Melbourne Heart coach John Van ‘t Schip has praised a great ‘team effort’ in earning their first ever away win with a solid 2-0 victory over the Newcastle Jets in Port Macquarie on Sunday afternoon.
The Heart looked the more confident team from the outset and had the best chances in the first half with Adrian Zahra and Matt Thompson only being denied goals by in-form Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy.
The Heart continued to apply pressure in the second half with Nick Kalmar providing the break-through via a superb acrobatic effort in the 53rd minute. Josip Skoko headed the ball into the box where Kalmar leapt high and hooked the ball over his shoulder into the top corner of the net.
The Heart sealed the match in injury time when Gerald Sibon converted from the penalty spot after substitute Eli Babalj was brought down in the area by Tarek Erich.
“It was great for us, our first away win,” said Van ‘t Schip after the match.
“We played well but not always the way we wanted but this was a difficult game in different circumstances.”
“Overall, we were very organised and created more chances and in the end we deserved to win 2-0.”
“It was important for us with the confidence we are having but we still needed an away win and today we achieved that.”
Van ‘t Schip re-iterated it was a good team effort but reserved special praise for youngster Kalmar who has been a rising star on the Heart forward line this season.
“Nick has been important for us from the beginning and he has scored three goals for us and today he scored a beautiful goal,” Van ‘t Schip said.
“He has a sense for the goal which is why he is playing in that position and we, of course, are very happy with him.”
“I don’t think there was anyone who outstanding but we played well as a team. We worked very hard it was not an easy game and I think all the boys deserve a compliment. It was a good team effort.”
The game was played at Port Macquarie after the surface at EnergyAustralia Stadium was deemed unfit for football and Heart defender Michael Beauchamp said the extra travel was difficult for both sides but believed his team coped with the changes better than the opposition.
“Right for the word go it was like both teams had to play an away game,” he said.
“We just went in with the same mentality and knew what we had to do as a team and like the coach said we got in and did the job.”
The Heart will be looking for another away win when they take on the out-of-form Glory in Perth on Wednesday night.
