KEY POINTS:
NZ Knights 1 Newcastle Jets 1
The New Zealand Knights were lucky to secure a draw in a largely one-sided contest against the Newcastle Jets at North Harbour Stadium this evening.
The Jets were a class above, often seeming to have an extra man in midfield as they strung together neat passing moves.
The Knights, on the other hand, set out their intentions early, putting utility midfielder Neil Emblen – never the quickest player - up front as a target man.
Emblen used his size and strength to surprisingly good effect in the first half, only for tiredness to catch up with him after the break.
But it was Newcastle who took the lead on 13 minutes when Joel Griffiths lobbed a stranded Mark Paston who had got himself into no man's land in his box.
From there the floodgates could have opened but somehow the Knights stayed in touch. And when Jonti Richter made a strong run down the right wing in the 29th minute, he won a free kick in the corner which was crossed into the box.
A moment of madness from Jade North followed, the Jets defender punching the ball away and giving the Knights a penalty.
Alen Marcina stepped up to drill the ball straight down the middle of the goal from the spot.
Normal service was then resumed, Newcastle peppering the advertising boards behind Paston's goal with wayward shots and for the last ten minutes of the half the home side barely left their own territory.
Eighteen minutes into the second period, the Jets finally found the back of the net again. But the head-banded Colombian Milton Rodrigeuz – interestingly described in the match programme as an "excitement machine" – was correctly ruled offside.
That was as close as they came to scoring a second and in the end their over-elaborate passing in the final third may have cost them two points in their battle for a play-off berth.
For the Knights, anything will do, including a fortunate point to add to their lowly collection. The late appearance of new Chinese signing Leilei Gao, who beat a man with his first touch of the ball, may offer some hope as they head out on the road for two weeks.
