The Newcastle Jets squad were given an opportunity to gain more valuable game time in Saturday’s intra-club match in Weston.
The Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets squad were given an opportunity to gain valuable game time and match fitness in Saturday-s intra-club trial match at Thomas and Coffey Park in Weston.
The squad was split into two teams, one wearing the Jets- Red and Blue home strip, the other in the Jets White and Black away strip.
The game was played in three 30-minute thirds and head coach Gary van Egmond used the match as an opportunity to test a variety of playing formations and personnel.
Jets White had the first clear-cut opportunity of the match with Mitch Cooper-s shot from just inside the area looking to be headed towards goal, only for it to be accidently blocked by the back of teammate Marko Jesic.
From there though, it was Jets Red who controlled the match with Bernardo Ribeiro and Adam Taggart both having shots at goal. However, neither player was able to find a way past Jack Duncan and the score remained 0-0 at the end of the first 30-minute period.
Both teams were playing at a good intensity and looking to pressure their opponents high up the park, but it was the Jets Red who applied the game plan more effectively.
They forced a turnover that allowed Adam Taggart to find himself in space. The forward showed good speed to get ahead of the Jets White defenders and calmly finished past the on-rushing Duncan to make it 1-0.
The pressure applied by Jets Red lead to their second goal a short time later, with Virgili winning the ball before laying it off to Bridges who finished into the top corner.
Relentless pressing from Ben Kantarovski saw the Jets Red make it 3-0 when he dispossessed Duncan and Bridges was able to finish into an empty net to complete his brace.
The start of the final 30-minute period saw a number of National Youth League players and trialists get the opportunity to impress.
Kale Bradbery and Radovan Pavicevic certainly made the most of the chance. Bradbery had two shots saved which lead to Pavicevic nodding home a header on the rebound to make it 4-0 to Jets Red.
As the match wound to an end, Bradbery laid on two more goals for Pavicevic to complete his hat-trick and see the game finish 6-0 in favour of the Jets Red.
Jets Red 6 (Taggart, Bridges x2, Pavicevic x3)
Jets White 0
Jets Red starting XI: Birighitti, Neville, Tiago, Ritter, Kantarovski, Wheelhouse, Zadkovich, Bernardo, Taggart, Virgili, Bridges.
Jets White starting XI: Duncan, Chapman, Regan, Goodwin, Oxborrow, Pepper, Brillante, Cooper, Remington, Ilic, Jesic.
