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Graham Fisher
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LukeS
Hardy2008 A-League Champions: Newcastle Jets
February 25th 2008 04:45
The Newcastle Jets has won the 2008 A-League championship after a 1-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Jets took out the decider in front of a huge 36,354 crowd after Mark Bridge, capitalising on an uncharacteristic error from the experienced Vidmar, drilled home the only goal of the match in the 64th minute.
However, the game was marred by controversy after the Mariners had seemingly won a penalty to level the score-line in the dying minutes of the game. Referee Mark Shield waved away the strong penalty claim as James Holland appeared to flick the ball away with his elbow but it was Central Coast goalkeeper Danny Vukovic who ended up getting red-carded for berating the ref for the non-decision.
Retiring former Socceroos Tony Vidmar will have to live with his costly mistake after being dispossessed by Mark Bridge near the half-way line before going onto score the only goal of the game.
The veteran Central Coast defender said: "A mistake from myself has cost us the game and I'm going to have to live with that.
"I'll put my hand up.
"There weren't too many clear-cut chances (and it was) a defining moment in the game.
"I saw 'Bridgey' coming from the corner of my left eye and I thought he was going to come inside me so I've gone to leave it and it's got stuck between my feet."
"I'll put my hand up.
"There weren't too many clear-cut chances (and it was) a defining moment in the game.
"I saw 'Bridgey' coming from the corner of my left eye and I thought he was going to come inside me so I've gone to leave it and it's got stuck between my feet."
Meanwhile, Joe Marston Medal winner Andrew Durante hailed winning the grand final to be the greatest moment of his injury-plagued career. Not only did he play a huge part in bringing the first ever national football title to Newcastle, he was also voted the best player on the day with a superb display.
"I knew that if we won it, it would be an unbelievable feeling. But this is bigger and better than anyone could have expected. And then to get the Joe Marston on top of that is just the greatest thing I could ever think of," he said.
[Video source: YouTube]
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