Melbourne City cruised past Newcastle Jets 3-1 to establish a four point buffer atop the A-League table on Thursday night.
City captain Scott Jamieson scored a second half beauty – his first since November 2014 – after the hosts took a deserved first half lead when Newcastle defender Johnny Koutroumbis deflected Andrew Nabbout’s effort goalward.
Jamie Maclaren grabbed goal number 20 for the season and 99 in the competition overall by tapping home from under the post after the Jets were sliced open midway through the second half.
Steven Ugarkovic scored a tidy late consolation for the visiting Newcastle side, who were organised and toiled hard but could not match the class and attacking vigour of Patrick Kisnorbo’s league leaders.
City now sit four points above second-placed Sydney FC ahead of the next raft of A-League fixtures.
Key moments
Although Newcastle arrived at AAMI Park determined not to let City strut their stuff, the visitors were always on the back foot.
The pressure mounted – Craig Noone flashed a shot across the face of goal, while Connor Metcalfe thundered the foot of the post – before Nabbout’s curling effort was nicked by the outstretched leg of Koutroumbis and left Lewis Italiano stranded.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251020786001
And with the pattern of the game set in stone, City doubled their lead in fine style 10 minutes into the second half.
It came when Jamieson capped a trademark burst forward from left back and unleashed a deft curling strike which nestled in the back of the net after beating Italiano all ends up.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251024584001
Italiano produced a big stop to deny Noone from grabbing City’s third, stopping the winger’s shot with his legs – however there was nothing the Jets gloveman could do to prevent Maclaren from icing the result with his 20th goal of the campaign, tapping home unmarked from the penalty spot after City sliced Newcastle apart.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251026178001
