In the double header at Canberra Stadium on Saturday the Central Coast Mariners werr forced to also share points, as Canberra held them to a single goal and grabbed an early goal through a penalty, for a 1-1 result.

Certainly it was obvious from the start that the Capital team weren't ready to say thanks to the Mariners for taking on the travel for them. From an attack in the first minute by the visitors that local 'keeper Lydia Williams had no trouble with, they launched a raid to the other ends led by flamboyant Chinese import Tseng Shu O, only to see that end up over the crossbar.

More joy 2 minutes later when a clumsy foul in the Mariners penalty area, handed Canberra an opening. Ellie Brush stepped up to slot it well to left side of 'keeper Jillian Loyden. 0-1

Buoyed by the lead the combination of Tseng and mobile striker Ashleigh Sykes was causing the imposing by more static Mariners defence a lot of concern, however the pair were often forced inside or loosed their shots wide of the mark.

At the other end the Mariners started to test Matilda 'keeper Williams, and it not unexpected when at last they breachd that barrier. Kelly Golebiowski had been pushed into the left of midfield by coach Stephen Roche and it was paying off. The veteran Matilda covered a lot of ground. In the 20th minute she went on a mazing run through the midfield and played the ball out right to Kendall Fletcher. Fletcher cut inside an beat Williams with a shot that took a deflection, wrong footing the custodian. 1-1

Golebiowski caused concern several minutes later and it was only a superb tackle by Lin Chiung Ying that denied the Coast. Lin was injured in the tackle and was replaced.

The quality of Williams was underlined in the 36th minute when from a corner on the right she made an incredible one handed save with the ball past her intended angle of dive.

The Mariners contunued to press in the first half but could not go to the break with any more joy

The second half started as a even contest with neither team being able to get many real opportunites as play bogged down in a midfield battle.

Cian Maciewski did draw a save from Loyden in the 48th minute, and Williams like-wise saved off Fletcher in the 71st.

The Mariners were dominating possession but were not capitalising with on-target strikes to defeat Williams, and Canberra for their part were unable to get their fleet of foot attackers behind the massed defence of the Coast enough to get shots on target.

With Brisbane back to their winning ways, with a 6-0 result over Glory the Mariners will regret that that couldn't do better with this one, whilst still leaving them in 2nd place. Canberra must start to win games to get into the finals frame.