Central Coast has qualified for its second Hyundai A-League grand final after a thrilling 3-0 extra-time major semi-final win over Newcastle in front of 19,112 fans at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday night.

The Mariners won the two-leg major semi-final 3-2 after scoring three unanswered goals in the second leg on Sunday.

Sasho Petrovski scored two goals for the Mariners including the semi-final winner in the fifth minute of extra-time.

After Newcastle won the first leg of the major semi-final 2-0 Central Coast went into the second leg needing two goals to draw level.

And they squared the ledger after goals to Adam Kwasnik in the 37th minute and Petrovski in the 73rd.

Petrovski’s semi-final winner came five minutes into the 30-minute period of extra time.

John Hutchinson provided a good ball for Petrovski who cut inside the last defender and fired his shot into the right side of the net.

Newcastle wing back Matt Thompson did his best to steal the game for the Jets when he fired a powerful shot into the hands of Central Coast goalkeeper Danny Vukovic in the 12th minute of extra-time.

The Jets continued to pressure the Central Coast goal but the Mariners kept them out to book a place in the grand final at Sydney Football Stadium on February 24.

Newcastle now play Queensland in the preliminary final at EnergyAustralia Stadium next Sunday for the other grand final spot.

The Mariners had few chances early in the match before Kwasnik scored a freak goal to set the game alight in the 37th minute.

Kwasnik cut inside two Jets defenders on the left sideline and took a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that deflected off the sliding foot of Jets defender Tarek Elrich and dipped into the top left corner of the net.

The goal lifted the Mariners.

Joel Griffiths, the A-League’s leading goal scorer, had Newcastle’s only other first half scoring opportunity in the 18th minute when he received a neat pass from Mark Bridge but his shot went straight to Vukovic.

The Mariners suffered early set-backs when defender Alvin Ceccoli left the field with a toe injury in the 28th minute and four minutes later Tom Pondeljak limped off with a knee injury.

Ceccoli was brought down in a clumsy tackle by the Jets Korean debutant Jin-Hyung Song who received a yellow card for the tackle.

Nine minutes into the second half Newcastle had a golden opportunity to score an equaliser when midfielder James Holland slipped in front of goal after Griffiths put it on the spot for him.

Mariners substitute Andre Gumprecht went close to extending the lead of the home side when he drove a low ball just left of goal in the 64th minute.

Petrovski also narrowly missed the left post in the 69th goal before finding the net four minutes later.

It was Gumprecht who put the ball through for Petrovski to make no mistake with his strike into the left of the net from inside 10 metres in the 73rd minute.

Both sides had a couple of shots each in the remaining 20 minutes of ordinary time but couldn’t prevent the match from heading into extra-time.

With a 2-1 loss to their ‘F3 derby’ rivals Newcastle Jets, the Mariners season has becalmed and they are still bailing just short of the line whilst the Jets swooped in to seal a finals berth in a closely fought game.

The home side went into this game with only 1 point from the last 9 and although leading the table they really needed a win here to get a hand on the Premiers plate, but did not deliver.

The Mariners have been consistently conceding soft early goals and this wasn’t to be any different as ‘the Coastie that got away’, Budgewoi boy James Holland, fired in a 6th minute goal right in front of the Mariners ’supporters’.

With the Coast defence narrowed and men committed forward for an earlier attack, Denni found space on the right and sent over a cross into the middle. Paul O’Grady tried some sort of cow-kick instead of moving quicker to meet the ball fully and it skewed around him off his rear-end. Young former Mariner Holland lept into action and poked it with his left to the far post, past Coast ‘keeper Danny Vukovic. 0-1

The casual approach to defensive work by the home team continued with a lazy back pass by Andrew Clark being scooped up by an alert Joel Griffiths, and it was only Clarke’s speed and covering work by Vukovic that saved red faces.

It all seemed forgiven in the 9th minute when it was the turn of the Jets defence to go to sleep. Adam Kwasnik, given a rare recent start, received the ball on the left flank and proceeded to almost amble forward as he does, and as an overlap by John Hutchinson took marker Jade North away, he cut inside. He strugged off a half-hearted challenge by Denni, then one by Adam D’Apuzzo. As Tarek Elrich raced to cover, Kwasnik looked up and slammed the ball to the right of Covic and inside the post. 1-1

Some better defending was seen in the 16th minute when Alex Wilkinson defused a dangerous run by Holland, with a text book ‘in the box’ tackle, and then one minute later a one-two with Saso Petrovski saw defender Andrew Clark one on one with Ante Covic but his APIA scoring days left him and the big Jets ‘keeper scooped the shot up easlily.

In the 26th minute that man opposing fans love to hate, Joel Griffiths (who gave Adam Kwasnik a facelift later, though Kwasnik is still ugly), had his chance with a free kick within range. As the ball penetrated the wall Danny Vukovic made a diving save to his left. One minute later a hand ball call against Griffiths was turned down and the ball went back to Matt Thompson. The underated midfielder steered a firm shot goalward but the Coast’s Olyroo custodian somehow got his right hand to it, to palm it out. Griffiths got a header in from a free kick after the corner was cleared but he was just wide.

The Mariners lifted and Alosi had a chance that Covic had no problem with. In the 42nd minute Petrovski steered the ball across goal with Covic beaten.

Again an alleged hand ball, by Matt Thompson, was ‘missed’ however it was just outside the goal area.

The second half was a tamer affair, although only 3 minutes in Griffiths got a free shot in.

A moment that watching Pim Verbeek may have jotted in his notebook came in the 52nd minute. Andrew Durante received the ball from Covic, and looking up sent a 60m pass straight to the feet of Joel Griffiths, unmarked, deep in the Mariners half. O’Grady didn’t move to intercept that flight. With Wilkinson racing back Griffiths just had to gather a ball that was played perfectly onto his main peg, and stroll forward and steer it past Vukovic. Which he did! 1-2

The next best chance of the half went to the Mariners but without the same result. In the 69th minute substitute Andre Gumprecht almost made his mark with a fine run on the right, and a cross (helped on by poor attempt to clear by a defender) that found Saso Petrovski. His diving header was going just under the bar, until an acrobatic Ante Covic got some fingers to it and steered it onto the bar, and it rebounded back into play.

The Mariners applied pressure, with renewed drive. Hutchinson saw his shot deflect but to Covic, and then Petrovski’s snap shot was covered, and Gumprecht shot wide, and Hutchinson again over off a cross. These were quarter chances though and the Mariners never really made the opportunity they needed.

“We just weren’t good enough”. “We conceded two bad goals and in the second half Danny had only one save to make and their other shot was a goal,” said Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna after the match. “We’ve went from being the best defensive team in the Hyundai A-League to probably the worst over the last few weeks and one win in seven is not good enough.

“It’s not just defending though, we’re creating chances and we’re not taking them, we’re taking the wrong options and not talking enough, definitely the boys have gone into their shells a bit.” “Three home games, three bad results and there are no excuses, it’s not good enough,” said McKinna.

“If you’re going to win the Premiership you have to win your home games and we’ve said that all along. “Our job now is to hope for a draw between the Roar and Sydney FC tomorrow and try to pick things up for the Finals Series.”

Newcastle coach Gary Van Egmond said the team is now gunning for a top two finish heading into the Hyundai A-League finals. “It’s always good to make sure that it is in our hands and that was part of the motivation” … “To ensure that we didn’t have to rely on other teams to get ourselves into the semis”, Van Egmond said.

“I thought the boys were excellent tonight, I thought they got their reward for some good football out there and at times we had to grind a result out and full marks to them”. “The boys are now very motivated to win our last home game against Perth”.

Both teams will be watching the R20 Queensland versus Sydney game this Sunday with close interest, ahead of their own home games next weekend against cellar dwellars Wellington and Perth respectively. The Premiers Plate remains up for grabs by all now in the top four.

The Newcastle Jets have taken a massive step towards securing a play-off top four spot after a heart stopping 2-1 win over Adelaide United. The Jets now lead Adelaide by 5 point with just two games to play.

A James Holland header in the 72nd minute was the winner after Adelaide played the entire second half with 10 men after Fabian Barbiero was sent off in the 44th minute, receiving his second yellow card.

Joel Griffiths returned to the team after serving his suspension, but Scott Tunbridge kept his place in the team. The Adelaide line up had Cassio, Sarkies, Agostino, Burns, Giraldi all missing, Reds fans must be thinking ‘if only’. They started with the inexperienced Fabian Barbiero (called up from the local SA State League) who surprisingly started ahead of Jonas Salley.

Griffiths opened the scoring in the 12th minute after he had won a free kick just outside the penalty area. The striker looked set to break the defence after accepting a Scott Tunbridge through ball, before he was brought down by United defender, Milan Susak. Griffiths then scored with a header into the far corner of the net from Holland’s free kick. Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek, who again watched on from the stands – would have been impressed. Its 1-0 Jets.

Adelaide responded immediately with Bobby Petta putting Lucas Pantelis through but his effort is just wide of the upright. Travis Dodd then went on a wonderful run skipping past two defenders but his cross/shot is wide.

Joel Griffiths who looked dangerous all night is put through in the 37th minute his low shot is saved by the legs of Eugene Galekovic.

In the 41st minute Bruce Djite holds off two defenders, finds the on running Lucas Pantelis, his shot is saved by Covic, but he is first to react and fires in the equaliser , its 1-1.

The half finishes with Fabian Barbiero receiving a second yellow card, which turns to red, this time for a foul on Adam Griffiths. He his yellow card in the 18th minute was for a fouls on Mark Bridge.

Adelaide commenced the second half a man down, but they dominated possession in the second half, despite being out numbered in the Jets ‘attacking third’ they were still able to find space and each other – Bruce Djite was continually able to hold the ball despite having two defenders on him, Travis Dodd and Lucas Pantelis showed great pace down the flanks.

Lucas Pantelis in the 56 minute found Travis Dodd but his goal bound shot is saved by Ante Covic. Two minutes later Bruce Djite brilliant run has him leaving two Jets defenders on the ground, he passes to Travis Dodd, who from in front of goal blasts wide. On 68 minutes its Dodd again with a chance but his low shot is saved by Covic.

The telling moment arrives in the 72nd minute, Tarek Elrich crosses for James Holland who heads in from point blank range, its 2-1 Jets and the home fans are going wild.

Adelaide are forced to push forward leaving large gaps at the back, the Jets have numerous chances, Joel Griffiths ties up Mark Bridge the ball falls to Adam Griffiths his goal bound blast is headed wide by the defence. The Jets squander several other chances, Adelaide create chances of their own, a low shot by Petta has Covic diving and Djite can’t quite have a clear shot at goal, as the Jets defenders have him well marked.

It finishes Jets 2-1, their first home win since the 14th of October.