‘Disappointed’ coach reaches out to fans and players after Mariners’ historic F3 Derby defeat

Central Coast Mariners’ head coach Mark Jackson extended an apology to the club’s supporters following a disheartening 6-0 defeat to Newcastle Jets in the F3 Derby on Saturday night.

Down to ten men, the Mariners were overwhelmed by a ruthless Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium, where the Jets matched the largest victory margin in the derby’s 20-year history.

Aleksandar Susnjar opened the scoring for Newcastle in the 17th minute, and the match dramatically shifted when Storm Roux received a red card for elbowing Jets midfielder Callum Timmins. From that moment, the two-time reigning champions conceded five additional goals, officially extinguishing their slim hopes of reaching the finals.

This six-goal defeat equalled the record for the largest winning margin in F3 Derby history, previously set in April 2018 when the Jets triumphed 8-2 over the Mariners.

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“I’m feeling a bit embarrassed sitting here,” Jackson remarked to reporters after the match.

“First and foremost, I wish to apologise to our supporters who consistently back us and came out tonight expecting a better performance. That display was simply not good enough and unacceptable.

“All I can do is say sorry and promise to do my utmost to rectify this situation and improve things for the remainder of the season and into next season as well.”

When questioned if he had sensed any problems prior to the match and whether everything was in order, Jackson responded, “In my mind, all those boxes were ticked during the week as we prepared. Even in the warm-up today, I stand back while my staff lead the team’s warm-up.”

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“I genuinely felt a positive energy from the players. The focus seemed right, and we had a clear game plan against Newcastle. However, once the match commenced, we underperformed; even before the red card, I felt we were lacking.”

“We frequently discuss individual battles within the game, and unfortunately, we’re not winning enough of those this season. If we can’t compete effectively in these duels and win the ball cleanly, we can’t expect to win matches. This has been evident for us this season, and it’s my responsibility to address it.”

After being reduced to ten men in the 39th minute, Jackson was asked whether the numerical disadvantage influenced the final score.

“Absolutely,” he responded. “However, that was a mistake on our part. We discussed controlling our emotions and being prepared for a derby match, but we shot ourselves in the foot with that red card.”

“Teams often go down to ten men and don’t concede that many goals around the world. It requires a lot more discipline. Perhaps a more cautious, counter-attacking style is needed.”

“We addressed this at half-time, discussing how to improve our situation. Yet, within just a couple of minutes after the break, we conceded again due to our defensive lapses and conceding a goal that was simply disappointing. We had spoken about this break, looked at tactics to get back into the game, but better structure and discipline are required. Our early lack of discipline made the challenge overwhelmingly difficult.”

After a remarkable treble in the 2023-24 season, the Mariners now find themselves sitting 10th in the league, a staggering nine points away from the top six.

When asked if players were essentially playing for their futures at the club, Jackson affirmed, “100%, yes.”

“It’s my duty to ensure the team achieves success. We experienced that last season. Yes, clubs go through player turnover, and it presents challenges, but we are not alone in that.”

“We must ensure we have a squad capable of competing successfully. That is our goal. We achieved it last season, but this season has seen us fall well short. It’s my responsibility to improve and ensure we are ready to challenge next season.”