Fresh from ending an eight-year rot against the Mariners away, the Jets head to Perth this Monday to attempt what for them has been mission impossible.
To put into perspective just how long ago it was that the Jets registered their lone win against the Glory in Perth, one has to take a trip down memory lane to one of the finest months in the history of football in Australia. The month was November 2005 and all connected to Australian football will look back fondly to that wonderful night on the 16th, when a certain now-A-League manager ended 32 years of pain and fired the Socceroos to Germany 2006 with the most famous penalty kick many of us will ever see.
Nine days later, as Australian football was still basking in the glow of that famous result against Uruguay, a Kiwi international was the hero for the Jets as he scored the only goal of a tense and tight contest. Ex South Melbourne man Vaughan Coveny became the first and still only man to score a winning goal for the Jets at nib Stadium, a venue that has been as friendly to the Jets as a bloodhound on the scent of its next kill.
All analogies aside, it has been a long and frustrating journey west for the Novocastrians. Unfortunately for them, the task this time looks as difficult as ever. Kenny Lowe has his men playing some of the best football of any side in the league this season, despite a last start 2-1 loss away to Western Sydney. Prior to that setback, the Glory won five straight in a run that commenced with them belting their opponents this weekend to the tune of 6-1.
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A stable and organised defensive unit has been paired with a free flowing and unpredictable attack that has caused chaos for all their opponents, as the Glory have catapulted up the A-League table to the cusp of a finals berth. Led largely by the creative talents of the irrepressible Spaniard Diego Castro, the Glory fear absolutely nobody and look to be more than a match for anything the A-League can offer. Even in last week’s defeat, most neutral observers would feel that Kenny Lowe’s men were unlucky not to take anything from the game and it would be a real surprise if their confidence has been dented at all.
This all adds up to a real challenge for Scott Miller and his Jets side as they also cling to the hope of forcing their way into finals calculations. They sit four points adrift of sixth-placed Sydney FC and two away from the Glory as they chase what would be a first finals appearance for six years.
One thing that is in the Jets’ favour at the moment is that they too are in the middle of their finest run of form for the season. Newcastle disposed of Melbourne City, Wellington and rivals Central Coast Mariners in three of their last four fixtures. The other result in this run was a more than respectable 2-2 draw away to Brisbane and confidence has not been higher in the Jets camp all season.
Newcastle mainly have the January transfer window to thank for their upturn in fortunes, with the arrivals of former Denmark international Morten Nordstrand and Olyroos midfielder Steven Ugarkovic. The pair have given a new dimension to the Jets going forward, with Ugarkovic having the vision and ability to play penetrative early balls forward, while Nordstrand has added the touch of class in attack that the Jets have so desperately needed. You need look no further than last Sunday afternoon for evidence of this, as Nordstrand weighted a pass through for Ugarkovic which the youngster converted for his maiden A-League goal.
Newcastle will need more from these two, along with the rest of the side if they are to finally break their drought over the Glory in Western Australia. There is so much on the line in this one. If the Glory can get the three points and other results this weekend go their way, they will find themselves in the top six at the conclusion of the weekend. Conversely, if the Jets can overcome the weight of a fantastic Glory side and history, they will be setting up one of the most exciting chases for the top six that the A-League has seen in the last few seasons.
If someone joins Vaughan Coveny and scores a winner for the Jets away to the Glory, Jets fans may just party like it is November 2005 all over again.
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