Sunday Territorian

SPORT Mariner marquee bids club farewell

- MATT ENCARNACIO­N

CENTRAL Coast marquee Ross McCormack has played his last game for the ALeague side after signing a loan deal with English Championsh­ip club Birmingham.

McCormack is home in Scotland rehabilita­ting from a knee injury, and had been linked with Motherwell before his parent club Aston Villa confirmed the Birmingham move.

After watching his side get pumped 5-2 by Sydney FC on Saturday, Mariners coach Mike Mulvey suggested some serious changes were afoot in Gosford.

The loss stretched their historic winless run to start a season to an 11th game.

“I think you guys (the media) need to be fair and have a look at the performanc­es and say, ‘ these guys are still playing’,” Mulvey said.

“They’re having a go. They’re giving as much as they possibly can.

“But there’ll be something happening in the next few days.”

Asked whether that meant player signings, Mulvey said: “Yes.”

Pressed further on whether that meant a replacemen­t for McCormack, Mulvey was diplomatic.

“I can’t say anything until ... Aston Villa is the parent club,” he said. “But yes, we will be active.” McCormack was considered a major part of yet another Mariners rebuild this season, having been loaned out by Aston Villa on the eve of the campaign.

However, the 32-year-old will depart after just five games for the club, scoring once, after suffering a knee

“There’ll be something happening in the next few days”

injury in November.

His exit leaves the lastplaced Mariners with a serious gap in star talent, with Mulvey forced to deploy youngster Jordan Murray and veteran Matt Simon up front with little success.

The former Brisbane mentor reached for positives in the lopsided result, and also believed his players were victims of some refereeing inconsiste­ncies against the Sky Blues.

“Alex Wilkinson is a beautiful guy, but he went in on a two-footed challenge. If my player had not moved his left out of the way, that’s a leg break,” Mulvey said.

“Why don’t we have a consistenc­y in football?

“That was worse than Cisse’s tackle.

“Or at least if the referee deemed that was a foul in the first place, then that’s got to be a foul.”

He also criticised the referee’s decision to award Sydney FC a penalty for its second goal, despite replays showing Jacob Melling caught Adam Le Fondre with his trailing leg.

“I don’t know any ex-footballer, or footballer who’s still playing, that would give that if they were in that position,” Mulvey said.

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