JAUSHUA Sotirio opened his goal-scoring account for the Newcastle Jets as the visitors produced a resolute defensive effort to upset Adelaide 1-0 at Coopers Stadium on Tuesday night.
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Sotirio put the Jets ahead in the 25th minute with a well-worked goal and from there the visitors hung tough in stifling conditions.
Kick-off was put back 45 minutes due to a heat wave in Adelaide. However, the temperature was still a scorching 38 degrees at the start of the game, forcing two drinks breaks in each half.
"It is a hard place to come and win a game of football," said Carl Jenkinson, who wore the captain's armband for the first time.
"The boys dug in, even the lads who came off the bench. It was a great all-round performance. It is a great three points for us.
"The heat. This was the hottest it has been in my time playing out here."
Craig Goodwin had a last-minute chance to snatch a point but his freekick from the edge of the box chipped over the bar.
The Reds were on the front foot for much of the game but couldn't find a final gear inside the penalty box.
That was largely due to a desperate Jets defence.
Centrebacks Mark Natta and Jordan Elsey were immense. If they weren't winning the ball, intercepting passes or blocking shots, they provided enough pressure to put the Adelaide attackers off.
Coach Arthur Papas wanted his side to be desperate in both boxes and they delivered in spades.
It was the Jets' first clean sheet of the season and just their second win against Adelaide in the past 12 encounters.
They moved to sixth spot on 12 points, below Adelaide on goal difference, ahead of a New Years Day date with Sydney FC.
The match was the Jets' fourth in 16 days and Papas again freshened up the XI.
Jenkinson returned at right back, Kosta Grozos came into midfield and Sotirio and Reno Piscopo joined Beka Mikeltadze up front.
The home side created the opening chance in the 10th minute when Ibusuki Hiroshi found space in the box but his shot from a tight angle was cleared off the line by Elsey.
Elsey, who made 124 appearances for the Reds, was strong early and he needed to be.
Adelaide were making all the running but that flipped in the 25th minute.
Grozos threaded a neat pass for Sotirio inside the box and he unleashed a stinging first-time effort which deflected off the shoulder Alex Popovic and arrowed into the net.
It was the fourth time this season the Jets have scored the opening goal. They went on to collect three points in the three previous.
The Jets, guilty of turning over cheap possession early, finally started to string passes together late in the half.
Most of Adelaide's attack came down the left through Goodwin.
It took some desperate defending from Elsey to keep the Jets in front at the break, throwing his body in front of a Ryan Kitto shot from close range.
The Reds led all the major statistics at the break bar the most important one.
They had 54 per cent of the ball, led the shot count 8-3, made 134 passes in the Jets' half and had 10 touches inside the penalty area.
Jets: Jack Duncan; Dane Ingham, Mark Natta, Jordan Elsey, Carl Jenkinson; Kosta Grozos, Angus Thurgate, Beka Dartsmelia; Jaushua Sotirio, Beka Mikeltadze, Reno Piscopo
Adelaide: Joe Gauci; Javier Lopez, Lachlan Barr, Alex Popovic, Ryan Kitto; Juande, Isaias, Ethan Alagic, Zach Clough, Craig Goodwin, Ibusuki Hiroshi
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
