If the F3 Derby is to once again become a key fixture, it needs prime time slots, says Paul Okon.

A brace from Besart Berisha and a superb solo goal from James Troisi saw Melbourne Victory seal a comfortable win over Central Coast Mariners and keep their faint premiership hopes alive.

Central Coast Mariners are disappointed three rugby league trial games have threatened the quality of the pitch at Central Coast Stadium and were scheduled less than 24 hours before one of the biggest games of the season.

He copped abuse in public from fans, dealt with an online campaign to have him dropped and his club signed a veteran replacement. Yet, Paul Izzo bounced back to reclaim his starting position and silence his critics.

Mariners boss Shaun Mielekamp says it is up to the ACT govt to decide if they have a future presence in Canberra.

Back-to-back home wins in the same season have been a long time coming Paul Okon leaves the capital with "a good taste in his mouth".

When Mariners midfielder Liam Rose runs on to Canberra Stadium this weekend he will have a few friendly faces in the stands.

Temperatures are set to soar on the day of a must-win clash, but the heat doesn't have Central Coast Mariners captain Nick Montgomery breaking into a sweat.

The FFA will work in conjunction with meteorologists to determine what happens with the Canberra Stadium double header.

But Central Coast Mariners have thrown their support behind the W-League team's title bid.

​Central Coast manager Paul Okon has challenged the A-League match review panel to follow the precedent shown in Besart Berisha's case and clear his striker Roy O'Donovan.

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.