Jets overpower Victory 3-2 in Newcastle

Newcastle have shown their A-League championship potential with a hard-fought 3-2
win over reigning premiers Melbourne Victory at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday.

In front of 6,979 fans the Jets overcame Ben Kantarovski's first-half red card to
completely outplay the Victory in oppressive conditions.
Goals to Matthew Thompson, Michael Bridges and Labinot Haliti secured the win, with
Melbourne's goals coming from skipper Kevin Muscat and Costa Rica international
Carlos Hernandez.
The win keeps Newcastle fourth on the ladder, while Melbourne remain behind league
leaders Sydney FC in second place.
Newcastle's first was a quality team goal with Bridges and Nikolai Topor-Stanley
linking up to set skipper Thompson free in the 26th minute.
The Melbourne Heart-bound midfielder calmly slotted the ball under Mitchell Langerak
to give the hosts the lead.
But the game seemed to have taken a potentially decisive turn in the 33rd minute
when referee Matthew Breeze awarded a penalty against young Jets defender
Kantarovski for holding back Robbie Kruse as the Victory striker lined up a shot.
Breeze gave Kantarovski his second yellow card and an early bath, while Victory
skipper Muscat levelled the scores from the spot.
Despite that setback the Jets went into the sheds ahead after Tarek Elrich's smart
cross was steered home by the returning hero Bridges in the 45th minute, the
Englishman making his first start since recovering from a hamstring injury.
The win was sealed by a stunning third to Haliti in the 56th minute. Korean winger
Jin-Hyung Song's lobbed pass being volleyed spectacularly on the turn by the
Kosovo-born striker.
Hernandez scored in second-half stoppage time from just inside the area with a
placed right foot shot, but it was nothing more than a consolation for the visitors.