FFA Cup Preview – South Coast Wolves vs Central Coast Mariners
FFA CUP – ROUND OF 32
WEDNESDAY 20th AUGUST 7:30 KO
WOLLONGONG STADIUM
#SCWvCCM #FFACUP
The Final Matchday of the FFA Cup round of 32 sees A-League side Central Coast Mariners travel to Wollongong based NSWNPL1 side South Coast Wolves. The Mariners will be aiming to not join fellow NSW a-league side West Sydney in losing to a state league opposition but will find it tough against a resurgent Wolves side.
South Coast Wolves will be full of confidence and looking for a hometown crowd to see them claim a scalp in the competition. They qualified for this competition by reaching the Semi-Final of the Waratah Cup, this coming despite their struggles around that part of the season. However things have turned around after the lackluster start to the season and the team made a run for the finals of the competition but unfortunately missed out. Recent performances suggest they are looking forward to the challenge coming off two impressive wins against Marconi Stallions (4-1) and Apia Leichardt Tigers (5-1). The club will no doubt see this as a return to where they belong on the national stage after a challenging decade which has seen them change their name and collect 4 wooden spoons.
Their opponents, The Central Coast Mariners are no easy beat however. The Gosford based outfit avoided a matchup with an A-League opponent by qualifying in the top 4 last season which proved a more than respectable tittle defense. However their first “competitive” match of the new season promises to give a glimpse into how the Mariners will approach the new a-league season. As usual there has been a turnover for the club losing Bernie Ibini too A-league rivals Sydney Fc and constant rumours of financial troubles. However this has only inspired the club in the past and the club no doubt will be aiming to add the inaugural FFA Cup too their trophy cabinet.
Team Profiles:
South Coast Wolves: Founded: 1980. Current Competition: NSW Premier League (NPL1). NSL Champions: 1999–2000, 2000–01. NSW Premier League Champions: 1987, 2008. Waratah Cup Winners: 1997, 2007.
Central Coast Mariners: Founded: 2004. Current Competition: Hyundai A-League. A-League Premiership: 2007–08, 2011–12. A-League Champions: 2013.
Road to the Cup:
South Coast Wolves:
Win vs Hurstville FC (6-0)
Win vs Sutherland Sharks (1-1, 4-3 pens)
Win vs Parramatta FC (5-2et)
Central Coast Mariners: Automatic Qualification.
Key Players:
Former Sydney FC player and current Wolves captain Jacob Timpano will provide crucial A-league experience to the South Coast defense. Midfielder Chris Price and Striker Jordan Murray are also players to watch out for.
Given the high turnover from the Gosford based club, stability is key. John Hutchinson and Nick Montgomery will once again be heavily influential in the Mariners midfield this coming season and expect no different on Wednesday night.
Prediction: South Coast 2-1
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