A-League 2015-16: Melbourne City continue goal-scoring spree with big win over Newcastle Jets

STAR duo Aaron Mooy and Bruno Fornaroli led the way as Melbourne City extended their winning streak with a 4-0 thumping of Newcastle Jets.

City dismantle Jets to continue winning ways

BARNSTORMING Melbourne City fired an ominous warning ahead of Saturday night’s Melbourne derby, ruthlessly disposing of home side Newcastle Jets on Sunday.

A brace for the A-League’s top scorer Bruno Fornaroli and the dominant Aaron Mooy sent the 10,087 Hunter Stadium crowd into stunned silence.

City officials face a nervous wait to find out the severity of knee injuries to defender Connor Chapman and midfielder Jacob Melling, both of whom limped off.

Chapman came off in the 27th minute when Leonardo collected his left knee when he was fouled by Melling, and City is hoping it’s not as serious as Corey Gameiro’s anterior cruciate ligament injury from a fortnight ago.

Melling’s injury appeared less serious, as he played out the first half before he was withdrawn at the break.

City climbed above Melbourne Victory and into third with the win, although Kevin Muscat’s side has a game in hand.

The Jets negotiated the swirling wind better from the get-go and with Brazilian Leonardo pulling the strings, it was the duo that caused City havoc last encounter, Enver Alivodic and Milos Trifunovic, who looked ominous early.

Their failure to finish two chances inside seven minutes saw City, perhaps benefiting from the continuity of an unchanged side, take control despite Chapman’s exit forcing a reshuffle, with his replacement Ben Garuccio moving to left-back while Jack Clisby moved into the centre.

Sloppiness in the attacking third meant that City’s first genuine chance didn’t come until just before the break but unlike the Jets, they made it count.

Right-back Ivan Franjic, who gets better each week, turned too easily inside the box and released Mooy who had played him in second earlier.

Aaron Mooy again dominated for Melbourne City.

With Jets captain Mateo Poljak failing to track Mooy, the in-form midfielder closed down on the Jets goal before smashing it through the legs of keeper Mark Birighitti from a tight angle.

Franjic then released Harry Novillo from the right, whose shot was blocked, before David Carney headed over the bar from Lee Ki-Jee’s cross deep into first half injury time.

The second half was an absolute domination with City killing the game with a three-goal blitz in six minutes just after the restart.

A perfectly timed release from Ben Garuccio and run from Fornaroli left the Uruguayan with only the keeper to beat and he made no mistake in the 56th minute.

Bruno Fornaroli struck twice for Melbourne City.

Three minutes later a composed Franjic waited before delivering a powerful, pinpoint cross for Mooy, who cleverly sprinted into the box before tapping in.

And like clockwork, three minutes later City struck again, and who else but the Mooy-Fornaroli combination.

Mooy, given acres of space by the Jets, released Fornaroli who still had a lot to do, but brilliantly turned Lachlan Jackson before scoring his ninth of the season to extend his lead atop the scorers’ charts.

A couple of Thomas Sorensen gaffes almost gifted the Jets a consolation, but in the end a clean sheet would have pleased the leaky City as much as the four goals.

Originally published as A-League 2015-16: Melbourne City continue goal-scoring spree with big win over Newcastle Jets