COACH Arthur Papas laments that Newcastle Jets keep "shooting ourselves in the foot" but remains positive about the club's chances of making the A-League play-offs for the second time in 14 years.
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The Jets threw away a precious three points after conceding an injury-time equaliser for a 1-all draw against a 10-man Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday.
It was the second straight game the Jets have been left heart broken and without three points. They conceded a 97th minute goal for a 2-all draw against Perth at home.
The despair was clear as Jets players slumped to the ground in disbelief after 17-year-old City substitute Max Caputo was left unmarked and angled a header into the corner on Sunday.
Incredibly, it hasn't put a dagger in their play-off hopes - not yet anyway.
The point moved the Jets to 26 points and, although dropping a place to eighth, they remain two points behind sixth placed Sydney FC with four games to play.
Had the Jets not conceded the late goals and won the past two matches, they would be sixth on 30 points.
"We are still right in it," Papas said. "We are shooting ourselves in the foot, the last couple of games in particular. But four games to go, everything is in our own hands."
In the tightest finish to an A-League season in recent history, only five points separate Sydney in sixth on 28 points from last-placed Brisbane.
Next for the Jets is a trip to Brisbane on Saturday to take on a Roar outfit coming off a thumping 4-1 by the Central Coast in Gosford. The Jets accounted for Brisbane 4-0 at home on January 27.
They then return home for back-to-back matches with Macarthur and Central Coast before ending the season away to Sydney.
"They are all difficult games but they are winnable games," Papas said. "We have given ourselves a chance, and the club a chance, with four games to go to be in a finals spot. We can look at that as a positive without getting too far ahead because each game is so difficult.
It has been five years since the Jets last featured in the play-offs. Under Ernie Merrick, they finished the 2017-18 season in second, setting a string of club records on the way. They went on to host the grand final, going down 1-0 to Melbourne Victory in a controversial circumstances.
That ended an eight-year finals drought after they were sixth in the 2009-10.
Under Papas last season, the Jets were ninth on 29 points.
"If you look at the Newcastle Jets over 10 years, they have been in the final once," Papas said. "That tells you a story that what we are trying to do is something pretty special here."
In a positive, Reno Piscopo made a successful comeback against City after two months out with a groin injury.
"We got him 65 minutes which was really important," Papas said. "He will build on that. He is really important for this last phase of the league. We will get Jaushua Sotirio (calf) back for Brisbane. We still have some challenges to get Archie Goodwin on the field, but the rest are good."
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
