Central Coast Mariners have recorded their first win in the A-League Women competition after a near-14-year absence, defeating Adelaide United 2-1.
Goals either side of the interval to Taren King and Wurigumula had the visitors in the box seat on Friday at Coopers Stadium.
Adelaide pulled one back soon after the hour but were unable to find an equaliser.
Mariners assistant coach Jake Stephenson said his side was thrilled with the performance.
“Everyone is really delighted for the win,” he said.
“We have a lot of respect for Adelaide. They’re a very good team and they’ve got some very good players. We’re happy the way we got the result tonight.”
Central Coast were on the attack early, with midfielder Bianca Galic released inside United’s penalty area before cutting back to Rola Badawiya, whose shot was thwarted in a desperate save from Claudia Jenkins.
The Reds had a chance on the half hour when Alana Jancevski slipped through Rosetta Taylor, who rounded Courtney Newbon before defender Annabel Martin intercepted and cleared the danger.
The Mariners broke the deadlock on 43 minutes after a well-worked short corner.
Badawiya whipped the ball in towards the back post where it was met by Jazmin Wardlow who nodded it back across goal for King to head over Jenkins, who'd rushed off her line.
The Mariners emerged from the interval and immediately asserted their authority, carving out a superb chance on 51 minutes when Paige Hayward cut back for Wurigumula, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Jenkins.
Wurigumula had another opportunity two minutes later, blasting over the bar from the edge of the area when Reds’ keeper Jenkins spilled Peta Trimis’ hopeful ball forward.
Central Coast’s pressure eventually told and they deservedly added a second on 55 minutes.
Isabel Gomez lofted a ball over Adelaide’s defence and an unmarked Wurigumula controlled it before shooting into the roof of the net.
United pulled a goal back in the 68th minute after a brilliant short corner move straight from the training ground.
Jancevski passed to Sarah Morgan, who found Holmes outside the penalty area. The Reds' skipper picked out the run of Morgan who had ghosted through the box, and United's No.5 squared across goal for Ella Tonkin to tap in.
Coach Adrian Stenta said United were far from their best.
“I just felt like we started slow and it took us too long to click into gear and play the way we wanted to play,” he said.
