In-form Newcastle Jets are a chance to leapfrog the toothless Melbourne Heart when the sides clash on Saturday.
In-form Newcastle Jets are a chance to leapfrog the toothless Melbourne Heart when the sides clash on Saturday.
Newcastle has won its last two matches, both away from home, a great turn around after failing to win any of its 13 previous away games.
Gary van Egmond’s men return to Ausgrid Stadium on Saturday after three straight games on the road and five in seven since the start of 2012 and the Jets are a big chance to win against Heart, who are desperately out of form.
Heart hasn’t won since their 4-0 demolition of Sydney at the Sydney Football Stadium on December 29 and has only scored five goals in the seven-game streak.
The Red and White’s lack of firepower up front was again evident in the Melbourne derby on Saturday night when Heart dominated the Victory with 55 percent possession and 18 shots to nine but the match ended 0-0.
The bright point of the match for Heart manager John van ‘t Schip was the debut of yet another impressive youngster.
Craig Goodwin, a 20-year-old left-sided player recruited from Oakleigh in the Victorian Premier League, was promoted from Heart’s NYL side to replace Aziz Behich at left back and Goodwin didn’t put a foot wrong.
In fact, the young South Australian could have sealed the win for his team with a thunderous shot in the 80th minute but Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Ante Covic made a good save.
Newcastle doesn’t share Melbourne Heart’s struggles in front of goal after knocking five past Sydney in their latest match, with Jeremy Brockie leading the way with eight goals this season and Ryan Griffiths having netted seven times.
Brockie is still a chance of reaching Joel Griffiths’ club record of 14 goals in a season.
The former New Zealand Knights and Sydney FC player is out of contract at the end of this season and this week admitted he hopes his good form will lead to a new contract with the Jets sooner rather than later.
Newcastle is sixth on the Hyundai A-League table with 25 points and will move above Heart if they beat the Melbourne-based club on Saturday.
