Bankstown City Lions humble Newcastle Jets in friendly hit-out
It was the second time a TeleChoice Premier League side had defeated an A-League opponent in 2009 as Peter Tsekenis? men took it to Branko Culina?s side.
Sydney Olympic had defeated the Jets 2-1 a couple of weeks ago at Belmore Sports Ground.
The Jets took the lead in the ninth minute when former Australian youth midfielder Jobe Wheelhouse scored a neat volley that rattled the back of the Bankstown net and put Culina?s squad one up.
It wasn?t to be a pleasant night however for the 24-year-old who was later taken to hospital after he was collected in a studs-up challenge by Bankstown midfielder Hussein Akil. Initial reports suggested that Wheelhouse broke his leg however it was later confirmed that X-rays indicated he had no fracture but will be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Back to the football and club captain Richard Luksic equalised for the home side in the twentieth minute while Under 20?s rising star Billy Tsandis scored the winner in the eighty-seventh minute which earned Tsekenis? side the victory.
The game was played at a ferocious pace with tackles flying in from both sides however there were a number of good passages of football played which entertained the home crowd.
Bankstown played a number of its youth squad in the second half as Tsekenis? squad battled well against a tough Newcastle outfit.
It was one of Culina?s first stern challenges for 2009 as he prepares for a new season as coach of the Jets but will be faced with a number of dilemmas in the selection of his squad for his side?s round 1 clash against the Wellington Phoenix at EnergyAustralia Stadium on the 9th of August.
Joining Wheelhouse on the injured list for the first match will be Donny de Groot, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Ben Kantarovski and Marko Jesic while Tarek Erlich, Shaun Ontong and Kaz Patafta are also in doubt.
