Newcastle Jets striker Roy O'Donovan is holding on to a slim chance of a Finals Series fairtyale after his goal sealed a 1-0 win over Western United on Sunday night and took the Jets just one win outside of the top six.
Under Carl Robinson - appointed Newcastle Head Coach in February - the Jets have looked a completely different outfit as they've shaken off a horrific start to the season in which they won just two of their first 15 games.
Since Robinson's takeover Newcastle have lost won five games, drawing three and losing once to launch off the foot of the table - where they sat for eight consecutive rounds in mid-season - to take seventh spot on the table after the 1-0 win over United.
But with just one game to play the Jets have to hope for the teams around them - who all have games in hand on Robinson's side - to drop points before the season's end, a fact which makes Newcastle's task unlikely, but not impossible, in O'Donovan's eyes.
"It was a great game, it had a real edge to it - I thought Western United were a bit unlucky to be fair with a few things tonight," O'Donovan told FOX Sports post-match.
"But we edged it, we were the better team, we played some nice football.
It’s a shame we didn’t kick a bit sooner this season.
"We’ve been playing great football, our possession game has been brilliant.
"Last week [against Central Coast Mariners] what we lacked was the final ball - that might have given us the chance to get into the top six if we got the final ball right last week.
"We got it right today, I nicked a goal, I’m not sure it’s going to be enough to get us into the finals but we’ll give it a good go next week anyway."
MATCH REPORT: Newcastle Jets v Western United
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For Mark Rudan and United on the other hand, their 1-0 loss at the hands of the Jets could prove a mere blip on a smooth road into the top six and the Finals Series by the end of the season should results go their way.
United have four games left to play - more than any other side in the league - and sit just four points behind Perth Glory and Adelaide United in fifth and sixth place on the table respectively.
Playmaker Max Burgess - who had scored five goals and notched two assists in three games for the Green and Black before failing to impact the scoresheet against the Jets - says nothing will change in the United camp as they head into their remaining fixtures supremely confident of ending the season where they want to be - inside the top six.
"It’s still in our hands, we’ve still got two games on everyone else that is ahead of us," Burgess told FOX Sports.
"It was a big game tonight, we had momentum coming into this, this won’t deter us at all.
"We’re a positive group and we’ll come back, no worries, no dramas.
"I thought it was really tight," Burgess added when reflecting on United's tussle with the Jets.
"I think they just shaded us, just those clinical moments - I don’t think we were that far off though."
Next match
- Western United v Western Sydney Wanderers
When: Friday, August 7
Where: Nestrata Jubilee Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm (AEST)
- Newcastle Jets v Wellington Phoenix
When: Thursday, August 13
Where: Nestrata Jubilee Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm (AEST)
