A-League: Jets beaten by Mariners in opening pre-season trial

Playing their first friendly, the Jets conceded two goals in three minutes midway through the second half at the Mariners' Tuggerah training base on Friday.

Both goals, scored by Lewis Miller and Harry Steele, were born from swift counter attacks.

"We had a five-minute spell where we weren't quite good enough and they countered a couple of times," Deans said. "It was around the 70-minute mark when tiredness came into the game. We still had pretty much the starting team on, but it was at the point where we were ready to make changes.

"The Mariners have been training four or five weeks longer and are a little more advanced than we are at this stage of the pre-season.

"We had some moments of good football and created enough chances to score a few goals, but we are not quite sharp enough at the moment.

"I'm sure, over the next few weeks, that will come."

The Jets were without Olyroos Angus Thurgate, Namy Najjarine, Johnny Koutroumbis and Connor O'Toole.

The Mariners had three players with the Australian under-23s.

"The Olyroos boys weren't there which effects the spine of the team," Deans said. "We are only in our third week of training. Most of the time we were comfortable getting to the middle third."

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The Mariners have collected the wooden spoon for the past two years. The Jets' loss, albeit in a trial, will do little to erase the sense of doom and gloom after the shock departure of coach Carl Robinson to Western Sydney and the uncertainty over the ownership.

"You can't control what people think from the outside," Deans said. "I don't see a group of players who are unhappy, who don't want to be here and aren't working hard.

"From the supporters' point of view, they want to see us win every time we play. As staff and players, we want to do that as well.

"But the plan is an eight-week plan for pre-season and we are three weeks into it. That was our first game and there is no need to panic.

"By the time we get to the final two pre-season games, if we are not winning, then we are not in a good place."

As well as the Olyroos, the Jets were also missing striker Bernie Ibini, who is on 10 days stress leave after the club turned down his request for a release.

"Bernie is a good footballer, and he showed at the end of last season that he is effective,"Deans said. "If he was available to play and fit, he would have made a difference. He is not available so it was an opportunity for the likes of Kosta Petratos."

Triallist Jeremy Brockie started in a front three alongside Roy O'Donovan and Petratos.

Of the contract hopefuls, former Western United striker Valentino Yuel shone the brightest.

"Valentino came on at half-time and made an immediate impact," Deans said. "He is aggressive and has a bit of an X-factor. He did enough to warrant having a further look at him."

Deans said apart from Yuel, the positives were that Nigel Boogaard, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Steve Ugarkovic and Jason Hoffman got through 90 minutes.

The Jets take on Edegworth next Saturday.

"We have our hardest week of pre-season next week," Deans said. "We have a game against Edgey and we will go into that feeling pretty uncomfortable physically.

"The big picture is making sure that by round one we are ready to go."

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