Newcastle Jets have orchestrated a major Isuzu UTE A-League upset, dominating the league-leading Wellington Phoenix in a 3-0 win at Sky Stadium on Saturday night.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos set the tone for the impressive victory with a fourth-minute goal and doubled his tally from the spot early in the second half, with his brace bookending a Clayton Taylor finish that capped off the 19-year-old’s phenomenal display for the Jets in a stunning victory.
The Phoenix had chances but could not capitalise on a number of promising attacks as Rob Stanton’s side kept the home side goalless in a surprise win set to shake up the standings at the top of the table.
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The fans at Sky Stadium saw their pre-game optimism quickly turn to nerves when the Jets took an early lead through Stamatelopoulos.
The Jets, who scored the 600th goal in their Isuzu UTE A-League history, played the ball across their defensive line before Lucas Mauragis launched the attack with a ball down the left wing for Taylor. His driving run into the box resulted into a cut-back cross which Stamatelopoulos met on the turn to finish into the bottom-right corner.
The hosts looked to find a quick response when Nicholas Pennington saw his close-range header parried by Jets keeper Ryan Scott.
Reno Piscopo, on his return to face his former side, attempted to make it 2-0 to the Jets just beyond the half-hour mark with a shot from range but couldn’t hit the target; his driving effort kept climbing on its way over the crossbar.
It was end-to-end action at Sky Stadium as Pennington launched a lofted ball for Oskar Zawada to track down, and the Phoenix striker, on return to the starting line-up after a groin injury and a bench appearance last weekend, took one touch to control before firing wide on his left foot.
Then, just minutes before the break, Taylor made it two. Phoenix defender Finn Surman failed to make purchase on a dangerous delivery from Dane Ingham, and the resulting spillage from keeper Alex Paulsen fell kindly for Taylor to finish from close range.
Wellington emerged from half-time needing a quick response, but conceded a penalty just 26 seconds after a disastrous restart to play for the home side.
Taylor was once again the orchestrator of Newcastle’s attacking thrust, driving past a number of Phoenix chasers through the midfield and into the box and drawing a foul in the box when Phoenix centre-backs Scott Wootton and Surman both slid in to simultaneously collect the Jets midfielder with their respective challenges.
Stamatelopoulos stepped up to the spot and hammered the ball into the roof of the net to give Newcastle a three-goal lead.
The ‘Nix began creating chances of their own to peg one back but time and again failed to hit the back of the net. Pennington had chances in the first half and his left-foot strike from a tight angle in the 56th minute was well saved by Scott after a cheap turnover from the Jets on the edge of the penalty area.
Bozhidar Kraev attempted to inspire Wellington back into the game with a driving run through Newcastle bodies, but elected to cross instead of shoot from close range and failing to find a Phoenix body at the back post. Tim Payne then hit the woodwork in Wellington’s best chance of the second half.
The star
With a goal, an assist and drawing the foul for Newcastle’s third from the spot, 19-year-old Newcastle prospect Clayton Taylor was simply unplayable at Sky Stadium on Saturday night.
“He’s been a force of nature coming in off that left wing for Newcastle,” marvelled Sky Sports co-commentator Jacob Spoonley in the second half of the Jets’ statement win. “Gutsy runs from the number 19.”
Spoonley’s assessment of Taylor’s performance was on the money; the teenager was a rampant force for the Jets in Wellington. A goal in the first half came via an opportunistic finish, but his two most impressive contributions were the driving runs into the box that led to both of Stamatelopoulos’ goals.
Jets head coach Rob Stanton knows he’s onto something special in 19-year-old off-season signing. In his years as assistant coach at Sydney FC, as well as head coach of the club’s youth team, he’d watched on closely as Taylor rise through the ranks of the Sky Blues.
The teenager was signed by the Jets in June, and just 10 days later Stanton was unveiled as the new Jets head coach for the 2023-24 season.
Speaking after the 3-0 win over Wellington, Stanton revealed former Sydney head coach Steve Corica did not want to let Taylor go, and revelled in the club’s decision to sign the youngster just days before his arrival.
“He’s a great kid,” Stanton said.
“I don’t like to put too much pressure on him, he’s a kid I’ve known for a while. I believe in him.
“He can do things differently to others… today you just saw a little bit of class about him. He scored, and that run just proved what a quality player he is.
“He’s seven games in. Let’s put it in perspective, he’s got a lot to learn, but considering he’s with a lot of younger players he stood up today again.
“I had him at Sydney, I knew about him for a long time. I know Steve Corica didn’t want to let him go.
“We had discussions on him, he wanted to keep him and for some unknown reason he wasn’t re-signed, so Newcastle pounced.
“That happens all the time, so it’s nothing new really, it’s going to happen all around the league. There’s a lot of talented kids, you can’t keep them all and he ended up at Newcastle.”
Taylor was machine-like in his efforts down the wing for the Jets against Wellington – and post-game, his captain Brandon O’Neill marvelled at his young teammate’s determination, especially considering his demeanour away from the pitch.
“You wouldn’t know it!” O’Neill told Sky Sports.
“You talk to him and he’s like: ‘What day is it? Do we have a game today do we?’ And he goes out and does that.
“He’s got something. Not only him; Reno (Piscopo) is back in, (Stamatelopoulos) is banging in the goals, defensively I thought we were outstanding with a young backline, a young midfield. It’s enjoyable when you’re winning football games, isn’t it? And we enjoyed that one tonight!”
The moment
Coming out from the sheds at half-time, Wellington needed a quick response as they trailed Newcastle by two goals to nil.
What came next was the decisive moment in an eventual 3-0 defeat, with the Jets taking less than 30 seconds to capitalise on a sluggish start to the second half from the ‘Nix that cost the home side dearly.
Clayton Taylor was the architect of Wellington’s demise, driving through midfield into the box and drawing a foul after simultaneous attempts to win the ball by Phoenix defenders Scott Wootton and Finn Surman, with Apostolos Stamatelopoulos converting from the spot to put the result to bed.
