Western United set records and issued a warning to the Isuzu UTE A-League Men with a spectacular 6-2 win over Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
Noah Botic scored his 11th of the season to extend his lead in the golden boot standings and get the ball rolling on the goal fest.
A Mark Natta own goal and strikes from Rhys Bozinovski and Riku Danzaki made it 4-0 after a blistering first half.
Bozinovski completed a stunning brace in the second period before Michael Ruhs wrapped it up after the hosts had grabbed two consolation goals.
The win set a new Club record for most goals scored in an away fixture, while United also equalled its best marks in consecutive wins (four) and most goals scored in a single season (46).
Western United team news
John Aloisi made one change to the starting XI with James Donachie starting at centre-back for the first time since Round 1 having recovered from groin surgery.
Tomoki Imai shifted to right-back as Tate Russell reverted to the bench due to some soreness felt during the week, with the 18-player squad remaining unchanged as a whole.
First half
Western United was the aggressor right from the beginning as Imai headed onto the crossbar from a corner before Botic got the goal-scoring started.
It was everything that United has been about in the final third this season with swift movement and slick passing as Matthew Grimaldi threaded it through, inviting Botic to lift his finish over the goalkeeper and into the net.
In a flash it was 2-0 as Danzaki breached the Jets’ defence. After the Japanese’s shot was saved, Newcastle defender Natta had a moment to forget as he diverted the rebound into his own net.
The Jets did eventually get into the game and enjoyed a spell of possession and a couple of set pieces, but it was all Western in the first half.
Bozinovski scored his second in as many weeks with a fantastic long-range drive into the bottom corner as United continued to put the foot down.
Danzaki was in again almost immediately from kick-off after another exquisite Grimaldi pass, but his strike thumped into the base of the post.
The No.77 wasn’t to be denied on his next chance, though, partly because there was nobody around to deny him such was the evasiveness of United’s build-up.
Grimaldi and Botic exchanged passes on the right flank, leading the latter to drill a ball across the six-yard box for Danzaki to tap into an empty net.
There could’ve been even more as Botic and Hiroshi Ibusuki forced good saves from respective headed efforts as Western headed into the break eager to continue.
Second half
Newcastle were always likely to come out looking for a response in the second half and they quickly looked to get balls into the box and create something their fans could cheer for.
Donachie, Leonard and co. were positioned perfectly at the back to ensure no immediate risk revealed itself to Matt Sutton’s goal while the players further forward continued to hum.
A dominant display deserved a second goal for Bozinovski and it was another lovely strike, this time on his left foot after his first attempt was well saved.
The Jets didn’t stop in front of their home crowd and gave those fans some joy with two quick goals, the first coming from Charles M’Mombwa and the second an unfortunate own goal for Angus Thurgate as Sutton’s save ricocheted off him and into the net at close quarters.
Fitting of the overall performance, though, Western would have the final say on an historic afternoon in the Hunter.
Ramy Najjarine nearly created a goal in the closing stages before fellow substitutes Jake Najdovski and Ruhs linked up to tie a bow on the result.
The former’s ball was absolutely scintillating, inviting Ruhs to latch onto it, stream in on goal and finish coolly between the goalkeeper’s legs – the 31st goal across the Isuzu UTE A-League in Round 23, bringing about a new record for the most ever scored in a single round.
Aloisi’s men will now recharge with almost three weeks until the next game, which comes against Perth Glory at Ironbark Fields on Saturday 5 April.
