Melbourne Heart will be desperate for three points when they tackle the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park tonight. Join us for live scores and a play-by-play description from 5.30pm AEDT.
John Van’t Schip’s side are languishing at the bottom of the heap and will be hoping they can finally register their first win.
While the Heart haven’t been impressive they haven’t been awful either, but they have failed to hold onto a lead too often this season.
Meanwhile the Jets are sitting pretty in second place after their win against Perth last weekend, and will want to push on with the squad beginning to get accustomed to Gary van Egmond’s training regime and playing style.
The side hasn’t hit top gear yet, and their position in the standings will have them confident of a possible top-four finish.
The signing of Michael Bridges during the week will buoy the players, however his return to the field will have to wait another week – flu, apparently.
The Jets’other recent acquisition, Francis Jeffers, is sure to start after his promising 67 minutes last week and Jeremy Brockie will most certainly join him after last week’s brace.
Tiago returns too, though it will be interesting to see if he replaces Taylor Regan, who has been impressive in the Brazilian’s absence.
Zadkovich is out, and Kantarovski seems to be touch and go, so a starting place for youth team captain Jacob Pepper could be on the cards.
The Heart will line-up without the suspended Simon Colosimo, and Curtis Good is away on international duty.
That could provide Adrian Madaschi with his debut and chance to force his way into the starting 11.
The return of Fred last week was also good news for the struggling side, with the captain likely to start the match.
Heart’s heralded attack has failed to fire so far this season, with the promising David Williams particularly disappointing.
However they can take solace in the fact that the Jets have failed to register points in eight of their last nine away fixtures.
This is crunch week in the A-League, with the table threatening to split up if the Central Coast, Brisbane Roar and the Jets all join Adelaide in claiming three points.
Heart needs the points, and the Jets’ poor away form could see a home win.
Will the red and white finally deliver for their fans? Or will the Jets continue their early-season form and banish their away hoodoo?
We’ll have live scores and commentary of all the action from 5.30pm AEDT, so join in and post your thoughts below.
Stevo
Guest
The game changer was Maycon - COMING OFF!!!! He is the most useless player ever to have been recruited to the A-league. Please Schippy, never ever play him again!!! Nice win tho' and Mate getting on to an errant back pass only made up for at least one of Thomos similar disasters previously.
Janek Speight
Expert
FULLTIME Melbourne Heart 3-0 Newcastle Jets Jets now have to pick themselves and regather for the visit of Brisbane Roar next weekend. Heart travel to Gold Coast and will hope this performance kicks off their season.
Janek Speight
Expert
FULLTIME Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets And that's it. Jets were hopeless really, they couldn't keep the ball and their insistence on playing out from the back just isn't suiting the personnel on the field. Too many stray passes to count, and they lead to goals. Heart on the other hand finally hit their straps in the final third. They've been threatening to do it for a while now. Their defence didn't have too much to deal with, and Fred's piece of magic showed them the way. Another great performance from Dugandzic as well and Babalj was impressive off the bench.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Our mate Dugandzic named man of the match. First win for Heart in 11 matches.
Janek Speight
Expert
90' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Game is fizzling out now, Jets probably thinking about their goal difference now.
Janek Speight
Expert
87' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Bablj almost adds a fourth after reaching for a deep cross, great run but he pokes it wide.
Janek Speight
Expert
84' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets GOAL!!! And that seals off a dominance performance from the Heart. And what a goal. Behich runs onto a through ball, completely razzes Kantarovski and curls a beautiful effort into the top corner past Kennedy.
Janek Speight
Expert
81' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Benny Kantarovski finally comes on, about 30 minutes too late. If he was fit enough to be on the bench why wasn't he brought on earlier? Wehrman comes off.
Janek Speight
Expert
80' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Heart are just all over the Jets. It has been a day to forget for the debut of their new black and white strip. Heart finally finding their attacking touch in the final third
Janek Speight
Expert
77' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Second yellow. This time Topor-Stanley for pulling back Fred. Fair call. Free-kick to Heart.
Janek Speight
Expert
75' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets Babalj gets the first yellow of the game. For simulation. Pretty harsh, Topor did have his hands all over him.
Janek Speight
Expert
73' Melbourne Heart 2-0 Newcastle Jets ANOTHER GOAL!! Shocking back pass from Elrich, straight to Dugandzic and he slots it past Kennedy. Nice finish, ugly defence. Jets aren't coming back into this.
Janek Speight
Expert
72' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Heart make a sub. Madaschi for his debit on for Terra.
Janek Speight
Expert
70' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Jets made a sub - Tiago on for Taylor Regan - another mystifying change from van Egmond. Really?
Janek Speight
Expert
65' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets GOAL!!!! Heart have finally scored. Fred fantastic play, with a one-two and a vicious shot into the net. Fantastic goal. Jets need some luck if they're to get back into this.
Janek Speight
Expert
63' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Change for the Jets. Haliti comes on for Jeffers who hasn't really had much of a chance to impress. Strange change, Haliti? I really don't know how he still has a contract
Janek Speight
Expert
61' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Brilliant work from Jeffers, possible handball but he backheels to Abbas who flicks onto Brockie. The Kiwi waits patiently on the byline to cross in but it's blocked and out for a corner. Griffiths was there waiting for it.
Janek Speight
Expert
60' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Shocking tackle from Hoffman on Brockie. That is almost definitely a yellow card offence. The ref is being very soft today. Message from FFA to reduce red cards?
Janek Speight
Expert
58' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Heart are once again all over the Jets. The away side need to make some changes. But again they are failing to punish in the final third.
Janek Speight
Expert
57' Melbourne Heart 0-0 Newcastle Jets Almost a goal!! Dugandzic picks the ball up and sends a nice curling effort towards goal, but Kennedy is equal to it and tips round for a corner. What a shot!