Although he was pleased with the win and substantial goal difference boost, Western NSW Mariners FC coach Jason Payne was still left searching for positives after his side’s 16-0 shellacking of Parramatta on Sunday afternoon.
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He did find a couple, even though he conceded it’s hard to take too much from that kind of win.
“Look, we can only play what’s in front of us but Parramatta are struggling,” he said.
“I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes but apparently they’re struggling to get players to training or away games, although they struggled to get fresh players for the top grade even when we played them down there.
“They finished Sunday’s game with nine players, had a different goalkeeper in each half.
“We knew they were going to struggle, so we wanted to use the game to work on a few things we’ve identified in the last few weeks, and try to get them right leading into some tough games against St George FC, Mt Druitt FC and University of NSW in the next few weeks.”
In a tough month for the Mariners, they’ll follow those three games with a clash against competition leaders, APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC.
We wanted to use the game to work on a few things we’ve identified in the last few weeks, and try to get them right leading into some tough games.
- Mariners coach Jason Payne
If Western, sitting second, continues on its current path the Tigers fixture will be a top-of-the-table clash.
“They’re tough games coming up,” Payne said.
“We’ve struggled to bring it out of our own end at times this season and transition through the midfield so that’s one big thing we wanted to use the Parramatta game to improve on, building that foundation.
“We also wanted to make sure we didn’t get too complacent or take our foot off the gas.
“They didn’t, which was good. Although a few of the players came off at half-time and sort of felt like they hadn’t done anything, but that was obviously to do with the lack of intensity in the game.”
By the statistics Jess Salomoni and Larissa Kilby both grabbed hat-tricks, although Payne said he wasn’t entirely sure if those numbers were correct, while Poorsha McPhillamy and Kallie Sargent scored doubles.
Chloe Lanham, Sarah Colman, Cushla Rue, Annabel Meadley and Teegan Courtney also found the back of the net, while Parramatta’s Mary Gindi helped Western’s cause with an own goal.
It was 6-0 at half-time, with Western banging in 10 more goals in the second half when Parramatta was understaffed.
Payne reserved special praise for Rue, an under 15s gun who was making her sixth appearance of the year in the top grade.
“She’s only young but she came and did a really good job, scored a goal too,” Payne said