Newcastle Jets coach Gary van Egmond has claimed referee Jarred Gillett ‘made a mistake’ that led to Western Sydney’s winning goal in the Jets’ 1-0 loss to the reigning A-League premiers at Hunter Stadium on Saturday night.
Newcastle Jets coach Gary van Egmond has claimed referee Jarred Gillett ‘made a mistake’ that led to Western Sydney’s winning goal in the Jets’ 1-0 loss to the reigning A-League premiers at Hunter Stadium on Saturday night.
Wanderers striker Labinot Haliti looked to have pushed Jets defender Jacob Pepper in the back when he leapt to head Shinji Ono’s cross across to the far post where Mark Bridge headed home the 33rd minute goal that decided the match.
“I think the referee made a mistake,” said van Egmond of the incident.
“From my perspective and even from the player’s perspective they thought it was a foul.
“It even got to the stage where boys didn’t continue with the action because it looked like it was such an obvious foul – two hands in your back, you are going backwards, you are looking to jump, but you can’t jump because you get two hands in your back.”
The Jets coach also said he knew Bridge, a former club hero who scored a goal in Newcastle’s 2007/08 A-League Championship win, was a major threat in front of goal. It was Bridge’s sixth goal against his old club.
“He is a good finisher as we all know,” van Egmond said of Bridge.
“He has been here and he scored our Grand Final goal to win. But when he scores a header you know the gods are not with you because that is not his strong point.
“(I am) very disappointed. The last thing you want to do is lose at home.”
The Jets were dealt a blow before the match with marquee man Emile Heskey ruled out with a hamstring strain while in-form on-loan star Nathan Burns was rested after he had some fluid on the knee.
“It makes a big impact, him and Emile (Heskey) – you can’t just replace them with other players from within your squad because they are marquee players so it was a tough one,” van Egmond said.
“But again I thought the players who got put in those positions did really well.
“Hopefully we have erred on the side of caution with Emile and Nathan and they will be fine for Brisbane and games after.”
