Central Coast Mariners fought back from two goals down to draw 3-3 away to Gold Coast United in a Hyundai A-League week 17 catch-up match played at Skilled Park, Robina on Wednesday.
Second half goals from Bernie Ibini and Adam Kwasnik – his second of the night – secured a point for Graham Arnold’s team after taking any points from the match seemed unlikely with the Mariners down 3-1.
The fixture started brightly for the visiting team with Kwasnik opening the scoring in just the fourth minute. Teenager Tomas Rogic’s centre into the box took a deflection off Zachary Anderson, with the ball diverting into the path of the Mariners number 23. Showing all the nous that has made him one of the Hyundai A-League’s leading goal-getters for seven seasons, Kwasnik swooped on the deflection to direct the ball past Jerrad Tyson inbetween the sticks for the home team.
The Mariners lead would be short lived, however, with Gold Coast restoring parity to the game just over five minutes later – Rostyn Griffiths’ challenge on Gol-Gol Mebrahtu inside the box was deemed illegal by referee Matt Gillett. Youngster Chris Harold took responsibility of the ensuing spot-kick, and made no mistake from 12-yards.
In the 17th minute Gold Coast would take what many before the match would consider to be a surprise lead. Bursting through midfield from inside his own half, gun attacker Ben Halloran used his pace to find space before rifling an angled shot goalwards. Halloran’s strike had venom and accuracy, and despite Central Coast custodian Justin Pasfield getting a glove on the ball, the ‘keeper couldn’t prevent Gold Coast going one up.
The combination of Rogic and Kwasnik was looking the Mariners best outlet to goal and it was just shy of the half hour that the duo connected again to nearly level proceedings. Only a stellar diving save from Tyson prevented Kwasnik from scoring his second of the night with a bending effort from the edge of the area after Rogic had found the marksman with an accurate pass.
After the interval Pasfield made two telling interventions that would prove critical in the grand scheme of the game. Diving to his left side on both occasions, Pasfield spectacularly thwarted firm efforts from Mitch Cooper and Mebrahtu in the 50th and 52nd minutes respectively.
But there was little Pasfield could do soon after, with Cooper – famous for becoming the youngest captain in Hyundai A-League history just five earlier – sliding the ball into the back of the net from eight yards to give Gold Coast a two goal buffer.
Ibini had already been introduced into the match before Cooper’s strike, but it was the youthful exuberance of one of Australia’s great attacking prospects who would help spark the Mariners’ rally. Indeed, it was just three minutes after Cooper’s goal that Ibini would draw the Yellow and Navy within one. From just inside the area, Ibini unleashed a powerful, left foot drive that had Tyson flapping at air.
On 66 minutes, the remarkable game that was developing took another twist with Kwasnik scoring his brace and his teams’ third of the night. Latching onto to a precise pass from the left side, Kwasnik produced a textbook header to level the game.
Kwasnik’s second would prove to be the last time the scoreboard attendant would be troubled on the evening despite the best efforts from both sides. Indeed, as the clock wound down it was Arnold’s men who looked most likely to snatch all three points. Kwasnik, and Dutch defender Patrick Zwaanswijk, went especially close to winning the day for the visitors, while Gold Coast substitute Maceo Rigters was looking threatening at the other end.
Nevertheless, neither team could breach their opponents’ goal again, with Arnold and Mike Mulvey having to settle for a share of the spoils after 90 action-packed minutes.
After the match Arnold offered his applause to Mulvey’s men.
“Full credit to Gold Coast,” he said. “I thought they played exceptionally well. They had young players on the pitch who were fighting for their futures and experienced players who were fighting for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, they were hungrier than us, which was disappointing.”
“But it took character for us to come back from 3-1 and I commend the boys on that.”
Match Details
Gold Coast United: 3 (Harold 9’ (pen), Halloran 17’, Cooper 55’)
Central Coast Mariners: 3 (Kwasnik 4’, 66’, Ibini 58’)
Gold Coast United: 20. Jerrad TYSON, 2. Joshua BRILLANTE, 3. Michael THWAITE, 4. Zachary ANDERSON, 5. Kristian REES, 7. Gol-Gol MEBRAHTU (16. Maceo RIGTERS 64’), 14. Ben HALLORAN, 15. Adama TRAORE, 17. Chris HAROLD (’ 21. Daniel SEVERINO 90+1’), 28. Daniel BOWLES, 33. Mitch COOPER (11. Jake BARKER-DAISH 69’)
Subs not Used: 40. Chris O’CONNOR
Yellow Cards: Thwaite, Rigters
Red Cards: None
Central Coast Mariners: 20. Justin PASFIELD (Gk), 3. Josh ROSE, 4. Pedj BOJIC, 6. Patrick ZWAANSWIJK, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 10. Adriano PELLEGRINO (12. Troy HEARFIELD 75’), 14. Michael MCGLINCHEY, 17. Tomas ROGIC, 18. Alex WILKINSON (C), 19. John SUTTON (9. Bernie IBINI 55’), 23. Adam KWASNIK
Subs not Used: 31. Brody CRANE (Gk), 16. Trent SAINSBURY
Yellow Cards: Griffiths, Rose, Bojic
Red Cards: None
Referee: Matt Gillett
Crowd: 1,141