DAVID Carney, take a bow.
The reborn former Socceroo produced a wonder strike to snatch the Newcastle Jets a 1-0 win over A-League champions Melbourne Victory at Hunter Stadium on Friday night.
Two weeks after a man-of-the match effort in the 2-1 win over Wellington, Carney produced the goods again.
The winger won a free-kick in the 75th minute then produced the killer blow.
Leonardo pushed the ball in front of Carney, who hit a swerving drive past Danny Vukovic into the left corner.
It has been an amazing turnaround for the 31-year-old, who was exiled for the second half of last season after a fallout with former coach Phil Stubbins.
Until Carney’s heroics, Victory looked the most likely. They had 60 per cent of possession and led the shot count 20-8.
The win continued the Jets’ dominance of the defending champions.
Last season’s wooden spooners are now unbeaten in their past eight games, including trials, and they have the greatest winning percentage of any team over perennial powerhouse Victory.
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Ever competitive, Victory coach Kevin Muscat bristled and vowed to end the rot when it was suggested that the Jets were the Victory’s bogey team in the lead-up to the round-three clash.
Muscat’s frustration levels reached boiling point midway through the second half, and referee Strebre Delovski stopped play to tell the coach to calm down.
Neither side could find a killer blow in a high-tempo first half.
Buoyed by their record against the Victory, the home side started the brighter and should have punished the visitors when Milos Trifunovic pounced on an errant pass from Broxham in the 18th minute.
But, with only Danny Vukovic to beat, the Serbian shot way too early and straight at the keeper. It was a sign of things to come.
Trifunovic had another chance three minutes later but again fell short, unable to get a toe to a Leonardo ball across the face of goal.
The two close calls stung the champions into action.
Jets goalkeeper Kennedy made good saves to deny Fahid Ben Khalfallah then Kosta Barbarouses.
Hired gun Besart Berisha beat the keeper but not the woodwork as the shot count rose to 7-1 in Victory’s favour after half an hour.
But it was anything but one-way traffic. The Jets hustled and bustled and pressed hard.
The game opened up the further it progressed.
Trifunovic should have broken the deadlock two minutes after the resumption after he outmuscled Broxham, but his shot flashed past the left post.
The Jets defended stoutly after Carney’s goal to give young coach Scott Miller his first win at home.
source:theherald.com.au
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 