Jets left to rue saved penalty in Auckland draw

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Jets left to rue saved penalty in Auckland draw

Newcastle have spurned a golden chance to upset 10-man Auckland FC, fighting out a 1-1 draw with the A-League Men leaders that keeps the race for the premiers plate alive.

A stunning long-range strike from Eli Adams in the 12th minute handed the lead to Newcastle, who had won three on the bounce.

The Jets earned the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot in the 20th minute but Alex Paulsen, who turned on a masterclass, denied Kosta Grozos.

Jesse Randall headed home the equaliser 17 minutes later.

Auckland played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after midfielder Louis Verstraete received a straight red card.

They are now just six points clear of Western United, seven clear of Melbourne City and eight ahead of Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United, while the Jets are nine points outside the top six.

Newcastle were red-hot early and missed a golden chance to take the lead in the 10th minute when Lachie Rose chipped over the bar.

Two minutes later, Adams received the ball just inside his own half then burned off the Auckland defence, bursting towards the edge of the area then unleashing a vicious strike home off the inside of the post.

Paulsen brilliantly denied Rose soon afterwards and Adams blazed the rebound wide.

The Jets should have made it 2-0 after Nando Pijnaker was penalised for the ball clattering off his arm, but Grozos’s penalty was poor and Paulsen batted it away.

It proved a turning point and Randall thought he’d equalised with a wonderful curling strike a minute later, but was offside in the lead-up.

Auckland equalised when Guillermo May burst forward then worked the ball for skipper Hiroki Sakai to whip in a cross for Randall to nod home.

Paulsen brilliantly denied Lachlan Bayliss a minute into the second half, while Noah James batted away a Marlee Francois strike a minute later.

Verstraete received his marching orders in the 75th, following a VAR review that upgraded a yellow card to a red, after catching Charles M’Mombwa in the thigh with his studs when challenging for the ball.

Auckland had the ball in the back of the net in the 81st minute but it came off Tommy Smith’s arm, while Grozos fired a late free kick over the bar.

Newcastle have a tight turnaround and travel to face Melbourne City on Wednesday, while Auckland host Central Coast next Sunday.

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