CHARLESTOWN coach David Tanchevski will give a host of talented youngsters a taste of the A-League when the Blues take on Central Coast Mariners in a friendly.
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In a coup, the NPL club will host the Central Coast at Lisle Carr Oval on Tuesday, July 23, in the lead-up to the Mariners FFA Cup round-of-32 match against Maitland.
"It is always a highlight when you play against an A-League side," Tanchevski said. "We would rather be doing it in an FFA Cup fixture like Maitland. Still, it is an opportunity for the boys to test themselves against better players. The young boys, especially, they will thrive on that.
"Daniel Hughes and Max Vegter are two centrebacks who have played a few first grades and done really well. Tyrell Paulson has been doing really well in 20s. Someone like Tommy Smart, who will miss the next three games on suspension, will need game time. We are carrying a pretty big squad this year and there are a lot of good players who haven't been getting a lot of game time."
The friendly follows a hectic period for Charlestown, who sit four points outside the top four on 19 points and play four games in the next two weeks, including catch-up fixtures against Lake Macquarie and Hamilton Olympic.
"Any players who have niggling injuries or are suffering from exhaustion won't play against the Mariners," Tanchevski said. "The priority is the league."
Charlestown president Dean Crossley, who was approached about the game by the Mariners last Friday, hopes it becomes an annual event.
"It is the first time we will have played an A-League club," Crossley said. "The fact we made the FFA Cup round-of-32 last year may have influenced them. It will be good exposure for our club and an opportunity for some of our younger players to play against quality opposition. It will give the community in our local area the chance to see an A-League team in action."
Tanchevski's immediate concern is the rescheduled clash against Lake Macquarie at Macquarie Field on Wednesday night.
Scores were locked at 1-all when the round-14 match was called off early in the second half on June 23 after rain created puddles on a sodden surface.
Tanchevski has been highly critical of the pitch at Macquarie Field and called for the match to be relocated.
"We are going to have to set up differently," he said. "You can't play free-flowing footy on that surface. It will be a tricky game. They have quality up front in Sam Walker, who can hurt you."
Experienced striker Scott Smith comes in for Kane Goodchild, who suffered a hamstring injury in the game that was called off.
