The Newcastle Jets and the Wellington Phoenix have shared the points at Energy Stadium Australia in a hard fought sixth vs seventh placed match.

Wellington came into the match knowing they have never had back to back wins, they line up with four former Jets players in their starting line up -Durrante, Brown, Coveny and Johnson.

The Jets knew they have never won a game without Joel Griffiths, they came into the game without Holland, Hoffman and the Griffith brothers.

It starts brightly for the home team D’Apuzzo is clear on goal in the first minute but Paston saves his low shot.

It takes 17 minutes for Wellington to create their first chance, Tim Brown blasts a curling shot at goal from outside the area and Covic makes a diving save. The visitor’s nearly take the lead again when Smeltz robs Wheelhouse of the ball, he dribbles toward goal and his shot hits the upright and bounces out.

The Jets respond, Hakansson finds Zura running at full speed he finds Song who ties up Thomson but a alert Dodd covers with a last ditch tackle. The Jets are finding their rhythm they put 30 passes together but the move ends with a stray pass.

The fans are trying to get into the game but it’s a bit untidy, just before half time Zura finds a running Thomson on the wing his cross is hit first time by Hakansson on the volley and its just over the cross bar and the fans have something to applaud.

The Jets start the second like they did the first creating a opportunity, with Song firing from outside the area straight at Paston.

On 52 minutes Coveny goes on a 20 meter dribble, he is in the penalty area when fouled by Piorkowski, a clumsy challenge that gives away a penalty and up steps Smeltz to put away the penalty, there is dead silence as he scores 1-0 Wellington.

The Jets step up the pace, A Song free kick finds Elrich who passes to Zura he attempts an over head but is just wide. On 59 minutes Zura heads down a long through ball to the on coming Elrich his 25 meter shot from outside the area is over Paston and under the cross bar its 1-1 and the home crowd go crazy – more with a great sense of relief.

Wellington respond with a clever Smeltz back heel that puts Lockhead away his cross/shot from five meters away is centimetres away from the far upright .

On 68 minutes Thomson’s down field through ball has Zura in the clear he beats Paston to the ball with his head, and the ball goes to Patafta who taps into an empty net its 2-1 Jets.

The Jets appear to wrap up the points but massive storm clouds are gathering in the skies around the ground as Wellington push for a equaliser, a corner has Covic punching straight to Ferrante, his fierce shot is deflected wide. In the final minute Thomson clumsily fouls Gao in the penalty area and in the pouring rain Smeltz converts as the home fans watch in disbelief, it ends 2-2.

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Stuart Musialik, the young midfielder with the golden touch, is now ex-pected to stay with the Newcastle Jets.

While the Jets will look towards go-to-man Joel Griffiths for the goals, Musialik’s distribution will be the real key for Newcastle in the A-League grand final against Central Coast at Sydney Football Stadium.

Musialik has given an indication through his new agent Tom Brooks that he will stay in his home town.

Jets football director Remo Nogarotto said that initial talks with Brooks had been very positive.

“There is goodwill with both sides,” Nogarotto said. “We have agreed how the framework will be put together. We decided to put the pencils down until after the grand final and pick them up again on Monday.”

The Jets are also hoping to secure Ruben Zadkovich, who has been released by Sydney FC and who also has Brooks as his manager.

“I’d like to have the two players signed up before they leave for San Francisco on Wednesday with Australia,” Nogarotto said.

Nogarotto remains confident that Tarek Elrich and Adam D’Apuzzo, who are also in the Olympic squad for the game against Mexico on March 2, will be wearing the Jets’ colours again after the grand final.

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The Newcastle Jets are into their first Grand Final and into the 2009 Asian Champions League. In dramatic scenes the Jets fans counted down the final seconds of the match but watched in disbelief as referee Peter Green gave the Roar a soft penalty as D’Apuzzo and Lynch tangled with the clock showing 90:02. Reinaldo converted putting the disbelieving Jets fans into stunned silence and sending the game into extra time. The Jets stepped up a gear in extra time and goals to Joel Griffiths and Elrich saw them through.

The Jets lined up with a 4-2-3-1 formation Musialik replaced Spencer and D’Apuzzo replaced Song in the starting line up. The Roar would have felt confident of a result in Newcastle where they have never lost and indeed posted their biggest A-League ever win, a 5-0 thrashing of the locals. The Roar lined up with a 4-3-3 with Tiatto returning from suspension to take his place on he bench.

It was the Roar who commenced with an almost dream start with a Zullo run and cross that finds Marcinho in front of goal but he hits it over the cross bar.

The home teams first attack comes in the 6th minute with a wonderful Thomson run in which he rounds three defenders in the penalty area only to see his thumping shot hit the cross bar and go out.

On 19 minutes Musialik slips and Mckay is goal bound, his left footed shot ends up across the face of the goal, a minute later and Elrich has a shot from outside the penalty area, Reddy is forced to make a full length diving save.

The Jets are dominating possession but the Roar break quickly once they get the ball and they look dangerous, D’Apuzzo gives the ball straight to Reinaldo who runs at goal and tees up Zullo who fires over the cross bar.

The Roar create a number of chances, Marcinho finds Kruse on the edge of the penalty area he is just wide with a low drive, Marcinho puts Zullo through but he fires wide. Then Kruse finds Zullo who could be competing a hatrick but his soft shot is saved by Covic.

The Jets respond on 32 minutes Thomson flicks on to Joel Griffiths, he fires a low shot which is going in but Reddy makes a full length save he gets a hand on the ball and is able to push it around the upright.

On 39 minutes D’Apuzzo finds Bridge with a lovely pass, Bridge makes it to the by line and he is able to get his cross past Zullo, Reddy can only get a hand on it, the ball falls to Thomson who smashes it in, 1-0 Jets.

The last action of the half has Bridge putting Griffiths away, he is on goal but his shot is well saved.

The second half has the Jets defending deeper and the Roar creating chances, Ognenovski is just wide with a free kick from just outside the penalty area, Zullo tries a overhead but the Roar don’t look like scoring. Farina sensing this sends on Tiatto and Minniecon in the 64th minute. Moore and Zullo have further chances but its still the Jets leading.

The Jets appear to wrap up the game with 10 minutes remaining Thomson puts Joel Griffiths through, he draws the keeper and passes to Hearfield who taps the ball into a empty net, the crowd go into raptures but the linesmen unbelievably has his flag up, television replays reveal Joel Griffiths was indeed well onside.

With two minutes remaining the Jets have a 3 on 2 Joel Griffiths finds Bridge but he is lazy in finding the unmarked Hearfield and the ball is cleared.

It gets worse for the home fans, the final minutes have them cheering every clearance, on 90 minutes Zullo crosses for Lynch he is tangling with D’Apuzzo and falls, amazingly referee Peter Green points to the spot and up steps Reinaldo in front of several hundred travelling Roar fans and with their season on the line, he converts its 1-1 and extra time.

On 95 minutes Joel Griffiths is clear past Moore who fouls him but no free kick or card is given. The defining moment arrives on 102 minutes Joel Griffiths finds Song who is fouled by Ognenovski in the area, and Green points to the spot, perhaps a harsh decision but Joel Griffiths steps up to take it and scores, its 4 goals in 4 games against the Roar for Joel this season, its 2-1 Jets.

Song and Griffiths combine again this time Bridge is released on goal but he fails to get the final shot in. The two exchange passes again seven minutes later and Griffiths gives the final pass to Elrich who smashes the ball into the top of the net, Elrich finally scores his first A-League goal, its 3-1 Jets.

Moore is sent off for an elbow on Bridge, and then Bridge tries to chip Reddy from 35 meters as he is off his line but its straight at Reddy.

The third soft penalty is awarded as Elrich fouls Zullo. Reinaldo scores from the spot and the Roar who never get a penalty suddenly have two in one game. But the Jets hang on to their first ever grand final qualification, they never made one in their NSL days. There were emotional scenes amongst the fans – particularly from the old Breakers fans.