Newcastle Jets Youth live to fight another day after defeating leaders Sydney FC Youth 1-0 last weekend at Magic Park. To keep their season on life support in the quest for Grand Final qualification, Clayton Zane’s team will need to win again, this time away in an F3 Derby against Central Coast Mariners in Tuggerah on Saturday morning.
With one game remaining in the regular season for each side, the Jets also need the Canberra-based FFA Centre of Excellence to defeat Sydney FC at Leichhardt the following day in order for Newcastle to book a date in the competition’s showpiece with Adelaide United, who have already qualified as winners of Conference A.
The Jets will fancy their chances of doing the double over the Mariners, as confidence will be running high from beating Sydney FC home and away – a side which has not dropped points to any other team this season. Adding to the confidence of the Grand Final hopefuls will be the events of the reverse fixture when Newcastle disposed of the mini Mariners 3-0. That day Mitch Cooper, Brandon Lundy and Josh Barresi all found the net.
Coming off a bye, the junior yellow and navy will be fresh, well up for this one and keen to end their season on a high, which has provided somewhat mixed results. Despite not being able to move from fourth position in Conference B no matter the result, Mariners Youth will be playing for pride and perhaps an opportunity with the Hyundai A-League side.
The way this season has unfolded would suggest the Jets will take the points and heap all the pressure onto Sydney FC the following day, however Central Coast are a more than handy side. Just a month ago, the Mariners sent the third-placed Western Sydney Wanderers Youth packing empty handed from Tuggerah in an incredible 7-2 thumping.
With Newcastle playing their second ‘all or nothing’ game in six days, and the Mariners looking to prove a point, this has the potential to be as fiery as last weekend’s top of the table clash which was littered yellow cards and one red. With everything on the line for Jets Youth in the final match of the regular season this could be one of the games of the season. A nail-biting final round of the Foxtel National Youth League – Conference B season awaits.
Central Coast Mariners Youth vs. Newcastle Jets Youth
When: Saturday 16 January 2016
Where: CCM Centre of Excellence, Tuggerah, New South Wales (1 Bryant Drive, Tuggerah)
Kick-off: 10:30am
Admission: Free
Social Media: Use #FNYLF3Derby on social media to join the match conversation
