The games just keep on coming at EnergyAustralia Stadium
Saturday 20th November 7:00pm
EnergyAustralia Stadium
The games just keep on coming at EnergyAustralia Stadium, as Newcastle and Phoenix face off for the first time this season. Be there!
These are busy times for the Newcastle Jets. With the big game against LA Galaxy drawing ever-nearer, Newcastle-s football-loving public are being treating to a plethora of thrilling Hyundai A-League-matches in its build-up.
Having already encountered tough matches against the ladder-s top two sides in the last seven days, and with third placed Mariners still to come in midweek, Wellington Phoenix make up the third game in an unbelievably hectic fortnight that will go a long way to shaping the remainder of Jets- season.
Four home games in such short succession, along with next weekend-s eye-catching exhibition match of course, would be a test to any supporter-s loyalty, but these are really exciting times at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
There is growing sense of community spirit about the place, meaning that healthy turnouts are expected at all of their upcoming matches. And why not? The quality of opposition and the entertainment on offer in this spell of games is mouth-watering and Newcastle-s loyal Squadron are hungrier than ever for games at the moment.
Their league position belies the optimism that envelopes Newcastle right now, and the club is building for the future too, as they proved last week with the re-signing of 18-year-old midfielder Ben Kantarovski.
Jets certainly started their run of home games in spectacular fashion. Having only won once all season, and with goals like gold dust before high-flying Adelaide United rolled into town, not even the most optimistic of Newcastle fans would have envisaged what was to happen.
Any member of the Squadron who was a little tardy in arriving would have missed their side flying out of the traps and racing into a two goal lead within the first fifteen minutes thanks to Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Marko Jesic. A third, and Jesic-s second, early in the second half had Jets fans pinching themselves to check that they weren-t dreaming.
A late Iain Fyfe header in the 79th minute did nothing to dampen the spirits of the delirious home crowd of 8278. EnergyAustralia Stadium was rocking with noise!
In contrast, Wellington Phoenix are licking their wounds after a stunning brace by Central Coast left-back Joshua Rose helped inflict a 3-0 home defeat on Ricki Herbert-s players and handed the Mariners their first victory in the New Zealand capital for three years.
This, remarkably, was Phoenix-s second home defeat in a row. However, conversely, this depressing loss of home form has strangely coincided with an equally surprising away win.
Their triumph in Perth a fortnight ago finally relieved the pressure of not having won an away game all season and will stand them in good spirits for their visit to New South Wales. In Perth, a first-minute strike from Tim Brown proved the difference between the New Zealand side and their 10-man hosts at nib Stadium.
The sudden turnaround of Phoenix-s home and away fortunes means that they might just see the trip to Newcastle as an opportunity to make it two straight wins on the road and keep them in contention for a Finals spot in this frustratingly inconsistent campaign. Defender Ben Sigmund will certainly be hoping to for a victory, as he celebrates his 50th Hyundai A-League appearance.
This tussle has the ingredients of a real belter and could easily go either way, so make sure you get along to EnergyAustralia Stadium and bring your own influence to proceedings with non-stop singing.
