United drop Mars game, path to finals harder

CENTRAL Coast’s Jason Cummings has continued to haunt Western United after getting on the scoresheet in a rare A-League Men win Victoria for the NSW side.

Winless in 28 ALM matches in Victoria heading to Good Friday’s meeting with Western United at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium, goals to Jason Cummings, Beni N’Kololo and Dylan Wenzel-Halls eased the Mariners to a comfortable 3-0 triumph.

The loss means Western United are winless in three games and miss out on the chance to move into the top six.

The hosts were able to create chances in the first half, notably to Dylan Pierias and Connor Pain, but couldn’t consistently trouble Mariners’ keeper Danny Vukovic throughout the 90 minutes.

“We weren’t great but we had our moments that we should have punished them,” coach John Alosi said.

“If you don’t punish them, they punish you, and that’s what they did.”

A rapid transition from Samual Silvera and Cummings in the 21st minute gave the visitors a lead that was doubled in the 38th minute when Marco Tulio found N’Kololo at the top of the box to fire home, with a VAR review clearing Silvera of a foul in the build-up.

Wenzel-Halls then sealed the win in the 91st minute with a goal against his former club.

Cummings’ strike was the Socceroos’ fourth goal in as many games against Western and 16th minute for the season, just two behind golden boot leader Jamie Maclaren.

“For me, he’s one of the best strikers in the competition,” said Central Coast coach Nick Montgomery.

“He’s chasing him for that golden boot now; he’s two goals behind him with three games to go so that’s a good challenge for him and the team.”

With just three games remaining in their regular season, the results ensured the Mariners kept pace with second-placed Adelaide in the race for a first-round finals bye, with the two to clash in South Australia in the last week of the campaign.

Before then, they face league leaders Melbourne City in their home finale next week, before travelling to face F3 Derby foes Newcastle in the campaign’s penultimate round.

Montgomery said the win in Ballarat was meaningful.

“It breaks a duck, a mental barrier,” Montgomery said.

“I thought we more than deserved the three points against a good team that were champions last year.

“We’ve got a big game next week against Melbourne City and hopefully we can fill the stadium because anything can happen in football.”

– BY JOEY LYNCH/ AAP