Defensive Error Hands Mariners Point

The Western Sydney Wanderers failed to win a game they dominated, as a second half error allowed the Central Coast Mariners to claim a point in a 1-1 draw.

With supporter favourite Kerem Bulut omitted completely from the match day squad, it was Brendon Santalab who took a position at the point of the spear. With not even 2 minutes play the decision to start Santalab was justified as the home side took the lead. A fast counter attack put Nico Martinez on the ball with the Mariners defence facing their own goal, he played a neat reverse pass to give Santalab a clear line of sight to goal and he blasted past Paul Izzo at the far post.

The closest the Mariners came to an equaliser in the first half was a goal-line scramble as Andrew Redmayne fumbled a cross to Connor Pain. Thankfully for the keeper he was able to combine with the rest of the defence to delay Pain long enough to get in position to smother his eventual shot.

Mitch Nichols & Jumpei Kusukami both wasted gilt edged chances to double their sides lead, Nichols in particular had a shocker in front of goal, blazing numerous opportunities either wide or high.

In the end was a self inflicted wound that let the Mariners equalise. Robbie Cornthwaite sold out his keeper with an awful backpass, Redmayne elected not to smother the ball and instead came out to try and kick the ball away only to collide with the onrushing Roy O'Donovan. With both keeper & striker sprawled on the turf, the ball sat still on the ground for Adam Berry to finish with a simple tap in. Pain nearly sent his side into raptures in the 75th minute, as he got through on goal but fired his strike wide right.

The night could have got worse for the Wanderers if not for a pair of blind officials, with Jack Clisby getting away with a clear handball inside his own penalty area in the 86th minute. Despite both the referee & linesman in perfect positions, neither of them spotted the infringement that might have cost the game.

Western Sydney play Perth Glory at NIB Stadium, Perth on Sunday the 6th of November.