A-League: Riley McGree scorpion kick helps Newcastle Jets to 2-1 semi-final win over Melbourne City

YOU just have to watch this! Newcastle Jets are in their first A-League grand final for 10 years - and the goal that propelled them towards it on Friday night just has to be seen to be believed.

Riley McGee (centre) celebrates after his scorpion kick goal put the Jets ahead.

IT was already a fairy tale, but Riley McGree added another touch of magic to it as the Newcastle Jets booked their place in next week’s A-League grand final.

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The Jets beat Melbourne City 2-1 in front of just over 19,000 fans at the McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, the wind and rain not enough to keep the crowds away.

Melbourne City had held the lead from the 14th minute until the 57th, but that changed when McGree scored the most memorable equaliser in A-League history.

Newcastle Jets players celebrate Jason Hoffman’s goal against Melbourne City.

In fact, it just might be the greatest goal the A-League has ever seen.

After playing a neat one-two with Ronny Vargas on the edge of the box, McGree’s outrageous scorpion kick sailed past Dean Bouzanis and into the back of the net. Put simply, it defied belief and deserved to send the Jets into the decider.

Naturally it took some time for virtually everyone inside McDonald Jones Stadium to left their jaws off the floor. It was the type of goal that could only lift the Jets, and lift them it did. With 15 minutes to go Jason Hoffman scored his team’s second, ensuring the Jets came from behind to earn a famous win.

Last season’s wooden-spooners will now face either Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory in the decider, a decade after they last won the championship. What a turnaround Ernie Merrick has orchestrated.

Ronny Vargas and Nigel Boogaard were back in the team for the semi-final, the latter just seven weeks after breaking his leg.

Vargas in particular made his presence felt in the first half, something Daniel Arzani will vouch for after the City starlet copped a nasty elbow in the face from the Venezuelan early in the game. Vargas was lucky to escape a booking, and luckier still to be on the field at the break after an ugly tackle on Stefan Mauk.

Take a bow, Riley McGree.

It was a goal worthy of a special celebration.

As much as the Jets dominated with the ball, they struggled to do much with it. Dimi Petratos was best on ground for them, whipping in crosses and always dangerous from set-pieces.

Jason Hoffman will still be wondering how he missed his header from point-blank range after getting on the end of a Petratos corner kick. Hoffman was unmarked and should have handed the home side an early lead, instead his header flew well over the crossbar.

For all their chances it was City who snatched the lead in the 14th minute, Scott Jamieson releasing Dario Vidosic down the left who put in an excellent ball to Bruno Fornaroli.

After a bit of a scramble the ball found its way into the back of the net and while the goal was initially credited to Fornaroli, it was changed to an own goal to Nikolai Topor-Stanley.

There hearts in mouths when the VAR intervened to have a closer look at John Koutroumbis’ clip on Arzani in the box, but there was too much doubt to over-rule the referee and no penalty was awarded.

Defeat was tough on Dario Vidosic and Melbourne City.

The Jets began to falter and things threatened to get worse for the Jets when Jack Duncan pulled up with a suspected torn quad and had to be replaced inside the first half by Glenn Moss, but they completely turned it around in the second half.

NEWCASTLE JETS 2 (Riley McGree 57m, Jason Hoffman 75m) MELBOURNE CITY 1 (Bruno Fornaroli 14m) at McDonald Jones Stadium. Crowd: 19,131. Referee: Shaun Evans