AAP


Just as critics began questioning the Central Coast's ability to remain at the A-League summit they responded with an empathic victory while new boys Western Sydney emerged as their closest challengers.


The Mariners thumped a battling Wellington side 5-0 in Gosford on Thursday to stretch their run at top spot to 11 straight weeks.


The loss of Tomas Rogic to Scottish side Celtic during the transfer window - and the distraction of fellow young guns Mat Ryan and Bernie Ibini attracting offers from abroad - had critics doubting whether the Mariners could sustain their consistency, especially ahead of what will be a hectic schedule when the Asian Champions League comes into play later this month.


But the absence of Rogic hasn't slowed the Mariners down with coach Graham Arnold praising his squad's depth.


"I know there has been a little bit of talk out there that we have been down since Tommy Rogic left," Arnold said.


"But if I can just make a statement: three games without Tommy and 10 goals scored.


"The way (Michael) McGlinchey is doing the job and the way Bernie is doing the job, everyone is covering for the loss of Tommy."


Meanwhile the Wanderers continued their dream debut season climbing to second place with their 2-1 win over Newcastle at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday.


It was the Wanderers' fifth-straight win - the best streak of any team this season - to trail the Mariners by four points.


Coach Tony Popovic can no longer play down his side's title hopes but says an upcoming run of matches against third-placed Melbourne Victory (away), Perth (home) and the Mariners (away) will be decisive.


"We've won five in a row and we're second on merit," Popovic said.


"Twenty games in, obviously we deserve to be there but there's some big games coming up now and it can change quite quickly."


Sydney FC lifted themselves into sixth spot after a 2-1 win over Brisbane on Sunday while the Roar slipped to eighth.


Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero became the club's most prolific scorer - his 11th goal a record haul for a Sydney player in a single season.


But the drama continued at the club with former Socceroo Jason Culina possibly axed for the rest of the season after a training-ground bust up with coach Frank Farina on Friday.


Adelaide United, meanwhile, downed Melbourne Victory 1-0 in foul-tempered match at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday in which five Reds players were given yellow cards in the first 40 minutes and coach Michael Valkanis was expelled for abusing referees.


The win moved Adelaide within one point of the third-placed Victory.


The Glory's horror run continued with a 2-0 loss to Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday night, Perth's fourth straight loss and eighth consecutive winless match.


The loss kept them bottom of the table while the Heart climbed into fifth.