The Jets fell to just their second Foxtel National Youth League defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, as Conference B winners, Western Sydney Wanderers proved too strong in a 3 – 0 win.
Newcastle controlled large periods of the match – especially the second half – however a lack of polish in the front third cruelled their chances as the Wanderers took all three points.
The Wanderers flew out of the blocks and hit the front inside ten minutes when Abraham Majok guided home his seventh of the campaign.
Majok cleaned up the crumbs after skipper Kosta Grozos fired a shot from outside the box which Jets’ keeper Kane Runge saved onto the post.
Less than ten minutes later and Majok had his second, after a powerful run down the right edge of the box that was equally matched by a clinical finish.
Mathieu Cordier then broke free down the left edge and almost put the visitors up by three, however Runge stood tall and made a strong save.
Newcastle began to get a foothold in the final 20 minutes of the opening half, with Angus Thurgate creating some half chances.
Then with ten minutes left in the half Kosta Petratos had a golden chance to bridge the deficit, but pushed his shot from the middle of the box just to the right of goal.
Western Sydney took their two-goal lead into the sheds, but when they returned it was the Jets who looked most likely.
Tyson Jackson broke free down the right edge, but his strike was stopped in its tracks by Wanderers keeper, Jerrad Tyson.
The Jets continued to control possession, however just couldn’t find the vital goal and the visitors soon made them pay.
Against the run of play, Abraham Majok was played in down the left, and after his initial shot was saved by Runge, the follow up fell neatly for the winger to complete his hat-trick.
Despite being down by three goals, the Jets continued to push forward as substitute Yerasimakis Petratos almost bridged the gap with a long-range strike which forced Tyson into action once more.
The defeat means the Jets finished third in Conference B, behind winners Western Sydney and runners-up Sydney FC, with three wins, three draws and two losses from their eight matches.
The youth side’s next assignment will come in mid-March when the NPL Northern NSW season gets away.
