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A late Mikael Doka objective has powered Central Coast to an important A-League Males 2-1 victory over premiership contenders Wellington.
Dogged all Saturday evening of their top-of-the-table conflict, Doka lastly discovered reward for effort by scoring the match-winner a minute into added time at Industree Group Stadium.
Selecting up the ball from Brian Kaltak, the Brazilian ahead danced by means of the Wellington defence to get on the scoreboard.
“All of this can be a testomony to the arduous work we have put in. We actually wish to win the title,” Doka advised Paramount+ at fulltime.
“We wish to make historical past. We have by no means completed first as a membership.”
Falling in need of scoring the primary objective himself after hitting the crossbar, Doka was the architect of Angel Torres’ opener after threading the ball to Storm Roux within the field.
Birthday boy Torres, receiving the ball from a top quality cutback from Roux, bested 4 ‘Nix defenders and formidable goalkeeper Alex Paulsen to attain his thirteenth objective of the season within the 61st minute.
Their celebrations had been short-lived, with Ben Outdated peeling one again within the 78th minute for the guests after an aesthetic cross from Oskar van Hattum, who was operating untagged down the wing.
However Doka continued to chip on the objective till he broke by means of in added time.
Central Coast return to the highest of the desk with simply three regular-season matches remaining.
Wellington, who had been in high spot earlier than Saturday’s match, sit second, additionally on 46 factors.
The Mariners ought to have been forward earlier than the principle break after taking 13 photographs to 4 within the opening 45 minutes.
Joshua Nisbet, taking part in his a hundredth match, got here near opening the account within the fourth minute after intercepting an inexpensive cross from Wellington’s Lukas Kelly-Heald.
The newly minted Socceroo bolted in direction of objective with a one-two cross from Alou Kuol, however was unable to beat Paulsen’s left foot.
Mariners defender Kaltak was left kicking himself after simply lacking the web from point-blank vary after a Torres free kick within the thirty eighth minute.
With tensions excessive, Mariners coach Mark Jackson was proven the yellow card a minute later after disagreeing with referee Alex King’s choice to award a free kick to the guests when Kelly-Heald went to floor after colliding with Kuol.
Kuol had dragged Kelly-Heald down after the Wellington defender shouldered him as he ran in direction of house, with Jackson arguing his attacker had a real goalscoring alternative.
The Phoenix had been fortunate to get away with out conceding a penalty after Nicholas Pennington stepped on Doka within the fortieth minute. Officers discovered Pennington had by chance completed so when Doka fell in entrance of him.
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