A goal from outside the box from determined attacker Andrew Nabbout wasn’t enough for Newcastle Jets to take any points away from its Hyundai A-League 2016/17 Round 6 meeting with Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Thursday.
Nabbout struck in the 35th minute to bring the score to 2-1 after City’s star Uruguayan Bruno Fornaroli had netted a brace earlier in the match.
Fornaroli headed City ahead in the 14th minute, before doubling the home team’s advantage shortly before the half hour mark with a crisp volley from the penalty spot after Bruce Kamau had sent in a precise cross.
Fornaroli’s double was harder to swallow for the Jets given Mark Jones’ men had unfortunately missed a guilt-edged opportunity to take the lead after just four minutes of play when Andrew Hoole centred sweetly, but Morten Nordstrand missed the mark from close range.
Nabbout hit the side netted in the 33rd minute before scoring his first goal for the Club two minutes later after he cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that took a deflection before finding its way past City custodian Dean Bouzanis.
Kamau and Nordstrand had the best opportunities early in the second half, the former denied by Jack Duncan in the Newcastle goal, the latter just failing to connect with a spectacular scissor kick attempt.
Jets captain Nigel Boogaard denied Fornaroli his hat trick after 55 minutes when he put his head in the right place at the right time to ensure that the former Danubio marksman’s strike flew away from goal.
Boogaard unfortunately left the field in the 80th minute after he sustained an ankle injury after falling awkwardly in a challenge involving Jason Hoffman and City’s Fernando Brandan.
Despite only having ten men for the last ten minutes of the match, the Jets pushed on willingly, but couldn’t quite create the chance required to restore parity to the contest at AAMI Park.
Newcastle Jets will play its next match on Sunday 20 November 2016 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. Kick-off is at 5:00pm against Central Coast Mariners in the F3 Derby.
Melbourne City 2 (Fornaroli 14’, 27’)
Newcastle Jets 1 (Nabbout 35’)
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,745
Referee: Adam Fielding
Newcastle Jets: 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 4. Nigel BOOGAARD (C), 7. Andrew HOOLE, 8. Mateo POLJAK, 9. Aleksandr KOKKO (23. Devante CLUT 63’), 10. Wayne BROWN (6. Steven UGARKOVIC 72’), 13. Ivan VUJICA, 15. Andrew NABBOUT (11. Labinot HALITI 65’), 19. Morten NORDSTRAND, 20. Jack DUNCAN (Gk), 28. Johnny KOUTROUMBIS
Substitutes not used: 16. Nicholas COWBURN, 23. Devante CLUT, 40. Jim FOGARTY (Gk)
Yellow cards: Brown, Hoole, Boogaard
Red cards: Nil
Melbourne City: 2. Emmanuel MUSCAT, 5. Ivan FRANJIC, 6. Osama MALIK, 8. Neil KILKENNY, 10. Anthony CACERES, 11. Bruce KAMAU, 17. Tim CAHILL (18. Paulo RETRE 86’), 20. Dean BOUZANIS (Gk), 22. Michael JAKOBSEN, 23. Bruno FORNAROLI (C), 27. Fernando BRANDAN (12. Nick FITZGERALD 86’)
Substitutes not used: 1. Thomas SORENSEN (Gk), 4. Connor CHAPMAN, 35. Christian CAVALLO
Yellow cards: Brandan, Malik
Red cards: Nil
