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Alen Stajcic is calling for a siege mentality in Gosford after his side were beaten by Adelaide United in what the Central Coast Mariners coach describes as a one in a million result .
Adelaide came from behind twice to beat the Mariners 3-2 on Friday evening as striker Tomi Juric converted three penalty kicks.
Stajcic s high-flying Mariners were on course to extend their lead atop the competition leader when Golden Boot frontrunner Alou Kuol arrived off the bench and restored the lead in the second half after Juric had cancelled out Daniel De Silva s opener.
But two other penalty decisions in the second stanza saw Juric twice bury spot-kicks to complete his maiden A-League hat-trick and deny Central Coast their first A-League win in the City of Churches since 2016.
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Melbourne Victory emerge from Victoria s recent five-day lockdown to take on Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.
Victory are winless in three after two successive defeats at the hands of Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar followed a 0-0 draw with Western United in Matchweek 6.
The recent run of results sent Victory to the foot of the A-League table, and the challenges don t get any easier for Grant Brebner s side this weekend with a constantly improving Jets outfit coming to town
Newcastle are on a four-game unbeaten streak (W2, D2) heading into the contest at AAMI Park, conceding three goals in the process. Craig Deans has his side fighting for every point after losing their first four games of the 2020/21 A-League campaign.
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Brisbane Roar will be determined to end a two-game winless run and rediscover their early season form against Sydney FC at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday night.
After losing their first fixture of the new campaign Warren Moon s Roar outfit went on a four-game winning streak before faltering of late, losing to Macarthur FC in Matchweek 7 and playing out a 0-0 stalemate with Newcastle Jets in their last outing.
Brisbane sit in third on the A-League table despite the stagnation, ahead of the Sky Blues in fifth by three points leading into the Matchweek 9 clash.
Sydney FC have two games in hand over the Roar and the significant ascendancy throughout recent fixtures between the two sides, having won four and drawn one of their last six games against the Queenslanders.
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Western Sydney Wanderers will be looking to extended their unbeaten A-League run to seven games on their travels to face Wellington Phoenix at WIN Stadium on Sunday night.
Wellington began Matchweek 9 on four points, level with Melbourne Victory at the foot of the A-League table.
With just one win and six goals generated throughout Wellington s first six games of the 2020/21 campaign, Phoenix head coach Ufuk Talay will be hoping his side can produce a far more productive attacking showing against the Red and Black - who are yet to concede from open play this season.
Unbeaten in six games (W3, D3), The Wanderers are rolling under the tutelage of Carl Robinson. The Welshman has orchestrated the solid run of form shown since his side lost 1-0 to Macarthur FC in the opening game of the 2020/21 A-League season.
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Football fans will be up in the clouds during a bumper Matchweek 9 and the A-League ladder is sure for a shake-up with seven matches played out in the space of six days.
Adelaide United get the action underway when they host league-leaders Central Coast Mariners at Coopers Stadium on Friday, February 19.
A Saturday double-header is to follow, with Western United playing Macarthur FC before Brisbane Roar travel to face Sydney FC at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium.
Melbourne Victory take on Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon and Wellington Phoenix host Western Sydney Wanderers later that evening, before the action rolls into mid-week.