REPORT: Jets edged out of FFA Cup via penalties

Scott Miller’s reign as Newcastle Jets boss so nearly got off to a dream start on Tuesday, however his side were ultimately edged out of the 2015 Westfield FFA Cup at the first hurdle, losing 4-3 to Perth Glory on penalties after the two sides were locked at 2-2 following 120 minutes of intense match play.

Miller’s Jets took a deserved lead in the game played at Magic Park, Broadmeadow when former Socceroo David Carney fired home a crisp effort in the 24th minute. Having dispossessed Glory defender Antony Golec, Carney made no mistake in driving the ball past the advancing Jerrad Tyson.

Carney’s first half goal looked like it may prove to be the match winner as the clock wound towards the end of the regulation 90 minutes, however Jets fans hadn’t counted on Brazilian attacker Sidnei Sciola popping up to equalise with just two minutes remaining. From close range Sidnei sent the tie into extra time.

Early in the first period of additional play Jason Hoffman was judged by referee Shaun Evans to have brought Golec down in the box. Serbian ace Nebojsa Marinkovic made no mistake in sending Glory a goal up from the spot.

Impressively the Jets refused to accept defeat, and toiled hard to find a way back into the contest. In the 116th minute of action Labinot Haliti restored parity to the fixture, finishing with aplomb at the far post after the ball had been floated into the area.

Evans called time on the encounter five drama-filled minutes later, and the two sides lined up to settle the game via penalties. Unfortunately for Miller and his charges it was Glory who proved to be more clinical from 12-yards on the night – Kenny Lowe’s side slotting four from six attempts, while the Novocastrians could only manage three. Hungarian midfielder Gyorgy Sandor netted the decisive, final penalty to ensure Glory advanced to the Round of 16.

Post-match Miller said: “ They’re (the players) disappointed at the moment, but I spoke to them about their commitment and their desire and I was very happy with the overall performance from that perspective. We wanted to win the game outright in the 90 minutes and unfortunately it went down to the line. It wasn’t to be.”

Meanwhile, tireless Jets midfielder Mateo Poljak said: “My head and heart is a bit down at the moment. We wanted to win and we gave everything out there. I thought we performed better (than Perth) and I thought we deserved more, but football is a funny game and sometimes you don’t always get what you deserve. But we really looked like a team – we helped each other and showed a lot of team spirit.”

Finally, goal-getter Haliti said: “There was great support as always (from the Newcastle fans). It is disappointing we couldn’t get the result, but that is the nature of a Cup game. We fell short in penalties, but I think there were a lot of positives to come out of the game and I think we are moving in the right direction.”

Newcastle Jets 2 (Carney 24’, Haliti 116’)
– Penalties: 3/6
Perth Glory 2 (Sidnei 88’, Marinkovic 93’)
– Penalties: 4/6
Magic Park, Broadmeadow
Attendance: 2,563
Referee: Shaun Evans

Newcastle Jets: 1. Mark BIRIGHITTI (Gk), 2. Daniel MULLEN, 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 4. Nigel BOOGAARD (C), 6. Cameron WATSON (5. Ben KANTAROVSKI 55’), 8. Mateo POLJAK, 11. Labinot HALITI, 13. LEE Ki-je, 14. Mitch COOPER (7. Enver ALIVODIC 67’), 23. David CARNEY, 25. Brandon LUNDY (24. Braedyn CROWLEY 67’)
Substitutes not used: 20. Ben KENNEDY (Gk), 22. Lachlan JACKSON
Yellow cards: Mullen, Carney, Lee
Red cards: Nil

Perth Glory: 3. Marc WARREN (4. Jacob COLLARD 83’), 5. Antony GOLEC, 6. Dino DJULBIC, 7. Gyorgy SANDOR, 10. Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 11. Richard GARCIA (C), 12. Jerrad TYSON (Gk), 14. Chris HAROLD, 16. Sidnei SCIOLA (15. Hagi GLIGOR 98’), 18. Mitch OXBORROW (21. Stefan VALENTINI 74’), 19. Josh RISDON
Substitutes not used: 20. Nicholas FEELY (Gk), 22. Slobodan VULIN
Yellow cards: Warren
Red cards: Nil