Adelaide aim to keep A-League chasing pack at bay

Adelaide United will be aiming to notch their third A-League Men win on the trot when they take on Newcastle at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.

Adelaide coach Carl Veart has urged his players to keep the momentum rolling as they attempt to lock down a, A-League Men top-four berth.

Adelaide United - Newcastle Jets

Adelaide face Newcastle in the A-League on Sunday.
The Reds are hoping to get three wins in a row.
United sit fourth in the ladder, Jets ninth.

More A-League news can be found on FTBL.

Two consecutive wins have shot the Reds up to third spot, but Veart is well aware of the deceptive nature of the ladder given his team have played more games than most of their rivals.

Sixth-placed Wellington are just three points adrift of Adelaide and have played three fewer games, giving the Phoenix an excellent chance to leapfrog the Reds in the back end of the season.

Melbourne Victory and Macarthur started the weekend behind Adelaide on the ladder, but they can leapfrog the Reds if results go their way.

Adelaide will start as favourites when they host ninth-placed Jets at Coopers Stadium on Sunday, but Veart isn't taking anything for granted.

"It's very important to have that consistency and pick up points," Veart said on Saturday.

"You've seen with other teams in the league who have been down towards the bottom and then have gone on a run of five, six, seven games and all of a sudden you're in the six.

"We've played more games than most of the other teams in the league, so it's important we keep putting the points on the board and let them chase us."

The Jets had the chance to rise to equal sixth spot on Wednesday, but their 3-2 loss to Wellington left them six points adrift of the Phoenix.

Newcastle captain Matt Jurman is doing his best to keep spirits high in the wake of consecutive losses.

"I don't feel like we're playing bad," Jurman said.

"It can deflate a team sometimes when you're playing well and you're not getting results.

"For me and the other older boys, it's about keeping the team positive and making sure we're talking on the pitch, off the field, keeping everyone positive.

"I feel like there's positive results coming our way if we can fix a few things up."