Newcastle Jets 4 (Dimi Petratos 2, Nikolai Topor-Stanley & Own goals) def Central Coast Mariners 3 ( Ruon Tongyik, Jack Clisby & Chris Harold goals)
PRE-GAME
Parking is plentiful in the streets around McDonald Jones Stadium with paid parking also available in the grounds at the front of the stadium. Public transport is also available if coming from Sydney or the Central Coast with Broadmeadow train station only a 1.5 km walk from the stadium.
There are a number of clubs and bars available within walking distance to the ground, as well as some local bars closer to the city who will run their courtesy bus to the ground. We can recommend Wests Leagues Club on Hobart Rd, New Lambton (a leisurely 1km stroll to the ground) or if a pub is more your scene both The General Roberts Hotel on the corner of Alma & Lambton Rd, New Lambton or The Sunnyside Tavern on Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow are about a 1.2km walk.
ARRIVING AT THE GROUND
There are two main gates that are opened for most events the larger one on the western side of the ground also houses the ticketing and services areas for purchase and enquiry while the secondary gate is positioned in proximity to the south-eastern corner and is the best access point for seats on the southern hill or the eastern (Andrew Johns) grandstand.
THE GAME
Fortunately for the wet day ahead we had won ourselves a corporate suite in a raffle courtesy of the Hunter Melanoma Foundation and the Jets had made sure our spot was well out of the weather.
Leading up to the match the weather conditions had consisted of torrential rain for a couple of days leading in, add a Rugby Union match on the ground the night before and it was a chance the match wouldn’t even go ahead. But go ahead it did and what a display of attacking football we saw, seven goals in total meant the purists may not have been happy but it brightened what was otherwise a dour day. The Jets probably should have won by more with the number of opportunities they had but it wasn’t to be and the local faithful had to hang on to the edge of the seat as their local rivals the Mariners almost came back and seized a split of the points, an all too common experience in recent times for Jets fans.
Ultimately the Jets hung on through some questionable defensive decisions and walk away with a timely one goal win, their first since late November.
FOOD
It was a very good spread of finger food that was provided as a complimentary inclusion of our corporate suite with the usual fare of pies, sausage rolls, arancini balls, spring rolls and plenty more, we certainly were not left wanting.
OVERALL RATINGS
Parking – 4.5/5
View – 4/5
Value – 4/5 (based on standard ticketing)
Food Quality – 4/5
Food Pricing – 4/5 (Based on standard food pricing here)
Atmosphere – 2/5 (unfortunately a very small crowd didn’t add a lot)
TOTAL – 22.5/30
THE MAD SPORTS FAN 