The Newcastle Jets defeated the Central Coast Mariners 2-1 in a trial match at Tuggerah on Wednesday afternoon.
The Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets defeated the Central Coast Mariners 2-1 in a trial match at Tuggerah on Wednesday afternoon.
Jets head coach Gary van Egmond used the fixture as an opportunity to give extra game time to the Jets players who haven-t featured heavily in the Club-s recent trial matches.
The Jets started strongly and opened the scoring in the 13th minute courtesy of Brazilian midfielder Bernardo Ribeiro.
Michael Bridges showed some silky skills to beat two defenders on the edge of the area, before squaring the ball across the face of goal. Mitch Cooper was unable to reach it, but the ball spilled out to Bernardo who comfortably tucked it away.
The Jets continued to control the mainstay of the game and had a chance to go two goals up when a one-two between Marko Jesic and Bernardo put Jesic through. Jesic squared the ball to Bridges but his shot was blocked by the body of Mariners goalkeeper Justin Pasfield.
Mitch Cooper doubled the Jets- lead minutes before the half-time break with Bridges again the provider. The Englishman played in Cooper with a sublime back-heel and the 18-year-old finished expertly into the bottom corner.
Not long after the half-time break, Jacob Pepper had a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 when he forced a turnover and found himself in a one-on-one against Pasfield. Unfortunately for the Jets, Pepper hit his shot straight at the Mariners shot-stopper and the score remained 2-0.
Both sides gave the opportunity for a number of their National Youth League trialists to be tested in the second half, changing the flow of the game.
The Mariners were able to cut the Jets- lead in half in the 74th minute after Aaron Peterson capitalised on a mistake at the back by the Jets to make it 2-1.
That was the way it stayed in what was a good hit-out for both squads.
Newcastle Jets 2 (Bernardo 13-, Cooper 40-)
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Peterson 74-)
The Jets starting XI: Kennedy, Regan, Chapman, Gallaway, Brillante, Oxborrow, Pepper, Bernardo, Jesic, Bridges and Cooper.
