Jets beat Sydney FC to end A-League season

Newcastle have scored a consolation 2-0 home victory over Sydney FC to end their A-League season of missed opportunity on a high.

Jets star Roy O'Donovan thanks supporters following his team’s victory over Sydney FC at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle. Picture: AAP

Newcastle have scored a consolation 2-0 home victory over Sydney FC to end their A-League season of missed opportunity on a high.

Sydney were already assured of second place going into this evening’s final-round clash at McDonald Jones Stadium, and the Jets’ finals hopes were long gone after a frustrating campaign in front of goal.

The Sky Blues consistently picked off Newcastle passes and created the better chances but the Jets struck first through Ben Kantarovski in the 41st minute. Goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne misjudged a corner from Dimi Petratos and it deflected off Jets defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s back into the path of Kantarovski, who struck it home.

Petratos put Newcastle further ahead in the 52nd minute with a strike after being left unmarked at the back post off Lachlan Jackson’s cross. Jets keeper Glen Moss was a standout, stopping shots from Reza Ghoochannejhad in the 14th minute, Daniel De Silva in the 28th and 43rd and Luke Ivanovic twice inside the final 10.

Sydney went close when Rhyan Grant hit a header off a corner into the side netting in the 23rd minute, Adam Le Fondre was across the face of goal with a one-on-one chance in the 36th and Milos Ninkovic was just wide with a long-range chip in the 56th.

The Jets, though, hung on to give their fans something to cheer about at the end of a disappointing season, after their 2017-18 run to second place and the grand final.

AAP