, who are both cornerstone members of the current Lightning line up.
Also included in the Mariners squad is APIA Leichhardt defender David DApuzzo, the younger brother of Newcastle Jets midfielder Adam DApuzzo, Sydney Olympics Nathan Sherlock and Nathan Ralph of Penrith Nepean United.
Also set to make an appearance is Anthony Villazon, who has only recently returned to Australia from a stint with Chilean giant Colo Colo and local wildcard Ben Glachan, who plays with Budgewoi FC in the Central Coast Premier League.
The aforementioned seven will boost the Mariners line up in the absence of as many as ten first team squad players, who will each miss the fixture due to either injury, suspension or unavailability.
Definite starters for the Mariners, however, include new signings Ahmad Elrich and Dylan Macallister, who will line up in yellow and navy for the first time against the Lightning tomorrow evening.
"We had a game amongst ourselves last week against a team of young boys and it was quite good, Dylan settled down well with Sasho up front and Ahmad made some great forward runs and scored a good goal," said McKinna.
"Its going to be good for them to get a full run.
"Its just a friendly game and hopefully we get a few people through the gate and they have a good night, but it will just be good to get ninety minutes under our belts and its just as we did last year, we played a lot of games in pre-season and it put us in good stead for the start of the season when we were flying."
Central Coast Mariners Squad
1. Matthew Trott (gk), 2. David DApuzzo, 4. Ian McAndrew, 5. Bradley Porter, 6. Anthony Villazon, 7. John Hutchinson, 9. Nathan Moseley, 10. Nathan Ralph, 11. Damien Brown, 13. Nathan Sherlock, 15. Andrew Clark, 16. Brady Smith, 17. Ben Glachan, 18. Alex Wilkinson, 19. Adam Kwasnik, 21. Ahmad Elrich, 22. Sasho Petrovski, 27. Dylan Macallister
The Mariners will open their Hyundai A-League 2008/09 pre-season campaign by taking on the Central Coast Lightning at Pluim Park tomorrow, Tuesday, 20 May. Kick off is at 7.30pm.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for concessions, while children under the age of 16 can be admitted free. Limited car parking is available within the Pluim Park precinct for $5.
Ends
........ie...is it available to buy at the ground and if not can I bring beer in ?
