Newcastle Jets flyer Andrew Hoole says the squad must strive make the most of their next two games in Asia after achieving a solid start to their pre-season trip to China on Saturday.
The Jets won 3-2 against Liaoning Whowin FC from the Chinese Super League in Huludao barely 30 hours after the team arrived in the north of the nation.
Hoole – who re-joined the Jets from Sydney FC in June this year – played an integral role in the friendly victory, scoring a second stanza brace to complement Devante Clut’s classy opener.
Hoole revealed he wanted his first Jets goal back at the club to come from open play, however after finishing a Kristian Brymora won penalty with utter conviction the former Broadmeadow Magic junior didn’t have to wait long to realise his wish of finding the back of the net for his hometown club in normal play.
And Hoole’s second of the match – struck low from just outside the area – proved decisive as it broke the deadlock in front of 19,019 vociferous fans at the impressive Huludao City Stadium.
“It was a nice feeling to score two goals for the team and to help us get the result that we needed,” Hoole said on Sunday after the team arrived in Shenyang. “It was a good hit out against a good team.”
“I actually didn’t want to score a penalty, I wanted to score from open play. But when we won the penalty I put my hand up and put that one away. It was nice to score from open play in the end as well.”
“There are a lot of positives for us to take out of the match. We have had a few games now and there are a lot of positives to take out of those ones as well.”
“We’ll review the [Liaoning Whowin FC] game and make sure that we focus on the negatives as well as the positives to make sure that we are doing everything that we can to be ready for round one of the [Hyundai] A-League season,” he said.
Hoole and his Jets teammates will travel south from Shenyang to Shenzhen on Monday where the team will meet Eastern SC and Kitchee SC at the Bao’an Stadium on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
Hoole says the club’s coaches and medical team are placing an emphasis on recovery as the Jets strive to be in tip-top shape for their meetings with the Hong Kong Premier League outfits.
Hoole is personally looking to recover well so he has the opportunity to play against a former teammate and fellow Novocastrian, Josh Mitchell, on Wednesday.
“The coaches and staff have told us to relax now and get the body fully recovered after the long travel over here to China and a tough first match,” Hoole said. “We’re looking forward to the second game and obviously the third game as well, so we need to really focus now and make sure that we get the most out of these next two games.”
“I haven’t seen Josh [Mitchell] for a while but he is over here doing what he does best which is playing football, and it will be good to come up against him. I am sure that if we go near him he’ll be wanting to put a few kicks in here and there, so I am looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
Kick-off between Newcastle Jets and Eastern SC in Shenzhen on Wednesday is at 4:30pm local time (6:30pm AEST).
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