Reds torpedo Mariners

ADELAIDE bounced back from a controversial week to trounce reigning A-League champions Central Coast Mariners 4-0 in an actionpacked encounter at Coopers Stadium yesterday.

After witnessing underfire coach Josep Gombau come to blows with the local media for the second time in as many weeks on Friday, the Reds responded by registering only their second win in 10 matches and first since the opening round of the season.

Target man Bruce Djite opened the scoring for the hosts in the 25th minute before Fabio Ferreira doubled the advantage on 40 minutes.

Sergio Cirio, who had a hand in both goals, helped himself to one of his own in the 55th minute after an embarrassing blunder from keeper Liam Reddy.

Substitute Jeronimo wrapped up the three points for United when he finished comfortably right on the cusp of fulltime.

The Mariners should have taken the lead twice in the seventh minute when defender Trent Sainsbury and veteran striker Daniel McBreen botched pointblank opportunities.

A mistake at the other end allowed Adelaide to break the deadlock when Djite turned in Cirio’s cross.

Ferreira eventually cashed in after tormenting the visitors’ defence when he cut into the box and fired through the legs of Reddy after another clever assist from Cirio.

McBreen had a glorious chance to pull one back for Central Coast on the stroke of halftime, but scuffed his shot wide and the 36-year-old had another opening following the interval, but his header was palmed away by a quality reflex save from Eugene Galekovic.

With Galekovic pulling out the stops at one end, the same could not be said for his opposite number Reddy who was at fault for the Reds’ third goal.

Reddy opted to shield the ball out to safety instead of picking it up.

Cirio nipped the ball off the gloveman as it teetered over the goal- line and rolled it into an empty net.

Jeronimo put the icing on the cake at the death when he tucked the ball past Reddy.