Newcastle Jets kept its undefeated record on the road in the Hyundai A-League 2015/16 season in check on Sunday, securing a 0-0 draw against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
Scott Miller’s men worked tirelessly in front of 10,048 supporters in the South Australian capital to deny Guillermo Amor’s side and keep the Reds winless after their first seven games of the campaign.
Just over a quarter of the way through the eleventh season of the Hyundai A-League the Jets sit in fifth place on the table, just three points off next weekend’s opponents Brisbane Roar who lead the standings, and eight ahead of bottom placed Adelaide.
By contrast, 12 months to the day ago Newcastle had accumulated just three draws from its first seven games of the 2014/15 campaign.
While Jets boss Miller would have liked his side to have created more clear-cut opportunities to score against the Reds in Adelaide, he explained that earning a point on the road against any of the club’s Hyundai A-League rivals is important.
“I think a point away from home is a superb effort,” Miller said. “To come away with a point from a club like Adelaide who have been so strong over the last three or four years is superb.”
“The purpose of any game you play is to win, but considering the last two weeks where we’ve conceded late, I thought to buck that trend today and see out the match with a clean sheet in a pressurised environment was fantastic.”
“I am very pleased for the group because culturally we’re here to rebuild the club and events like today and seeing out a game in the last two or three minutes is vital.”
“The fans need to respect the efforts of the players and understand that a point away from home in this league is very important to the club.”
“To be one point off Sydney FC [and] undefeated on the road gives us a good idea where we’re at,” he said.
While Adelaide undoubtedly had the better of the attempts on goal throughout the contest at Coopers, the Reds couldn’t manage to breach the determined Newcastle backline.
Newcastle Jets captain Nigel Boogaard and his central defensive partner Lachlan Jackson were immense at the back, while goalkeeper Mark Birighitti produced some top saves throughout the clash.
Particularly, Birighitti did well to deny the best efforts of Jimmy Jeggo in the second half with two classic stops.
Jason Hoffman put the ball in the back of the net with a header from a David Carney free kick, though his effort just a minute from time was correctly ruled out for offside.
The round 7 match between also saw a Jets debut with 21-year-old attacker Ryan Kitto — who finalised his move to the club on Saturday — appearing in the final ten minutes against his former employers, Adelaide United.
Foxtel National Youth League attacker Braedyn Crowley also saw time in the fixture, he replaced Serbian striker Milos Trifunovic with just a few minutes remaining.
Newcastle Jets will return to Hunter Stadium for Hyundai A-League 2015/16 round 8 on Saturday 28 November 2015.
Miller’s men will take on John Aloisi’s Brisbane Roar in the club’s RAAF Base Williamtown Round.
Adelaide United 0
Newcastle Jets 0
Venue: Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Referee: Shaun Evans
Attendance: 10,048
Newcastle Jets: 1. Mark Birighitti (Gk), 3. Jason Hoffman, 4. Nigel Boogaard (C) (28. Ryan Kitto 82’), 5. Ben Kantarovski, 6. Cameron Watson, 7. Enver Alivodic, 8. Mateo Poljak, 9. Milos Trifunovic (27. Braedyn Crowley 87’), 13. Lee Ki-je, 22. Lachlan Jackson, 23. David Carney
Substitutes not used: 14. Mitch Cooper, 20. Ben Kennedy (Gk), 24. Nicholas Cowburn
Yellow cards: Kantarovski, Trifunovic, Carney
Red cards: Nil
Adelaide United: 1. Eugene Galekovic (Gk) (C), 2. Michael Marrone, 4. Dylan McGowan, 5. Osama Malik (23. Jordan Elsey 8’), 8. Isaias, 9. Sergio Cirio, 11. Bruce Djite (24. Bruce Kamau 65’), 14. George Mells (10. Marcello Carrusca 76’), 16. Craig Goodwin, 18. James Jeggo, 21. Tarek Elrich
Substitutes not used: 7. Pablo Sanchez, 20. John Hall (Gk)
Yellow cards: Jeggo, Elrich
Red cards: Nil
