In their first match under new ownership, Newcastle Jets put on an inspired performance, defeating Western United 4-1 to escape the Australia Cup’s playoff round for the third consecutive year.
Now, after surviving Darwin, they’ll enter the Round of 32 on the road in southern Sydney against second-division Rockdale Ilinden, who’ll be hungry to go giant-killing on their home ground.
Before these two New South Wales clubs collide, let’s review how they made it here and size up what it’ll take to advance.
With the last spot in the Round of 32 on the line, the Jets knew they had to bring their best against Western United, especially with new signing Lachlan Rose trying to fill the shoes of Scotland-bound star Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.
But while WU hoped their own new striker Hiroshi Ibusuki would transform their attack, their defence proved a much bigger problem in the 17th minute, when Ben Garuccio intercepted a pass intended for Rose at the worst possible angle and caused an embarrassing own goal straight out of Rocket League.
From there, the WU clan proved extremely easy to mess with. Another poor interception minutes later allowed Thomas Aquilina to curl one low and to the left, doubling the Jets’ advantage and giving him his first-ever goal with an A-League side.
The Jets continued piling on just before halftime, as Mark Natta headed an inbound free kick to Nathan Grimaldi, who put it home for his own first professional goal.
Natta’s playmaking would continue in the second half, as he launched a long through ball that found Clayton Taylor, who centred it from the left wing to Aquilina, who tapped it in for a brace.
Western United finally managed an answer in the dying minutes, when Riku Danzaki scored a point-blank rebound to avoid the shutout, but all it did was reclaim a shred of dignity.
It was a slightly strange stomping, with Jets defenders notching the bulk of goal involvements, but not one Newcastle will complain about, as they reached the national rounds and opened the Maverick ownership era on a very strong note.
Ryan Scott of Newcastle Jets reacts after making a save. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Rockdale Ilinden has represented their local Macedonian diaspora since 1969, and the last time they were in the national rounds of this tournament, the trophy was called the FFA Cup and the team were called Rockdale City Suns.
Whatever the name, though, they had to fight like Alexander the Great to get to this point.
For most New South Wales clubs, the road to national glory goes through the Waratah Cup, which sends its four semifinalists to the Australia Cup each year.
As one of the strongest teams in NPL NSW this year, Ilinden looked more than up to the challenge, but they faced immediate danger in the round of 64 when league rivals Manly United fought them to a standstill.
Tied at 2-2 after extra time, it all came down to a penalty shootout, but the Suns’ guns prevailed, as they won 4-2 to advance.
After that, Rockdale would have to contend with the illustrious Hakoah Sydney City East, who’ve won four NSL titles, seven Waratah Cups, and the 1987 OFC Cup Winners’ Cup, making them the first Australian side to ever lift a continental trophy.
But Ilinden were not so easily intimidated, and a 2-1 road victory in regulation proved their strength.
These victories seem to have awakened something in Rockdale because their powers have only snowballed with every consecutive round.
Faced with Wollongong Wolves, another former NSL side with OFC silverware in their trophy case, Ilinden threw two more haymakers on the road and kept a clean sheet in the process.
Then, when the Suns played Goliath to fifth-division Phoenix FC, who’d fought through five rounds and survived a 12-11 penalty shootout over Lindfield, the Macedonians showed no mercy, winning 9-1 to punch their tickets to the state semis and national knockouts.
However, there’s no time to weep with pride. Ilinden has many more worlds to conquer, including the Waratah Cup final against APIA Leichhardt after they host the Jets.
If Rockdale can win both this round and that trophy, they’ll have matched their deepest Australia Cup run and taken down a murderers’ row of the First State’s biggest clubs in rapid succession.
As Rockdale’s 5-0 victory over NWS Spirit FC in the Waratah Cup semis will show you, Ilinden’s attack is extremely opportunistic.
Once they smell blood, they’ll take every little chance they can get. If you stop one man’s shot, two more will show up trying to score on the rebound.
If you allow that goal, they’ll come right back and flood the box for more. That tenacity, determination, and teamwork will be the key to cracking open what should be the toughest defence Ilinden has yet faced.
That said, the Jets should possess the edge in sheer talent and depth, and their victory in Darwin showed signs of a promising multi-layered attack that can strike from anywhere with anyone.
If they can avoid dumb mistakes in their own end and recreate the conditions that let them score so freely last round, the Jets can easily turn the Macedonians’ defence into Swiss cheese.
Whatever happens, this might be the most intriguing matchup of the night, and one fans well beyond New South Wales should keep an eye on.
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