JASON Hoffman scored in a second consecutive game but the fullback-turned-striker lamented two missed headers as the Jets went down 2-1 to Melbourne Victory in a pulsating clash at AAMI Park on Friday night.
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Hoffman produced a quality finish on the stroke of half-time to cancel out a Kosta Barbarouses goal in the 34th minute.
Besart Berisha regained the lead for the home side with a runaway effort eight minutes into the second half.
The Jets were out-played for much of the contest but could easily have grabbed a point.
Hoffman had the best of the second-half chances when he shrugged off Thomas Deng and met a Dimi Petratos cross. But with keeper Lawrence Thomas to beat, he blazed a header over the bar.
The loss was just the Jets’ third for the campaign and they remain seven points clear in second place.
It was the first time Hoffman has scored in back-to-back games but he couldn’t hide his displeasure.
“It is extremely disappointing not to come away with a point,” he said.
“It is always good to score goals, especially when you are playing further up the field, but I look at the two headers. That could have earned us a point. That is something for me to work on. It was pretty tough to be honest. There weren’t many clear-cut chances for us. For me in particular that header was one I will have to put away in the future.”
Jets coach Ernie Merrick said Victory were the better side but was proud of the effort by an inexperienced outfit.
The match was played at a frenetic pace. Repeat sprint after repeat sprint. Quick corners. Quick freekicks. It was end to end stuff. Barely a second to breathe.
The Victory tactics were clear: stop Petratos. They put pressure on the Jets’ go-to man every time he got the ball and nullified his impact and that of striker Andrew Nabbout.
The visitors had the majority of the ball in the opening exchanges and should have taken the lead in the 10th minute.
Nikoloai Topor-Stanley made a run forward and dropped a cross onto the noggin of Hoffman but, with Thomas on his his heels, the winger ballooned a header over the bar.
Both teams pushed and probed looking for the breakthrough.
In the end, it took a piece of brilliance from Barbarouses in the 34th minute to break the deadlock. The Kiwi international collected a cut-back on the right junction of the box from Jason Geria and curled a first-time shot into the left corner.
Victory nearly doubled their advantage five minutes later when Leroy George burst into the box but his left-foot shot cannoned into the post.
The home side looked to be in control, only for the Jets to level on half-time.
Steve Ugarkovic beat three defenders in a 30 metre run from inside his own half and produced a slide-rule through-ball for Hoffman. The winger took a touch and and slid a low shot past Thomas.
Wayne Brown replaced Ben Kantarovski (back) at half-time and Merrick pushed Petratos wider in a bid to get him into the game.
But it was Victory who struck after the break. Mark Milligan won ball inside his own half and released Berisha. The Albanian did the rest, charging into the box and rifling a shot into the roof of the goal.
Victory should have sealed the result five minutes later when Ivan Vujica clipped the heels of Jason Geria inside the box. Mark Milligan stepped up but his spot kick hit the trailing leg of Glen Moss.
Vujica received a yellow card, his fifth for the season, and will miss the away clash against leaders Sydney FC On Wednesday.
