Wanderers’ coach Hayden Foxe can feel Josep Gombau breathing down his neck.

He prepped the Wanderers to go out and attack Newcastle and it worked – Western Sydney took an early lead through a moment of Mark Bridge brilliance.

But they nervously fell back almost just as quickly. Losing Chris Herd and Kearyn Baccus to injuries then derailed any momentum, and from then on it was Newcastle’s to lose.

After losing Ronny Vargas to a horrific injury in their last encounter, the Jets looked a shadow of their former selves in the first half.

Ernie Merrick’s men responded in the second through Dimi Petratos, and tried to further capitalise as the Wanderers fell back, but there are question marks over how far Newcastle can go without their midfield talisman.

NEWCASTLE JETS

Jack Duncan - 6

Shaky from corners, but didn’t have a lot to do.

Daniel Georgievski – N/A

Only lasted 12 minutes before going down injured, which casts doubt over Ernie Merrick's decision to start him.

Nigel Boogaard – 7.5

Strong in the air and along with Topor-Stanley makes the Jets backline look like forces of nature.   

Nikolai Topor-Stanley - 8

Immensely physical. Started poorly but warmed himself up quickly, and ended up throwing himself around like a rag doll to win everything.

Ivan Vujica - 8

Performed purposefully, as you’d expect from someone who signed a two-year deal today.

Benjamin Kantarovski - 7

Had zero influence in the first 30, copped a spray from Merrick and sharpened up to put in a commanding second half display.