The magical sporting story that’s the Central Coast Mariners has delivered the final word last chapter, claiming back-to-back A-League championship wins and a historical past making treble of trophies in season 2023/24.
The Mariners claimed the second straight crown in an epic 3-1 further time win over the Melbourne Victory in Gosford.
Watch chosen NRL & AFL video games, together with each F1 race reside in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial as we speak
It didn’t appear to be the fairytale would get the comfortable ending after Victory’s Jason Geria put the Melburnians 1-0 up within the fiftieth minute.
However simply when it appeared just like the hunt to change into the primary Australian membership to win the treble of the A-League premiership, AFC Cup and A-League championship would stumble on the last hurdle, English striker Ryan Edmonson delivered an outstanding regular time equaliser within the 91st minute to interrupt Victory hearts, simply minutes away from what would have been a file equalling fifth Australian soccer title.
His heroics have been matched by that of Mariners teenager Miguel Di Pizio who struck early within the first half of extra-time, ending off a transfer that he began himself.
The 18-year-old drove ahead from midfield and received on the top of a Ronald Barcellos cross to change into the youngest scorer in A-League Grand Closing historical past.
Because the Victory pushed ahead in hope of an extra-time equaliser, Edmondson added his second to safe the Joe Marston Medal for finest on floor and in the end seal a treble successful feat that’s merely arduous to fathom for a membership that was as soon as the laughing inventory of the competitors.
The matchwinning moments despatched a file breaking, sellout crowd of 21,379 in Gosford into utter delirium as they have fun a membership that’s now the jewel of the area because it continued to defy each impediment doable over the past two years to change into arguably the perfect single season crew in A-League historical past.
That emotion spilled over on the ultimate whistle because the Mariners followers ran onto the sector to have fun with their heroes and supervisor Mark Jackson in spectacular scenes not seen earlier than in an A-League Grand Closing however one becoming of an Australian soccer feat that’s merely unmatched.
Followers have been blown away by the unbelievable scenes because the packed crowd flooded onto the pitch to have fun as a group.
Extremely, the followers additionally left the pitch simply as shortly for the trophy presentation.
Though some pointed to the security problems with hundreds of followers surrounding the gamers, most have been blown away by the celebrations.
4BC govt producer Luke Cooper posted: “This needs to be one of many biggest A-League Grand Finals ever performed. Every other opinion is flawed. Add it to the historical past books.”
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Vince Rugari wrote: “Some effort to clear the pitch as shortly as they’ve. That was essentially the most well-natured and well mannered invasion you’ll ever see lol. Very CCM. What a membership. What a second.”
Socceroos legend Robbie Slater added: “Greatest scenes possibly ever in @aleaguemen historical past! Pitch invasion simply good.”
Kommunity TV’s Rob Greenwood tweeted: “A community-based membership on a good finances has simply delivered the best season in #ALeague historical past. If ever we would have liked a shining gentle in testing occasions for the home competitors, @CCMariners are it (once more). Superb scenes & a correct soccer ambiance in Gosford.”
Soccer journalist David Moore mentioned: “That’s gotta be the happiest pitch invasion ever. Simply pure pleasure. Soak it up @CCMariners followers.”
Journalist Robert Smith mentioned: “#Mariners crown an unbelievable season coming from behind to down #Victory 3-1 and win again to again #ALeague titles and a season treble of premiership, continental cup and grand last wins. euphoria for #Mariners, crushing for #Victory.”
One other fan commented: “Superior Grand Closing, phenomenal season from the Mariners. Full pitch invasion topped it off. What an evening.”
Instrumental in each Mariners objectives was Socceroo midfielder Josh Nisbet, who could also be diminutive in stature however is solely huge in coronary heart and expertise.
As soon as the Mariners went behind, he drove his aspect on like no different to assist set-up each objectives and add a Championship Medal to his Johnny Warren Medal for finest participant of the season.
The defeat for the Victory continues one of many extra beautiful droughts in Australian sport, that of supervisor Tony Popovic and his now 5 Grand Closing losses throughout spells with Western Sydney, Perth and now Melbourne.
His credentials as a supervisor are undoubted nevertheless it’s a heartbreaking hurdle that he merely can’t get previous.
It’s one he and the Victory trustworthy thought he had lastly evaded although after Geria’s second half strike opened the scoring.
The 31-year-old Socceroo was set-up properly by some tough interaction from Daniel Arzani and Jordi Valadon who teed Geria up on the sting of the realm to sidefoot a shocking strike residence into the highest left-hand nook to ship the a number of thousand travelling Victory followers into ecstasy.
That solely served to spark the Mariners out of their malaise and into historical past making motion.
With Nisbet and his midfield compadrade Max Balard on the coronary heart of each foray ahead they lastly broke a resolute Victory defence late in regular time and seemingly pushed on by a complete metropolis, went on with it to ship a second successive championship for the Central Coast Mariners, third trophy for the season and third title of their now glittering historical past.
