Marquee striker Marc Janko handed Sydney FC a 1-0 victory over Newcastle, but the Sky Blues looked less than convincing against their lowly rivals at Hunter Stadium.
Janko bagged his 13th goal of the season on Friday to sit two ahead of Wellington’s Nathan Burns in the race for the golden boot, showing just why Sydney forked out $1.4 million for his services this season.
Having netted nine goals in the last six matches, the Austrian skipper also equalled the league record set by Besart Berisha for scoring in most consecutive games.
Sydney now temporarily climb to second spot, just one point behind leaders Perth, and remain undefeated on the road this season.
The Jets meanwhile stay in ninth spot still searching for their second win of the season.
Sydney entered the match in red-hot form having scored 19 goals in their last six games and were tipped to run riot against the battling Jets, but it didn’t all go their way.
The Jets had the better of the first half, putting the Sky Blues under pressure.
Newcastle had the first real chance of the match in the 17th minute when Andrew Hoole set up Ecuadorian striker Edson Montano who sent his shot just wide.
The Sky Blues looked like breaking the deadlock in the 29th minute when a Sebastian Ryall header hit the cross-bar, the rebound falling to striker Janko, but his effort flashed wide.
The Jets continued to press with Mitch Cooper firing a long-range effort in the 33rd minute.
But the hosts copped a blow just before the break with defender Taylor Regan taken off with a knee injury after colliding with Rhyan Grant – he was replaced by Sam Gallagher.
Sydney emerged from the break desperate to get on the scoresheet with both Janko and Terry Antonis firing in quick succession early in the second half.
Janko forced a save from keeper Ben Kennedy with defender Gallagher blocking an Antonis strike a moment later.
Antonis put Kennedy to work again with a powerful attempt in the 59th minute as momentum began to swing the Sky Blues’ way.
But the Jets didn’t let them stay comfortable for long.
Both Daniel Mullen and and Scott Neville threatened while Andrew Hoole leapt onto a Enver Alivodic ball to force a save from Vedran Janjetovic.
But the Sky Blues’ attack would prove too strong in the 68th minute with Janko netting the winner.
Robert Stambolziev, who was making his Sydney debut off the bench, dispossessed Ki-je Lee to set up Janko whose first shot was blocked, but he made no mistake with the rebound, netting his ninth goal in the last six games.
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