Macarthur FC had to fight till the death to earn a point after drawing 3-3 against Central Coast Mariners in Central Coast Stadium.
The game started slowly in the first 20 minutes before The Bulls took the lead with what could be a contender for the goal of the season from Tommy Oar, followed by a second from Adrian Mariappa.
The Mariners completed the comeback in the second half, scoring two penalties in the process. However, The Bulls had other ideas when Craig Noone scored what could also be a contender for the goal of the season in the 90th minute for the equaliser.
Key Moments
10’| Filip Kurto made a great diving save to deny new Mariners signing, Jason Cummings, who took a shot from outside the box.
21’| The Bulls had their first shot from open play that saw Craig Noone have a shot on the edge of the box, but it went wide.
23’| Kurto made a comfortable save when Cy Goddard tried an angled shot inside the box.
24’| Bulls captain Ulises Dávila had a shot from outside the box, but it deflected out for a corner.
25’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Tommy Oar has scored his first goal for the club and potentially goal of the season with a stunning first-time volley from long-range into the top right corner.
30’| Apostolos Giannou had a chance on goal when he attempted a header from close range, but it went off target.
33’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Adrian Mariappa has scored his first goal for the club with a close-range strike after a set-piece.
39’| Goal for the Central Coast Mariners. Aleksandar Susnjar has scored an own goal after a shot from inside the box by Marcos Urena.
44’| Dávila came close to adding a third for the Bulls when he tried a bending shot from the edge of the box. However, it went wide from the target.
67’| Michael Ruhs had the first real chance for the Bulls in the second half when having a shot from outside the box, but Mark Birighitti comfortably saved it.
74’| Penalty for Central Coast Mariners. Substitute Moudi Najjar brought Cummings down in the box after a VAR review.
75’| Goal for Central Coast Mariners. Oliver Bozanic sends Kurto the wrong way after converting from the spot after slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.
80’| Noone had a golden opportunity to put The Bulls back into the lead after missing in front an open goal by skyrocketing a volley.
84’| Penalty for Central Coast Mariners. Najjar has conceded another penalty after bringing down Storm Roux in the box.
86’| Goal for Central Coast Mariners. Moresche converts from the spot after striking the ball into the bottom right corner.
90’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS! Noone has scored a brilliant first-time volley with the outside of his foot to beat Birighitti.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed,” said Bulls coach Ante Milicic. “I thought we played some good football, particularly in the first half, and then the game got stretched, there was a lot of substitutes, fatigued from both teams and in the end, we go home disappointed.
“I think they’re pretty soft for the penalties, but nothing will ever happen, nothing will change, so it’s in the past, it’s gone, and, in many ways, you just come to expect it and learn to live with it. That’s the level.
“At the end, we got to deal with some situations better, but ultimately that’s just how it’s going for us at the moment, but for us, it is very important to recover well. It’s a tough month for us, particularly with that long break we had.
“We just need to regroup and see who can back up and who’s available, and if we do get any bodies back for Sunday.”
Central Coast Mariners: 3 (Susnjar 39’ (OG), Bozanic 75’ (P), Moresche 86’ (P))
Macarthur FC: 3 (Oar 25’, Mariappa 33’, Noone 90’)
Central Coast Mariners: 1. BIRIGHITTI Mark (GK), 3. MILLER Lewis (15. ROUX Storm 63’), 4. NISBET Joshua (11. NKOLOLO Beni 46’), 7. GODDARD Cy (10. MORESCHE 63’), 8. BOZANIC Oliver (C), 9. CUMMINGS Jason (34. HARRISON Steele 83’), 12. URENA Marcos, 14. ROWLES Kye, 16. BALARD Maximilien (27. MULLER Nicolai 46’), 18. FARRELL Jacob, 23. HALL Daniel
Substitutes: 30. BEACH Patrick (GK), 35. WINDUST Cameron
Macarthur FC: 12. KURTO Filip (GK), 2. McGING Jake, 4. MEREDITH James (14. NAJJAR Moudi 60’), 7. DE SILVA Daniel (19. RUHS Michael 60’), 10. DAVILA Ulises (C) (8. MUTCH Jordon 79’), 11. OAR Tommy, 15. SUSNJAR Aleksandar, 17. NOONE Craig, 23. MARIAPPA Adrian, 24. M’MOMBWA Kokola (35. TOURE Al Hassan 87’), 99. GIANNOU Apostolos (31. ROSE Lachlan 79’)
Substitutes: 1. SUMAN Nicholas (GK), 22. ROSE Liam
Venue: Central Coast Stadium
Referee: Lachlan Keevers
Assistant referees: Kearney Robinson and Hugh Fenton-White
Fourth Official: Sam Kelly
