A-League Men, 2023: Resolute Jets hold strong for first win under coach Rob Stanton

It was far from a dominant performance from the visitors, but that will mean little to coach Rob Stanton, who recorded his first three points as an A-League coach.

"Any time you get three points away from home is really good," a relieved Stanton said. "It is always difficult, especially coming to Ballarat. It was quite windy and conditions were extremely hard.

"We had a couple of chances in the first half and took one of them.

"I'm happy with the three points. More importantly we got a clean sheet as well. I think we deserved the win today.

"We worked extremely hard. The win is in the bank, now we focus on next game."

Western United dominated possession and territory but couldn't break down a resolute Jets defence.

Stamatelopoulos struck the decisive goal in the 44^th minute, reacting quickest after a Trent Buhagiar header rebounded off the underside of the bar.

It was the third time in four games this season in which the Jets have scored first. The previous two resulted in a 5-3 loss to Melbourne Victory and 2-all draw with Perth.

Western thought they had equalised in the 86th minute when replacement Nikita Rukavysta got in behind and headed home, but he was correctly flagged for offside.

The win moved the Jets to five points and to the edge of the top six ahead of the FIFA break next weekend.

Western United had the better of most statistics bar the most important one. They had 66 per cent of possession, won the corner count 11-4 and had 50 entries into the Jets' penalty area.

But for all there pressure, they lacked a cutting edge.

As well as the first win, it was the Jets' first clean sheet.

And it was well deserved.

Keeper Ryan Scott was faultless, while the back four of Dane Ingham, Phil Cancar, Mark Natta and Luca Mauragis were outstanding.

Western United midfielder and former Jet Daniel Penha was the most dangerous player on the park. The Brazilian hit the bar with a stinging shot, had goal chalked off and was in everything good for the home side.

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As expected, Stanton went with the same XI that gave up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-all with Western Sydney at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Jets were on their heels early.

Running into the wind, they struggled to hit the target with their passes and were pinned in their own territory.

Penha gave a reminder of his danger in the 10^th minute, hitting a thunderous shot from just outside the box that cannoned into the crossbar.

The Brazilian was in everything for the home side, driving into space, threading passes and knocking balls over the top.

Meanwhile, the Jets struggled to string passes together. Trent Buhagiar had three touches in the opening 20 minutes.

For all the pressure they were under, the Jets nearly went ahead in the 24^th minute.

Clayton Taylor, who was again lively, launched the attack with a long diagonal ball to Stamatelopoulos. He found Lachy Bayliss on the edge of the box, but the teenager couldn't curl his shot inside the right post.

Penha thought he had put the home side ahead in the 40^th minute with a stinging shot which went in off the left post, but the VAR correctly ruled the ball had gone over the byline in the lead-up.

Then, against the run of play, the Jets went ahead.

Mauragis made a rare excursion deep down the left and swung a cross to Trent Buhagiar at the back post. His header hit the underside of the bar and fell for Stamatelopoulos to slot home.

Taylor had a chance to double the visitor's advantage 10 minutes into the second half when released down the left.

The teenager drove into the box but his chipped effort was blocked by keeper Tom Heward-Belle.

The home side kept pushing and probing.

Mauragis had to scramble to clear a Penha through ball in the 69^th.

The Jets had a strong call for a penalty turned down in the 74^th minute when Josh Risdon clattered into Taylor in the box.

Replays showed that Risdon had kicked Taylor in the back of the calf. However referee Casey Reibelt, after viewing replays, seemed to find a foul on Jets centreback Phil Cancar in the lead-up. The call appeared harsh at the very least.