Returning Socceroos striker Jason Cummings scored nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient for the Central Coast Mariners in Sunday’s F3 derby in Gosford.
Cummings’ second-half aim was the one spotlight for the Mariners, who have been crushed 2-1 by the Newcastle Jets at Central Coast Stadium.
“I’m disappointed,” Cummings instructed Paramount + following his A-League return after representing the Socceroos on the World Cup in Qatar.
“I felt like we were a little bit tired today. Personally, I wasn’t good enough. I felt sluggish.
“I’ve not been 100 per cent since I came back with jet lag. I wasn’t at my best.”
Cummings nonetheless managed to equalise for the Mariners within the 53rd minute after Trent Buhagiar scored towards his former membership to offer the Jets a first-half lead.
The tiring Cummings was changed within the sixtieth minute by his Socceroos teammate Garang Kuol, with the Mariners seemingly having momentum on their aspect.
However, it was the Jets who as an alternative lifted, with the guests regaining the lead within the 66th minute via Georgian striker Beka Mikeltadze.
His countryman Beka Dartsmelia supplied the help with a well-placed nook to the again publish, the place Mikeltadze headed the ball previous Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic to attain his second aim of the season.
The Mariners thought they’d equalised for a second time when midfielder Josh Nisbet had the ball at the back of the web within the 74th minute.
However, a handball offence from Michael Ruhs within the build-up was noticed by the VAR and the Jets retained the result in finish their run of three successive A-League losses.
