Stop-start Newcastle Lose Derby

Newcastle Herald

Saturday October 25, 2008

JAMES GARDINER A-LEAGUE

NEWCASTLE'S stop-start defence of their A-League title stalled again last night when they went down 1-0 to arch rivals the Central Coast Mariners at Bluetongue Stadium.

A 33rd-minute goal to Dylan Macallister proved the difference as the home side gained some revenge for their loss to the Jets in last season's grand final.

The Jets produced their best performance of the season to stun Melbourne last round, but they failed to repeat the effort last night. They have now lost three, drawn four and won just two matches. They remain in fifth on 10 points but could drop as low as seventh by the end of the weekend.

Star striker Joel Griffiths was kept quiet by the Mariners and marquee striker Edmundo Zura drifted in and out of the match and rarely threatened.

Whether it was the added tension of the derby or the fact it was a grand final rematch, but the Jets lacked the zip they displayed in the 1-0 win over Melbourne.

The home side played with three men, Macallister, Matt Simon and Sasho Petrovski, up front and took the contest to the visitors in the early exchanges.

Making his first start for the Mariners, Macallister was a constant handful.

The imposing striker caught the Jets on the break twice early, then on the half-hour crashed a shot from point-blank range into the body of goalkeeper Ante Covic.

His perseverance paid off two minutes later after good lead-up work from Simon, who brushed past Jobe Wheelhouse on the right flank and cut a cross back for Macallister.

With Mark Milligan and Jade North converging, the striker showed great control and strength to turn and stab a right-foot shot into the left corner.

Griffiths was hardly sighted in the first half in a Jets side devoid of rhythm and cohesion.

After a couple of early scares on the break, one requiring a low save from Covic, the Jets seemed to find their groove midway through the half.

They were unlucky not to go ahead in the 20th minute through Zura when a Danny Vukovic fumble rebounded off the Ecuadorean's chest and wide of the left post.

Not happy with the way the game was headed, coach Gary van Egmond replaced Jesper Hakansson with Adam D'Apuzzo in the 51st minute.

Song Jin-hyung and Zura both had clear chances in the next 10 minutes, but Song failed to control Griffiths's exquisite lofted pass and Zura shot straight at Vukovic from 15 metres out.

Mariners defender Bradley Porter almost headed a Milligan cross into his own net in the 62nd minute as Newcastle began to take control of the game.

Song headed harmlessly over the bar in the 79th minute and Wheelhouse, pushed up front for the final five minutes, blazed over the bar five minutes later to sum up the visitors' night.

Van Egmond said the Jets had suffered tactically.

"In parts we probably got drawn into their game too much where they're very direct and we starting going direct," he said. "Tonight wasn't how Newcastle play, and that was most frustrating, and we need to do a lot more work in regards to when teams do push on to us."

Newcastle were without Ben Kantarovski, Marko Jesic and James Holland, who are away with the Young Socceroos.

"People are going to speculate we needed to make three changes with the three young boys going away with the under 20s. But you're replacing them with Joel Griffiths, Song Jin-hyung and Mark Milligan. I suggest they're very able substitutes," van Egmond said.

The coach was pleased with Milligan's debut performance but said the partnership between Griffiths and Zura up front was "very disjointed".

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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