Newcastle Jets secured back-to-back wins to start their 2022-23 A-League Men campaign after riding a strong first half to down Wellington Phoenix 3-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
Lifted by goals from James McGarry, Beka Dartsmelia’s long-range stunner and Trent Buhagiar, head coach Arthur Papas’ Jets will look to put in a more complete 90-minute performance against Western Sydney Wanderers next week.
Still looking for their first win of the season after two draws and a loss, the Phoenix will next face Melbourne City.
Despite star striker Beka Mikeltadze being absent with a quad injury, the Jets almost took the lead less than 60 seconds in through Jaushua Sotirio, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
There was no reprieve for the visitors three minutes later, though, when McGarry, against his former club, recovered from a heavy first touch to dance past Steven Ugarkovic and fire home his first goal in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Dartsmelia then added to the strong start when he played a one-two with Reno Piscopo outside the area and laced a long-range howitzer beyond Oliver Sail in the 16th minute – a Goal of the Season contender.
The Phoenix needed a spark heading into the break and thought they’d got one when Bozhidar Kraev drove an effort into the bottom corner of Michael Weier’s goal approaching half-time.
But the two-goal deficit was restored two minutes later when the Jets broke in transition and Sotirio placed a cross onto the head of a diving Buhagiar at the top of the six-yard box.
Played in behind the Phoenix’s defence, Buhagiar should have made it 4-1 in the 53rd, only for his open shot to miss the target.
His side improving in the second-stanza, substitute Oskar van Hattum had a golden chance to reduce the deficit in the 69th minute when he found space in the Jets’ box but his shot was saved by Michael Weier.
