Mat Simon back with a vengeance against Mariners

Matt Simon has come back to haunt his old club, scoring two late goals as Sydney FC overcame a 10-man Mariners 3-1 in a pulsating game at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday.

In a controversial and at times feisty clash, Simon came off the bench and drove a knife through the heart of his former employers, scoring twice in the last eight minutes after it looked like it was heading for a draw.

Earlier, the Sky Blues took a lead through Shane Smeltz in the first half but it lasted just a minute before Roy O’Donovan equalised for the home side.

The game then swung three minutes before the break as Nick Fitzgerald was shown a second yellow card and leaving the Mariners with 10-men for the second half.

And Sydney made the numerical advantage count to remain the only unbeaten side in the league to stay at the top of the ladder for another week

0-1 Smeltz (34’) - Filip Holosko received the ball from a throw in inside the Mariners box and produced a clever back-heel into the path of Alex Brosque, with the Sydney skipper squaring to an unmarked Smeltz to sweep it home.

1-1 O’Donovan (35’) – Fabio Ferreira carved the Sky Blues apart down the right wing, surging past three players and driving into the box before passing to O’Donovan for a simple tap in.

1-2 Simon (82’) – Holosko was again involved, bursting forward from halfway as the Sky Blues had a two-on-one advantage. The Slovakian unselfishly passed to Simon, who cut inside one defender before blasting into the top corner of the net.

1-3 Simon (88’) – Substitute Mickael Tavares cut a swathe through the Mariners defence down the right flank before crossing to Simon, who planted his header in the corner past a despairing Paul Izzo.

KEY MOMENT

Seven minutes before the break, O’Donovan sprung the Sydney FC offside trap and only had Vedran Janjetovic to beat as he bore down on goal. The Irishman tried to take the ball around the Sky Blues ‘keeper, only to be taken down in the process by the Sky Blues ‘keeper and going to ground. But referee Adam Fielding decided there was no foul, denying the home side a penalty – and likely 2-1 lead - and sparing Janjetovic what would have been a certain red card as a result.

TEAMS

Central Coast Mariners: Izzo, Roux, Poscoliero (Neill 66’), McGing, J. Rose, Montgomery (c), L. Rose (Austin 46’), Caceres (Kalik 76’), Ferreira, Fitzgerald, O’Donovan

Sydney FC: Janjetovic, Ryall, Faty, Jurman, Grant, O’Neill (Hoole 58’), Dimitrijevic (Tavares 46’), Holosko, Naumoff (Simon 58’), Brosque (c), Smeltz

Scorers: Smeltz 34’, O’Donovan 35’, Simon 82’, 88’

Red cards: Fitzgerald 42’

Yellow cards: O’Neill 21’, Holosko 25’, Fitzgerald 40’, Fitzgerald 42’, Poscoliero 45+2’, Grant 60’, Neill 68’

Attendance: 10,030 @ Central Coast Stadium 

1:55 AM