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Milligan sees red as Jets thump Victory

Victory coach Kevin Muscat. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
23rd November, 2017
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A brain explosion from Mark Milligan has given Newcastle a boost back to the top of the A-League table as the Jets put four goals past 10-man Melbourne Victory.

Thursday night’s combustible 4-1 contest put brought Victory back to earth after their first win of the season in Perth last Sunday, leaving Kevin Muscat’s men at risk of slipping back out of the top six before the end of the round.

Kosta Barbarouses marked his return from international duty with a fifth-minute screamer, but it wasn’t long before Daniel Georgievski equalised, Joey Champness then adding to Andrew Nabbout’s brace to seal the result.

But the match review panel will likely only remember Milligan’s headbutt to Georgievski’s chest that earned him a straight red.

“It was such a disappointing night,” Muscat said.

“We started really well, scored a really good goal, and after that it was nowhere near good enough.”

Victory started on the front foot and so quick was the opener that debuting Glen Moss hadn’t even touched the ball for his new club before he was picking it out of his own net.

James Troisi’s ball left Barbarouses with a lot to do, but the Kiwi caught it on the bounce and powered over Moss’s head.

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Ten minutes later Georgievski hammered home the equaliser with similar pizzazz, taking a feed from Dimi Petratos, skirting around two defenders and unleashing into the top corner.

With the ledger level, Ernie Merrick’s men would benefit from two unfortunate incidents.

Injury-prone defender Rhys Williams limped off the pitch 20 minutes in and was subbed for Matias Sanchez.

Georgievski shoved into Milligan, earning himself a yellow card.

But as referee Stephen Lucas reached for his pocket the Socceroos utility retaliated, launching himself head first at his former teammate and was given his marching orders for his efforts.

It did not take long for the hosts to exploit their numerical advantage.

Nabbout tapped in a classy Jason Hoffman cross for Victory to take a lead into the break.

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Victory reorganised at halftime and the Jets lost some of their intensity – and Hoffman and Georgievski to injuries.

Yet it wasn’t long before a quick Nabbout throw-in caught Thomas well off his line with Champness on hand to slide home his second career goal.

Petratos rattled the crossbar, and then gave Nabbout his second tap-in at the far post.

Jets coach Ernie Merrick was delighted with his side’s rebound from the Sydney FC loss.

“It was a good reaction to have,” Merrick said.

“We gave the goal away and that seems to work for us – we give a goal away and then we start playing.”

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