The Newcastle Jets have recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Sydney FC at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Jets eased into the contest and had a couple of half chances before some great play from striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos resulted in Clayton Taylor turning his opponent inside out to tuck past Andrew Redmayne and make it 1-0 after 19 minutes.
The Jets continued to put the foot down and doubled their lead when some great play on the wing from Daniel Stynes resulted in the midfielder cutting the ball back inside for Reno Piscopo who smashed the ball into the roof of Redmayne’s net after 28 minutes.
The match sparked into controversy when Sydney midfielder Robert Mak was sent off for an elbow to the face of Jets defender Phillip Cancar.
The red card didn’t halt the visitors who pulled a goal back just before half-time when a backheel inside the box from Anthony Caceres found Fábio Gomes who finished past Ryan Scott.
The Sky Blues were determined to not let the red card deter them and at the start of the second half they continued to threaten with Joe Lolley finding space out wide and testing Ryan Scott in goal.
The Jets soon made it 3-1 in the 60th minute when Taylor threaded a ball in behind for Stamatelopoulos who cooly finished past Redmayne. The linesman flagged for offside however after a brief VAR check the goal was awarded.
Rob Stanton’s side should have made it 4-1 when Stamatelopoulos and Taylor linked up once again with the latter’s shot cleared off the line by young Sydney defender Hayden Matthews.
The visitors continued to throw everything at the Jets but Newcastle held firm to secure a much needed win.
Rob Stanton’s side now faces Brisbane Roar on Saturday 13th April at Suncorp Stadium at 5.30 pm AEST.
