Jets draw strength from holding Wellington in 1-all thriller

In their penultimate match of the season, Newcastle were unlucky not to claim the scalp of the high-flying Phoenix, which would have given them a hat-trick of wins after consecutive successes against Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar, which followed a draw against Melbourne City.

Wellington also had cause to be disappointed after an Alex Rufer penalty in injury time deflected off the post and wide of the goal.

The result kept alive Newcastle's hopes of a top-eight finish - which ensures direct qualification into next season's Australia Cup knockout - and lifted Wellington to the top of the A-League ladder, one point ahead of Central Coast.

The Jets drew first blood in the 15^th minute when young tyro Lachlan Bayliss poked a shot from close range that Phoenix keeper Alex Paulsen deflected nto his own net.

Bayliss had another opportunity in the final minute of the first half, when he broke clear and cut inside, only for Paulsen to produce a desperate save.

Jets keeper Ryan Scott produced a spectacular diving save early in the second half to parry a long-range shot from Phoenix midfielder Sam Sutton.

Striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos came within a millimetre of breaking Newcastle's goal-scoring record in the 55^th minute when his angled shot slammed into the cross-bar and deflected away.

Scott showed remarkable reflexes in the 61^st minute to again keep Wellington at bay by blocking a Kosta Barbarouses header from close range.

But the Phoenix started to dominate field position and Barbarouses was not to be denied nine minutes later, heading home after a goal-mouth scramble.

It was the veteran's eighth goal in 36 games against Newcastle.

The Jets appeared to have regained the lead in the 85^th minute when Trent Buhagiar broke clear and Clayton Taylor buried it in the net, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

Newcastle finish the season at home to the Mariners on Saturday week.