On Saturday afternoon, the Western Sydney Wanderers went down 2-1 to Central Coast Mariners in their Foxtel Y-League clash at Marconi Stadium.
Despite Oliver Puflett finding the net in spectacular fashion late on, the Mariners prevailed courtesy of an Adam Berry strike and an own goal.
The Red & Black started well, and an early header from Nick Fitzgerald was blocked before Jaushua Sotirio flashed a shot over the crossbar after a good run.
Fitzgerald was also the first to test Mariners goalkeeper Aidan Munford, with his shot saved after linking well with Lachlan Scott.
The Wanderers kept the pressure on, and there were strong claims for a penalty when John Roberts went to ground inside the area, but instead, a corner was awarded.
Seconds later, a powerful effort from Tate Russell was inches too high, while fellow defender Tass Mourdoukoutas had a chance from a Mark Tokich free kick, but was unable to get his header on target.
At the other end, Wanderers goalkeeper Nicholas Suman made a fantastic save from Berry’s curling shot to keep the game scoreless heading into the interval.
Oliver Puflett and Andrea Agamemnonos were introduced early in the second half for the Wanderers, but it was the Mariners who would take the lead with an hour played when Berry scored from close range.
The Red & Black tried to respond through Lachlan Scott, who made a determined run before being stopped on the edge of the penalty area.
The Wanderers then went even closer when Puflett got on the end of Sotirio’s cross, only to be denied by a goalline clearance.
A couple of minutes later, Puflett beat a defender before crossing for fellow substitute Mohamed Adam, but the shot was off target.
As the Red & Black pushed for an equaliser, an unfortunate deflection off Mourdoukoutas after a corner attack made it 2-0 to the Mariners.
Following an excellent one on one save from Suman, the Wanderers pulled one back in the second minute of stoppage time, when Puflett got behind the defence before lashing a volley into the top corner.
There were even chances for the Red & Black to equalise. First Roberts had a shot parried by Munford, and then with the last action of the game Sotirio picked out Fitzgerald inside the penalty area, but Fitzgerald was dispossessed before he could get a shot away.
The loss sees the Wanderers fall to 4th place in Foxtel Y-League Conference B. The Derby is up next for the Wanderers Foxtel Y-League team, with the Red & Black set to face Sydney FC at Lambert Park on Sunday 2 December.
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Oliver Puflett 92’)
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Adam Berry 60’, Tass Mourdoukoutas og 78’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Nicholas Suman (c), Tate Russell, Tass Mourdoukoutas, Noah Pagden, Mathieu Cordier, Fabian Monge, Mark Tokich (Andrea Agamemnonos 56’), Lachlan Scott (Mohamed Adam 70’), Jaushua Sotirio, Nicholas Fitzgerald, John Roberts (Oliver Puflett 56’)
Unused substitute: Jack Greenwood
