NEWCASTLE Jets enhanced their reputation as the new entertainers of the A-League with an exhilarating 4-0 hammering of Western Sydney Wanderers at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night.
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John Koutroumbis (11th minute), Jason Hoffman (60th), Ben Kantarovski (63rd) and Steve Ugarkovic (85th) hit the target in a one-sided affair.
The Jets have now scored 29 goals in 12 games, one more than they tallied for the entire 2016-17 campaign.
A large chunk of the goals have been scored without marquee midfielder Ronny Vargas and hired gun Roy O’Donovan, who is sidelined until March with injury.
Argentine winger Patricio Rodriguez and Olyroos attacker Riley McGree will join the club in January. You could argue that they don’t need them.
Delighted Jets coach Ernie Merrick rated the performance the best of the season,
“It was complete domination,” Merrick said. “We had ten shots to one in the first half and I am one of these people who say let’s see if we can beat that in the second half. They went out there and they did it and they did really well. We put the opposition under so much pressure. Every time we got the ball we didn’t dally, we went forward and we created another chance and another chance. I actually enjoyed watching it for a change. It was the most complete performance of the season and I asked for that. I felt we were too lucky to come away with three points in the last two matches. Tonight I wanted them to start the game well and finish the game well and they delivered. They delivered in spades.”
The triumph was the first over Western Sydney Wanderers at home and moved them to 26 points, two points behind leaders Sydney FC, who meet Wellington away on Saturday.
It was the 12th straight game in which the Jets have scored and the win ensures they sit in second place at Christmas for the first time in a decade.
Dimi Petratos, though he didn’t score, was at his brilliant best and toyed with defenders at times.
Ugarkovic was outstanding and Joe Champness ran amok down the left side.
Wanderers, bar a 10-minute period at the start of the second half, were poor. To be fair, the Jets didn’t allow them out of first gear.
The visitors were second to the ball, sprayed passes and failed to apply any pressure.
“You are not going to win games on skill alone,” Merrick said. “You are not going to win it on fitness alone, you have to be absolutely determined and tough and win every tackle and be extremely committed to being competitive. That is the difference.”
Wanderers coach Josep Gombau most disappointed with his side’s lack of effort.
“We did a very bad game from start to finish,” Gombau said. “The players are professional and need to do a job. Every 50-50, every battle, we didn’t win. we lacked the effort you need to win. Before the tactics, before the system, you have to have effort.”
The Jets led 1-0 into the break after an dominant opening 45 minutes in which they peppered the Wanderers goalmouth.
Andrew Nabbout thought he put the home ahead in the fifth minute when he headed a Petratos cross in off the bar, only to be flagged for off-side. The VAR confirmed the official was correct much to the disappointment of the 9862 home fans.
Wanderers’ relief was short lived.
Five minutes later, Koutroumbis was left unattended on the edge of the penalty box. With Wanderers defenders Michael Thwaite and Raul Lorente on their heels, the right back had enough time to take two touches and pick a spot in the bottom left corner.
It was one-way traffic.
Nabbout chipped a shot wide when one-on-one with keeper Vedran Janjetovic, Ugarkovic had a long-range effort deflected off a Wanderers defender and strike the left upright, Ivan Vujica stung the gloves of Janjetovic, Petratos grazed the outside of the left post with a left-foot special and Nabbout hit a shot straight at the keeper.
Wanderers’ only real chance of the half was a header to Mark Bridge in the 42nd minute which went straight into the gloves of Glen Moss.
It was more of the same in the second half. Hoffman burst into the box and drilled a shot into the left corner on the hour, Kantarovski headed home a corner three minutes later and Ugarkovic completed the rout five minutes from time.