[VIDEO] Newcastle Jets vs Brisbane Roar highlights: A-League scores, blog

Match result:

The Brisbane Roar have defeated the Newcastle Jets 2-1 to end the regular season with a win and finish 6th on the ladder.

BRISBANE 2
NEWCASTLE 1

After a goal-less 70 minutes, with plenty of chances, Brisbane would score two goals in 16 minutes to win the match and hand Newcastle the wooden spoon for 2014/15.

Not only did the loss hand Newcastle their second wooden spoon, it also gave them their lowest points haul in an A-League season.

17 points in 2014/15 beats the 18 scored in the 2008/09 season when they also finished last in the eight team competition back then.

The Jets deserved a point in this match, and were certainly in the contest, but they couldn’t hold out an attacking Roar outfit with five minutes to go.

For the first 70 minutes of the game, it was an open match with no goals.

Both teams created chances but struggled to get a clear shot on goal in the final third.

This changed in the 71st minute as the Roar opened the scoring.

Jean Carlos Solorzano made a wonderful run into the box and passed to Kofi Danning who had a simple tap in for the opening goal.

For Danning, who came on as a sub two minutes before, it was his first goal in 1,225 days.

His last goal was in 2011 against the Central Coast Mariners.

The lead would last six minutes before Newcastle equalised through Montano.

He would get a nice pass from Cooper and put the ball past the goal keeper to level the match.

Unfortunately for the Jets, they conceded again, to fall behind.

From a corner, in the 86th minute, the Roar had three attempts at the goals before Lachlan Jackson put the ball into the net.

Kennedy did everything, as he stopped the first two shots, but he couldn’t stop the third.

It was Jackson’s first goal for the club and one that would prove to be the match winner.

Despite a late chance to the Jets, which saw a Dan Mullen shot go over the bar, the Roar held on to win.

They now focus on the finals and will face either Wellington, Sydney, or Adelaide in week 1.

Newcastle will now head on holiday and look to bounce back in 2015/16. They have a tough off-season ahead of them.

Match preview:

The Newcastle Jets will want to end their season with a win when they take on the Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium. Join The Roar for all the action from 7:40pm (AEST).

A win, and a Western Sydney loss or draw to Perth Glory, would see the Jets avoid a second wooden spoon in the club’s history.

In 2008-09 the Jets finished last, with a club-record-low 18 points for the season. A loss today to the Roar would break that record and consign the Jets to their worst season as a football club.

Brisbane have no pressure and really nothing to play for. Their finals spot is sealed after the Perth Glory salary cap scandal, and they can’t move any higher with a win today.

They will finish sixth and face either Sydney, Adelaide, or Wellington, in the first week of the finals.

The Roar will also be fatigued after their impressive 1-0 win over Beijing in the Asian Champions League during the week.

It would be a massive surprise if they are at full strength tonight – expect a second string team to take to the field.

One player who looks likely to play for the Roar is Michael Theo. After injuries all but ruined his 2014-15 season, the goalkeeper is one of three inclusions in the team. The most successful goalkeeper in the A-League – with four Premiers Plates and five Championships – should play a full 90 minutes and will be very handy for the Roar in the finals.

He is joined in the squad by Benjamin Litfin and Matthew Schmidt, who have been promoted.

Jade North is the only player out of the squad that took on Melbourne twice last week, but expect others to join him in the lead-up to kick off.

Newcastle have named an unchanged line up for the clash.

The Roar won their games against Newcastle this season, and should beat them if they play their full strength squad. If they don’t, then Newcastle can win the match and potentially avoid the wooden spoon.

I’m going to predict a draw just to be on the safe side.