A 10-man Newcastle outfit has come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw with Sydney FC in an enthralling Round 21 National Youth League match at Adamstown Oval on Saturday evening.
Sydney took the lead in the opening minutes of the match through a scintillating strike from Iain Ramsey and looked like it had the match in the keeping when Jets defender Mario Simic was sent from the field for his second yellow card offence in the 70th minute.
However, the home side fought back gamely and leveled the match nine minutes from full-time via substitute Fabian Iacovelli.
The draw sees both sides maintain their spot on the NYL ladder with Sydney in fifth, three points adrift of fourth-placed Adelaide while the Jets are seven points behind Sydney in seventh place.
Sydney got the perfect start when winger Ramsey curled lovely free-kick from 20 yards into the top right hand of the net in just the third minute of play after Simic was yellow carded for pulling down Adam Casey just outside the area.
From that point on it was the home side that seemed to have the better of the match with the Jets winning the midfield battle and having a couple of good chances on goal without reward.
Midfielder Brodie Mooy shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area in the 10th minute before Sydney FC goalkeeper Ivan Necevski was forced to make two fine diving saves at the near post firstly from a first-time shot from Jason Naidovski in the 25th minute and then Mirjan Pavlovic-s stinging angled shot from 10 yards a few moments later.
The Jets continued to have the best chances and defender Scott Balderson made a good run forward only to shoot over the crossbar from 18 yards out as Sydney held onto its 1-0 at half-time.
An ankle injury to Pavlovic saw him replaced by Jarrad Ross at the break while Sydney rested Necevski and Bredan Gan, with Nenad Vekic taking over in goals and striker Hussein coming on to start the second half.
And it was the visitors who started the second stanza the better. Raymond Miller saw his fierce 20-yard volley parried away by Newcastle keeper Robbie Kolak just after the resumption while the Jets custodian did well to stop on-target shots from Tim McGowan and Luke Austin as Sydney attacked with venom.
Newcastle spurned a golden opportunity when Jets midfielder Damian Brosque was gifted the ball just 30 yards out from the Sydney goal. He went one-on-one with keeper Vekic but was caught in two minds whether to shoot or pass to Jason Hoffman in support. He chose the latter only to deliver a weak pass and Vekic was able to pounce on the ball.
Newcastle-s task was made more difficult in the 70th minute when they were reduced to 10-man after Simic was sent from the field for his second yellow card offence.
However, the home side refused to lie down and they were rewarded for their perseverance in they equalised in 81st minute after Ross sprinted down to left wing before delivering a dangerous cross that was poked in at the near post by Iacovelli, who had replaced James Virgili just after the hour mark.
Both sides had chances to win the match in the final minutes. Iacovelli looked like he had snatched it for Newcastle when he put the ball in the net from a corner but he was pinged for a hand ball, while down the other end Akil shot wide after a good run from Ramsey down the left wing to see the points shared in an exciting match.
Newcastle Jets 1
(Iacovelli 81)
Sydney FC 1
(Ramsey 3)
At Adamstown Oval, Newcastle.
