TEENAGER Angus Thurgate was the hero for a second straight game as the Newcastle Jets struck late to beat Western Sydney 2-0 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.
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For 78 minutes it appeared as though the home side would be frustrated thanks to the brilliance of Wanderers keeper Daniel Lopar.
Time and time again the Swiss shot-stopper thwarted the Jets' attack.
But as he did against Wanderers last season and in the 1-0 win over Western United a fortnight ago, Thurgate turned match-winner.
Matthew Ridenton nodded a cross down into the box and Thurgate, a 63rd-minute replacement, swung his left leg around the ball and slotted it into the bottom corner.
Eight minutes later the 19-year-old was the provider, beating the offside trap and then, with Lopar to beat, he laid off the ball for Dimi Petratos to tap-in.
The win was the Jets' second straight and moved them to equal sixth spot on eight points.
Wanderers had Lopar to thank for being on level terms in a scoreless opening 45 minutes in which the Jets had by far the better of the chances.
Panamanian striker Abdiel Arroyo came in for Angus Thurgate in the only change to the Jets' side from the 1-0 win over Western United a fortnight ago.
Neither side was able to assert their authority in a cagey opening 15 minutes riddled with cheap turnovers.
The Jets were the first to threaten when Petratos released Jason Hoffman down the right in the 16th minute. The striker took a touch into the box and unleashed a left-foot shot, but he couldn't beat the legs of Lopar.
Lopar made a second big save in the 31st minute. Ben Kantarovski threaded a beautiful ball in behind for Nick Fitzgerald. The winger was ono-on-one with Lopar but the keeper did well to race out and block the shot.
He was at it again two minutes later, denying Arroyo from a tight angle.
The further the half progressed the more the home side grew.
Steve Ugarkovic had a shot flash past the left post and Lopar produced another spectacular effort to parry away a Nick Fitzgerald rocket.
At the other end, Moss had little to do until the 45th minute when he tipped a stinging shot from Duke onto the bar.
Wanderers thought they had earned a penalty in the 53rd minute when Kwame Yeboah went over in the box after a challenge by Lachlan Jackson. Referee Kurt Ams ruled that Jackson had made clean contact with the ball. Play went on for more than a minute before the VAR intervened and suggested Ams take a look at the incident. The referee went to the sideline to watch a replay but stayed with his decision.
After a quiet first half, Moss made a brilliant double save in the 63rd minute to deny Duke and Nicolai Muller.
The match was in need of a goal and Thurgate delivered again.
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