By Blake Jarrett

Newcastle Jets Youth 3 def. by Lambton Jaffas FC 4
Arthur Edden Oval
Saturday 6th September 3pm
Preliminary Final

The Lambton Jaffas welcomed the Newcastle Jets Youth to Arthur Edden Oval for the Preliminary Final on Saturday afternoon to fight for a spot in the National Premier Leagues Grand Final.

The Jets finished the season as Premiers after ten wins, and Lambton third after nine wins, so the match was predicted to a competitive affair.

It got off to a brilliant start as Mike Finlayson scored a cracking goal into the top right hand corner after running onto a pin-point Tom Whiteside through ball.

Ten minutes later the Jaffas equalized as an in-swinging Jobe Wheelhouse free kick deflected off Roman Hoffman into the back of the Jets net past a stranded John Solari.

On the half hour mark Kale Bradbury put the Jaffas ahead creating something out of nothing. After regaining possession having given the ball away he unleashed a left foot strike on the edge of the eighteen yard box that made its way under Solari into the back of the net.

Just two minutes later John Majurovski made it three for the Jaffas latching onto a Michael Sessions corner at the back stick and heading into the bottom right hand corner.

In the thirty-ninth minute Jobe Wheelhouse made it four goals in nineteen minutes for the home side. Dennis Fajkovic brilliantly won possession on halfway and played Peter McPherson. McPherson then squared the ball to Wheelhouse who went on a forward run and drove the ball in the bottom left hand corner from outside the eighteen yard box.

That goal was the last of an entertaining five goal half and the sides went into the break with the Jaffas leading 4-1. 

Both sides came out quite flat in the second half however Lambton were the first to regain their groove.

The Jets looked stunned from their first half performance, and were quite lackluster. Brandon Lundy took it upon himself to light up the game and wake his side up, curling an outstanding strike into the top right hand corner of the Jaffas net on the hour mark.

The Jets pushed on for a third however could not find it for the next twenty-five minutes.

Just as they looked down and out Nick Cowburn delivered a free kick from the right hand side that was flicked on before striking the left post and bouncing into the back of the net.

Although they pushed for a fourth it was too little too late with the Jaffas winning four goals to three.

The Jaffas go on to face Weston in this weekend’s NPL Grand Final.

Congratulations to the Jets for a wonderful season, the 2014 Premiers who were brilliant all year.