Ahead of Saturday’s F3 Derby at Hunter Stadium, we take a look back at the Jets’ most memorable wins over the Mariners.
Another edition of the Hyundai A-League-s original and fiercest derby match will take place at Hunter Stadium when the Newcastle Jets face the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night.
The two clubs share one of the most closely contested head-to-head records in the A-League after 29 games played. The Mariners have 10 victories to the Jets- nine, while there have also been 10 draws.
The tone for this ferocious local rivalry was set in the first ever competitive match between the clubs when Mariners striker Nik Mrdja broke the leg of Jets defender Andrew Durante with a horrible, studs-up tackle.
For evidence of the fiercely-contested nature of F3 Derby fixtures, one only has to look as far as the 100 plus yellow cards and seven red cards dished out in matches between the Jets and Mariners.
Jets Members and supporters can expect more of the same on Saturday, but to get them in the mood a little earlier, newcastlejets.com.au has decided to take a look back at the Jets- most memorable F3 Derby victories.
2005/06 Round 9 – Jets 1, Mariners 0
After the first every F3 Derby in Round 2 had ended in a 1-1 draw, Newcastle secured their first Hyundai A-League win over the Mariners courtesy of Franco Parisi-s 88th minute winner at Hunter Stadium.
2006/07 Round 12 – Jets 3, Mariners 1
The Jets notched their biggest ever win over their nearest rivals in a dominant display at Hunter Stadium. Early goals to Mark Bridge and Nicky Carle gave the Jets a 2-0 lead, before Damien Mori got a goal back for the Mariners just before half-time. Newcastle cult figure Milton Rodriguez sealed the victory for the Jets in the 79th minute.
2012/13 Round 3 – Jets 2, Mariners 1
In the first F3 Derby of the current season, former England international Emile Heskey scored his first goal at Hunter Stadium after some classy lead-up work by James Virgili. The goal proved decisive as the Jets held-off a late comeback from the Mariners to secure a 2-1 victory in front of 15,289 fans.
2007/08 Semi-Final – Jets 2, Mariners 0
In the first leg of their semi-final playoff against the Mariners, the Jets secured a convincing 2-0 win courtesy of goals to Adam and Joel Griffiths. The Mariners overturned the deficit in second leg, but the Jets would have the last laugh…
2007/08 A-League Grand Final – Jets 1, Mariners 0
In the greatest F3 Derby of them all, the Jets secured their first A-League Championship with a 1-0 win over the Mariners in front of 36,354 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium. Mark Bridge-s strike past Danny Vukovic in the 64th minute of the contest proved to be the difference between the two sides on a day that will live on in the memory of Jets fans forever.
Meanwhile, the kick-off time for Saturday-s F3 Derby blockbuster against the Central Coast Mariners at Hunter Stadium has been pushed back 15 minutes to 7.45pm.
Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday, November 2
Hunter Stadium
Kick-off 7.45pm
Tickets available from PROticket
