Heart hit the 2013 ground beating (The Jets)

Melbourne Heart have hit 2013 running with a 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park.

Having lost their last three games of 2012, Heart made five changes to their starting line up including number one Clint Bolton making way for Andrew Redmayne in his first appearance for Melbourne. Socceroo regular Richard Garcia was also included in the XI.

In a fixture that traditionally produces goals, the smallish crowd didn't have to wait long when in-form forward Gol Gol Mebrahtu was put through via Josip Tadic. The 22 year old Eritrean made no mistake cleanly slipping the ball through Jets 'keeper Mark Birighitti on six minutes.

The game, played on a rather warm Melbourne day in a time slot not ideal for players and fans alike, was not a great footballing spectacle but exciting none the less.

The Jets hit back just after a quarter of an hour when Redmayne toppled the advancing Ryan Griffiths and was lucky not to receive a red card as last man stopping a goal scoring opportunity. Griffiths himself stepped up and neatly beat Redmayne to level the scores. 

Only eight minutes had passed when referee Chris Beath awarded a penalty in favour of Heart, which had the Jets bench up in arms, a decision Gary Van Egmond would pursue with Beath in the tunnel at half time. 

Birighitti looked to have had the ball knocked from his grasp and when it fell to Germano, the Jets 'keeper grabbed at whatever he could, bringing the Argentine down.

Josip Tadic blasted the penalty into the top left corner leaving Birighitti no chance.

The second half was Heart holding on to the lead, keeping their shape well yet still playing some positive football. 

The Jets walk away from their Melbourne road trip empty handed after succumbing to Melbourne Victory 3-2 only days ago.

The win lifts John Aloisi's team from the bottom one point behind Newcastle, and more importantly one point out of the top six.


Melbourne Heart: Andrew Redmayne (GK), Michael Marrone, Simon Colosimo, Patrick Gerhardt, Aziz Behich, Germano, Matt Thompson, Richard Garcia. Fred,  Golgol Mebrahtu, Josip Tadic

Subs: Clint Bolton, Dylan MacAllister, Jason Hoffman, David Williams


Newcastle Jets: Mark Birighitti (GK), Scott Neville, Josh Mitchell, Connor Chapman, Sam Gallaway, Josh Brillante, James Virgili, Criag Goodwin, Ruben Zadkovich, Ryan Griffiths, Emile Heskey. 

Subs: Ben Kennedy, James Brown, Jacob Pepper, Adam Taggart

Crowd - 5641 at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee - Chris Beath