Newcastle Jets query costly penalty with A-League head office

The Jets conceded a penalty for a hand-ball in the 90^th minute, after VAR intervention, which allowed Brisbane's Jay O'Shea to break a 2-all deadlock.

Newcastle were denied a penalty in a similar situation in the first half.

"In this instance we've sought some guidance and had some dialogue and feedback about those two incidents, the hand-balls at either end," Jets executive chairman Shane Mattiske told the Newcastle Herald.

"Those were subjective decisions, ultimately. We just wanted to understand their thinking - why one was a penalty and one wasn't.

"They've given us an explanation and at least we know what they're thinking.

"But obviously, it's in the past now and there's nothing we can do to change it, so we just have to focus on the games that are in front of us."

Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos was critical of the VAR in a post-match interview, saying: "I don't understand how that is a penalty. The referees came to us before the season started and told us that if the ball comes off any part of the body and then hits the hand, it's not a penalty."

Newcastle oach Rob Stanton, however, was more circumspect, saying: "I haven't had a good look yet, so I don't know if there were any injustices. But in the end, you cost yourself the game. No one else does."

Earlier in the season, the Jets made similar inquiries after a 5-3 loss to Melbourne Victory and were informed that young midfielder Clayton Taylor should have been awarded a goal, which was disallowed.

Meanwhile, Mattiske said the process of finding a replacement for departed A-League Women's coach Gary van Egmond will kick off, even though the club is yet to confirm a new owner.

The Jets announced on Monday that van Egmond had been released to take up a job coaching the Chinese women's youth teams.

His assistant, Ryan Campbell, has been promoted in a caretaker capacity, in all likelihood until the end of the season.

The Jets, who have been under interim ownership for the past three years, are deep in negotiations with a potential buyer, reported to be Italian billionaire Danilo Iervolino, who owns Serie A club Salernitana.

"I can't commit to when a decision will be made [on a new coach], but we are starting to focus on it now," Mattiske said. "There's a number of different elements in play, including should a new owner for the club be in place in the near future, their input into it."

Mattiske said Campell's claims to a full-time appointment would be enhanced if the team delivers results under him.

"We will be working through the process of trying to take the team forward, and the better that Ryan does during this period, the better he positions himself," Mattiske said.