A-League wrap: Victory, Jets come from behind

Melbourne Victory have pulled off a stunning comeback win over Sydney FC as Newcastle Jets edged out Western Sydney Wanderers.

On Saturday night, though, Melbourne Victory stunned Sydney FC with three late goals to steal a thrilling 3-2 win in a pulsating A-League encounter at Allianz Stadium.

The Sky Blues looked to have buried the memories of last week’s 7-2 loss to Central Coast when they went ahead 2-0 just after half-time through goals to Yairo Yau and Pascal Bosschaart.

But the Sky Blues then inexplicably fell apart at the back-end of the game.

Victory replacement Andrew Nabbout (78th and 91st minute) and striker Archie Thompson (86m) turned the game on its ear with late goals.

The Melbourne side, though, were good value for the win, dominating possession and taking the game to Sydney all night.

But there will be plenty of questions asked of Crook’s men after they let slip a match they appeared to have in their keeping.

The result was Melbourne’s third win in five days after a 3-2 triumph over Wellington last Monday night, seeing Ange Postecoglou’s side leap-frog Melbourne Heart into fifth on the A-League table as Sydney stay in eighth.

Newcastle, though, have climbed into second on the table, level on 12 points with top side Adelaide United following a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Western Sydney earlier on Saturday.

In front of 9,011 boisterous fans at Parramatta Stadium, the home side hit the front early when Shinji Ono set up Joey Gibbs in the 14th minute.

The visitors answered emphatically with goals to Ryan Griffiths and marquee man Emile Heskey to hold a one-goal buffer at the break.

And the Wanderers threw everything at the Jets in a thrilling conclusion but Jets stopper Mark Birighitti stood tall for the visitors, saving four genuine shots on goal to deny Tony Popovic’s men.

Newcastle finished the match with 10-men after Jacob Pepper was given a second yellow card for a heavy challenge on Ono in the 90th minute, but the Jets survived a tense finish to consolidate their position in the top four.

It was a brave effort, though, from the Wanderers, though, who lost skipper Michael Beauchamp through illness on game day.