CENTRAL Coast Mariners coach Tony Walmsley knew it was coming - he just couldn’t stop it.

The Newcastle Jets have ground their way to a 1-nil A-League pre-season victory over the Mariners at Wade Park, with the 2,124-strong crowd - a good figure considering torrential rain fell within the hour before kick-off - left stunned as the dominant Central Coast outfit finished on the wrong end of a thrilling spectacle on Sunday.

Both sides had their chances to score, but first blood was eventually drawn courtesy of a corner in the 52nd minute when Jets defender Jason Hoffman leapt high above the Mariners’ defence to head the ball into the bottom right corner of the Central Coast goal.

It proved a decisive yet unlikely winner.

The Mariners had a wealth of chances to score, and amongst the throng of shots that could have netted them a winner, Roy O’Donovan’s fifth-minute strike was the pick.

Simply, he had to hit it home.

Pouncing on a Jets defensive play that can only be called a calamity, O’Donovan then beat Newcastle keeper Mark Birighitti one-one-one before firing off a shot that tragically hit the woodwork and deflected wide.

Considering the heavy presence of Jets defenders every other time the Mariners ventured into their attacking half, that fifth-minute opportunity needed to be converted.

It wasn’t, and Walmsley said execution was clearly an issue.

“We’re disappointed we didn’t play as well as we anticipated we would,” Walmsley said post-game.

“I think the conditions played a part. We came here to be inventive and try and score goals, we couldn’t really get going but you could see the intent was there.

“Newcastle achieved what they came here to do, which was grind out a result. Good luck to them.”

By and large, the Jets have keeper Birighitti to thank for the pre-season success.

Finishing on the bottom of last year’s A-League ladder, Newcastle isn’t tipped to challenge the likes of giants Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers or Melbourne Victory this summer, but if they can push them at times, it’ll be on the back of Birighitti’s brilliance between the sticks.

Aside from the fifth-minute O’Donovan miss - one that fortunately didn’t cost him - Birighitti pulled off a number of stunning saves, his block of a Fabio Ferriera thunderbolt in the 28th minute sensational.

At the same time, the work of Paul Izzo in goal for Mariners was sublime as well.

Just after the Jets went a goal up, the Central Coast shot-blocker produced a great, full-stretch diving save on a clever chip from Jets Serbian midfielder Enver Alivodic.

Both had the Wade Park crowd on their feet.

Later, Jets replacement Mitch Cooper’s shot on goal hit the post, with the rebound attempt from Radovan Pavicevic sailing well wide.

The miss kept the Mariners’ hopes of salvaging a draw alive, and as time drew to a close, that hope nearly came to fruition when a deft cross from Anthony Caceres found the head of Jake Adelson, only for Birighitti to pull of his last and most crucial stop.

“He’s been very good for us,” Newcastle midfielder Ben Kantarovski said of his in-form goalkeeper.

“He’s worked hard and so has the rest of the team. 

“From the back to the front, we’ve worked hard on making sure we’re strong defensively and well disciplined and well organised.

Kantarovski said any win over Central Coast was a good win, especially as the club looks to rebound after a horrid 2014-15.

“It’s good to get one up especially in a derby,” he said.

“It was a good hit out and we’ll use that heading into the season proper.”

NEWCASTLE JETS 1 (Jason Hoffman, 52’) def CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 0