NEWCASTLE Jets came from two goals down to notch a 2-all draw with Western Sydney at Parklea on Wednesday in what coach Ernie Merrick labelled a valuable dress rehearsal for their up-coming FFA Cup battle.
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The Jets take on Melbourne Victory in the round of 32 at AAMI Park on Wednesday night.
Panamanian striker Abdiel Arroyo is expected to make his debut off the bench against Victory, while captain Nigel Boogaard (knee) and keeper Glen Moss (foot) are on track to be available.
None of the trio played in the trial, which was held behind closed doors.
Jason Hoffman (65th) and Angus Thurgate (68th) hit the back of the net for the Jets after Bruce Kamau (12th) and Daniel Georgieski (35th) had put Wanderers ahead.
"Bearing in mind we are 10 weeks out, I'm very happy with where we are at," Merrick said. "It was a big step forward from the Edgeworth match. It was much better tactically and the quality of passing was good in the first 20 minutes, and we got better the further the game went. It was a good dress rehearsal for the FFA Cup. Victory nor ourselves will be at our best. No-one will be at their best. That is impossible."
Matt Millar went close to putting the Jets ahead in the ninth minute when he struck the crossbar from a Dimi Petratos cross.
Wanderers then took control with a goal to winger Bruce Kamau in the 12th minute.
Former Jets fullback Daniel Georgievski double the advantage with a powerful shot in the 35th minute.
"We had some chances in the box but we didn't finish very well," Merrick said. "To be fair to Wanderers, after they scored, they dominated the rest of the first half. They pressed us really high and it worked. Instead of passing the ball in behind them, where there was a lot of space, we were getting caught in possession. We changed a couple of things in the second half and got stronger and stronger."
The Jets hit back midway through the second half when Hoffman slotted home a cutback from Steve Ugarkovic. Three minutes later substitute Angus Thurgate got on the end of a Petratos cross and headed in.
"We controlled the last 15 minutes and should have put them away but we didn't," Merrick said. "Overall, I'd say a draw was a fair result. Bearing in mind we are 10 weeks out, I'm very happy with where we are at. But we can't concede a goal cheaply and then drop our heads for the rest of the half. We spoke about lifting and pressing more and they did it really well. They responded to a slight strategic change."
Nikolai Topor-Stanley got through 75 minutes in his first start for the season. Matt Millar, Ben Kantarovski and Dimi Petratos were replaced early in the second half.
"We managed to give a lot of our younger boys a run - Pat Langlois, Jack Simmons, Kosta and Maki Petratos and Keegan Hughes in goals," Merrick said. "Everyone did a job."
