Melbourne Victory gave a footballing masterclass to the Central Coast Mariners in front of 20,491 at AAMI Park on Wednesday night.

Mariners couldn’t handle a rampant Victory side who put away four goals against the team from Gosford.

Three of Victory’s big four where all firing in the first half with James Troisi, Marco Rojas and Fahid Ben Khalfallah all giving the Mariner’s back four problems.

Ben Khalfallah wound back the clock with breathtaking runs down the left flank giving Victory old boy Scott Galloway headaches.

It wouldn’t take long though for Ben Khalfallah to get the better of the right back as he after receiving the ball from Troisi set up Besart Berisha for what he thought would’ve been a record setting goal.

Berisha must have thought he would set a new A-League scorers record in 28th minute but instead shanked the unmissable onto defender Jake McGing who deflected the ball into the net.

Despite not having a ton on meaningful possession Central Coast still looked lively on the counter attack with Fabio Ferreira proving that he is a class player with some pacy runs.

The Portuguese had arguably the Mariners best chance in the first half, a stinging shot that went straight at Lawrence Thomas in the Victory goal.

Things didn’t get any better for the Mariners in the second half.

A 50th minute Troisi free kick was met by James Donachie who scored his first Victory goal with a controlled header.

Conor Pain immediately responded with a rocket shot that was only just saved by Thomas.

But the Victory continued to press and eight minutes Rojas scored after Ben Khalfallah slips him in for the tap in.

Those two were at it again not a minute later with Ben Khalfallah setting up Rojas again as the Victory pulled away from the helpless Mariners.

A string of substitutions from both managers took the sting out of the last part of the game and despite a late goal from Trent Buhagiar the damage had been done.

The win puts Victory in second place seven points behind the league leaders Sydney FC, but have a game in hand over their rivals.

Melbourne Victory 4 (OG McGing 28′, Donachie 50′, Rojas 58′ 59′, )
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Buhagiar 89′)

Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referees: George Lakrindis, Wilson Brown
Fourth Official: Jonathan Barreiro

Stadium: AAMI Park
Attendance: 20,491

Melbourne Victory: 20. THOMAS Lawrence (GK), 2. GERIA Jason, 15. BARO Alan, 17. DONACHIE James, 6. BROXHAM Leigh, 13 BOZANIC Oliver, 21.

VALERI Carl (C), 10. TROISI James (73′), 14. BEN KHALFALLH Fahid, 7 ROJAS Marco (63′), 8. BERISHA Besart (75′)
Substitutes: 4. ANSELL Nicholas, 5. GEORGIEVKSI Daniel (73′) 9. BEISTER Maximilian (75′), 23 INGHAM Jai (63′), 40. ACTON Matthew (GK).

Central Coast Mariners: 20. IZZO Paul (GK), 3. GALLOWAY Scott, 19. FATY Jacques, 22. McGING Jake, 21. NEILL Michael, 16. ROSE Liam (62′), 6. POWELL Blake, 8. MONTGOMERY Nick (C), 7. FERREIRA Fabio (62′), 11. PAIN Connor (84′), 9. O’DONOVAN Roy
Substitutes: 1. NECEVSKI Ivan (GK), 5. ASCROFT Harry, 12. BUHAGIAR Trent (84′), 13. APPIAH-KUBI Kwabena (62′), 14. BERRY Adam (62′)