COACH Craig Deans vowed to give an opportunity to his young brigade and boy did they deliver.
Teenagers Lucas Mauragis and Archie Goodwin starred as the Newcastle Jets stunned the Central Coast 2-0 in a spirited F3 derby in Gosford on Tuesday night.
Just 16 years of age and starting his first game, Goodwin provided an assist for Roy O'Donovan to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
Mauragis, in his second run-on appearance, doubled the advantage six minutes later, finishing a movement he started near halfway.
"It has been in back of the mind all year to bring them through," coach Craig Deans said of the teenagers. "It has been a balancing act. Both have had a couple of niggles. Tonight Archie set up the first goal and Lucas scored the second. They had some good energy, some good moments ... they can go home satisfied with their work."
16-year-old Archie Goodwin tees us sharp-shooter Roy O'Donovan for the @NewcastleJetsFC 🚀
— A-League (@ALeague) June 1, 2021
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From that point, the Jets were in control. Such was their passing, movement and defensive steel, you could be forgiven for thinking it was the visitors not the Mariners who were headed for the A-League finals.
The win, the Jets' first in 15 games, moved them to 17 points, a point behind Melbourne Victory and revived their hopes of moving off the bottom of the ladder.
Mauragis was outstanding at left wingback. Angus Thurgate, pushed forward into the No.10 role, had his best game, while senior men Nigel Boogaard and Nikolai Topor-Stanley were immense at the back.
"It was our best result and in the situation we are in, it was very pleasing," coach Craig Deans said. "We spoke all week about being aggressive without the ball and putting them under pressure in the right areas. The first half we did that quite well. Second half we sat a bit deep and maybe got nervous with the ball and did a bit more defending than we wanted to. I thought we defended well. All round it was a good performance."
Lucas Mauragis with his first ever #ALeague goal 🤩
— A-League (@ALeague) June 1, 2021
🎥: @FOXFOOTBALL#CCMvNEW#ALLive#ALeague#F3Derby#NeverTearUsApartpic.twitter.com/HCu20r0RGA
In typical derby fashion, both teams battled hard to assert their authority in a tense opening 20 minutes.
Nothing was given. Tackles were fierce. Passing lanes blocked. Attackers closed down. Every scrap contested.
O'Donovan had scored seven goals in 10 derbies and the Irishman added another to put the visitors ahead.
The Mariners failed to clear a long ball which fell to Goodwin, who showed poise to draw a defender and play a pass to O'Donovan. The striker did the rest, spearing an angled shot past the right hand of Mark Birighitti and into the left corner.
Six minutes later it was Maraugis' turn. The tenacious wingback dispossessed Matt Simon with a lunge, scrambled to his feet and then made a run into the box to collect an inch-perfect through ball from Thurgate. Mauragis' low shot hit the leg of Birighitti but had enough momentum to balloon over the goal line before Dan Hall helped it on its way with a desperate header.
It was only the third time the Jets have scored two goals this season let alone by half-time.
Mariners coach Alen Stajcic introduced Alou Kuol and Lewis Miller at the break.
The Jets lost Johnny Koutroumbis three minutes into the second half with an ankle injury. Out of legs, Goodwin was replaced by Valentino Yuel on the hour. His work was done.
