Matchwinner ... Mitch Duke scored a double for the Mariners. Source: AAP
A second half double from young substitute Mitchell Duke has sparked a thrilling come-from-behind 3-1 win for Central Coast in the top-of-the-table clash with Adelaide.
The Mariners dominated the game almost from start to finish but it looked like they would finish the game empty handed until Duke was brought on by Graham Arnold on the hour mark and sprung immediately into action.
Duke's pace was too hot to handle for the Adelaide United defence and where the Mariners' other strikers Daniel McBreen and Bernie Ibini had been profligate, Duke was clinical.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Coast | 18 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 38 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 32 |
| 3 | Victory | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 30 |
| 4 | Western Sydney | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 29 |
| 5 | Heart | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | -1 | 21 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | -8 | 21 |
| 7 | Sydney | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 20 |
| 8 | Perth | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 19 |
| 9 | Brisbane | 17 | 5 | 2 | 10 | -2 | 17 |
| 10 | Wellington | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -11 | 16 |
If his first strike was a well-taken strikers finish, his second was a cracker as he found the inside of the post from just on the 18-yard box.
The Mariners had peppered United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic throughout the first half but it was the Reds that went into the sheds the happier after Cameron Bowles opened his A-League account with a deflected strike from just outside the area.
The Reds seemed content to hang on, taking off striker Jeronimo Neumann in favour of a more defensive player and when Duke broke through it only looked a matter of time before they took the lead.
The youngster obliged with his second after Daniel McBreen had missed from the spot, but Michael McGlinchey put the icing on the cake with a late third.
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