ROOKIE striker Noah Botic scored a brace as A-League cellar dwellers Western United executed a classic snatch and run to upset the Newcastle Jets 3-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
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Botic, in his first full season, struck in the 3rd and 29th minutes, which were the visitor's only attempts on goal in the first half.
Beka Mikeltadze pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute for the home side after Jacob Tratt was called for a hand ball in the box.
The Jets dominated for large periods. They peppered the Western goal, especially in the first half, but were thwarted by the herculean efforts of keeper Jamie Young.
Western had more of the play after the break and Tongo Doumbia sealed the win with a header at the back post in the 72nd minute.
"I don't think we defended the box really well," Jets midfielder Angus Thurgate said. "I think it was three crosses for three goals.
"We also could have been more clinical, especially in the first half. We had a fair few chances to score goals and didn't. We let them take control of the game.
"They are a well structured team and when they go ahead it is hard to break them down down.
"It was a combination of not defending our box well and not taking our chances."
The loss ended the Jets' unbeaten run at six games.
It was a missed opportunity for Newcastle against a team which had lost three straight and were low on confidence.
However, it was the Jets who paid the price for errors at both ends of the pitch.
The defeat left Newcastle in seventh place on 24 points.
"It is a tight competition and we know we are right in the mix," Thurgate said. "Especially if we pick up results, but we need to defend better and be more clinical."
Arthur Papas retained the same XI that did the job in a 1-0 win over Macarthur.
However, co-captain Brandon O'Neill was included on the bench for the first time since suffering a knee injury on New Years day. Philip Cancar missed out.
Captain Josh Risdon returned at left back in the only change to the Western United side that lost 3-0 to Wellington.
The last time the two teams met it finished 1-all in Ballarat - the first in the Jets unbeaten run of six games.
The home side should have opened the scoring inside 35 seconds.
Young played the ball out from the back into the path of Jaushua Sotorio. He found Kosta Grozos but his cross was slightly heavy for Trent Buhagiar. In hindsight, Grozos should have shot.
It was that kind of night for the home side.
Two minutes later, Western United were in front.
Risdon swung a ball into the six-yard box from the left.
Jack Duncan was slow to move off his line and Noah Botic pounced, slipping in front of the keeper and slotting a header into the back of the net.
Young entered the round-17 clash having made the most saves in the league with 73 and produced two stunning efforts 20 seconds apart to deny Grozos and Sotirio in the 10th minute.
Young was at it again two minutes later, diving to his right to parry a Grozos drive around the post.
The home side applied all the pressure, pinning Western United deep in their own territory.
They fired six shots in the opening 22 minutes, but couldn't find a way past Young.
Then, against the run of play, Western United doubled their advantage.
James Troisi threaded a ball in behind which Carl Jenkinson made a mess off. Connor Paine swooped and cut a pass back for Botic to tap in for his second.
Western's joy was tempered a minute later when Jacob Tratt made a clumsy attempt to clear a Dane Ingham cross and was struck in the arm with the ball.
Mikeltatdze converted, sending Young the wrong way, for his fifth goal of the campaign.
The Jets had the better of the statistics at the break, apart from the most important one.
The home side 59 per cent position, crafted 10 shots to two and led the corner count 5-1.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with the Jets creating an early chance and failing to capitalise. Grozos had Buhagiar free on the right but his pass was too strong.
Papas introduced O'Neill, Manabu Saito and Thomas Aquilina in the 59th minute.
Botic had a chance for a hat-trick in 63rd minute but his angled effort hit the side netting.
The contest turned into a transition game midway through the second half, with little build up.
The telling blow came in the 73rd minute, courtesy of a magnificent cross from Neil Kilkenny.
Tongo Doumbia remained from a corner and was unmarked at the back post and gave Duncan no chance with a header.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
