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After securing the A-League Men Premiership and AFC Cup earlier this year, the Central Coast Mariners have become the first professional men's football club in Australia to complete an historic treble with a dramatic 3-1 win over Melbourne Victory in the A-League Men grand final in Gosford on Saturday.
The Mariners' quest for their third season trophy looked dead and buried after Victory took the lead courtesy of a Jason Geria strike, his third goal ever in his long ALM career.
But substitute Ryan Edmondson popped up in the 91st minute to square things up and send the grand final into extra-time.
Teenager Miguel Di Pizio sent the crowd wild seven minutes into the added period as the 18-year-old put the Mariners ahead before Edmondson scored his second in the dying moments to clinch the treble for Mariners coach Mark Jackson.
The result condemned Victory boss Tony Popovic to his fifth defeat in five attempts as a coach in a grand final.
Mariners midfielder Josh Nisbet was awarded the Johnny Warren medal for the best player across the A-League Men season, while double goal-scorer Edmondson won the Joe Marston medal for best on ground.
After a tense first half, which saw starting Mariners striker Alou Kuol subbed off for Edmondson following a bloody head clash, Victory took the lead through Geria shortly after the break.
Daniel Arzani slipped through a challenge on the edge of the Mariners' box to find Jordi Valadon. Defender Geria was in space and Valadon flicked on for the right-back, who thumped the ball beyond Danny Vukovic's reach and into the top corner.
Victory's legion of supporters went berserk and the Mariners began to open up as they pushed forward for an equaliser.
Each time they did, Victory were ready to counter, and Popovic's men could have had a second when Arzani broke up field, only to overcook his lay-off to an on-rushing Bruno Fornaroli.
The Mariners looked bereft of ideas as the 90th minute ticked by, until the substitute Edmondson burst into the box. Receiving a lay-off from Josh Nisbet, the striker fired past Victory goalkeeper Paul Izzo in the first minute of added time to send the game to an extra period.
Suddenly the Mariners had all the momentum and all the energy, while Victory were sinking without a trace as Fornaroli and Arzani watched on helplessly from the bench.
Nisbet came even further into his own, and he proved his class once more when he slipped a ball down the left flank for Ronaldo Barcellos.
The Brazilian drew the ball back from the by-line and picked out the teenager Di Pizio at the back post, who calmly finished past a diving Izzo.
Victory spent the entire second half of extra-time camped in the Mariners' half, but they failed to find the goal that could have dragged the game to penalties. Having over-committed players forward, the Mariners were able to find one final burst up-field, where Edmondson tore into open space in behind Victory's defenders before slotting his second past Izzo and sending the 21,000-strong crowd into raptures.
Check out how the game unfolded in the liveblog below.
That's it from me
I'm way too amped to go to bed now...can you keep the blog going for the FA Cup Final Sam???
- stumcin
Thanks so much for joining me for what was an incredible A-League Men grand final, which saw a fairytale finish for everyone's second-favourite club, the Mariners.
I've been Sam Lewis, and I'll be back on the blog in just under a week as the Matildas take on China in a two-game friendly series on May 31 and June 3.
Until then, take care of each other, and support your local clubs!
Go Mariners!(Getty Images)
The Central Coast Mariners are 2023-24 ALM Champions!
Turns out they COULD do it on a cold Saturday night in Gosford.(Getty Images)(Getty Images)(Getty Images)
Thank you, Mariners
As the Mariners players walk across the stage to receive their medals, each one is given a huge roar from the local crowd.
They all carry a Mariners cap and clap it onto the head of a local kid who exchanges it for a grand finalists medal.
They all gather on the far side of the stage, waiting for captain Danny Vukovic to lift the iconic toilet-seat-shaped trophy and carry it under the banner, ready for the lift.
They've really captured lightning in a bottle, this club. Soak it in, fam. We may not see a story like this ever again.
Ryan Edmondson wins the Joe Marston Medal!
The Mariners striker's two goals won his team the Championship, so he's also awarded the medal for the Best On Ground at tonight's match.
Josh Nisbet wins the Johnny Warren medal!
The Central Coast Mariners midfielder was working in a supermarket just a few years ago, thinking of giving up his football career altogether.
Now, he's just been named the MVP of the A-League Men. Incredibly well-deserved.
Final thoughts
Chaotic as this is, I truly feel Australian football needed it. This is the kind of atmosphere most clubs can only dream of. Epic! And truly deserved. Three times around the world-distance wasn’t for nothing!
- Tassie Tom
What a terrific story the Central Coast Mariners are, and how lucky Australian football is to have them.
I personally can't speak highly enough of what this club has achieved, especially in the past few years. They may be one of the smallest clubs in Australian football, but this success shows they are one of the mightiest, not just on the field but off it, too.
The way they've captured the identity and belief of their community, build a team on solid foundations of local youth and unsung heroes, given opportunities to smart young coaches who love smooth, attacking football.
Everything they've done is a blueprint for other A-League clubs to follow. I'm so so happy for them.
Your reactions!
Back to back winners, three trophies this season. Have to put them up in the upper echelons of greatest Australian football teams. I hope the sauce bottles get to be part of the celebrations!
- Lewis
How good from the Mariners to come from behind and win the treble whilst also going back-to-back, Ryan Edmondson best on ground in the grand final without a doubt.
- Adam
What an unbelievable moment for the small-town club. Back-to-back A-League Men Champions, in addition to being Premiers and AFC Cup winners.
I'm not sure we'll see the likes of this ever again. What an incredible story for the club, and a reminder of what football in Australia is all about.
Brace-scorer Ryan Edmondson is in tears on the broadcast, talking about how grateful he is for the fans, and how the team's "never say die" attitude has been crucial for them all season.
Someone has just wrapped an old-school Mariners scarf around him. There are fans all over the field in the background of the shots on television. Not gonna lie, I'm getting a bit emotional here too.
Full time: Mariners 3 - 1 Victory
THE CENTRAL COAST MARINERS ARE A-LEAGUE MEN CHAMPIONS!
THEY'VE WON THE TREBLE!
THE FAIRYTALE IS COMPLETE!
FANS FLOOD THE FIELD!
HISTORY IS MADE IN GOSFORD!
SCENES!
A treble is a historic achievement, but it's extraordinarily funny to see victory lose
Wow...what a story...what a performance....the World Game delivers yet again!
- stumcin
The broadcast cameras are shaking with the feeling of the Mariners fans bouncing up and down in the stands. Their club has done it: the treble. Incredible moment.
121' GOAL MARINERS
RYAN EDMONDSON GETS HIS SECOND AND WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE CENTRAL COAST MARINERS!
The striker was left all alone at half-way as Victory poured their entire team forward, trying to find an equaliser.
But a long ball over the top of them all falls right into Edmondson's path, with him jogging into the box, taking a single touch before curling a shot in off the side netting at the far post.
3-1! Game over!
119' Kaltak clearance!
Another Victory corner is curled into a chaos of players near the penalty spot, but it's Mariners centre-back Brian Kaltak who gets there first, heading the ball so powerfully it almost makes it to half-way.
Moments later, substitute Ronald Barcellous makes a single-man half-field sprint, charging past Victory's defenders and galloping into the penalty area, but the angle is too tight to shoot. He tries to square it quickly, but there's nobody there to tap it home.
118' Max Balard is down
The young midfielder has been immense all game, and as he tries to chase down a ball that was hastily cleared by Paul Izzo, is crashed into the grass by a Victory defender.
He clutches at his calf. Cramp. No surprises there: he's covered basically every blade of grass on this beautiful turf tonight.
The clock is winding down. The Mariners are minutes away from being the first A-League Men club in history to hold three trophies at once.
Three minutes remaining
Central Coast fans truly deserve this win. Greatest grand final atmosphere I have seen so far, even without the sauce bottles!
- Tassie Tom
Mariners 2 - 1 Victory.
115' Wasted ball from Brimmer
Victory have thrown caution to the wind: they've got 2, maybe 3, at the back now, with everybody else basically up front.
There's a Victory player in between every Mariners player, and the ball falls to Jake Brimmer in midfield, who looks up and sees plenty of options.
The best is Connor Chapman on the far side, who's sprinting around the shoulder of Jacob Farrell. Brimmer tries to dink a long pass over everybody and into his path, but it's too big and bounces right into Vukovic's arms.
114' Victory substitution
Adama Traore is replaced by Connor Chapman.
112' Victory offside
Such a remarkable comeback from the Mariners to take the lead from one goal down and be within touching distance of the treble, how good it would be if they did end up getting the win at home today.
- Adam
Some improvisation from Adama Traore down the left wing sees him do a bicycle kick of the ball over his head, trying to find winger Chris Ikonimidis who's sliced in behind the Mariners' back-line.
But as he gets his foot on the ball and tries to turn, the linesperson raises their flag, calling him offside.
The Victory players look exasperated. They're trying and trying to get back into this, but now it's the Mariners' turn to bunker down and try to see the rest of this game out.
110' Play paused as Doka is tended to
The Mariners winger has blood on his face. He got cracked in the nose earlier in the game, so it could be broken, and it looks like blood has started pouring out now.
The fourth official forces Doka onto the sideline to be tended to, but before play can continue, Danny Vukovic sits down in the grass, forcing the Mariners physios to come onto the field and see to him, too.
It gives Doka enough time to get his nose patched up and return to the field. Now that's captaincy!
108' No luck!
The Mariners' yellow wall stands firm, with Brimmer's free kick cracking off Kaltak's torso and spinning away.
Victory aren't giving up, though. Ryan Teague tries to send the ball back in, but Steele throws himself in front of it. Now Ikonimidis has a go, spinning near the top of the box and trying to put his foot through the ball on the half-volley, but it slams off a Mariners player once again and bounces away.
107' Victory win a dangerous free kick
A lovely slalom run from Nishan Velupillay near the top of the Mariners box sees the Victory sub tripped over before he enters the area.
He tumbles into the grass and Alex King whistles a free kick.
Jake Brimmer, the free kick specialist, is standing over it. Danny Vukovic has set a four-person wall...
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