Jets triumph in destiny derby: Bridge strikes decisive blow in historic occasion for Newcastle

THE NEWCASTLE HERALD


FAIRYTALES do come true.

The Newcastle Jets, written off at the start of the season, are the A-League champions.

Almost 30 years to the day since KB United made the city's first foray into the national league, Newcastle finally have a title to their name.

Mark Bridge scored the decisive goal in the 64th minute after he picked the pocket of retiring Mariners defender Tony Vidmar and fired a thunderbolt to beat Mariners keeper Danny Vukovic inside the right post.

Jets owner Con Constantine, who has poured $15 million into his passion, celebrated in typical style.

He moved from his suite to the end of the pitch and proceeded to hug, kiss and pay homage to the Jets fans who had turned the southern end into a sea of gold.

"New-cas-tle, let's go, we done it, thanks," Constantine roared.

It would not have been an F3 derby without controversy.

Referee Mark Shield turned down the Mariners' appeals for a penalty from the last play of the game.

Replays showed the ball struck James Holland's forearm.

Vukovic, who had moved upfield for the corner, was incensed by the decision and let fly at Shield, who gave him a straight red card. He was later charged with "violent conduct striking a match official".

Socceroo John Aloisi was also enraged and received a yellow card.

Holland was not sure if the ball struck his arm or not.

"I went up and protected myself with my arm, and they claimed a handball," Holland said.

"If it did hit my arm I have not seen a replay I did not mean it.

"We have won now so it doesn't matter. First season in the A-League and I have a title. It is unbelievable."

As he has done all season, Gary van Egmond adopted a horses-for-courses approach to team selection.

He made one, but very important, change to the side who beat Queensland 3-2 in the preliminary final. Korean Song Jin-hyung came in for James Holland.

But it was his gamble to change formation that was the main talking point.

The Jets have played a 4-2-3-1 formation for the majority of the season, but last night they reverted to a 3-4-3 system, with the league's leading scorer, Joel Griffiths, in a midfield role.

Van Egmond's intention was to run the ageing Mariners off their feet and cut off the supply to strikers John Aloisi and Sasho Petrovski.

Not only that, the move provided a shock element.

The Jets dominated the first half. They moved the ball, won the majority of 50-50 challenges and were composed in defence.

But for all their purpose it failed to produce on the scoresheet in the first half.

Song was in everything.

He combined with Bridge to create the Jets' best chance of the half in the 19th minute.

The tricky Korean laid off a neat back-heel for Bridge, who weaved through two defenders and pulled the trigger. The shot was not far off, curling just past the outside of the right post.

Never have the stakes in an F3 derby been so high.

And it showed.

The match was not even 10 seconds old when Mariners midfielder John Hutchinson crunched Joel Griffiths in a fierce tackle.

Griffiths returned serve on Greg Owens a minute later, setting the scene for a brutal encounter.

The match erupted in the 11th minute after a late tackle by Griffiths on Mile Jedinak.

Players from both teams converged, and referee Mark Shield had to step in between Tarek Elrich and Hutchinson.

Once the dust settled, Griffiths was given a yellow card. Jedinak followed him into the referee's book a minute later when he chased Griffiths and returned the favour by bringing him down.

The Jets continued to probe and push and always looked the more likely to score.

Aloisi and Petrovski hardly had a touch in the first half.

In fact, the Mariners had to wait until the 28th minute for the first shot, a long-range effort by Owens which sailed high and wide.

After soaking up a heap of pressure in the opening 30 minutes, the Mariners started to work their way into the game.

Adam Griffiths was the third player to pick up a card when he slid in late on Hutchinson in the 38th minute.

After being contained in the first half, Aloisi should have put the Mariners ahead four minutes after the break.

Adam Kwasnik fired a cross from the left to Aloisi at the back post. The star midseason signing had a free header, but he pushed it past the right post.

The match was crying out for a goal, and Mark Bridge delivered in the 64th minute.

Vidmar slipped, and Bridge struck. He dispossessed the defender, before dribbling to the end of the box and letting rip with a another curling right-footer which smashed midway up the right-side back of the net.

"Vidmar stuffed up: I think he slipped," Bridge said.

"I was running towards goal and saw Nigel Boogaard standing in the way of Vuka [Vukovic], and he could not see the ball. I thought if I hit it sweet and bend it in the corner, he has no chance.

"Lucky enough for me it came off good and went in."

After putting the Jets ahead, Bridge was forced off with cramp 10 minutes later and was replaced by Holland.

Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna had already cleared his bench when van Egmond promoted Hoffman for a tired Matt Thompson.

The teenager thought he scored with his first touch, but the assistant referee had his flag up for offside.

Unlike earlier in the season, the Jets stayed positive once they had the lead.

Jedinak had a half-chance in the 83rd minute which was gobbled up by Ante Covic, one of the few saves he had to make.

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