Football
2019-20 Australian A League, Regular Season
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Perth Glory win four in a row as Central Coast Mariners slip up

Two goals either side of half-time sunk the spirited Central Coast Mariners on New Year's Eve as Perth Glory proved a class above in a 3-0 rout.

Buoyed by last week's 2-1 A-League victory over Adelaide, Mariners fans didn't get the celebration they were hoping for to round out 2019 at the Central Coast Stadium.

It wasn't until just before half-time that Glory's star Diego Castro broke the deadlock after he was gifted the ball on the edge of the box from a corner, rocketing a left-footed bullet into the net.

It was a moment of class from the 37-year-old that was unrivalled in the first half and carried through to the second.

Minutes after returning to the field Glory pounced once more, easily moving the ball into position for James Meredith to serve a cross kick into the box, where Joel Chianese delicately headed in the second goal of the night.

But the real horror came in the 62nd minute when 24-year-old Jordan Murray slipped in defence, leaving Castro unmarked and dangerous.

The Spaniard passed the ball to Bruno Fornaroli who netted an easy goal and extinguished any chance of a Mariners comeback for their vocal home crowd.

Alen Stajcic's men desperately scrambled throughout the second half and created several chances but couldn't land a goal.

The Mariners remain without back-to-back wins since December in 2017 and will face Wellington on a short turnaround at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

It was the fourth win in a row for Perth, moving them into third spot on the A-League ladder.

Perth will have the bye in round 13 before playing Adelaide on Jan. 11.

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