Mac attack sinks Jets

A decisive plan by Central Coast Mariners Coach Lawrie McKinna to start their Hyundai A-League clash against the Newcastle Jets with three strikers has paid the ultimate dividends with a 1-0 win in tonight’s local derby.

The winning strike from Dylan Macallister in the 33rd minute was a masterstroke from McKinna who has previously used Macallister sparingly off the bench.

The win moves the Mariners into third spot on the ladder for tonight, and depending on the result of the Sydney FC and Melbourne match could seem them entrenched there at the conclusion of the weekend.

It was an even more impressive win for the Mariners as they did it without Qantas Socceroo Mile Jedinak who was a late withdrawal with a groin injury.

The news of Jedinak’s withdrawal was an extra bonus for the Jets who were already smarting over their signing of Olyroos Captain Mark Milligan. In his first match since the Beijing Olympics Milligan played 70 minutes before his substitution.

Macallister looked to make the most of his promotion to the starting line up as he put a shot on goal in the fourth minute. Despite the save by Jets keeper Ante Covic, it would have been music to the ears of McKinna as the Mariners only had one shot on goal in their 1-0 loss to Wellington last round.

Another shot by Macallister two minutes later showed a chink in the Jets defence as they again got caught defending square.

McKinna admitted that starting with the three strikers gave the Mariners the early advantage.

“We put them on the back foot in the first five minutes,” he admitted.

His counterpart Gary Van Egmond echoed his sentiments.

“In parts we got drawn into their game a fair bit. They put themselves about early in the first half,” he said.

Despite the early exchanges favouring the Mariners, the Jets had the best opportunity of the opening twenty minutes when a cross in from Matt Thompson found Edmundo Zura. The ball ricocheting off the chest of Zura just missed the near post, denying the Jets the early lead.

McKinna would have had his heart in his mouth, as goalkeeper Danny Vukovic was involved in a heated disagreement with Zura in the 23rd minute.

Vukovic, playing only his second game since his suspension resulting from last season’s A-League grand final cleared the ball off the line and in doing so he was cleaned up by Zura who trailed with his leg high. To Zura’s defence the collision looked unavoidable, but referee Matthew Breeze warned both him and Vukovic after they exchanged a verbal tirade towards one another.

The incident ignited the Central Coast crowd and this spark in intensity from the spectators translated onto the field as the Mariners took the lead via Macallister as he netted his third goal of the season.

The cross in from the right via Simon missed its intended target Adrian Caceres instead falling at the feet of Macallister. The first touch from Macallister was on the left foot but his second effort, a right foot strike beat Covic, gifting the Mariners the 1-0 advantage, which they took to the break.

“Playing with three strikers you really have to dominate” said Macallister of the tactic, which the Mariners took into the match.

“I think the biggest thing with me is to get a bit of momentum now,” he added.

The Jets began the second half full of running as they tried to exploit the Mariners use of three strikers. The move almost paid dividends as Song had a chance to post the equalisier early in the second half but splayed the ball wide.

Petrovski, the most capped Mariners player in the A-League, should have increased the Mariners margin in the 55th minute. On the left edge of the 18-yard box Petrovski shaped to shoot but kept possession, beating Milligan in the process. Once on his preferred foot he blazed away the ball just fading to the left of the near post.

The Mariners almost saw their lead disappear as Brad Porter in attempting to clear the ball off the line in the 62nd minute nearly headed the ball into the back of the net. Only a touch by Vukovic saved the Mariners conceding a rare own goal.

“The second half defensively we were brilliant,” said McKinna when speaking of the amount of the defence the Mariners did in the second period.

The Jets had another chance through Song in the 80th minute but his header disappeared above the crossbar.

Joel Griffiths, in his first starting game since a hamstring injury suffered against Adelaide United had a final chance to push for the equalisier with his free kick in the final minute of regulation time but Vukovic was strong in defence tipping the ball over the crossbar.

“Tonight just wasn’t how Newcastle play and that’s the most disappointing part” said Van Egmond.

Captain Jade North was blunt in his assessment of his teams form.

“We’ve just got to learn to win local derby’s basically,” he said.