Adelaide victorious in historic opening encounter

Adelaide United have secured an impressive away win in Newcastle, beating the Jets 1-0 in the very first Hyundai A-League match thanks to an excellent Carl Veart first half header.

The visitors dominated the momentous occasion and in truth Newcastle were lucky to escape further punishments as a side boasting the talents of Milicic, Carle, North and Zelic put in a highly disappointing display in front of a healthy crowd of 13,160.

All the early running was being made by the South Australians with the pace of Louis Brain and Lucas Pantelis proving particularly troublesome for a re-shaped defence, only the bravery of Carl Deans preventing Veart from connecting with a menacing early cross from the latter.

If the Jets were simply in need of a wake up call then it surely arrived minutes later as the danger man Veart hit a cross shot which flew dangerously across the body of Newcastle goalkeeper Liam Reddy.

The game then began to open up with Nick Carle in particular beginning to create space through his trickery and vision.

Mark Bridge was looking to impress up front after being given a surprise start and following an over hit Richard Johnson cross it was the 19 year old who called Daniel Beltrame into action for the first time with a low cross.

Just as the hosts were starting to impose their passing style on the match they were hit with a devastating blow as a swift Adelaide counter attack saw the Jets chasing the game at 1-0.

Newly appointed skipper Ross Aloisi expertly worked an opening on the left before cutting back inside delivering a flat cross to the onrushing Veart who superbly guided the ball home with a fine header to give his side a deserved lead in the 19th minute.

Just two minutes later the home crowd could and perhaps should have been celebrating an equaliser after Beltrame saved from both Bridge and Thompson before the returning Ante Milicic saw his shot cleared off the line in a flurry of goal mouth action.

Nicky Carle was moving into his preferred central position with more regularity and after working an opening the prodigiously skilled midfielder drilled a low effort wide from 25 yards.

Veart was actively seeking his second and but for a fortunate deflection off Johnson his fierce drive might well have made it 2-0, Newcastle lucky to be just the one goal adrift.

Milicic had spoken of his desire to claim the inaugural A-League golden boot before the match but his lack of match fitness was in evidence when following a neat cutback from Richard Johnson the star striker frustratingly skewed his effort well wide.

There was a final chance of the half for Adelaide following a misplaced back heel by Nick Carle but despite Liam Reddy keeping the deficit at 1-0 John Kosmina would surely have been delighted with team's first half performance.

Steve Eagleton replaced Paul Kohler at half time meaning a re-shuffle of the back line for the home side, Jade North moving to his less preferred left back position where he'd found himself for most of the pre-season matches.

And it was indeed the Socceroo defender who was presented with the best early chance of the second stanza, leaping towards a Johnson cross but failing to connect.

Ned Zelic playing in a deep midfield role wasn't producing the influential performance expected of Australian football's 'prodigal son' but had a chance to make an impact with a free kick, only to see it cleared easily by the Adelaide wall.

Travis Dodd was using his pace to devastating effect on the counter attack and after capitalising on a Jade North mistake the auxiliary striker fired a powerful shot which drew the best out of Reddy as the Newcastle no.1 palmed the ball into the side netting.

Then following a short corner Johnson drifted in a beautiful ball but Allan Picken's header was directed straight at the unflappable Beltrame.

Up the other end Adelaide should have killed off the match when a Brain cross was flapped at by Liam Reddy leaving Aloisi with the chance, but Aurelio Vidmar's replacement as captain could only fire over the crossbar.

Richard Johnson was Newcastle's brightest spark all night and he tested the keeper with a long drive following a Carle lay off but Beltrame was once again equal to it.

Chances continued to fall Adelaide United's way and Kosmina must have been wondering how his side hadn't extended their lead after both Aloisi and Dodd spurned further glorious chances, Aloisi's shot being excellently saved by Reddy while Dodd's venomous effort fizzed past the upright.

And Adelaide could well have been made to pay when some terrific endeavour from Carle led to his cross finding Jade North only for the fullback's header to drift agonisingly wide and the final whistle was blown.

The visitors fully deserved the first three points of the A-League season and Newcastle Coach Richard Money will be praying for a better performance from his star studded outfit when they travel to take on local rivals Central Coast in Gosford next weekend.

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