Mariners marooned

NO wonder Mike Mulvey wants to put a brave face on it.

When the Mariners boss says his team is one win from “shooting up the table”, he has to believe it – and hope his players believe it.

It wasn’t the start Mulvey envisaged when he took on the job of rebuilding the Mariners – a meagre tally of two points from six games that is officially the club’s worst start ever.

It is also the A-League’s joint worst start to a campaign, albeit in the company of six other teams.

Should the next two games leave Mulvey’s side stuck on two points, then that unwanted mantle would be theirs. It’s not that simple. At times, the Mariners have appeared like lambs to the slaughter but at others they have deserved far more.

“It’s a very even league,’’ Mulvey said. “The biggest discrepancy is decision-making. We’ve made some decisions at the wrong times in games.”