Melbourne Victory smash Newcastle Jets 5-0 to regain third place in A-League ladder

Victory fans ramp up the atmosphere. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

MOMENTS after avenging a three-game losing streak Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou was plotting a winning run heading into April's finals series

While refusing to concede defeat on a top two position, Postecoglou said Victory's focus was to regain form in the final four games of the season after yesterday's 5-0 mauling of Newcastle Jets.

Victory slammed three past the Jets in a frantic 22 minute opening half spell and showed no mercy in the second half with Marco Rojas and Mark Milligan both bagging a brace.

A Jets win would've brought them to within three points of Victory, instead Melbourne rose to outright third with the top two still a mathematical possibility.

"Can we catch em? Who knows. But I tell you what, if we win the next four going into finals I wouldn't want to be playing us and that's the most important thing regardless of ladder positions," Postecoglou said.

"Our target was to finish first, if we don't achieve that we would've failed in our target but the next key thing is to try and hit finals time playing well.

"We've had a pretty punishing run of games, every game's a big game for us and we've been trying to get up for all of them week after week.

"The injuries and absences has meant we've had to toss things around and brought new players in so it*s been a tough six or seven weeks and we needed to come out of that.
But the visitors were woeful and the decision to rest marquee Emile Heskey and goalscorer Michael Bridges backfired sensationally.

But coach Gary van Egmond was unapologetic afterwards, and a home win against Perth Glory on Friday will justify his call.

With Marcos Flores joining Gui Finkler on the injury list, Victory has lacked that class in the "false 9" - or attacking midfield - position but yesterday Archie Thompson provided it during his 58 minute shift.

Returning from a hamstring injury, his influence was on show from the get-go as Thompson assisted Rojas' opener after just eight minutes and won the penalty for Victory's third which Milligan converted on 30 minutes.

"We looked a lot more threatening going forward like we had done for most of the year, particularly in the first half," Postecoglou said.

"Because of absences of players we've been pretty easy to shut down because if they shut down one or two avenues we're not finding other ways through, but with Archie there and when Marcos (Flores) comes back, we've got two or three different ways of opening up the opposition."

Rojas' double (taking his tally to 14) won't do his confidence any harm after going four games without a goal

 

Melbourne Victory fans hold up a protest banner. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun 

Victory was shellshocked after last week's 6-2 humbling at Central Coast and the relief was evident on the players when Rojas opened the scoring.

But it wasn't long before the game resembled a training session with the Jets performing as the second 11.

Adrian Leijer headed home Rojas' corner 15 minutes in and two minutes later Daniel Mullen followed suite, but his goal was disallowed after Ruben Zadkovich copped a whack in the head from Mark Milligan.

Milligan converted a 30th minute penalty after Thompson was brought down by Jacob Pepper.

Milligan stepped up again in the 57th minute when Pepper pulled down Mullen - it appeared soft but referee Jarred Gillett gave the Jets defender his second yellow card.

Rojas literally walked through the Jets defence to score his second and Victory's fifth on 66 minutes.
MELBOURNE VICTORY 5 (Marco Rojas 8m, 66m, Adrian Leijer 15m, Mark Milligan 30m pen, 57m pen)  NEWCASTLE JETS 0 at AAMI Park. Crowd: 17,778. Referee: Jarred Gillett.

Newcastle Jets youngsters backed to fire

Newcastle Jets stars Michael Bridges (left) and Emile Heskey have been rested for the clash with Melbourne Victory. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun 

NEWCASTLE Jets coach Gary van Egmond has rubbished suggestions his new-look team of youngsters will be lambs to the slaughter in Melbourne today.

The Jets have rested veteran stars Emile Heskey and Michael Bridges and will field one of the youngest A-League squads in history against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park, with an average age of just over 20.
But rather than play down his side's chances, Van Egmond says it's the Victory who are under more pressure.
"We've lost one of our last nine and they have lost three straight - I think we are the team with more confidence," Van Egmond said.
"Yes, we'll have a young side out there, but with that youthful exuberance, sometimes it's a case of players just feeding off each other. They can be oblivious to the pressure faced by players who have played a lot more football."

With Heskey and Bridges rested after the club's mid-week win against Wellington, the Jets have been further hampered by midfielder Zenon Caravella's hamstring injury and a knee problem for left back Sam Gallaway.
Caravella will miss the Victory game and next Friday night's clash with Perth, while Van Egmond revealed yesterday that Gallaway was also out of today's clash.
Striker Ryan Griffiths' surprise exit to China early last week has put a further strain on the club's roster.
Skipper Ruben Zadkovich, at just 26, will be the oldest Newcastle player on the field today in a team featuring several teenagers.
But the coach says there will be no excuses and hinted an ambush was not out of the question, claiming the Jets would not be sitting back and playing for a draw against Ange Postecoglou's team.
"We really want the three points," he said.
"We win and we are three points off fourth with a number of games still to go.
"There are a few areas we think we can really hurt Victory, but, in saying that, they are one of the best counter-attacking teams in the league so you have to respect that.
"It will be important for us when we go forward that we get really well organised in our defensive structure."
Young Socceroos striker Adam Taggart will fill the void up front in the absence of Heskey, while Mitch Cooper is set to make his first starting appearance in Bridges' attacking midfield role.
One thing the Jets won't lack is pace, with Craig Goodwin and James Virgili on the flanks sure to stretch Victory's defensive capabilities.
Victory will welcome the return of striker Archie Thompson from a hamstring injury, a factor Van Egmond played down.
"They get Archie back, but it's his first game in I don't know how long because of the hamstring injury," van Egmond said.
"It's always a little bit risky. They obviously want to win, but, at the same time, I know they have been training extremely hard.
"They are getting worked really hard because they are looking to taper for their finals assault rather than concentrating on the A-League right now.
"So in that respect, it's going to be an interesting contest."