The Newcastle Jets will be attempting to score their first goal of the season and claim their first home points on Saturday when the side meets Central Coast Mariners in their second F3 derby in just two weeks.
The Newcastle Jets will be attempting to score their first goal of the season and claim their first home points on Saturday when the side meets Central Coast Mariners in their second F3 derby in just two weeks.
After a disappointing 1-0 loss to Sydney FC during their first home game at EnergyAustralia Stadium, the Jets are looking to secure their first victory, which is a task that Coach Wayne O-Sullivan believes his side is well prepared for.
“Communication is a vital ingredient for the game – any successful team has good communication with and without the ball so little errors can be erased quickly with good organisation, quick set up and communicating that message to the teammates around you clearly and precisely,
“We haven-t done that in a couple of incidences and we-ve suffered as a consequence,” he said.
After changing the starting forward line up coming into the Jets- Round 3 match, O-Sullivan maintains that any of his players has the opportunity to run onto the park against the Central Coast Mariners this weekend.
“We will comfortably look at any one of our 20 players who are available this week and say ‘ok, we-ll play this person-, because the girls have equal opportunity – if they perform, they will play,” he said.
After suffering a calf injury during the match against Sydney FC, Jets defender Loren Mahoney has a positive initial diagnosis and is hoping to return to training this week in preparation of the Round 4 match.
The Jets rivalry with the Mariners goes beyond its traditional F3 roots, with squad member Emma Stewart playing out the 2008 Westfield W-League season for the club and O-Sullivan along with Assistant Coach Andre Gumprecht, also playing under the Central Coast Mariners banner in the Hyundai A-League in recent years.
Currently in 2nd place on the Westfield W-League ladder, taking points off the Mariners could be a tough ask for the Jets.
“They are a good, attractive football team, and they move the ball quickly – they play like we like to play as well so it will be a good game to watch – they-ve got a good intensity with what they do,” said O-Sullivan.
Despite the Jets current position in 6th place after three rounds of a short ten round season, Captain Hayley Crawford is confident the side can take advantage of the games to come.
“There are seven games to go and there are a lot of points that we can gain from that,” she said.
The Jets will face the Mariners on Saturday October 24 at Wanderers Oval, kicking off at 4pm. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
