SATISFIED with the Jets' attack, caretaker coach Craig Deans will turn his attention to the other end of the pitch.
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Trialist Ali Abbas struck as the Jets came from behind twice to draw 3-all with Melbourne City in a high-quality pre-season friendly at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
The entertaining stalemate with last season's A-League grand finalists was the third straight game the Jets have scored at least three goals.
They followed a similar script in a 3-all draw with Macarthur and thumped Northern NSW champions Edgeworth 5-1.
"We are scoring goals," Deans said. "That side of it is working. Now we need to tidy up the defensive side of things.
"In the past two games, we have played two of the stronger teams, in terms of the squads they have put together and the amount of money they have spent on their players. It's not a bad result to have two draws but there are still lots of things to work on. We spent the first five to six weeks concentrating on what we do with the ball. We haven't done a lot of work defensively. We are going to turn our attention to that this week."
Macarthur hurt the Jets on the counter whereas two of City' goals came from a corner,where Roystn Griffiths crafted a free header, and a Jamie-Maclaren penalty.
"The goals weren't as much an open play problem as the week before so we tidied that part of the game up, which was good," Deans said. "As a group it's understanding each other's roles in certain scenarios - defending as a unit or defending as an individual. It will be a bit of detail we haven't gone into yet. We have done it with the attacking side of the game but not the defensive."
Nikolai Topor-Stanley put the Jets ahead after 16 minutes with a header from a corner. City responded with two goals in the space of five minutes. Ali Abbas, starting in the No.10 spot, produced a clinical finish from near the penalty spot to put the home side back on level terms on the hour. Craig Noone caught substitute Lachy Jackson, making his return after 10 months out with a knee injury, flat footed to put the visitors up with five minutes remaining.
However, the Jets kept fighting and were rewarded when substitute and trialist Jack Armson put away a rebound after Jackson had a shot blocked.
"We have people coming in on trial and they are having a positive impact on games.That is one of the positives," Deans said. "I thought Ali did well. He is clever, has a good work ethic and he understands the game pretty well. I have coached him before and he has played with most of the players. He has fitted in pretty well and will keep getting better."
Abbas,Armson and Victorian defenders Josh Wilkins and Josh Wilkins and Dillon Jakupi will travel with the Jets to Coffs Harbour on Tuesday for a camp ahead of a friendly against the Brisbane Roar on Saturday.
"This is probably the last week for those guys to train and play," Deans said. "Then we probably have to start making some decisions on people. Hopefully by then the ownership will be sorted."
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
