No goals at Pluim Park as Mariners and St George City secure point

The Central Coast Mariners shared points with St George City with a 0-0 draw at Pluim Park on Sunday afternoon.

Both sides were hungry for the win with finals on the line for the visitors and important points to avoid relegation in the sights of the hosts.

The match started with early action but neither team was able to take hold of the game in the 90-minute battle on the Central Coast, despite plenty of goal-scoring opportunities.

There was excitement from the onset with a penalty called within the first 30 seconds of play for St George City.

Jesse Photi moved forward to get on the end of the ball in the area and was taken down by Harrison Jablonski, seeing referee Matt Staples quickly point to the spot.

Louis Khoury stepped up with the perfect chance to take a very early lead, however he sent his shot just wide of the sticks.

The visitors came close in the 9th minute of play as several sequential corners gave them some promising opportunities, but they weren’t able to convert their chances.

Noah Peacock had a chance for the Mariners in the 16th minute but his shot flew high over the crossbar.

Jai Rose sent a ball into the area for the hosts, meeting the foot of Muginga Mpota, who tried to flick on a shot but was denied by Jack Kenny.

The Mariners were searching again in the 34th minute as Miller sent a quality ball into Jablonski.

Jablonski headed the ball into the turf towards the target, but wasn’t able to guide the ball into the netting.

Despite chances at both ends of the park, both sides headed to the sheds at half-time deadlocked at 0-0.

The hosts came agonisingly close in the 51st minute as Shumba Mutokoyi’s header bounced off the knees of Kenny just in front of the goal.

There was plenty of end-to-end action in the second stanza as both sides tried to get something from the match.

Mariners substitute Flynn Richards came incredibly close to breaking the deadlock in the 86th minute.

He sent a shot from range towards the target, but his promising effort rebounded off the woodwork.

St George City looked to quickly change the momentum, with substitute Peter Kekeris blazing forward and earning a corner.

The resulting corner kick went straight into the side netting as both teams continued to hunt for an opening goal late in the game.

Jesse Photi had an opportunity for the visitors in the 91st minute with a strike inside the area, however his effort flew into the skies.

Both sides continued to push to take hold of the game until the final whistle but weren’t able to make their mark, with the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Round 28 Match of the Round ending in a draw.

Match Stats

Central Coast Mariners FC 0

St George City FA 0

Sunday 17 August 2025

Pluim Park, Lisarow

Referee: Matt Staples

Assistant Referees: Blake Eastwood and Amirhossein Hosnani

Fourth Official: Noah Moss

Central Coast Mariners FC: 3. Michael Paragalli, 11. Jai Rose (13. Logan Sambrook 81’), 12. Ty McKibbin, 19. Noah Peacock (6. Jordan Small 45’), 21. Muginga Mpota (9. Ahmed Elhelou 81’), 22. Shumba Mutokoyi, 23. Laurence Taylor (26. Flynn Richards 69’), 24. Kye Schumacher, 35. Max Miller, 38. Harrison Jablonski, 40. Joel Wade

Substitutes Not Used: 14. Angus Reid, 20. Jai Ajanovic

Yellow Cards: Miller 45’

Red Cards: Nil

St George City FA: 1. Jack Kenny, 4. Solomon-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika, 5. Lewis Miccio (2. Matthew Wahby 81’), 7. Levi Sciuriaga (16. William Kounnas 81’), 8. Dominic Cox, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 18. Goncalo Agrelos (99. Peter Kekeris 74’), 19. Jesse Photi, 23. Dakota Askew, 25. Brodie Clarkson, 33. Louis Khoury (10. Paolo Mitry 74’)

Substitutes Not Used:, 13. Cameron Kemp, 17. Noah Ovens

Yellow Cards: Grimaldi 14’, Clarkson 71’, Wahby 96’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Kye Schumacher (CCM)

2 – Solomon-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika (SGFC)

1 – Max Miller (CCM)