Unbeaten Jets see off Reds to fly to the top
NEWCASTLE Jets came from behind to a score a 2-1 ALeague win over Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium yesterday.
The victory maintains the Jets’ unbeaten start to the season and temporarily moves them to the top of the table.
For the Reds, it was their third loss on the trot.
United dominated the early stages, with George Blackwood and Ryan Kitto combining for an early chance but the striker was denied from close range by Jack Duncan.
The Reds’ goal came after 24 minutes, with Kitto involved again, supplying a delightful through ball from inside his own half for Nikola Mileusnic. The winger latched on to the long pass and made no mistake, slotting his shot past the onrushing Duncan from the edge of the area.
As the half wore on, the Jets worked their way back into the contest with a handful of blocked chances from Roy O’Donovan and Dimi Petratos. Newcastle equalised right on half time when Petratos whipped in a perfect cross for Ben Kantarovski to power home at the near post.
Newcastle made the perfect start to the second half when Andrew Nabbout rounded Izzo on the edge of the area and tapped the ball into the empty net on 47 minutes. The flyer intercepted a weak back pass from young defender Ben Warland and was left with just the Reds keeper to beat.
Five minutes later and the Jets should have buried the contest, with Nabbout again through on goal but his square pass to O’Donovan remarkably led the striker to miss an open goal from 5m.
Not long after, Nabbout had another chance to finish off the Reds but his one-on-one chance was thwarted by Izzo, who had little trouble keeping it out.