Bridge puts Jets on top
Article from: Daily telegraph
JETS 2 PERTH 1
NEWCASTLE Jets coach Gary van Egmond was a relieved man last night after Olyroos striker Mark Bridge came up with one of his specials to sink 10-man Perth Glory.
Bridge's 64th minute gem got the Jets home 2-1 but they certainly had to overcome the jitters before moving to the top of the A-League table for the first time this season.
Now they must play the waiting game to see what happens to the Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC and Queensland Roar.
"If we get in the top two we'll give it (championship) a real shake," van Egmond said.
"We'll only get better. We've got Adam Griffiths coming back and we've signed the Korean boy (Song).
"I know there are teams there that don't like to play us and we have some unfinished business from last year."
When Joel Griffiths headed in his 12th goal after 22 minutes - a record for the A-league - it appeared the Jets might run away with it and finally end their hoodoo against the Glory, who had won all four previous matches against Newcastle at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
And that task appeared as though it might be even easier when Glory had Nick Rizzo sent off in the 37th minute for a challenge on Tarek Elrich.
Referee Michael Hester may have been quick to produce the red card, as he was with several yellows he handed out.
But van Egmond's worst fears were realised when Glory came up with an equaliser from a set piece in the dying moments of the first half.
Nikolai Topor-Stanley was on the end of a corner and headed into goal where Jamie Harnwell then headed into the net.
The Jets players seemed frustrated and were turning over possession rather easily before Tory Hearfield provided a defence splitting pass for Bridge to run onto.
Up until that point, Bridge appeared to have his mind elsewhere. But he showed just what he is capable off, heading off the challenge of Hayden Foxe and then hitting the ball with the outside of his right foot for what turned out to be the match winner.
Even after that goal, Newcastle had some shaky moments before the crowd of 16,212 knew their team were safely home and in with a chance of securing the minor title.
"In some ways it was probably more difficult to break them down when they had the 10 men than it was when they had the 11," van Egmond said.
"It was welcome relief that Bridgey scored and maybe we rued a few missed chances early on in the first half that we could have converted and we could have really galloped away with it.
"First and foremost it was important that we won and secured the three points. Would we have liked to have scored more goals? Yes, of course, and put more pressure on the other teams."
NEWCASTLE JETS 2 (J Griffiths 22m, M Bridge 64m) PERTH GLORY 1 (J Harnwell 45m) at EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle. Crowd: 16212. Referee: M Hester.