Caceres double helps Sydney down A-League opponent Mariners

Sydney FC sealed a 3-2 win over the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Men thanks to an Anthony Caceres double.

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica has backed striker Trent Buhagiar to bounce back after two horror misses in his side's 3-2 A-League Men win over the Central Coast Mariners.

The striker, who partnered Elvis Kamsoba up top at Leichhardt Oval, had two perfect first-half chances to give the Sky Blues the lead but fluffed his finishes.

Kamsoba and Mustafa Amini played Buhagiar in on goal through the middle on two occasions but, after rounding the last defender, both times the 23-year-old put the ball wide.

"He's creating these chances, his pace is getting him in these situations," Corica said of a forward who has just one goal in nine A-League Men games this season.

"Once he starts scoring and we know he will... we should have been 3-0 up at half-time and he had a couple of those chances.

"He just needs to be positive in front of goal. We've got a lot of games coming and he'll play a part. I'll chat to him next week.

"He needs to be a bit (more) composed in front of goal. Strikers go through these periods and he needs to come out of it."

How soon he can do that will no doubt affect his position in the team given Adam Le Fondre is nearing a return.

Where Buhagiar was unable to finish, Anthony Caceres stepped into the void by notching a double, the first of which came from the penalty spot after a Jacob Farrell handball.

The Mariners rebounded after the break with goals from Oliver Bozanic and new recruit Jason Cummings.

Scottish forward Cummings played for 60 minutes and was impressive even if he had just swapped winter in Dundee for a 28-degree afternoon in Sydney's Inner West.

"To come off the plane a few days ago it was a big ask to throw him in," said Mariners coach Nick Montgomery.

"He's a top player and the shift he put in coming from minus temperatures in Scotland. He's going to get better."

Once Cummings went off Sydney found a second wind with substitute Bobo popping up with an equaliser.

Even if there were some suggestions there was an offside in the build-up the goal stood before Caceres tapped in the winner with 10 minutes to go.

"I think at 2-1 we just needed to keep controlling the game," said Montgomery, whose side face Melbourne Victory in their maiden FFA Cup final on Saturday.

"We prodded and probed in the second half. I think a draw would've been a fair result, but we'll dust ourselves down and get those who have been off sick fit for the final."