David Elliott blogs on the Central Coast Mariners for BPL. Click here to become a fellow blogger.

Unlike Sydney FC, who have a distinctive style of play, if someone asked me what type of football the Mariners play, I'd struggle to give you an answer. It is however, a brand of football that can get the job done one week and then fail miserably the next. The game against Sydney FC this weekend was somewhere in the middle.

Not many people could argue against the fact that the Mariners were pretty poor in the first half, that said, so too were Sydney. Too often they turned the ball over and were bereft of ideas going forward. I've said it before and I'll say it again - John Hutchinson is simply not a playmaker. And despite the stoic defence of Josh Rose and Zwaanswijk I think the player of the first half was debut ‘keeper Matt Ryan's left goal-post - twice saving the Mariners.

It seemed that the lack of movement off the ball and the lack of conviction in winning the second ball was going to cost the Mariners for a second week in a row when Rhyan Grant poked home after Matt Ryan spilt an awkward cross. But Grant's goal indirectly led to Sydney's downfall as only six minutes later Arnold made the substitution that all Mariners fans have waited for, the injection of Patricio Perez.

And he immediately had an impact, beating his man with his first touch and then delivering a classy cross that was unlucky to find a Mariners attacker. It also seemed as though he had a positive effect on the whole Mariners team, suddenly the belief that had been lacking returned and they turned the heat onto an out of form Sydney side.

It was the way Perez won the penalty in the 71st minute that turned the game on its head. A different - local - striker would have played on and probably scuffed the shot, instead Perez showed his class and experience and went down under the challenge of Liam Reddy and made no mistake with the resulting penalty. Controversial or not, you've got to admire the way the penalty was won. He then had a chance to score the winner it but was ruled offside in a tight decision. I think we found our new hero!

Sydney combusted with four consecutive yellow cards for dissent and a livid Lavicka basically pleaded with his team to settle while the Mariners tried to press home the advantage. The end 1-1 draw was probably fair and for a neutral it was a great finish to an otherwise dour game. Mariners fans however will be asking why did it take so long for Perez to get a start? For me, I just hope the Marinators are a bit more inventive in the song for Perez - it's time for them to show some creativity.