Rain-soaked Auckland FC captain Francis De Vries gestures during his side's loss to Newcastle Jets. Photo: Photosport
Auckland's unbeaten run in this year's A-League season has ended with a 2-1 loss to Newcastle Jets in farcical conditions at Go Media Stadium.
A huge downpour with 20 minutes to go saw players frequently overrunning the ball, which was stopping in huge puddles, with Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Woud pleading with officials for the game to be halted, because of the amount of water in his goal area.
Referee Alireza Faghani consulted with the captains in the 83rd minute, but then waved play on. There were no further goals and bottom-placed Newcastle took a shock victory over last year's premiership plate winners.
Auckland FC were the only unbeaten team heading into the match, but they were outgunned on the day by the visitors, who shocked the locals, with Will Dobson smacking in a goal in just the third minute.
The Aucklanders levelled the score, with Louis Verstraete slamming the ball past goalkeeper James Delianov in the 14th minute, but the Auckland fans were silenced in the 42nd minute, when Lachlan Rose latched onto a pass from Dobson and scored to make it 2-1.
Auckland FC fans brave the rain during the A-League match against Newcastle Jets. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The rain started to fall about the 30-minute mark, but halfway through the second half, it became a downpour and visibility was low, as players struggled to control the sodden ball.
Auckland had plenty of scoring chances, including Jesse Randall's near equaliser in the 73rd minute, but they couldn't capitalise on them.
Coming off a 1-1 draw with Brisbane last week and now a loss, the Aucklanders will face a buoyant Wellington Phoenix in the second New Zealand derby, after their 2-1 win over Adelaide United on Saturday. The Phoenix are yet beat Auckland FC.
Auckland captain Jake Brimmer said the conditions did not cost his side victory, it was their own effort.
"I think that one hurts the most out of everything," he told Sky Sport. "I think we generally played well tonight, but didn't take our chances and that cost us."
Brimmer said it was difficult with the ball just stopping on the wet pitch.
"That's no excuse, both teams had to deal with it and unfortunately we were second best on the night."
Jets captain Kosta Grozos did not mind playing during the downpour.
"In the weather, the boys certainly enjoyed that one, it was fun."
He said his team were a tightknit group and deserved the win.
"It means the world. Coming off some bad losses, this just makes up for it."
The Jets move up from 12th to 10th after their win, while Auckland are in third place and the Phoenix sixth.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
.
