Match report on Jets website

[marinermick]

MARINERS TAKE FIRST BLOOD IN DERBY SEMI FINAL

Newcastle Jets have begun their Hyundai A-League finals campaign with a 1-0 loss at home to local rivals the Central Coast Mariners in the first leg of the minor semi final at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

After dominating possession and territory for most of the match, the Jets were unlucky to conceded the match winner in the second half thanks to a goal from Mariners midfielder Matthew Osman.

With the winner of the home and away leg set to meet the loser of Adelaide and Sydney for a place in the grand final, the Jets must find a result and in turn score at least two goals in Gosford next week.

The first goal opportunity of the match arose in the 17th minute when an Osman cross was fumbled by Jets keeper Liam Reddy, with Mariners striker Stewart Petrie heading high over the bar.

Newcastle then had a chance to take an early lead when New Zealand international Vaughan Coveny lobbed a sensational pass over the defensive line. The ball was met by a surging run from Jets midfielder Matt Thompson who sent his shot high.

Certainly the better of the two teams in the first half, the Jets dominance was the result of some good play out wide and a clear attitude change. A miraculous backheel from Ante Milicic found Paul Kohler who blasted his shot skyward.

An entertaining first half and a credible performance from the Jets kept the Marinators in the stands quiet as the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half began in extreme pace with Thompson on another run down the right wing. His whipped cross found Milicic whose header from the near post was well saved by Mariners keeper Danny Vukovic.

Few credible attacking efforts were made the visitors until a cross from Osman found Wayne O'Sullivan out wide on the left, sending the ball back to Petrie never got close to an attempt on target.

Moments later at the other end of the field Jets captain Ned Zelic lofted a perfect cross toward Milicic, only to bring out a good defensive header from Osman.

A stroke of sheer luck in the 76th minute saw the goal finally arrive. Wayne O’Sullivan sent in a neat cross to Noel Spencer, forcing an awesome save by Reddy, before Osman found himself in the right place at the right time to head the rebounding ball into the open net.

O'Sullivan then had a chance to extend the lead in injury time with a header from point-blank range only to force another impressive save from Reddy.

The Jets now head to Gosford next Friday needing a win to keep their season alive.

Newcastle Jets 0
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Osman 76)
Crowd: 10,236 at EnergyAustralia Stadium

[marinermick]

Didn't know blind freddy is writing for the Jets

[honey soy]

This bit is just a blatant LIE! Never happened.

... kept the Marinators in the stands quiet ..

[striker 9]

marinermick said:

Newcastle Jets have begun their Hyundai A-League finals campaign with a 1-0 loss at home to local rivals the Central Coast Mariners in the first leg of the minor semi final at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

they have one fact right!

[blackadder]

marinermick said:

Didn't know blind freddy is writing for the Jets

Jets website

kept the Marinators in the stands quiet

Not only blind but deaf as well

[Pete]

marinermick said:

MARINERS TAKE FIRST BLOOD IN DERBY SEMI FINAL

An entertaining first half and a credible performance from the Jets kept the Marinators in the stands quiet as the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

I know the name and address of a good audiologist for the deaf moron who wrote this. ;D We were loud and proud throughout.
BTW, I thought Goebbels died at the end of WW2 - this whole article is blatant properganda and ANYONE at the match knows this.

[alicia]

Scumcastle are going to try and infiltrate Friday nights game. But I don't think they realise excatly who they are dealing with. If the marinaters supporters can intimidate the jets at home, what do you think is going to happen when they enter our territory, our grounds. They posted this on their website . . . i think mainly to excuse away their loss.

After the 1st leg of our Minor Semi-Final clash with Central Coast, the boys are currently 1-0 down, despite playing in front of a very vocal home crowd on Friday night.

[glow=red,2,300]A lot of respect is owed to the large Central Coast contingent in the crowd who did a magnificent job of supporting their team. [/glow]

But now it's our turn. We must travel to the Coast in large numbers. We need to inspire the Jets to claw back the 1-0 deficit

Hmmm . . . . What do you think???

[Pete]

alicia said:

Scumcastle are going to try and infiltrate Friday nights game. But I don't think they realise excatly who they are dealing with. If the marinaters supporters can intimidate the jets at home, what do you think is going to happen when they enter our territory, our grounds. They posted this on their website . . . i think mainly to excuse away their loss.

After the 1st leg of our Minor Semi-Final clash with Central Coast, the boys are currently 1-0 down, despite playing in front of a very vocal home crowd on Friday night.

[glow=red,2,300]A lot of respect is owed to the large Central Coast contingent in the crowd who did a magnificent job of supporting their team. [/glow]

But now it's our turn. We must travel to the Coast in large numbers. We need to inspire the Jets to claw back the 1-0 deficit

Hmmm . . . . What do you think???

Judging on past performances from the Newcastle supporters, they will have enough trouble trying to fill out their allocated bays at CCS, let alone worrying Bay 16 and the Marinators.
Also, from past experiences at SFS, Suncorp, if their supporters try to "infiltrate" the Bay 16 area they are going to have to be rather quiet or they will find themselves being escorted off to the chant of "Cheerio, Cheerio". But what's their idea, to summons up support for their team or niggle us? Stupid if they choose the latter as we'll drown them out and their team won't get any benefit. They'd be better served to get as many as they can to their bays at CCS and sing their lungs out - that's what we do!

[DJ]

I hope they do bring a few down - but not enough to make a huge difference

It will be good for the game, A-League and the growth of the Jets/Mariners derby

[kevrenor]

And this article by my media colleague Ray Gatt, who spends a lot of time fishing on the Central Coast! lol

I repudiate the propaganda that is going around that the Jets dominated us on Friday night:

1. We scored, they didn't
2. The best chances were ours
3. The FFA stats show us ahead in possession, shots on target and off target, etc.
4. We totally controlled the last 15 minutes - they were spent

The game was a very tough, closely fought, and basically even derby! Until we scored!

"Milicic sets goal to keep Newcastle fighting
Ray Gatt
February 13, 2006
STAR Newcastle Jets striker Ante Milicic is confident he can break his goalscoring drought and help turn around the minor semi-final tie against the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Friday night.

Newcastle's hopes of reversing the 1-0 first leg loss to the Mariners at EnergyAustralia Stadium last Friday could well rest with Milicic's boots.

The former Socceroo knows how much the team relies on his goalscoring and he says he is up for the job despite some discontent among the fans.

Milicic, the Jets' leading scorer with seven this season, has been a marked man in recent weeks and had trouble finding the back of the net. He has gone scoreless in 432 minutes of football, his last goal coming in the 19th minute of a 3-0 win over the New Zealand Knights in round 18.

"It's just one of those things every striker in the world goes through at least half a dozen times in their career," Milicic said yesterday. "It's not as if I have been playing poorly. I have been reasonably happy with my form.

"I'm feeling good at the moment. I'm fit and strong and have been training hard, so it is only a matter of time before something good happens. It only needs one, good bounce of the ball."

The Jets created at least half a dozen chances against the Mariners on Friday night, but only one fell to Milicic who showed skill to bring down a cross and turn and shoot just over the bar.

Milicic says the series against the Mariners is far from finished and that the Jets can go all the way in the championship series.

"We showed the other night that we can more than match the Mariners," he said. "We did not deserve to lose and all we need to do is take that same commitment and attitude in to next week's match. One down after 90 minutes is not insurmountable, but we need to score first.

"If we can get past the Mariners there is no reason why we can't go on and make and win the grand final."

Milicic was part of the Sydney Olympic side that came from outside the top two to win the title in the old NSL in the 2001-2002 season.

"It can be done, that's for sure. It's even happened a few times in the rugby league," he said. "And don't forget, this is a top-four series, to a top-six or top-eight where it is harder to come from the sudden-death format to win a title."

Milicic also paid tribute to Jets goalkeeper Liam Reddy for making some outstanding saves late in the game against the Mariners, including an injury time effort from a point blank header from Wayne O'Sullivan.

"Rocket (Reddy) has played some outstanding games this season and he didn't notch up eight clean sheets by accident," Milicic said.

"There's definitely been times where he has kept us in the game and other times when he has saved the game for us."

[blackadder]

Just a thought on the Newcastle match report on the Jests website, prehaps former Iraqi information minister Comical Ali, has a new career now ;D

[brett]

Clearly even Osama knows more about the scum (HUC-TOO) than whoever wrote that.

Any more celebrity previews in the pipeline Adz?

[omni]

I'M BLIND I'M DEAF
I WANNA WRITE FOR THE JETS
REPORTER, REPORTER!

[Golden Boy]

Write.

[omni]

Can't believe I made that mistake, oh well it's not like we didn't already know I was an idiot.

[Ursus]

I thought Liam was their keeper. Rocket used to play rugby league for the dragons.

[kevrenor]

Always the comedians! ROLFL!

"JETS EXPECT BIG TURNOUT FOR FINAL DERBY

The Newcastle JETS expect a mass exodus of Novocastrians departing the City of Newcastle and Hunter Valley and head for the Central Coast tadium for Friday night's Hyundai A-League's minor semi-final
against Central Coast MARINERS.

The JETS head to Central Coast for the second leg of the semi final with a 1 goal to nil deficit in what will be the final derby clash of the season. industrious midfielder Nick Carle is confident the JETS will turn it around and come away with a win that will take the JETS to the Preliminary Final to face either Sydney FC or Adelaide United on Sunday
26th February.

Carle says he expects a big turn out of fans to travel to Central Coast in support of the JETS' biggest game of the season.

"We know that we must beat the MARINERS to make sure our season is alive but we also realise that we can improve on last Friday's performance." We have the game that measures up to the MARINERS and
this time there is no escape, there is no second chance and everyone realises that a whole season of hard work could end on Friday night. We know that we don't want it to end so we just have to make sure it doesn't happen." Carle said.

"Our fans have been fantastic this season, especially the Squadron we have applauded them at every home game because they (the Squadron) have supported us whether we have won, lost or drawn games. They (the Squadron) ought to be commended for the tremendous encouragement and vocal support they have provided the team not to mention the atmosphere they kick start during every home game at EnergyAustralia Stadium. Carle said.

"We need the Squadron and all of our fans again this week and I hope that we have thousands of fans travel to Central Coast. Friday night's game is the biggest game of the season and we need everything to go right for us so we need our supporters to back us more than ever." Carle said"

[Adz]

obviously they have taken on their fans role of taking the piss by calling us quiet, and saying they'll have a huge crowd this friday

[marinermick]

adz said:

obviously they have taken on their fans role of taking the piss by calling us quiet, and saying they'll have a huge crowd this friday

adz, you have to do another parody with the iraqi information minister acting on behalf of the jets

[Adz]

lol ok, will have to see what footage I can dig up