Queensland has continued its remarkable away form with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Newcastle in an action-packed Hyundai A-League match in front of 10,597 fans at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
The home side looked the goods early and it was Joel Griffiths who gave it the lead with his seventh goal in nine matches against Queensland. But the visitors hit back with goals to Matt McKay and Charlie Miller to hold a 2-1 lead at half-time.
The Jets attacked with purpose in the second half but the Roar defence, led by veteran Socceroos defender Craig Moore and goalkeeper Liam Reddy, held firm for the Queenslanders to register their fourth away win of the season.
“I thought we dominated most of the game but that doesn’t turn into goals in regards to how much possession you actually have,” disappointed Jets coach Gary van Egmond said after the match.
“You go one-nil up and you have the home town advantage and then we dropped it straight away after scoring … so it is frustrating to play some really decent football but once again it is not how many passes you get but how many goals you get that wins the game.”
Newcastle started the match with plenty of attacking fire. Joel Griffths glanced a header wide in the third minute, Ecuadorian import Edmundo Zura headed home from a curling Jin-Hyung Song free kick, only to be called back for off-side before he put Joel Griffiths into space down the right flank but the striker slid his shot inches wide of Liam Reddy’s far post.
Queensland had its first chance in the 17th minute when Massimo Murdocca smacked his curling 18-yard shot against the far post, with Ante Covic able to clean up Matt McKay’s follow-up effort.
Miller made Covic scramble just moments later when he lobbed a high shot from the left wing before Jets midfielder Matt Thompson sent a shot sailing over the bar as the match went from end to end.
The goal that was threatening to come eventuated in the 23rd minute when Zura slotted a sublime through ball for Joel Griffiths, who stood up the Queensland defence before curling a lovely shot inside the far post.
Queensland hit back almost immediately when big Roar striker Sergio van Dijk weaved through some lazy Newcastle defence on the right wing before squaring the ball to an unmarked McKay, who poked home from point-blank range.
The game continued at breakneck pace with Joel Griffiths and van Dijk going close before Queensland went ahead in the 35th minute courtesy of Miller. The Roar talisman stroked home from the edge of the six-yard box after Tom Smits headed on Murdocca’s cross from the right flank.
Both sides continued to attack until the break with Joel Griffiths and Reddy colliding while going for the ball outside the penalty area and Miller looking dangerous down the other end.
The second half started more sedately with both sides trying hard to regain the rhythm from the first 45.
Roar coach Frank Farina injected livewire midfielder Michael Zullo for Miller in the 54th minute while van Egmond brought on attacking midfielder Jesper Hakansson for Daniel Piorkowski in an attempt to find an equaliser.
The Jets engineered the better chances as the match wore on, creating space on the wings and peppering the Queensland box with a number of crosses and corners, but the Roar defence, marshaled by Moore, held firm.
Covic did well to save van Dijk’s low volley against the run of play in the 80th minute before Jets midfielder Kaz Patafta came on to replace Jin-Hyung Song in the 85th minute and almost had an immediate effect sending his volley into the side netting.
Moments later Reddy pulled off a fantastic fingertip save after a Joel Griffiths header from a Tarek Elrich cross looked like leveling the scores.
But the Roar held on for a courageous win to move into fourth place, while the Jets are now five points adrift and firmly rooted in the bottom half of the table.
“I thought we played pretty well today, not exceptional, but pretty hard,” Farina said after the match.
“We got two quality goals and the second half turned into a bit of a struggle for both sides and Liam made that good save towards the end, and it is about time we stopped getting scored against in the last few minutes, so we are happy to take the three points.”
Newcastle Jets 1
(Joel Griffiths 23)
Queensland Roar 2
(McKay 25, Miller 35)
Crowd: 10,507 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
