Queensland Roar have scored a convincing 3-0 win over the Newcastle Jets in their Round 6 National Youth League clash at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Queensland held the advantage for most of the match with a superior passing game through the midfield while the Jets created a number of promising opportunities but lacked the finishing skills in the final third.
Roar midfielder Joshua McVey bagged the opener with a header midway through the first half before midfielder Mitchell Bevan added a second on the hour mark. Skipper Chris Grossman completed the rout with a third goal in the 63rd minute.
Newcastle showed good attacking spirit to open the match but Queensland soon began to assert its authority and went close with a couple of chances; a free kick from Bevan narrowly missing the target and the short corner resulting in Daniel Bowles heading just over the crossbar.
The Roar converted the pressure in the 26th minute after a break down the right flank, a well-placed cross found McVey making a late run to the back post and his spectacular diving header gave Jets keeper Jordan Griffiths no chance.
To its credit, the home side fought back and created a few chances late in the opening stanza with midfielder Simon Mooney having the best of them when he got free on the edge of the area only to slice his shot wide of the back post to see Queensland go to the break with a 1-0 lead.
The Jets opened the second half with more attacking enthusiasm and looked likely to level the scores.
Newcastle defender Joel Whitherden sent a smoking 40-yard effort narrowly over the crossbar before good pace from Jets striker Brodie Mooy created a chance for forward partner Jesse Pinto, who had an appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Kris Griffiths-Jones after he was dispossessed in a heavy tackle inside the area.
Queensland wrestled back control of the match just a few moments later when McVey worked hard to create space on the left wing. He rounded two defenders before squaring to Bevan on the edge of the six-yard box, who calmy slid his shot past Griffiths and into the far corner of the net.
The Roar secured the match in the 63rd minute after some well-structured lead-up work through the midfield saw the Queensland forwards lining up to score. Griffiths parried the first shot but Grossman was on hand to head home from close range to make it 3-0.
The win sees Queensland keep pace with the leaders with its third win of the season, while Newcastle remain in the bottom half of the table with just one win from its five matches.
Match Details
Newcastle Jets 0
Queensland Roar 3 (Josh McVey 26-, Mitchell Bevan 60-, Chris Grossman 63-)
EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Sunday 2 November 2008
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Newcastle Jets line-up: 1.Jordan GRIFFITHS (gk), 2.Joel WITHERDIN (12.Ivan PAVLAK 54-), 3.Adrian KARAKOLEVSKI, 4.George STROGYLOS, 5.Jon GRIFFITHS, 6.Taylor REGAN (c) (8.Matt HARPER 79-), 7.James VIRGILLI, 8.Matt HARPER (14.Jacob PEPPER 59-), 9.Brodie MOOY, 10.Jesse PINTO, 11.Simon MOONEY
Yellow cards: Joel Witherdin 41-
Red Cards: Nil
Queensland Roar line-up: 1.Griffin McMASTER (gk)(OA) (20.Matt ACTON (gk) 60-), 2.Michael RYAN, 3.Daniel BOWLES, 4.Mitchell BEVAN (14.Koh SATAKE 60-), 5.Brad McDONALD, 8.Michael ANGUS, 9.Tyler THURTELL (6.William TUMUSIIME 56-), 10.Luke BRATTAN (12.Jordan FARINA 46-), 11.Josh McVEY, 13.Chris GROSSMAN, 18.Ben GRIFFIN
Yellow cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
