Maitland Magpies coach Mick Bolch was relieved to collect three points and sang the praises of an outstanding game by Newcastle Jets Youth goalkeeper Noah James.
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James denied Maitland livewire Ryan Clarke three times in the first half and kept the Magpies at bay until Alex Read finally broke the deadlock with a goal in the 88th minute.
“We created plenty of chance, we could have easily won 4-0 apart from their keeper Noah James. He was outstanding, the best player on the ground by far,” Bolch said after the game.
“You can’t knock our players. It wasn’t as if they were missing targets, everything was on target it’s just James kept them out.
“Ryan Clarke was untouchable in the first half. He (James) probably had three one-on-one saves off Clarkey that would have gone in against anyone else.
“They were a massive three points. They (Jets) are going to take points off a lot of teams this year. They are well coached by Lawrie (McKinna) and they are playing a lot more to try and win games this year rather than just development.
“He kept them in the game until the last five minutes.”
Bolch was full of praise for the defensive effort, the team’s first clean sheet of the season.
“I thought we were very comfortable defensively all day and that was our first clean sheet of the year and I’m very happy with that.
“The Jets move the ball quick, they’re young, they’re fit so we sat behind the ball a little bit and kept our structures well.
“It was good, in the end (Maitland keeper) Matt Trott only had to make two saves for the day.”
Matt Swan, who was in doubt with injury, was among Maitland’s best with Clarke and Read.
Coming up Maitland face Hamilton Olympic next Sunday and Edgeworth the following week as well as an FFA Cup fixture in the first week of May.
“It’s a tough run but if you want to be there at the end of the season you have to beat those teams,” Bolch said.
