The last F3 derby of the season ended in a goal fest as Morten Nordstrand netted a brace to give the Newcastle Jets a 4-2 win against the Central Coast Mariners.
Mariners continue to make A-League history
It only took the Mariners 40 seconds, (the fastest goal of the season) to become the first team in A-League history to not record a single clean sheet in a season. It was another calamity for the side that has copped 70 goals thoughout the campaign, when Paul Izzo not only found himself in no man’s land, but also unconscious after his head cannoned off Ryan Kitto’s knee. Nordstrand then headed the ball into an empty to put their F3 rivals into the history books. It has been 364 days the Mariners kept a clean sheet, that is 29 A-League games.
Tony Walmsley’s side smashed North Queensland Fury’s record of 60 goals conceded and also pipped them at the post for most losses in an A-League season with 20. The 2013 champions also conceded four goals in a game for the fourth time in five appearances, making it the seventh time they have conceded four goals in 2015-16. Our condolences go out to the Mariners and their fans.
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Kitto and Nordstrand fire for Jets
The combination of Kitto and Nordstrand has looked exciting since the latter joined the club in the summer but it was not until tonight when they finally executed. The Danish scored a double, both of those were assisted by Kitto, who later created Enver Alivodic’s goal giving him a hat-trick of assists for the night. Imagine what they could have produced for the Novocastrians if they had a full season together. That is what the Jets can possibly have leading their line in 2016-17, all is needed to re-signed the duo.
Is there still life in the F3 Derby?
For many years now the fire has been put out in these matches with the battles seemingly between best friends instead of enemies. While the fight was not really there tonight in regards to what we are used to seeing in derbies across the league, the entertainment value in this match was unprecedented. The Jets raced to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes which could have ended in a drubbing, however, the Mariners thought their way back into the contest reducing the deficit to one goal on two occasions, a credit to a team that has had such a bad season. Is this the start of something new for the F3 Derby or was it just a one off.
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