Sydney FC will be looking to fast-track a European central defender into their squad this week in the wake of a looming defensive crisis as a result of a costly win over Central Coast Mariners.

Bruno Fornaroli has scored a dramatic late penalty to deny struggling Central Coast a famous New Year's Eve victory over A-League giants Melbourne City.

Jamie Maclaren's 76th-minute goal secured a 2-1 A-League win for Brisbane Roar over the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Sunday afternoon.

Wellington have begun the post-Ernie Merrick era with a sparkling 3-0 A-League win over Central Coast in Hamilton.

Western Sydney Wanderers move back into the finals bracket after sealing a 4-1 rout of Central Coast Mariners despite playing the final third with 10 men.

Zdenek Zeman, Sven Goran Eriksson and Terry Venables taught him about how to play but it required a local Australian to convince Paul Okon that it was possible here.

Frustrated coach Mark Jones was "disappointed to throw two points away" after the Newcastle Jets failed to strike a killer blow against a 10-man Central Coast Mariners

Danish striker Morten Nordstrand produced a clinical finish to help the Newcastle Jets snatch a 1-all draw with the Central Coast Mariners at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday and stretch their unbeaten run in the F3 derby to six games.

If Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick wants international breaks in the A-League, then his players did him no favours with a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Central Coast Mariners at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

Central Coast Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp admits there's lingering resentment towards the FFA in Canberra, but he's determined to "earn the right to have the crowd" at their games.

Roy Krishna has continued his stellar A-League form to inspire Wellington to a dominant 2-0 win over a disappointing Central Coast in Canberra.

Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick says "no one's listening" when he talks about international breaks.

Connor Pain would love to replicate last week's stunning strike against Adelaide in Canberra on Sunday.

In a sign of the Central Coast Mariners' commitment to making Canberra their home-away-from-home, they're considering playing any potential A-League finals games in the nation's capital, says former A-League4Canberra bid leader Ivan Slavich.

The Wellington Phoenix might be missing five of their first-choice XI, but Central Coast Mariners coach Paul Okon is still expecting them to have a strong team at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

A long-range striker by Mariners' Connor Pain long-range seals comeback win over Adelaide United at Cooper Stadium.

For the second time in a week, Western Sydney Wanderers suffered a second-half capitulation to slump to a disappointing draw to continue their winless start of the season at their new home precinct.

SYDNEY, Oct 22 AAP - A first half strike from Thomas Kristensen has helped a wasteful Brisbane hold off Central Coast 1-0 and claim their first win of the A-League season.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, FFA bosses Steven Lowy and David Gallop have been invited to Canberra's A-League "test" ahead of the Central Coast Mariners' return to the capital.

Sydney FC's first home game of the season started with a desperate plea to fans and finished with a standing ovation.

Central Coast coach Paul Okon has declared that as one of the championship favourites, Sydney FC carry the burden of pressure going into Saturday's A-League meeting.

The harshest insults are often those never intended and that's why Matt Simon's complete dismissal of the Mariners will sting the most.

• ANALYSIS

There is a beating heart at Central Coast Mariners after all. Nobody enjoyed last season's humiliating fall from grace for the 'little club that could', so Saturday night's epic comeback in Perth was a welcome sign of recovery. Sydney FC beware.

The last Canberra player to go through the Mariners system is not only a Socceroo, but "a world class player".

Jordan Tsekenis will join a core group of young Canberra Olympic hopefuls looking to launch an A-League career.

The Central Coast Mariners have set up a talent identification pathway for players in the territory, Capital Draft, giving three local stars the chance to test their skills with the elite club.

Somewhere out there are three Canberra footballers and one coach on the cusp of securing an opportunity to spend a week with the Central Coast Mariners.

Former Socceroos captain Paul Okon has been announced as the new Central Coast Mariners coach for the next two seasons.

The club that has aimed to propel the careers of so many young players has not ruled out doing so for a coach.