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Wanderers dominate but forced to settle for a draw

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The Wanderers have played out a 1-1 draw with the Newcastle Jets at a wet Bankwest Stadium tonight.

Despite playing some of their best football in the first half and taking an early lead through a Mitchell Duke penalty, the Red & Black could not convert their chances and were forced to settle for a point after the Jets equalised with 15 minutes to go.

The draw means the Wanderers have now earned four points out of a possible six under interim head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny.

The Wanderers came out firing in the opening half hour, totally dominating the Jets who struggled to get out of their own half.

Pirmin Schwegler was the master in midfield as he orchestrated with his sublime passing as he constantly picked out teammates, notably Kamau who terrorised the visitors left side with his blistering pace.  

It was no surprise when the Red & Black took advantage of the weight of possession to take the lead after just four minutes after Kamau was brought down in the penalty area following a scintillating run.

Duke made no mistake from the penalty, smashing the ball down the middle, giving him a 100 per cent record (three from three) from the spot this season.

Duke was unlucky not to get a second just nine minutes later. Nicolai Muller made a run to the byline and cut the ball back for Duke, who hit a first time shot only to see his effort rebound off the base of the left post.

Kamau looked like causing problems again down the right flank only to be brought down in a cynical challenge that earned his marker a yellow card on 20 minutes.

Kamau then tried his luck from longe range, but his effort went just over the bar on 21 minutes before Duke found some space and fired off a shot that he hit straight to the goalkeeper 13 minutes later.

The Wanderers defence and goalkeeper Daniel Lopar had very little to do aside from making a terrific save with his outstretched left boot to deny Millar in the dying minutes of the half.

Newcastle came out strongly in the opening five minutes of the second half, forcing Lopar into successive brilliant saves in the 47th minute – the first when he tipped a Dimi Petratos over the bar followed by a similar save to deny Steven Ugarkovic.

The Jets then hit the cross bar in the 56th minute before Daniel Georgievski produced some neat work on the left only to see his effort denied by a good save from Jets goalkeeper Lewis Italiano.

Italiano was again called into action in the 65th minute to deny Muller’s effort from just outside the box. 

But, it was the Jets who struck next when Millar equalised in the 75th minute.