Fury down Jets to live another day

North Queensland Fury have overcome off field dramas to keep their slim finals hopes alive after defeating Newcastle Jets 2-1 at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Tuesday night.

A rescheduled game due to weather conditions saw a small crowd of 4,156 watch a deadlock created by goals from the Jets Matthew Thompson and the Fury’s Chris Grossman only to be broken by Chris Tadrosse’s strike in the 80th minute.

The Fury’s finals hopes depend on them winning their next two games with other round results having to go their way while it is still possible for Newcastle to miss out despite being four points clear of seventh placed Brisbane.

The Jets took full advantage of the first real chance of the game in the 18th minute when a corner from Jin Hyung Song was put into the 18 yard box and poor Fury defence gave the ball to Jets captain Matthew Thompson who promptly delivered the visitors a 1-0 lead.

They looked for their second shortly after with a through ball from Song finding Thompson who got an accurate cross away to Jobe Wheelhouse whose shot was desperately saved by a foot deflection from Fury goal keeper Justin Pasfield.

North Queensland found the equaliser in the 38th minute with a long high ball from Matthew Smith rebounding off Dyron Daal’s chest and finding Chris Grossman who managed to get a powerful shot into the back of the net.

A foul from Newcastle’s Tarek Elrich on Paul Kohler just outside the 18 yard box gave the Fury the opportunity to get ahead but substitute Terry Cookes’ shot drifted over the crossbar in the 68th minute.

The deadlock was broken ten minutes from time when a long high cross from Cooke was brilliantly volleyed into the back of the goal by Chris Tadrosse to give North Queensland the three points.

North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson said his players showed plenty of character to rebound from a goal down.

Ferguson was grateful to have Robbie Fowler back in the team after the Liverpool legend sat in the stands last week rather than start on the bench against Brisbane.

“Robbie came back and played a fantastic game for us tonight. Just to have him in the side, his presence gave us that lift,” Ferguson said.

“We wanted to finish as high as we can. The worst scenario for me and the team is finishing last.”

Scoring the game winning goal and his first goal in the A league, defender Chris Tadrosse was delighted.

“I think its probably the highlight of the year. Obviously we won and I thought we played well in the second half and to get the goal was a little bonus on top,” he said.

Jets Coach Branko Culina was disappointed that his team had let slip the opportunity to grab fourth place.

“This week (we were) playing good football and then conceded a soft goal. It was always going to be tough in the second half because of the conditions,” he said.

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