Newcastle have stopped the A-League’s goal-scoring machines in their tracks, defeating a 10-man Melbourne City 2-1 at Hunter Stadium.
A questionable handball decision against Jack Clisby on Sunday allowed Milos Trifunovic to roll in a second-half penalty kick, before the Serb struck again to seal victory and lift the Jets past Wellington into eighth place.
City, tepid though they were, also felt aggrieved by referee Adam Fielding’s decision to award Jacob Melling a red card when he was adjudged to have denied Morten Nordstrand a goal-scoring opportunity in the 64th minute.
Former Danish international Nordstrand still made his mark with an excellent assist for Trifunovic’s second on 72 minutes, before league top-scorer Bruno Fornaroli netted his 15th of the season to reduce the deficit with 11 minutes to go.
Despite scoring 11 times in their past four games, it was all John van `t Schip’s title contenders could muster against the lowly Jets, who clawed their way into the contest and carried the momentum to the finish, although they were often still let down by the final touch.
Mitch Cooper was on the end of an impressive pass from debut starter Steven Ugarkovic early on but misfired.
Enver Alivodic was closer to target, picking up a loose ball in the box courtesy of Leonardo’s build-up work, but the Serb’s stab at goal was parried away by City gloveman Thomas Sorensen.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic, and Sorensen’s Jets counterpart Mark Birighitti was on his toes to deny City on numerous occasions, including Aaron Mooy’s free-kick and Melling’s long-range drive.
Mooy’s right boot was the root of the visitors’ chances and the Socceroo sent a great pass inside, where Fornaroli dodged two Jets defenders only to punish himself with a finish wide of the mark.
The Jets opened the scoring after 48 minutes when Jason Hoffman slammed the ball at Clisby from point-blank range, the City defender ruled to have handballed deliberately despite his arm being tucked into his side.
Trifunovic duly converted from the spot, much to van `t Schip’s regret.
“If you see someone turning his back to the situation, having his palms attached to his body and not seeing the ball coming from a metre (away), I don’t see that you can call that a deliberate handball,” said van `t Schip, who also thought Melling’s challenge on Nordstrand, though not good, didn’t amount to a red card.
Jets coach Scott Miller believed the send-off was warranted, but conceded his side had been lucky with the handball decision.
“I think John will be very disappointed,” Miller said.
“I’m sure he’ll be disputing it … it’s unlikely it was a penalty, but you’ve got to take it.”
Melling’s send-off and Trifunovic’s brace brought Newcastle within touching distance of their second win in 14 matches and third at home in 12 months.
Fornaroli made sure it wasn’t that easy, sucking in four defenders and laying off to Nick Fitzgerald in the box before receiving it back and heading past Birighitti.
For third-placed City, though, it was not enough and leaves them six points adrift of pacesetters Western Sydney and Brisbane.
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