Auckland FC continue winning start to debut season with Newcastle win

Second-half goals to Neyder Morena and Francis de Vries have powered Auckland FC to their fifth straight win to start their A-League tenure, overcoming Newcastle Jets 2-0 to remain atop the competition table.

Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen kept his record unblemished, after having a late Newcastle goal scrubbed out for offside.That equals the A-League mark for most clean sheets to start a season.

The Black Knights are now four points clear of nearest rivals Adelaide, with Wellington Phoenix another point further back in third.

The match began in persistent drizzle, rendering the Go Media Stadium pitch slippery underfoot, but failing to dampen the spirits of the raucous ‘Port’ fan section.

Two minutes into the contest, Paulsen passed his first test, diving to smother a dangerous ball into the goalmouth for Newcastle striker Ben Gibson.

The home side manufactured a chance, when winger Liam Gillion played down the left sideline for Uruguayan Guillermo May and continued his run towards goal, but just missed a connection with May’s cross.

After 20 minutes, forward Jake Brimmer tried to bend a rightfooted effort inside the far post, but Jets keeper Ryan Scott was equal to the task.

Moments later, Brimmer floated a free-kick across the area, where Scott’s reactions were needed to keep out Dan Hall’s leftfoot volley on the left post.

The Black Knights began to pepper the Newcastle goal with cross after cross, without quite finding their desired finish.

Felipe Gallegos could not convert a prime chance and Gillion could not control the rebound. Gillion appealed desperately for a penalty, as he was sent tumbling by a challenge from fellow All White Dane Ingham in the area, but to no avail.

Midway through the second half, Scott denied May again from pointblank range.

Moments later, Brimmer was brought down by Aleksandar Susnjar on the edge of the penalty area, with the defender earning a yellow card for his physicality. The resulting free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall.

Brimmer delivered a perfect corner from the right, but Gillion sent his rightfoot effort across goal and wide of the far post.

Newcastle had their chances. Paulsen had to block Clayton Taylor’s powerful shot and the rebound was sent wide across goal. Back up the other end, Brimmer dispossessed the defence and seemed to have an open leftfoot in front of goal, but stumbled and lost the opportunity.

The gamebreaker finally came when de Vries fired a ball into the area and the rebound fell to Moreno, who struck a first-time thunderbolt past May for the lead.

Almost immediately, Jets substitute Justin Vidic seemed to have beaten Paulsen for the first time this season, but he was never onside and the goal was disallowed.

Instead, de Vries doubled the lead with an innocuous shot that dribbled along the ground through a crowded goalmouth and past May. The goal was reviewed for offside, but allowed to stand.

"We had some golden chances tonight," reflected acting captain Brimmer. "Both Guillermo and I... everyone had a few chances, but you stick strong and believe, and in the end, we got the result.

"We spoke about it all pre-season, what we wanted to achieve as a football club and we've done exactly that. We've looked strong defensively, but we improved from last week on attack and managed to get the goals tonight."

Next Saturday, Auckland will host Kiwi rivals Wellington Phoenix for the first time, after taking local bragging rights in the capital earlier this month. On that occasion, Brimmer scored both goals for the newcomers.

"If we perform like we did tonight, I have no doubt we'll get the three points," he said.

Auckland FC 2 (Moreno & de Vries) Newcastle Jets 0