Jackson claims hat-trick of awards Down Under

Former MK Dons head coach Mark Jackson is thriving in Australia after he claimed a third consecutive Coach of the Month award.

The Central Coast Mariners boss was sacked by Dons last May following the club's relegation to League Two after just five months in charge, having joined from Leeds in late December 2022.

Making the move Down Under, Jackson took over at the reigning A-League champions. After making a shaky start, Mariners have been on a charge over the last few months, and sit three points behind leaders Wellington Phoenix - who feature former Dons centre back Scott Wootton.

Under Jackson's guidance, Mariners have lost only one game since the middle of November, with the former Leeds United man claiming Coach of the Month in December, January and now February too.

Mariners have also booked themselves into the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal final after a 4-0 aggregate win over Odisha, which saw them contend with 35 degree temperatures in India. The clean sheet also means Jackson's side have not conceded a goal in more than 450 minutes, with 10 shut-outs in their last 12 matches.

They will take on Kyrgyzstan Top Liga side FK Abdish-Ata Kant, after they convincingly beat Taichung Futuro FC 8-1 on aggregate in the other Inter-Zonal semi-final.