Newcastle dangerman Joel Griffiths silenced the crowd with the opening goal in the 70th minute before Dodd’s header from a Richie Alagich cross six minutes later saw the points shared.

With both teams coming off consecutive losses and looking more adamant on ensuring they did not suffer a third straight defeat, the first half was a cautious affair, United having the better of a predominantly uneventful first half as both goal keepers were rarely required.

The match started promisingly enough for the home side, United winning a free kick in a dangerous position within the opening 90 seconds, however Diego’s effort went just wide of the post.

United looked the more likely to score early in the match, with pinpoint crosses from Jonas Salley down the left and then Alagich from the right both amounting to nothing as The Reds struggled to find that final touch.

Newcastle’s only effort in the first 20 minutes came from a long range Noel Spencer shot, with Angelo Costanzo looking solid in United’s defence returning from injury after a three week absence.

United had opportunities, in the 28th minute Jason Spagnuolo toyed with Tarek Elrich down the left hand side, working his way into the penalty area, before putting an enticing ball across the face of goal but there were no takers.

It took until the 44th minute for a 20 metre Dodd shot to bring a save out of Jets keeper Ante Covic, United going agonisingly close on the stroke of half time when a Spagnuolo free kick was met by Milan Susak but his effort went wide.

At the start of the second half, Spagnuolo, who was United’s most influential player in the opening 45 minutes, limped off after he and Elrich both caught the ball at the same time, the United midfielder seeming to twist his knee in the collision.

Things then went from bad to worse for The Reds as Newcastle took the lead, Spencer playing in Griffiths and with the United defence flat footed, the striker got the vital touch, putting it across an incoming Eugene Galekovic into the net.

Stung into action, a bit of individual Dodd brilliance in the 74th minute followed by a Paul Agostino header from substitute Shaun Ontong’s cross could not find the equaliser, however the goal would not be far away.

Defender Tomi Milardovic was introduced for his first appearance for United and provided a spark, but it was Dodd who would get the crowd into full voice.

Alagich controlled the ball on the right and this time the aerial attack would prevail, the ball finding Dodd who guided his header onto the inside of the post along the goal line and into the net to finally give the Reds the goal they deserved.

With the momentum going Adelaide’s way, Agostino thought he had scored his first United goal in the 81st minute when he found the back of the net, but he was called for a foul as Covic and Stephen Laybutt collided into each other, however the referee had blown his whistle for a push on Laybutt.

Galekovic was required once more to make a save after a late Jason Hoffman shot, while one final United corner could not produce a winner. Despite not getting the win, United ended its losing streak and will now need a win against Perth Glory next Friday Night at Hindmarsh Stadium to stay in the top four. Tickets for the match are available through Venue*Tix.

Coach Aurelio Vidmar said after the game, “It was a bit of a cagey game I thought, it probably looked like two teams coming off two losses, no one really wanted to give an inch.”

“After the last couple of weeks it is probably a good step forward.”

Vidmar knows that the games are quickly passing by and that United need to start getting results.

“It was a game we needed to win, the weeks are running by so next week is a must win for us,” Vidmar said.