Newcastle Jets’ 11-year winless run in Western Australia came to an end on Saturday with Mark Jones’ men claiming a 2-1 victory over Perth Glory at nib Stadium.
A 21st minute Andrew Hoole strike combined with Milan Smiljanic’s headed own goal just before half time was enough for the Jets to fire past the Glory, who themselves took the lead in the seventh minute of the encounter through Nebojsa Marinkovic.
In truth the Jets could and should have won the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 Round 10 encounter by a greater margin, with some wasteful finishing plus fine goalkeeping from Perth’s Liam Reddy keeping the score tight until the end.
But the Jets will have no complaints with the final score given the Club hadn’t beaten Glory away from home since the very first season of the Hyundai A-League way back in 2005/06.
After Newcastle spurned some early chances to take the lead Marinkovic sent the hosts ahead inside ten minutes. Receiving Chris Harold’s pass, the Serbian midfielder fired home a crisp strike that left Jack Duncan flying through the air but with little hope of making the required intervention.
The Jets responded well and had chances to restore parity to the contest in the 15th and 16th minutes, before Hoole did level proceedings in the 21st minute of play. The Novocastrian scored his second goal of the season by angling a tidy low left foot shot beyond Glory custodian Reddy.
Livewire Jets attacker Devante Clut hit the post for Jones’ team in the 33rd minute, while the powerful Andrew Nabbout forced Reddy into a stunning save five minutes later. Three minutes before the break Hoole had a great chance to score his second of the night, but could only find the frame of Reddy from a good area.
Newcastle’s dominance paid dividends in time added on at the end of the first half when Smiljanic directed Nabbout’s cross into the Glory goal.
In the second stanza the Jets crafted an abundance of opportunities to build on their lead. Chances came and went for Clut, Hyundai A-League debutant Kristian Brymora, Mateo Poljak, Nabbout, and Hoole.
The Glory too had a couple of chances to find the back of the net in front of their home fans, but Andy Keogh lacked his usual spark, while Jets goalkeeper Jack Duncan made a number of expected, yet nevertheless crucial, interventions to thwart Perth’s best intents.
The win in the west moves the Jets up several rungs on the Hyundai A-League ladder to seventh ahead of the visit of Adelaide United at McDonald Jones Stadium next Friday night.
Perth Glory 1 (Marinkovic 7’)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Hoole 21’, Smiljanic 45+1’ (OG))
Venue: nib Stadium, Perth, Western Australia
Referee: Daniel Elder
Newcastle Jets: 2. Daniel MULLEN, 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Andrew HOOLE, 8. Mateo POLJAK, 10. Wayne BROWN (C), 13. Ivan VUJICA (16. Nicholas COWBURN 88’), 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 20. Jack DUNCAN (Gk), 23. Devante CLUT (24. Kristian BRYMORA 84’), 28. John KOUTROUMBIS
Substitutes not used: 4. Nigel BOOGAARD, 18. MA Leilei, 30. Pierce CLARK (Gk)
Yellow cards: Vujica
Red cards: Nil
Perth Glory: 3. Shane LOWRY, 5. Rhys WILLIAMS, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS (C), 9. Andy KEOGH, 10. Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 14. Chris HAROLD (21. Jamal REINERS 78’), 16. Joseph MILLS, 19. Joshua RISDON, 22. Adam TAGGART (23. Kosta PETRATOS 46’), 24. Milan SMILJANIC (15. Brandon WILSON 46’), 33. Liam REDDY (Gk)
Substitutes not used: 6. Dino DJULBIC, 13. Nicholas FEELY (Gk)
Yellow cards: Williams, Marinkovic
Red cards: Nil
