- Callum McManaman - 62'
- Matt Simon - 4'
Central Coast Mariners' winless A-League run continues at Melbourne Victory
Central Coast's run of A-League games without a win stretched to five after the Mariners were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
Central Coast skipper Matt Simon's sixth-minute goal was cancelled out by a second-half Callum McManaman effort for the home team.
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The Mariners moved back to second spot on the A-League table behind Melbourne City, but have now taken just three points from a possible 15 since their most recent win against Adelaide United on April 1.
Moving the ball with ease, the Mariners started brightly on Sunday when Stefan Nigro swung a cross to the top of the Victory six-yard-box that Simon met with a header that bounced beyond keeper Matt Acton. Further chances followed, but the visitors' strong start soon faded.
Victory produced a trio of late first-half chances to almost restore parity; Rudy Gestede missing a close-range volley, McManaman forcing a save from range and Robbie Kruse hitting the post with a volley.
Gestede believed he'd found the leveller in the 50th when he rose to head home a cross from Kruse, only for referee Jonathan Barreiro to wave the goal away after adjudging the Beninese international had used defender Kye Rowles as a springboard.
There was no denying McManaman's 62nd-minute leveller, however, after the winger seized on a loose ball inside the Mariners box and bent a shot beyond Mark Birighitti and inside the far post.
The result means Victory have taken a win and a draw from their three games since sacking Grant Brebner on April 17.
Game Information
Australian A-League Men Standings
Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Melbourne Victory | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 10 |
Melbourne City FC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | +5 | 9 |
Auckland FC | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 9 |
Wellington Phoenix FC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | +3 | 7 |
Adelaide United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 7 |
Macarthur FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +4 | 6 |
Sydney FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Central Coast Mariners | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | -2 | 6 |
Western United | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Western Sydney Wanderers | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
Newcastle Jets | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 3 |
Perth Glory | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -14 | 1 |
Brisbane Roar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |