Newcastle super-subs Jason Naidovski and Sean Rooney came to the rescue as the Jets’ stole a 3-2 A-League win over Wellington Phoenix on Sunday.
The Jets’ looked like they would have to settle for a draw in their opening game with scores locked at 2-2 after they had surrendered a two-goal lead in the first half.
But Rooney, a 78th-minute substitute, floated in a brilliant cross and Naidovski, who had only come on seven minutes earlier, directed a header home in the 84th minute to get the Jets’ new campaign off to a strong start.
Branko Culina’s team had looked to be coasting towards victory after 20-year-old striker Jason Hoffman had scored a double to put them up 2-0 up after just 22 minutes.
But the Phoenix, considered among the favourites for the wooden spoon, hit back with goals to defender Ben Sigmund and newly-signed English striker Chris Greenacre before halftime.
There were encouraging sides for both teams in the match, but both still look capable of plenty of improvement.
Marquee signing Fabio Vignaroli completed 75 minutes for the Jets’ despite concerns over his fitness while Korean midfielder Jin-Hyung Song looked back to his best after an injury-riddled last season.
The Phoenix showed they are unlikely to be pushovers again this year, with Leo Bertos standing out and Greenacre and fellow English recruit Paul Ifill showing signs of a promising partnership up front.
Vignaroli flashed a free kick just wide inside the opening minutes before Newcastle opened the scoring through a lovely finish by Hoffman in the 12th minute.
Tarek Elrich delivered a fine through ball and Hoffman perfectly chipped advancing Phoenix ‘keeper Mark Paston to open the Jets’ goal account for the new season.
The promising striker then secured a first half double on 22 minutes after Paston had fumbled a shot from Song.
Wellington refused to give in, however, and hit back in the 26th minute when Ben Sigmund headed in off a Leo Bertos free kick after some sloppy Jets’ marking.
And the visitors levelled the scores when Greenacre scored on debut in the 43rd minute.
Bertos made an impressive run downfield and delivered a pass to the Englishman, who hit a low drive that slipped past Jets’ keeper Ben Kennedy.
The match lost its tempo early in the second half before Elrich came close to breaking the deadlock when he had a low shot saved after some good lead-up work from Song.
Hoffman should have secured a hat-trick and a Jets’ win in the 75th minute after heading wide following some great lead up work from defender Ljubo Milicevic, but it mattered little when Naidovski, 20, scored his first A-League goal.