Adam Taggart has backed the Jets’ four-pronged attack to fire over the final four rounds of the Hyundai A-League season.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets attacker Adam Taggart is confident his partnership with wingers Joel Griffiths and David Carney will continue to flourish as the team pushes towards the finals.
Carney made his first start for the club on the left wing against the Mariners while Griffiths returned from a rib injury to score his first goal for the season.
“It-s been perfect the way we-ve fit in so quickly, it was nice on the weekend and it-s only going to get better,” he said.
“Dave and Joel are still getting match fit each week, the combinations are there, it-s maybe just that final ball or final product that we need to get right.
“Joel and Dave are both individually very good and can create things out of nothing which is something we really need out there.
Taggart believes the class of both players is vital to the team-s chances of securing a top six berth and admitted he is enjoying the service that they are providing him with up front.
“They-re both individually very good and very different which is something you need, you don-t want two wingers exactly the same,” he said.
“Joel-s a natural goal scorer and is always looking to find the back of the net, Dave Carney-s got a wand of a left foot and is always looking to take people on technically.
“It-s great having the two differences in there and for someone like me it-s great to have two players who are really looking to play forward and create opportunities for me.
“We want to be an attacking team and now it just comes down to the delivery. Joel and Dave both have that in their locker, if we can put that on the park than I don-t see why we can-t put a few more goals away.”
Taggart is the competition-s equal leading goal scorer this season with 11, one ahead of Wellington-s Stein Huysegems and insisted he was hungry to add to his tally in pursuit of the Golden Boot award.
“Yeah of course, I-d be lying if I said I didn-t want the golden boot, of course I want it, goals are all I think about,” he said.
“So obviously it-s going to pump me up a little bit more but at the same time it wouldn-t matter if I-d scored one goal or 20 goals I-d still be trying to do exactly the same thing going onto the pitch.
“That-s what-s in my head, to score goals, so having that competition between players like Huysegems it only makes me hungrier. It-s motivation in training to work harder and get better at finishing and stay more composed so when game day comes you-re ready.”
Taggart admitted the weekend-s loss to the Mariners was bitterly disappointing but believes the team has a fantastic opportunity against the Phoenix to put themselves back in the frame.
the league is so close, you get a couple of wins on the trot you-re straight back in it as we realised in the last few weeks,” he said.
“We-ve got another big opportunity this weekend against Wellington who are coming off a decent performance so they-ll be ready to go but at the same time we-re at home to get three points.”
Newcastle Jets v Wellington Phoenix
Saturday, March 22
Hunter Stadium
Kick-off 5.30pm
Tickets available from PROticket.
