The Jets, for the second week in a row, produced a 'late show' as substitute Tim Brown leveled the scores with his first A-League goal for the Jets in the 86th minute. Sydney had led at half time after grabbing a 14-minute opener through David Zdrilic
It was terribly cold and it poured with rain all day in Newcastle - this reduced the crowd to 8,493. The local ground authorities used common sense in allowing the fans to sit in the covered top tier of the Eastern Stand.
Sydney commenced with a strong high tempo pressing game that had Newcastle continually going backwards or losing possession. The Jets couldn't put their passes together as Sydney's 5 men across the middle of the park suffocated every Jets move.
Sydney FC had only 13 players on the team sheet and this included just one out field player in Jeremy Brockie.
David Zdrillic had the first attempt on goal with a shot from outside the penalty area which sailed over the cross bar in the 12th minute. Just two minutes later he opening the scoring, Ufuk Talay drilled in a long pass from the right hand side that went over Paul Okon, Zdrillic showed a good first touch to control the ball and from close range he stabbed the ball past Ben Kennedy, 1-0 Sydney FC.
Former Parramatta Power team mates Joel Griffiths and Alvin Ceccoli were having a great battle and in the 28th minute Ceccoli received a yellow card for a foul from behind on Griffiths.
The Jets first attempt came as late as the 30th minute, with a Nick Carle free kick to Matt Thompson whose shot from outside the penalty area went wide of the upright. Six minutes later Milton Rodriguez tries a right foot shot from outside the penalty area the ball rebounds to his favored left side but his scorching shoot goes across the face of the goal. Sydney respond a minute later but Talay wasted a free kick by going directly for goal his shot well wide.
The home team were finally creating chances and in the 39th minute Carle swings in a dangerous cross to the far post that was just out of reach of a flying Griffiths. Four minutes later and a beautiful passing move from their own penalty area sees Okon to Musialik to Coveny to Carle his left shot from the edge of the penalty area sees Clint Bolton make a diving save.
A Sydney free kick in the 45th minute sees Talay float a ball to the far post to Iain Fyfe his header across the face of the goal sees Sasho Petrovski just unable to get a telling touch.
The first half ends with a 25 minute dipping Rodriguez free kick finishing just over the cross bar.
The second half started with Carle putting in the overlapping Eagleton on goal but Bingley is there with a tackle. Two minutes later Sydney have their best chance to extend their lead a Ceccoli pile driver from the edge of the penalty area sees Kennedy parry the ball Zdrillic races to put the ball into the net but Durrante is able to clear. A minute later sees a Petrovski shot saved by Kennedy.
On the hour Carle is beginning to dominate the midfield and he releases Griffiths down the wing, his cross is almost dropped into the net by Bolton.
Its all the Jets now as Griffiths uses his pace in the 66th minute his cross just fails to find Coveny to get a telling touch. Then Carle is on the end of a passing move and his shot from outside the area goes over the cross bar. In the 75th minute a Griffiths run ends with his fierce shot hitting the upright and bouncing out. Three minutes later Coveny is almost through the ball rebounds to Carle but again he hits it over the cross bar.
Sydney are holding out the Jets as Bingley again clears this time from a Eagleton cross.
In the 86th minute the equalizer finally arrives and once again Sydney can't hold a lead. Okon puts in a beautiful through ball for Tim Brown, in his third appearance off the bench for the Jets the New Zealander is able to blast the ball into the net from a acute angle. Its 1-1.
The Jets make all the running in the final moments and Coveny shots straight at Bolton.
Bingley received his second yellow for kicking a ball away.
The result continued the Jets' undefeated run under coach Gary Van Egmond, while, the Sydney are now yet to win in five games.