- Mariners make history with 3-1 victory over Melbourne Victory
- The team becomes the first A-League team to achieve a treble
- Edmondson starred for the Mariners and scored two late goals.
Unknown striker Ryan Edmondson has written himself into A-League Men’s folklore after his late brace secured an A-League Men’s championship for the treble-winning Central Coast Mariners with a 3-1 win at extra time over Melbourne Victory.
Edmondson’s prolific finishing resurrected the Mariners at the Industre Group Stadium on Saturday as Victory looked determined to win the title.
A well-taken goal from Jason Geria had put Tony Popovic’s team ahead in front of a crowd of 21,379 in Gosford.
But Edmondson, who was replaced by Alou Kuol at half-time, scored in the 91st minute to send the game into extra time.
Ryan Edmondson has written himself into A-League folklore after his late brace secured a championship for the Mariners.
Miguel Di Pizio further strengthened the Mariners’ grip on the championship before Edmondson secured the result with a 121st-minute goal that sparked a pitch invasion by the home fans.
“To say it’s my first major final, it’s not a bad thing,” said Edmondson, who joined Gosford from third-tier club Carlisle United in January.
‘It’s something that will stay with me for a long period of time.
“I started crying when the final whistle went and then everything became a blur.”
The result caps a remarkable season for the Mariners, who became the first Australian team to win a treble.
First-year coach Mark Jackson has taken the competition by storm, sealing a championship to go along with the ALM premiership and AFC Cup the Mariners clinched earlier this month.
Edmondson was named the Joe Marston Medal winner as player of the match after his last-gasp heroics extended Victory’s six-year wait for the competition’s most coveted award.
“What a fantastic night for this club and their fans, it’s an incredible achievement, those players never give up,” Jackson said.
The Central Coast Mariners have lifted the trophy for the third time
Edmondson (pictured) scored in the 91st minute to send the game into overtime.
The players were surrounded by happy fans as soon as the final whistle sounded.
“I’m confident that when Ryan isn’t starting he’ll be able to come in and make an impact and he did that tonight.”
“I had him when I was 16 at Leeds United, he showed quality tonight, but it was about the collective.
While the Mariners rejoiced, Victory boss Tony Popovic was left cursing his luck.
Saturday’s match was his fifth grand final as coach and his fifth defeat.
“For our guys, it’s hard to accept,” Popovic said.
‘You concede right in injury time… in extra time it’s a moment and they took theirs.
“In the end we lost in extra time, that’s how close we were.
“I haven’t been able to win any so far and that’s something I have to try to change.”
Victory should have established a stronger buffer after Daniel Arzani and Jordi Valadon teamed up to set up Geria, the right-back finishing from the edge of the area to put the visiting team ahead.
The Mariners’ luck seemed to have run out as they searched for a late equalizer, but somehow Josh Nisbet slipped a ball to Edmondson, who homered and sent a record crowd into a frenzy.
From there, the Mariners went to another level as Victory’s players began to fade.
Nisbet split the Victory defense with a pass that was returned to Di Pizio to put the hosts ahead in the 97th minute.
The victory threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, but they were left vulnerable to the counterattack, Edmondson scored a second goal to seal the victory, the title and the treble.
