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Newcastle Jets consolidated their position in the top 4 with a last-gasp 1-0 win on the road against Queensland Roar. Scoreless in the first half, the match came to life at the hour mark when Matt McKay was challenged in the box and went to ground; the referee pointed to the penalty spot. It was a golden chance to put the Roar in the lead, but Jets' keeper Ante Covic guessed correctly and the penalty shot was saved. The match continued, and another outstanding save by Covic kept Simon Lynch out. The Roar had done most of the attacking all night with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard, which was to prove deadly as the clock ticked into injury time. The Jets moved forward, with Tarik Elrich working his way around Marcinho before centreing to Joel Griffiths, who headed home the Newcastle game-winner. Against the run of play, the Jets had taken the match in the dying moments and the Brisbane home crowd went home stunned. Queensland Roar 0 Newcastle Jets 1 (J Griffiths 90) Yellow Cards : Roar - R Kruse 27, S McLaren 33. Jets - A Griffiths 14, J Griffiths 27, S Musiallic 44. Referee - P Green. Crowd - 14,193 at Suncorp Stadium. Over 18,000 people, the biggest crowd ever for a domestic football match in New Zealand, attended Westpac Stadium as the Phoenix took on Adelaide. But the vocal home crowd were soon silenced as Paul Agostino found himself on the end of a cross from Pantelis to head home an early score for the Reds. After the half-time break, Adelaide's physical style began to earn the wrath of referee Craig Zetter, with a string of free kicks and cards helping the Phoenix work their way back into the contest. It came to a head on 69 minutes when Milan Susak conceded his second yellow; leaving the Reds with 10 men and sending Daniel to the penalty spot. He made no mistake, equalising the scores and sending the crowd into raptures. But the hopes of the locals were dashed 10 minutes later when Nathan Burns set up Lucas Pantelis to restore the lead for the Reds. And despite the Phoenix having the advantage of an extra player on the pitch during the closing stages, there was to be no equaliser; the win for Adelaide maintaining their position in the top 4. Wellington Phoenix 1 (Daniel 69pen) Adelaide United 2 (P Agostino 9, L Pantelis 79). Yellow Cards : Wellington - J Christie 90. Adelaide - M Susak 50,68, Diego 58, L Pantelis 59, S Ontong 90, I Erdogan 90. Red Cards : Adelaide - M Susak 68. Referee - C Zetter. Crowd - 18,345 at Westpac Stadium. |
ROUND 15: Friday 30th November Wellington Phoenix 1 Adelaide Utd 2 Queensland Roar 0 Newcastle Jets 1 Saturday 1st December Central Coast Mariners v Sydney FC - p-p Sunday 2nd December Perth Glory 3 Melbourne Victory 1 |
ROUND 16: Friday 7th December Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory (5.30) Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets (8.00) Saturday 8th December Melbourne Victory v Adelaide Utd (7.00) Sunday 9th December Queensland Roar v Cent. Cst M'ners (7.00) |