Jets soar through downpour to beat Auckland FC

53 mins ago
Auckland FC takes on the Newcastle Jets. (Source: Sky Sport)

Newcastle have dealt Auckland FC their first loss of the A-League Men season, prevailing 2-1 in torrential rain to snap a three-game losing streak and leap off the bottom of the table.

Teenager Will Dobson proved the architect of Auckland's demise, scoring the opening goal then teeing up Lachie Rose for the winner after Louis Verstraete had equalised.

The Jets held on through rain that left puddles on the pitch, stopped the ball in motion and constantly splashed up water, to deal the Black Knights just their third ever loss at Go Media Stadium.

"It means the world," Jets skipper Kosta Grozos told Sky Sports NZ.

"Coming off some bad losses, this just makes up for it.

"We travelled here, we stick together as a group and we fight it out til the end."

Third-placed Auckland (3-2-1) will head into next week's derby against Wellington in the middle of a form slump after coach Steve Corica had already lamented their performance in last week's 1-1 draw with Brisbane.

"That one hurts the most out of everything," Auckland stand-in skipper Jake Brimmer said.

"... I think it was down to us tonight. We didn't take our chances and obviously two crappy goals, and that's what cost us."

Newcastle opened the scoring when Max Burgess released Daniel Wilmering down the left and his cross was only half-cleared.

The ball spilled to Dobson who fired into the roof of the net.

Auckland hit back 11 minutes later.

Frances De Vries floated in a cross and Sam Cosgrove headed the ball back into the path of Verstraete, who took a touch then smashed it home.

In the 20th minute, Jesse Randall got away one-on-one with Jets goalkeeper James Delianov but dragged his shot wide.

Newcastle were looking for a penalty in the 27th minute when Jake Girdwood-Reich caught Dobson in the chest with a high boot but nothing was forthcoming.

The visitors regained the lead against the run of play just before halftime when Dobson slipped through Rose, who squeezed past the offside trap and coolly tapped home.

The Auckland bench were incensed, believing the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud kept the game alive when he denied Clayton Taylor in the 64th minute.

In torrential rain, Delianov did brilliantly to keep out Randall's strike in the 74th, while he denied Sam Cosgrove in the 87th.

Newcastle professionally saw out six minutes of added time to seal victory and leap to 10th on the table.

Mark Milligan's Jets return home for next Saturday's clash with Melbourne City.

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