Roar continue A-League dominance over Mariners

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:07 am

Brisbane maintained their historical dominance over Central Coast and stamped themselves as late-season A-League contenders with a 4-0 thumping of the Mariners.

The Roar held sway for long periods at Central Coast Stadium on Wednesday night, Macaulay Gillesphey scoring in the 19th minute and Joey Champness adding another in the 56th before late strikes from Alex Parsons and Masato Kudo.

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It was a night to forget on home turf for the Mariners, who also lost key forward Marco Urena to a 62nd-minute red card for an ugly challenge on Jay O'Shea.

Arguably the form team of the competition with three consecutive wins, the Roar are now just a point out of the top six and have a game in hand over most sides.

Their dominance over the Gosford-based team is extraordinary -- the Mariners now haven't beaten them in 19 attempts, an A-League record against a single team.

Brisbane Roar continued their superb record over Central Coast Mariners with a resounding win.
Tony Feder/Getty Images

The Roar pushed hard from the outset and were rewarded when midfield maestro O'Shea delivered a curling cross from the corner of the 18-yard box, Mariners defender Jack Clisby failing to clear with the header as Gillesphey side-footed home with ease.

The Mariners looked set to strike back just two minutes later when Roar midfielder Jack Hingert was initially pulled up for a handball, only for the decision to be overturned by VAR.

"I honestly can not tell you what handball is any more," Mariners coach Alen Stajcic said. "I don't know why it was given and then why it was taken away."

Clean strikes late in the half by Clisby and Joshua Nisbet ultimately amounted to nothing and by the time Champness scored the game was as good as gone. His first goal in almost two years was one worth savouring, the midfielder scooting to the edge of the box before unleashing with force to beat Mark Birighitti at the near post.

Urena's card merely rubber-stamped the result before Parsons' superb left-foot strike increased their tally in the 89th minute.

The Roar weren't done there, however, Kudo icing the evening with his goal in time added-on.

"Our mindset doesn't change home and away," Roar coach Warren Moon said. "We've been positive, we've been attacking and tonight was no different."

The Mariners remained third on 31 points.