Inman wonder-strike salvages point for Roar against Newcastle

Brisbane Roar substitute Brad Inman thumped an emphatic equaliser at the death to salvage his side a much-needed point against Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.

A first half goal from former Roar attacker Dimitri Petratos put Newcastle in the driver’s seat and the hosts looks set to take that lead to the full time whistle, before Inman stepped off the bench to score his first Hyundai A-League goal in some style to hand his side their share of the points.

It was the same old story for the Roar in the first half as they dominated possession but ultimately conceded the first goal of the game.

Aiden O’Neill had the first chance of the game for Brisbane which was well kept out by a diving Glen Moss, but the Jets then proceeded to create the better of the chances, with Petratos and Steven Ugarkovic firing two warning shots at Jamie Young in the Roar goal.

Petratos broke the deadlock just after the half hour mark when Matt Millar slung a perfect cross into the box which Jason Hoffman failed to capitalise on, but the resulting rebound from Young’s save fell right to Petratos who couldn’t believe his luck as he strolled in to fire home the opener.

Brisbane are yet to score a first half goal this season and that trend continued against the Jets, although they came close to bucking the trend late in the half when both Tom Aldred and Daniel Bowles had headed attempts from close range kept out in a goal mouth scramble.

The second half began much like the first with the Roar enjoying the lion’s share of posession but the Jets soaking it all up with relative ease.

Aaron Amadi-Holloway went close to levelling the scores when substitute Brad Inman found him with a sharp pass into the six yard box, but Nikolai Topor-Stanley was as ready as ever to quash the danger for the Jets, pressing the Roar attacker into touching his shot wide of the mark.

With ten minutes to play Jets speedster Angus Thurgate had the chance to kill the contest when Macauley Gillesphey lobbed an errant header directly into his path, but as he bore down on goal he fluffed his strike directly into Young.

The Jets were ultimately made to pay for the Thurgate miss when Brisbane substitute Inman rattled a sumptuous half-volley off the crossbar and into the back of Newcastle’s net to level the scores.

Both sides pushed hard for a winner in the dying stages and both Moss and Young pulled off phenomenal saves, with the pick of the bunch going to Young who denied Ben Kantarovski what seemed a certain goal with only minutes to play.

The largely uneventful game which sprung into life late eventually came to a conclusion with the points shared, benefiting neither side as they remained tied together at the foot of the Hyundai A-League table on nine points apiece.

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Key moments

O’Neill denied by leaping Moss

Brisbane began the contest on the front foot and almost struck an instant blow to the struggling Jets through a long range strike from O’Neill.

But Jets goalkeeper Moss was unwilling to concede another hefty bag of goals, diving smartly to his right to poke the strike just wide of the mark.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6118547168001

Petratos gets the Jets flying

Newcastle found an opener through Petratos on the half hour mark largely thanks to a terrific cross from Matt Millar which found Jason Hoffman in an acre of space in the six yard box.

But Hoffman could only blast his attempt directly into Young who stood tall to quash the chance, but unfortunately for the Roar the rebound found Petratos sauntering into the box, who took his time to assess the chance and plug the ball into the back of the net.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6118547737001

Inman worldie settles the score

In search of an equaliser Fowler injected Inman into the contest with 25 minutes to play, and his impact on the contest was both crucial and emphatic.

His touch and turn on the edge of the box opened up an angle which Inman capitalised on, with a half volley on the turn which thundered into the back of the net.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6118553506001

Young save helps Roar cling to a draw

It would have been just Brisbane’s luck if Newcastle managed to find a winner after Inman brought them back level, but Young wasn’t willing to let the point slip in the dying embers of the game.

Instead, the Roar shot-stopper pulled off one of the saves of the reason, denying Kantarovski a certain goal.

His efforts at the death – including denying Thurgate a gilt-edged chance from a one-on-one before Inman’s equaliser – were the difference in the end as the Roar claimed a point which looked unlikely with ten minutes to play.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6118545738001