DEPLETED Central Coast Mariners will bid to buck an unhappy trend tomorrow and finally end Newcastle Jets' dominance in the F3 derby.
Finals meetings and pre-season clashes aside, Central Coast's last victory in a regular season encounter was New Year's Eve 2005.
The Gosford club's hopes of ending that run have not been helped by injury in the build up to the game.
Defenders Nigel Boogaard and Andrew Clark have been ruled out with concussion and shoulder concerns respectively, adding to a casualty ward that also includes long-term sufferers Ahmad Elrich and Dean Heffernan.
Furthermore, Andre Gumprecht and Greg Owens are each short of the condition required for the frenetic pace of an F3 derby, but will appear for the Mariners’ National Youth League side in the curtain raiser to tomorrow’s fixture.
New signing Andrea Merenda is sweating on receiving an international clearance and Young Socceroos shot stopper Andrew Redmayne is a confirmed non-starter due to his involvement with Australia’s qualification quest for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
To compensate for the Mariners’ lengthy absentees list, David D’Apuzzo and Nik Mrdja have been drafted into the line up, while Matthew Nash will deputise for Danny Vukovic.
Coach Lawrie McKinna said: "Last week was a poor performance, we’ve said it and we have to move on, it’s a short turnaround this week and the intensity at training has been fantastic.
"Everyone is switched on and working very hard, we’re going to be without Andrew Clark and Nigel Boogaard but we’ve got able bodies to come in – it’s going to be a big night at Bluetongue Stadium."
Tomorrow’s match between the Mariners and the Jets marks the 18th occasion the two sides have met in all competitive fixtures – the most any two A-League opponents have met.
"The Jets are always hard, it doesn’t matter if they’re struggling or not, for a local derby form goes out the window, it’s passionate, it’s physical and it’s going to be a hard game," said McKinna.
"In three and a half years the F3 derby has definitely grown, we always had passion on the park, but I think this is the one game where our Members and supporters want the bragging rights."
The Gosford club's hopes of ending that run have not been helped by injury in the build up to the game.
Defenders Nigel Boogaard and Andrew Clark have been ruled out with concussion and shoulder concerns respectively, adding to a casualty ward that also includes long-term sufferers Ahmad Elrich and Dean Heffernan.
Furthermore, Andre Gumprecht and Greg Owens are each short of the condition required for the frenetic pace of an F3 derby, but will appear for the Mariners’ National Youth League side in the curtain raiser to tomorrow’s fixture.
New signing Andrea Merenda is sweating on receiving an international clearance and Young Socceroos shot stopper Andrew Redmayne is a confirmed non-starter due to his involvement with Australia’s qualification quest for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
To compensate for the Mariners’ lengthy absentees list, David D’Apuzzo and Nik Mrdja have been drafted into the line up, while Matthew Nash will deputise for Danny Vukovic.
Coach Lawrie McKinna said: "Last week was a poor performance, we’ve said it and we have to move on, it’s a short turnaround this week and the intensity at training has been fantastic.
"Everyone is switched on and working very hard, we’re going to be without Andrew Clark and Nigel Boogaard but we’ve got able bodies to come in – it’s going to be a big night at Bluetongue Stadium."
Tomorrow’s match between the Mariners and the Jets marks the 18th occasion the two sides have met in all competitive fixtures – the most any two A-League opponents have met.
"The Jets are always hard, it doesn’t matter if they’re struggling or not, for a local derby form goes out the window, it’s passionate, it’s physical and it’s going to be a hard game," said McKinna.
"In three and a half years the F3 derby has definitely grown, we always had passion on the park, but I think this is the one game where our Members and supporters want the bragging rights."
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