A brave goalkeeping display from Glen Moss has helped the Melbourne Victory hold a determined Newcastle Jets to an enthralling 0-0 draw in their Round 19 National Youth League match at Adamstown Oval, Newcastle on Friday evening.
Melbourne looked a formidable outfit on paper with midfielder Grant Brebner and Moss in the starting side and it was the visitors who looked the goods early in the match.
But the Jets worked their way back into the match through solid work from Jon Griffiths and a great display from striker Mirjan Pavlovic. When Brebner was substituted at half-time the home side started to control the match and was unlucky not to grab the winner in a dominant second-half performance.
The draw leaves Melbourne and Newcastle in sixth and seventh place respectively but within striking distance of Adelaide and Sydney in fourth and fifth.
Melbourne had the first chance of the match in the 14th minute when defender Luke Pilkington fired narrowly wide from the top of the box following a corner, while the Jets defence was forced to scramble the ball off their line twice after positive attacking forays from the Victory.
Down the other end Jets started to manufacture a couple of chances of their own. Midfielder Matthew Sim delivered a wonderful left-footed cross into the box for striker Pavlovic but Moss was able to cut off the danger.
Pavlovic fired straight into Moss-s arms a few moments later when he was put through by Jesse Pinto before Jarrod Ross saw his low shot from the edge of the area well saved by Moss to see the teams head to the half-time break locked a 0-0.
The second half started with plenty of action. A fantastic curling free-kick from Melbourne substitute Matthew Theodore, who replaced Brebner at half-time, looked headed for the top corner of the net before it was tipped over the crossbar by Newcastle custodian Dion Shaw.
A lovely ball from Jets skipper Taylor Regan put Pavolvic through on goal but World Cup-bound Moss was able to smother the danger. Just a moment later Victory striker Tedros Yabio saw his angled shot well saved by Shaw.
As the match progressed it was the Jets who started to exert some control, winning the midfield battle and looking dangerous up front.
Pavolvic played a wide ball for Sim but he was shut down by the Victory defence. Moments later, some fancy footwork by Pavlovic saw him dance through three defenders on the edge of the area but his cross was cut out by Moss before a nice one-two between Pavlovic and Jon Griffiths put Adrian Karakolevski through on goal but he shot just wide of the target.
Victory skipper Aziz Behich saw his long-range shot tipped around the post by Shaw in one of Melbourne rare attacking raids in the second half.
It was the Jets who finished strongest but without reward. Substitute Fabian Iacovelli squirting his angled shot from 10 metres out before Pavlovic, who was the standout player in the match, weaved his way into the box only to shoot wide in injury time.
Newcastle Jets 0
Melbourne Victory 0
@ Adamstown Oval, Newcastle.
