The A-League's leading scorer Roy O'Donovan grabbed two goals and helped set up another as Newcastle beat the Wellington Phoenix 3-0 to to remain unbeaten.
The Phoenix' Goran Paracki. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The third-placed Jets dominated from the outset and led 2-0 at halftime thanks to O'Donovan's double.
The hosts front line had caused the Phoenix defence nervous moments with their high-press early. It paid off in the 37th minute when Goran Paracki's back pass went straight to an unmarked O'Donovan.
The in-form striker's first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Keegan Smith but the Irishman hit his second attempt in off the crossbar.
O'Donovan scored again in injury time when he deflected in Dimi Petratos' cross at point-blank range. It was the former Central Coast frontman's seventh goal of the season.
Andrew Nabbout gave Newcastle a stranglehold on the game on 54 minutes after O'Donovan's back heel and Joey Champness' pass put him into space. Nabbout cut back onto his right foot and buried his shot.
The result leaves Wellington without a win this season and lifts Newcastle to 11 points from five matches.
Jets coach Ernie Merrick said the plan was to press the Phoenix centre-backs and he believed his side were in control from the kickoff.
"I thought it was a very good all-round performance and we started off putting them under pressure and we kept that up right until the end of the game, the 93rd minute, and I thought it was really our best performance," Merrick said.
"I know we scored five goals against the Mariners away from home, but I thought our all-round play, defensively and moving forward and getting into the box, was first-class."
Wellington coach Darije Kalezic was disappointed his players were unable to recover from the horror mistake that led to the first goal and he said Newcastle were the better team from that point on.
"It was a really, really silly goal, and I think we are in the balance up until that moment," Kalezic said.
"Then there was that goal and the players, especially Goran Paracki, drop their heads down and they didn't play anymore in the next minutes and we conceded the second goal, and then it was really, really difficult to come back in the game."
-AAP
