A Tale of Two Magicians
The result was predictable but the manner of it was very disappointing; the Mariners had the winning of this but sat back too deep in the later stages and allowed the Wanderers back into it.
This game revolved around the tale of the two magicians: the Wanderers’ Japanese marquee Shinji Ono and the Mariners’ new Argentinean No.10 Marcos Flores; Ono surprisingly starting the game on the bench.
In front of an almost full stadium – how does a sell-out of 20,000 become a crowd of 17,000 – the noise and colour of the packed stands wasn’t matched by the pace of play on offer; it was too early in the season to expect the theatre and drama of the previous encounter at Bluetongue, or the glorious spectacle of the Grand Final.
At the heart of everything good from the Mariners was Flores who makes football look so easy; so much time to play the ball, a sure touch in tight situations, caressing the ball into space, encouraging others, especially the impressive Storm Roux into the play. The Mariners were playing neat and tidy football; conservatively keeping possession with the Wanderers content to sit back and watch. Ten minutes gone and Flores showed us a never before seen variation on the free-kick, after Fitzgerald’s neat skills were rewarded with a foul, introducing his slower ball. It may work in cricket but as the ball gently curved along the ground it went straight through to the keeper.
On fifteen minutes there was a sudden burst of activity as a Wanderers’ clearance found Bridge on the left and his entry into the penalty box sparked an amazing melee as Justin Pasfield produced a dive, a somersault and a backflip, with pike, to pull off a sensational triple save. It was goalkeeping of the highest order: great reflexes, great recovery and excellent positioning.
The Mariners responded immediately, forcing Michael Beauchamp, a rock at the heart of the Wanderers defence, into desperately blocking a goal bound shot from Fitzgerald after good work on the right by Mile Sterjovski.
When Rose dithered on the ball Poljak snapped a half-volley just wide, and then the persistent Haliti almost embarrassing Anderson and Pasfield after Anderson allowed the ball to bounce.
0--0 at half-time; the Mariners probably felt they had played the better football but the Wanderers would feel they had the better of the chances.
The Mariners needed to lift a gear but the pace was still too slow, the Wanderers were untroubled. And then Flores produced a moment of exquisite magic to unlock the impenetrable Wanderers back line. The Mariners pressing high, forcing Covic into a poor clearance that fell to Rose; he fed the ball to Flores who we expected to shoot but instead he gently eased a no-look ball into the path of Duke whose finish matched the class of the pass. It was so effortless, so stunning, so deadly in its execution.
Tony Popovic brought on Shinji Ono and five minutes later a great cheer from the Mariners’ fans welcomed Matt Simon back to his Central Coast. The introduction of Ono was to prove a serendipitous master stroke for Popovic as just minutes later Flores, after another wonderful piece of magic, was to leave the field injured.
Flores sucked in four ball-watching defenders before providing an almost identical pass to the Duke goal finding the darting Fitzgerald but Covic did just enough to smother the shot. In the action of making the pass Flores fell, seemingly untouched, clutching his leg. He limped off to be replaced by Anthony Caceres.
In those few minutes the balance of the game moved away from the Mariners and towards the Wanderers. Popovic had seen how Ono had been subdued by the Mariners defence in the Grand Final so today he held him back until the Mariners defenders began to tire. The Mariners, wary of the new threat dropped deeper the more so because without Flores they had no safe outlet when they won the ball. Ono was all delicate touches and subtle skills forcing the defence even further back; he conjured a marvellous curving top corner free kick but fortunately for the Mariners Pasfield pulled out a spectacular athletic save. The Wanders kept pressing forward and when Caceres failed to control a simple regulation pass they pounced. The ball was moved swiftly to Hersi who for the only time in the game got past Rose to squeeze in the cross; Sainsbury conceded half a yard to Juric, also on as a substitute, and the big youngster gleefully volleyed the ball into the net.
Despite the result the Mariners did pretty well in what was a typical early season game; the opponents were tough and resilient and it is difficult to argue with the result.
Flores was the stand out for me but the Mariners really missed the indefatigable skills of Michael McGlinchey. I don’t remember Roux making a mistake in a fine debut, Rose was very disciplined but will feel disappointed about their goal; Montgomery provided the bite in midfield, Fitzgerald was willing in attack and Duke, with that finish, and Sterjovski both had decent games. Pasfield was excellent in the air and his saves were top drawer; he is no Mat Ryan with his feet but he will take satisfaction from his performance..
Anderson was worryingly indecisive at times and Sainsbury failed to impose himself on the game as he had done in the Grand Final – we do need him to lift his game, to be the leader at the back. Hutchinson looked slow and laborious but it was a pleasure to see Matty mixing it up with the defenders.