Melbourne City brush aside Jets as Bruno Fornaroli watches from stands

Melbourne City didn’t appear to miss their marquee forward Bruno Fornaroli in a 3-0 beating of Newcastle.

Melbourne City’s Luke Brattan unleashes a volley from long range to score against Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park. Picture: AAP

No Bruno, no worries.

Melbourne City didn’t appear to miss their marquee forward Bruno Fornaroli in a 3-0 beating of Newcastle, earned with top-notch finishes from Riley McGree and Luke Brattan.

Fornaroli stand-in Lachlan Wales capped City’s fine showing with his first professional goal and his team’s third at AAMI Park, putting a week of tumult behind them.

City’s performance and the result vindicate coach Warren Joyce, who had been vilified by many after dropping the fan favourite for failing to meet training standards.

With the Uruguayan watching on in the stands, City went to work and took the lead after just 78 seconds.

Ex-Jet McGree — whose last goal in Newcastle colours was the incredible scorpion kick to knock out City in last season’s semi-final — controlled Florin Berenguer’s corner and belted home an unstoppable volley from close range. The goal was met with muted celebrations from City’s fans, protesting Fornaroli’s absence, and McGree, who didn’t over-egg his revelry after putting one past his old side.

But there can no disputing the importance of the 20-year-old’s strike, setting City on their way to victory.

After sustaining strong pressure from the Jets for much of the first half, Brattan increased the home side’s margin in injury time with the sweetest of volleys.

The 28-year-old controlled Lachlan Jackson’s clearance with his chest and unleashed a beautiful strike from outside the box that left Jets goalkeeper Glen Moss no chance.

City didn’t have it all their own way, however.

Eugene Galekovic tipped Jason Hoffman’s close-range effort wide with the score at 1-0, then blocked the former Heart utility’s strike at the near post in the second half.

As the Jets challenge subsided, Wales pounced on 75 minutes by running onto Ritchie De Laet’s through ball and delightfully dinking over Moss at speed.

On a perfect night for City, Joyce was even able to introduce Curtis Good late on, the defender making his return to the club after an injury-cruelled six-year European stint.

It remains to be seen whether Joyce and Fornaroli will reconcile but, on this evidence at least, their feud hasn’t spilled onto the pitch.

AAP