Mariners and Victory share A-League points

Oct 29, 2017 - 11:34 AM Central Coast Mariners were left cursing the woodwork as they slugged out a 1-1 A-League draw which Melbourne Victory, which left both teams still winless after four rounds.

Victory created more chances in the first half at Central Coast Stadium on Sunday and the Mariners in the second.

Former Victory winger Connor Pain gave the Mariners a 57th minute lead when he lashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

Victory import Leroy George equalised eight minutes later with an equally impressive finish from a perfectly executed left-foot free kick from just outside the area.

George became the first Victory player to score two league goals this season.

The visitors should have been ahead at half-time but Thomas Deng hit a post with a header.

Mark Milligan had a shot saved by the legs of Mariners goalkeeper Tom Glove after 30 seconds and Jason Geria had a follow up shot blocked by the defence.

Glover made two saves from Leroy George and Rhys Williams spurned two chances from corners.

It was a different story in the second half as it was the Mariners turn to rack up a catalogue of missed chances and ruined opportunities.

After George equalised, the Mariners twice hit the post through Pain and the player who substituted him, Kwabena Appiah-Kubi.

The Mariners suffered a blow just before half-time when fullback Storm Roux limped off and was replaced by Jake McGing.

Mariners' coach Paul Okon said he was disappointed rather than frustrated by the outcome and thought it was the closet his side had come to a complete performance this season.

"I don't think anyone probably would begrudge us if we had won it in the end," Okon said.

"If we had held them out or had they not scored for a bit longer it takes the wind out of them and that's disappointing."

Victory coach Kevin Muscat admitted to a great deal of frustration.

"Because we did some really good things and some really really ordinary things tonight," Muscat said.

"So possibly a fair result, a number of chances either way."

The result stretched Victory's unbeaten run against the Mariners to 13 games.

Source: AAP