St George City resurgence continues with win over Mariners
St George City secured a 3-2 victory over Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night at Penshurst Park in a competitive affair.
Paolo Mitry opened the scoring for City before Harper Ryles restored parity within a few minutes.
Mark McNulty re-established the home side’s lead heading into halftime and extended City’s lead to three heading into the final 10 minutes.
Ayouk Mow’s goal gave the visitors some hope in what remained, but St George held on to secure the points.
The game got off to an end-to-end start with both teams battling to get consistent control of the ball.
The hosts came within centimetres of an opening goal in the 11th minute, when Louis Khoury looping right-sided free-kick clipped the top of the bar.
St George City continued to show positive signs, with their pressing causing high turnovers and winning them territory in Central Coast’s half.
City’s strong start paid off 21 minutes as they took the lead. The busy Fumoto Kamada drifted inside from the left and found Mitry on the edge of the box who curled the ball inside the right post.
However, only a couple of minutes later, the Mariners pulled level. Ryles picked up some space in the left of the box, driving at goal before slotting an accurate finish into the bottom right corner.
St George carried on their attacking ways despite the concession of the equaliser.
With two regular minutes to play in the first half, Mitry went close to a second when he dragged an effort from range wide of the left post.
City were rewarded with a go-ahead goal on the stroke of halftime courtesy of McNulty who arrowed a shot from inside the box into the top left corner.
The side made a bright start to the second half as Mitry fired another low shot from the edge of the area that Mariners’ goalkeeper Joel Wade steered behind.
Central Coast returned fire midway through the half when Jai Rose headed wide from a left-sided cross.
City remained a threat and added a third goal in the 80th minute. Kamada surged into the left of the box and played the ball to Dominic Cox who shifted it for McNulty to lash it into the roof of the net.
Once again, St George conceded soon after scoring. This time Mow nodded the ball over Jack Kenny to set up a tense finish to the match.
The home side managed the final moments of the game well to see out their slender and keep their solid run of form going.
St George City captain Tarik Ercan said that the team could have played better, but a third victory in a row breeds confidence for the team.
“Games like that, a win is a win, and you’ve got to grind out results,” Ercan said.
“At the moment, we’re struggling with that final ball. We could put teams away four or five but it doesn’t happen.
“And then it’s just a case of one chance, one goal for them.
“It’s three on the bounce [now], we aren’t playing the best football but sometimes you take any win you can get.”
Match Stats
St George City FA 3 (Paolo Mitry 21’, Mark McNulty 45+2’ 80’)
Central Coast Mariners FC 2 (Harper Ryles 23’, Ayouk Mow 83’)
Saturday May 3 2025
Penshurst Park, Penshurst
Referee: Jackson Mackie
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Renton and Hayden Kaye
Fourth Official: Rory McFarlane
St George City FA: 1. Jack Kenny, 2. Matthew Wahby, 6. Tarik Ercan, 9. Mark McNulty, 10. Paolo Mitry (8. Dominic Cox 74’), 11. Fumoto Kamada, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 17. Noah Ovens, 19. Jesse Photi (18. Goncalo Agrelos 38’), 23. Dakota Askew, 33. Louis Khoury (12. Kai Kamikura 87’)
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Cameron Kemp, 16. William Kounnas, 24. Zakariya Hammoud
Yellow Cards: Tarik Ercan 63’, Dominic Cox 89’
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners FC: 40. Joel Wade, 2. Luca Pecora (7. Ayouk Mow 78’), 3. Michael Paragalli, 4. Rocco Smith, 5. Ben Mewett, 6. Jordan Small, 8. Lucas Scicluna, 9. Ahmad Elhelou (11. Jai Rose 46’), 13. Logan Sambrook (19. Prayaag Thapa 78’), 17. Jesse Mantell, 39. Harper Ryles
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Jai Ajanovic, 22. Shumba Mutokoyi, 24. Kye Schumacher
Yellow Cards: Lucas Scicluna 32’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Mark McNulty (STGC)
2 – Fumoto Kamada (STGC)
1 – Harper Ryles (CCM)
-By Tim Gibson
