Goals from Andrew Hoole, Andrew Nabbout and Morten Nordstrand helped Newcastle Jets secure an exhilarating 3-2 win over Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
The Jets fell behind 15 minutes into the contest after Thomas Oar’s strike from outside the area found its way past Newcastle custodian Jack Duncan.
However Mark Jones’ men roared back into the clash in time added on at the end of the first half when Hoole left Brisbane goalkeeper Michael Theo helpless after he sent a rocket of a shot from outside the box into the goal.
Chinese import Ma Leilei replaced Jets number 10 Wayne Brown for the second half of the match after Brown had to leave Suncorp Stadium to rush back to the Hunter for the impending birth of his second child.
And while Jones may have not planned to make that swap at the interval, the change certainly didn’t interrupt the Jets taking control of the round 14 fixture.
Indeed, Newcastle upped the ante in the second stanza, putting pressure on the Brisbane backline, which ultimately paid dividends in the 72nd minute when Jason Hoffman’s cross into the box was headed home by Nabbout.
As with Hoole, the goal marked Nabbout’s fourth of an increasingly impressive campaign.
Jets skipper Nigel Boogaard brought Roar defender Jack Hingert down in the area in the 81st minute which led to a penalty for the hosts – Jamie Maclaren restoring parity to the contest with eight minutes remaining.
But the Jets weren’t to be denied, and for the second time this campaign Danish marksman Nordstrand scored a match-winning goal.
Nordstrand fairly challenged Theo for the ball in the Roar box in the 84th minute, and after the Brisbane shot-stopper spilled the pill the former FC Copenhagen man drilled it into the open goal.
After Nordstrand’s strike the Jets’ defence held firm to restrict Brisbane to only a few half chances as the clock wound down.
The win lifts Newcastle back into the Hyundai A-League’s top six, and also marked Brisbane’s first loss at home in their last 13 matches.
Indeed, the Jets are the only team to have beaten Roar on both occasions this campaign, after Jones’ side slammed John Aloisi’s charges 4-0 at McDonald Jones Stadium in round 2.
The Club’s next match is on Sunday 15 January 2017 at McDonald Jones Stadium against Perth Glory.
With Glory just a point ahead of the Jets on the Hyundai A-League ladder, the game shapes as an important one for both sides as each seeks to consolidate themselves in the competition’s top six.
Brisbane Roar 2 (Oar 15’, Maclaren 82’ (pen))
Newcastle Jets 3 (Hoole 45+1’, Nabbout 72’, Nordstrand 84’)
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Kurt Ams
Attendance: 14,470
Newcastle Jets: 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 4. Nigel BOOGAARD (C), 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Andrew HOOLE, 8. Mateo POLJAK, 10. Wayne BROWN (18. MA Leilei 46’), 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 16. Nicholas COWBURN (28. John KOUTROUMBIS 88’), 19. Morten NORDSTRAND (23. Devante CLUT 90+1’), 20. Jack DUNCAN (Gk), 22. Lachlan JACKSON
Substitutes not used: 2. Daniel MULLEN, 30. Pierce CLARK (Gk)
Yellow cards: Ma, Boogaard
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Roar: 1. Michael THEO (Gk), Luke DEVERE, 5. Corey BROWN, 7. Thomas KRISTENSEN (8. Jacob PEPPER 64’), 9. Jamie MACLAREN, 11. Thomas OAR (15. Manuel ARANA 67’), 13. Jade NORTH, 17. Matt MCKAY (C), 19. Jack HINGERT, 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Dimitri PETRATOS (28. Brandon BORRELLO 73’)
Substitutes not used: 4. Daniel BOWLES, 21. Jamie YOUNG (Gk)
Yellow cards: Hingert, Borrello, Theo
Red cards: Nil
