Macarthur defeated league-leaders Newcastle Jets 3-2 at Campbelltown Stadium thanks to a brace from Mitch Duke and one from Rafael Durán.
Macarthur, just as they had done in their shock win over Auckland, enjoyed a fast start and opened the scoring through Mitch Duke but Xavier Bertoncello swept home a controversial equaliser just minutes later. Duke turned creator when he picked out Rafael Durán for Macarthur’s second, but again the Bulls were pegged back by Bertoncello. Finally, Duke popped up once more inside the area and his glancing header floated in to seal a second consecutive underdog victory for Macarthur.
The win puts the Bulls four points ahead of seventh-placed Central Coast and keeps their momentum going as they look to secure playoff football. Newcastle have followed in the footsteps of their title rivals Auckland in falling to Macarthur and the gap between first and second could be cut down to two if Auckland beat Adelaide on Good Friday.
Macarthur were the faster starters and with Newcastle still trying to find their feet in the match, Anthony Caceres flicked a cross to the back post and Rafael Durán nodded it down for Mitch Duke to spin and wrap his foot around the ball, sending it beneath James Delianov for his third goal of the season.
With little to suggest that it was forthcoming, the visitors got their equaliser when Kosta Grozos slid the ball behind a high Macarthur line for Xavier Bertoncello, who took the chance early and swept it past Alex Robinson. After a lengthy check for a handball in the buildup, the goal was given.
Macarthur responded in the 23rd minute when Duke drifted out to the left and lofted in a peach of a ball for Durán, who was the only player to attack the ball, and the duo that provided the opener linked up again to reinstate the Bulls’ lead.
In the last of five minutes added on to the first half a Newcastle corner was cleared only as far as Daniel Wilmering, and when his effort serendipitously picked out Bertoncello in the crowd, he controlled it smoothly and passed it in off the post to make it 2-2.
Substitute Eli Adams thought he had put Newcastle back into the lead after 55 minutes, but the linesman threw up his flag to deny Adams his sixth career goal against the Bulls.
Duke nodded in his second of the night when Callum Talbot had time and space to swing a cross towards the 35 year-old and he dipped his head to glance the ball up and beyond Delianov in the 68th minute.
The drama continued when Will Dobson slipped the ball through for Wilmering and after he was tripped by Luke Vickery, the referee awarded a penalty. VAR intervened soon after, adjudging that the contact was outside the area, and Dobson’s effort from the resulting free-kick was anticlimactic.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT THEY SAID
Mitch Duke
Mile Sterjovski
Mark Milligan
