Melbourne City thrash Central Coast Mariners as Harry Novillo scores two

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:08 am

Melbourne City moved back into the A-League playoff positions with a crushing 5-1 win at Central Coast Mariners.

City could have won by a much greater margin with the Mariners all at sea for much of the game, and forced to play out the final stages of the game with 10 men after Storm Roux suffered concussion and had to leave the pitch after all three substitutions had been made.

The opening goal came midway through the first half as Bruno Fornaroli won possession before setting up Harry Novillo to score his first of the game.

Melbourne doubled their advantage in first-half injury time, and this time Fornaroli was the man on the scoresheet to complete a wonderfully flowing team goal.

Novillo looked to pick out Fornaroli in the area, but he dummied the pass and allowed the ball to run through to Erik Paartalu -- who guided the ball towards goal for Fornaroli to run on to and coolly slot past goalkeeper Paul Izzo and in off the far post.

Harry Novillo celebrates one of his goals against Central Coast Mariners.
Tony Feder/Getty Images

Novillo then scored his second just before the hour from the edge of the area, and it was four with 15 minutes still left on the clock as Aaron Mooy teed up Stefan Mauk.

The home side grabbed a consolation goal in the 86th minute when Mitch Austin scored from the spot, after Ivan Franjic had brought him down in the area.

Mooy completed the rout in stoppage time when powering a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The game was watched by just 4,514 as supporters continue to boycott A-League games after the names of 198 banned fans were made public by the The Sunday Telegraph. It is seen as a vote of no confidence in Football Federation Australia.