Opener ... Richard Garcia (2nd L) celebrates his first-minute goal. Source: News Limited
In a pulsating match of end-to-end football the spoils were eventually shared as Newcastle Jets came from behind twice to draw 3-3 with Melbourne Heart.
Goals had been predicted ahead of this encounter between two the more attacking sides in the A-League, and the pundits were proved right almost from kick off.
Heart opened the scoring in just the first minute when Richard Garcia latched on to a deflected long ball to coolly place his shot in the back of the net.
Josip Tadic then doubled the Jets' misery from the penalty spot after Connor Chapman tripped Garcia in the box.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 19 |
| 2 | Central Coast | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 14 |
| 3 | Newcastle | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 13 |
| 4 | Perth | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| 5 | Western Sydney | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Victory | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -4 | 10 |
| 7 | Wellington | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 8 | Heart | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -1 | 8 |
| 9 | Brisbane | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 10 | Sydney | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -10 | 6 |
Melbourne were cruising and it stayed that way until the second half when Craig Goodwin got his second of the season. Ruben Zadkovich's cross was spot on and Goodwin slotted the goal low and right with his left boot.
Zadkovich then netted the equaliser with his first of the season after Bernardo Ribeiro found him with a precise pass.
The game opened up completely and both sides knew the victory was within their grasp, but Heart retook their lead through Garcia's second of the match.
However the Jets had the last laugh with four mintues left when Simon Colosimo gave away a silly penlty for tripping James Virgili. Ryan Griffiths duly converted the spot kick setting up a thrilling finish, but a draw seemed the fairest way that this contest could end.
More to come...
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