Four goals in 13 minutes sealed the women’s Premier League Two minor premiership for Central Coast Mariners Academy at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium on Sunday.

In a game that produced seven goals including an own goal, three yellow cards and a sending off, the Academy were able to out-class hosts Western Mariners to not only win their match 5-2 but also the competition’s minor prize.

Levelled at 1-1 with hosts Western Mariners at half-time, the game came to life between the 51st and 64th minutes of play when five goals were scored between the teams.

Four of them were by the visitors as they twice scored back-to-back goals.

Tony Clancy said the experience of the Central Coast side shone through in the second half.

“The first half itself was a good contest. It was a pretty even sort of thing. Then they showed their class in the second half,” said the Western Mariners coach.

“They’ve played together for a long time. They know where the runs are, and when someone has the ball they know where the next person is going to be, and you could see that when they attacked with the ball.”

In a frantic start, it was 1-1 before the game was five minutes old.

Playing on her home turf, Mudgee’s Jess Salomoni scored in the second minute when she latched onto the ball from outside the 18-yard box and put it past Central Coast goalkeeper Ashley Sweetnam.

But her goal was cancelled out less than two minutes later when Western goalkeeper Jessica Daymond tried to hit the ball over the bar but instead knocked it into her net for an own goal.

For the next 15 minutes, both teams had numerous chances to hit the lead, none better than the home side who were twice denied by a desperate Sweetnam.

The first yellow card was issued 10 minutes from half-time to Jane Hanrahan but it would not be the last time the referee reached into his pocket.

At the 40th minute mark, Western’s Katie Pakai-Kelly was issued a yellow card for a harsh challenge on Central Coast’s Lauren Bryant.

But in a bizarre twist Bryant was the one to see red when she swore at the referee.

As the two teams started the second half, Western got on the front foot when they nearly hit the lead inside the opening minute through Kya Godbier but to no avail.

However, there would be goals aplenty to come and it started off in the 51st minute.

Central Coast right wing Kayla Alexander’s cross across the goal mouth was fumbled by Daymond and Jayme Fressard netted the ball home for a 2-1 lead.

Two minutes later, Central Coast scored their third, albeit in controversial fashion, to go 3-1 up.

The linesman put his flag up but then put it down, however all the Western players had stopped which allowed Tahlor Thackray to score.

Western pulled a goal back on the 55th minute mark when Godbier’s shot crept over the line before Central Coast could kick it away.

Western had a sniff at victory down 3-2 but it soon disappeared when Fressard scored her second in the 62nd minute and Alexander’s 64th minute goal put the Academy out to a 5-2 lead.

Western brought on fresh substitutes but they could not breach the three-goal gap.

“I know it sounds silly when they’ve scored five goals but in the first half I thought the back four [defenders] were really, really good,” Clancy said.

“They stuck in for each other and like, they did a lot of covering.

“I would say [my best player was] Charlee McPherson. She was playing at 10 and she won a heap of ball and wanted to be there.”

Western sits in sixth position, seven points from the bottom, and they play the Inter Lions at Bathurst’s Proctor Park on Sunday.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS ACADEMY 5 (Jayme Fressard 2, Kayla Alexander, Tahlor Thackray, Jessica Daymond (own goal) goals) def WESTERN MARINERS 2 (Jess Salomoni, Kya Godbier goals).