INTERIM coach Craig Deans knows the Jets can play better football but, for now, all that matters are results.
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Unheralded striker Valentino Yuel scored his fourth goal in five games as the Jets continued their revival with a 1-0 win over Melbourne City at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
The Jets had the better of play for large periods but it took an opportunist goal from Yuel and desperate defence to secure their second win and first at home.
Angus Thurgate, who produced a gut-busting run late in the second half to help prevent a certain equaliser, had a header rebound off the post for Yuel to put away in the 41st minute.
City had their chances but were unable to capitalise.
"We would obviously like to play better football than today," Deans said. "The situation we are in, we need to win. We need to get ourselves away from the bottom of the table and we did that today so we are happy.
"Angus' effort, the way we defended for 90 minutes was very, very good. Again we had a bit of luck on our side, but we had chances to score as well."
The win followed a 1-all draw with Western Sydney and 2-1 triumph over Wellington and jumped them to seven points and up four places to seventh.
However, they have played at least one more game than every team.
"It is in our hands now," Deans said. "Our performances have been good all year. Even the performance today and against Wellington may not have been good from a football sense but sometimes you have to roll your sleeves up and defend and we did that."
Deans, despite holding the reins since October, was seemingly not in the running for the position full-time.
Now, he must be close to the head of the queue.
Management are expected to finalise an appointment this week.
"I can't do anything other than what I am doing," he said. "It is like being a player again. When you are a player, if you don't perform at training, you don't get picked. Now I am in a situation as a coach where I have to perform every day with my staff to make sure we get the players ready. If we do that, we get results. If I don't do that and my staff don't do that, we don't get results.
"We can't do much more than we are at the moment, but the decision is out of my hands."
Jason Hoffman was outstanding in his 150th game for the Jets. Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Nigel Boogaard were immense, while Steve Ugarkovic and Thurgate didn't stop.
As expected Deans made one change from the Jets team which drew 1-all with Wanderers.
Luka Prso came in for his starting debut in place of Ramy Najjarine, who is not permitted to play against his old club due to a league-wide stipulation for players on loan.
Stung from consecutive losses, City bossed the opening 15 minutes against a Jets side which continually turned over possession.
Still, it took a great reaction save by Tom Glover to deny the Jets the lead in the 16th minute. Yuel found space down the right and played a square ball for Hoffman. The veteran took a touch and unleashed from eight metres but Glover did well to get his arms up and block the missile.
The Jets managed to wrestle back control as the half progressed.
They thought they had gone ahead when Yuel headed home a deflected Hoffman shot. However, O'Donovan was in an offside position and referee Alex King ruled that the striker had impeded Glover as he attempted a save.
Momentum had shifted.
The goal finally came in the 41st minute. Hoffman swung a cross into the box for Thurgate. His header hit the inside of the left post and bounced into play. Yuel reacted the quickest and thumped the ball into the net from a foot out.
Two minutes later, Hoffman stung the gloves of Glover a second time as the Jets went to the break on top.
"It wasn't working with a back three so we went to a back four after 25 minutes," Deans said. "That worked. It allowed us to apply a bit more pressure with a front three when they were trying to build from the back..
"Football wise, we weren't in too much trouble. They have some quality players so they were always going to create chances. Half time was more about the mentality - about heart and effort."
Hoffman thought he had doubled the advantage two minutes after the break when he tapped in from close range but he was flagged for offside.
Jamie Maclaren hit a half volley which flashed past the post in the 53rd minute and a minute later Koutroumbis prevented a certain goal with a desperate clearance.
City should have equalised in the 72nd minute when Connor O'Toole was dispossessed by Adrian Luna near halfway. The Uruguayan was away and had Maclaren looming up on the left. Enter Thurgate. Despite giving the attackers 10 metres start, he chased hard and put enough pressure on Luna for him to fluff his pass which was snapped up by Duncan.
"I thought the back four were very good," Deans said. "Angus' effort to get back - he didn't save the goal but he made the effort to get there. Jack Duncan had a good game and made two or three good saves. Roy [O'Donovan] pressed and ran and chased everything. Same with Val and Hoffy. Stevie does it every game. Luka ran himself into the ground."
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James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
