The Newcastle Jets have scored their third National Youth League win of the season through an impressive 4-1 victory over the Australian Institute of Sport at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Jets dominated possession but didn’t grab the lead until six minutes into the second half when Miron Pavlovic scored from a solo effort.
Kamal Ibrahim then levelled with a lovely strike in the 65th minute. But three goals in six minutes sealed the win for the home side.
The win sees Newcastle move to within a point of sixth-placed Adelaide United on the National Youth League table while the AIS remains rooted to the bottom, still winless after eight rounds.
Strong driving rain from the opening whistle ensured slippery conditions for the first half and it was Newcastle that took control of the contest from the outset.
Pavlovic forced a good diving save from AIS goalkeeper Mustafa Amini in the 10th minute after the Jets striker had been played into the box by a nice through ball from Damian Brosque. Newcastle midfielder Brodie Mooy then slid his shot wide after pinching the ball from a lazy AIS defence and fired from 18-yards out.
Newcastle continued to threatened the AIS goal and Jason Naidovski should have scored when he was put one-on-one with Amini thanks to a clever ball from midfielder Scott Balderson. But the Newcastle forward could only hit a weak shot at the AIS custodian, who parried the ball away. Pavlovic was first to the rebound but he scuffed a hurried shot inches wide of the far post.
The AIS had their first honest shot on goal just before half-time. Ibrahim used his pace to get in behind the Jets backline before crossing a ball into the box for Terry Antonis. His shot was blocked by the Newcastle defence but only as far as far as midfielder Jake Barker-Daish, who sent a 22-yard volley wide of the posts to leave the score 0-0 at the break.
The weather cleared at the start the second half and it was only moments later the home side took the lead through a solo effort from Pavlovic.
The strong running striker took a through ball just on the halfway line before romping into acres of space down the left wing. He cut across the top of the penalty area and fired a right foot shot that took a deflection off AIS defender Stephen Domenici before sneaking inside the near post.
Just on the hour mark both coaches made some substitutions. The Jets brought on Adrian Karakolevski and William Angel for Naidovski and Jesse Pinto respectively while for the AIS Barker-Daish, Aaron Peterson, Kevin Davison and made way for John Martinoski, David Vrankovic and Giancurlo Gallifucco and the changes spurred plenty of action on the park.
Firstly the visitors equalised when Ibrahim fashioned a fantastic strike from outside the area that curled inside the far post to make it 1-1 after 65 minutes.
The Jets regained the lead just two minutes later when Angel worked his way in behind the AIS defence before sliding a cross into Mooy who slammed home a goal from six-yards out.
The home side then sealed the win with two goals in as many minutes. Pavolvic picked up his second with another bulldogging run towards goal before threading a low shot into the far corner from an acute angle.
Just a minute later Fabian Iacovelli steered home from close range after some smart interplay from Mooy and Pavlovic to make it 4-1 after 73 minutes.
Pavlovic went within inches of snaring a hat-trick late in the game but Amini did well to stop his looping header and the Jets had to be content with their third win and best of the 2009/10 campaign.
Newcastle Jets 4 (Pavlovic 51, 72 Mooy 67, Iacovelli 73)
AIS 1 (Ibrahim 65)
