They may not have claimed all three points at home, but a super second half has seen the Jets claim a share of the spoils in front of 11,468 fans at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
After a slow start to the match where they fell behind early, the Jets dominated the final 30 minutes, scoring an equaliser and creating a plethora of chances.
But, they just couldn’t find the elusive winner as the visitors defence held firm.
Newcastle paid the price for their slow start just after the quarter hour mark when former Jet Mark Bridge struck.
Jumpei controlled the ball just inside the box following Wanderers corner, darted past a couple of Jets and unleased a strike which ricocheted off Steven Ugarkovic and fell to Bridge, who clinically thumped in his first A-League goal in more than a year.
The Jets got a foothold in the match as half-time approached, with Andrew Nabbout a constant threat down the left edge.
However, the home side couldn’t find the breakthrough and headed to the sheds down by a solitary goal.
When, they returned, the Wanderers almost doubled their advantage as Alvaro Cejudo nearly curled home from an acute angle on the right.
Cejudo was a constant threat in the early exchanges of the second half, almost heading in the visitors second just before the hour mark before the Jets suddenly came to life.
It seemed that parity had been restored in the 61st minute, when Andrew Nabbout was threaded through on goal by O’Donovan, but the bustling winger was adjudged to be just offside.
Seconds after coming onto the park for Wayne Brown, substitute Joe Champness just fired wide from outside the box.
In the 68th minute the Jets broke Western Sydney’s resistance as Jason Hoffman charged down the right edge, and curled a perfect cross in front of O’Donovan who lashed his shot straight at Janjetovic.
The Wanderers custodian blocked the initial shot, but couldn’t save the follow up as Dimi Petratos arrived late on the scene and swept in the equaliser.
From that point, the Jets looked most likely to grab the winner and almost had it a couple of minutes later through Champness.
Champness was outstanding off the bench, forcing Janjetovic into a diving save with seconds remaining in normal time.
But, it wasn’t to be for the Jets as Western Sydney held firm to claim a point away from home.
What the coach said:
“I was a slow start and you can look for excuses, which the players didn’t. Having to change Daniel Geogievski early and not having a number ten, there are no excuses for such a poor start.
“The way the boys pressed to come away with a win was most pleasing, and a draw’s not good enough at the club. That’s what I’ve been trying to instil. It’s about winning, it’s about entertaining and you entertain when you win and score goals.”
The moments:
7′ | 0 – 0 | Both sides find their feet early on, @wswanderersfc with the better of the play thus far. #NEWvWSW
9′ | 0 – 0 | A resounding response from the Novocastrian faithful for Ronny ??? #NEWvWSW
16′ | 0 – 0 | Goal @wswanderersfc Jumpei with a dazzling run and shot, which deflected off Jets to Bridge who smashes home clinically #NEWvWSW
21′ | 0 – 1 | BROWN!! Close. Petratos shapes to shoot and lays off to the Englishman who curls on goal. Good save from Janjetovic. #NEWvWSW
39’ | 0 – 1 | Jets enjoying an extended period of possession as they look to level the score here at @MJStadium #NEWvWSW
49’ | 0 – 1 | CHANCE! Cejudo goes close with a shot that sails just over the crossbar #NEWvWSW
60’ | 0 – 1 | OFFSIDE! O’Donovan puts Nabbout behind the WSW defence as he finds the back of the net – only to be pulled up by the linesman #NEWvWSW
68’ | 1 – 1 | GOOOALL! Dimi Petratos with the finish after O’Donovan’s initial strike was saved by Janjetovic. We’re all level here at @MJStadium #NEWvWSW
69’ | 1 – 1 | It’s out and out attack here from the Jets as Nabbout and Champness both go close, right off the back of the equaliser #NEWvWSW
75’ | 1 – 1 | CHANCE! A Nabbout header sails just wide after another neat cross from Petratos #NEWvWSW
84’ | 1– 1 | CHANCE! The Jets go close again through Champness as the Jets continue to attack #NEWvWSW
89’ | 1– 1 | CLOSE! Champness again! A slick set of short passes gives the young gun some pace to shoot, well handled by Janjetovic #NEWvWSW
90+2’ | 1– 1 | CHANCE! O’Donovan goes close with a diving header #NEWvWSW
Ground: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Attendance: 11, 468
Referee: Chris Beath
Newcastle Jets: 1. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 4. Nigel BOOGAARD, 5. Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Dimi PETRATOS, 9. Roy O’DONOVAN, 10.Wayne BROWN, 13. Ivan VUJICA, 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 17. Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 44. Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY
Subs: 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 12.Mario SHABOW, 16.Nick COWBURN, 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 24.Joe CHAMPNESS
Subs Not Used:
Yellow Cards: I. Vujica (71′), N. Topor-Stanley (85′), J. Hoffman (90′ +1′)
Red Cards: N/A
Goals: D. Petratos (68’)
Western Sydney: 4.Josh RISDON, 5.Brendan HAMILL, 9.Oriol RIERA, 10.Ă€lvaro CEJUDO, 14.Jumpei KUSUKAMI, 15.Kearyn BACCUS, 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE (c), 19.Mark BRIDGE, 20.Vedran JANJETOVIC (gk), 24.RaĂşl LLORENTE, 25.Chris HERD
Subs: 8.Roly BONEVACIA, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 16. Jaushua SOTIRIO, 22.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS, 30.John HALL (gk)
Subs Not Used:
Yellow Cards: C. Herd (45′), J. Risdon (47′), J. Aspropotamitis (80′), R. Bonevacia (82′)
Red Cards: N/A
Goals: M. Bridge (16’)
