The Gosford outfit’s lead at the top of the Hyundai A-League has been whittled down to just a single point following yesterday’s 1-0 home defeat by Queensland Roar.

Central Coast played much of the game with 10 men following Brad Porter’s controversial first-half dismissal and to make matters worse Adam Kwasnik and Damien Brown both hobbled off with injuries.

It leaves the Central Coast squad looking distinctly threadbare with knee injuries now the norm in the treatment room.

Alex Wilkinson has been out for several weeks with a knee problem, so too has Nik Mrdja with Matthew Osman now facing reconstruction surgery and a season on the sidelines.

Hutchinson, who has been leading the team in the absence of Wilkinson and the suspended Tony Vidmar, can sympathise with the knee crocks as he has been there himself.

However, he points to an Australian footballing legend as inspiration to fuel the fightback to fitness.

He said: “I had a knee reconstruction (after being injured during the inaugural A-League season and was out for around eight months) and came back, so too has Damien Brown.

"Maybe 20 or 30 years ago it was the sort of injury that could end your career but I think one of the first, if not the first, to make a comeback from a knee reconstruction was Johnny Warren.

"You just have to try to remain as positive as you can and I think it’s important to keep yourself around the rest of the squad as much as you can and carry on being part of things with the boys.”

Injuries are hardly helping the Mariners cause to remain top of the pile and after a draw and a defeat in their last two outings, there are those wondering whether the early season dominance is about to unravel.

Hutchinson said: “I’m sure there are people out there waiting to see what happens.

"It is a huge test of character now but we’ve had people knocking us from the start, we’re used to it. Feeling sorry for ourselves and complaining won’t help.

"The boys have to pull together now and a good result at the weekend will still see us on top. We believe in ourselves and in football you have to take the good with the bad.”

With so many players injured though, is there not a danger that further injuries could leave the coach struggling to fulfil the next fixture?

Hutchinson joked: “I think it’s going to be non-contact training this week.”

As for the captain's armband, which Hutchinson will hand back to Vidmar this weekend, he said: “It’s something I’ve taken real pride in and the fact that the manager has given me that responsibility.

"I kept looking at it the first time I wore it against Perth. It was a bit surreal. I’m thinking of hiding it!”