2 weeks Ago By James Gardiner
IT feels like "like a lifetime ago" that Newcastle Jets keeper Noah James recorded a clean sheet against Wellington in his A-League debut. Login or signup to continue reading James was aged 19, COVID 19 was full scale, forcing games to be played behind closed doors, and the Jets finished the 2019-20 season on a high with a 3-0 triumph over the Phoenix. "What was it, nearly five years now," James said.
"It seems like a life time. "Mum would have the shirt at home somewhere. I obviously have fond memories of it.
" James didn't play another A-League game until round 18 of this campain. He wil line up against Wellington for the first time since 2020 at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday. "I have matured a lot," the home-grown gloveman said.
"From age 19 to 24, there is a lot of growing up in that period. "I have had two good [NPL] experiences [on loan] in Melbourne and Sydney. I feel like I am a lot more mature and comfortable with my game.
"Hopefully, I can keep it going." Sunday's match will be James' eighth straight. His time in goal has coincided with a rich vein of form for the team.
Twice James has been man of the match. Again he made a series of superb saves despite conceding two late goals in a 3-all draw with Macarthur at home last round. "When I am going well, I try not to get too high," James said.
"When you are not in the best form, you don't want to get too low either. It is all about staying level-headed. "That is a massive part of professional sport.
Not listening too much to the outside noise. "You turn up to training every day, do the basics and stick to the process. Hopefully, that leads to performing on the weekend.
" Ryan Scott was in goals when the Jets went down 2-1 to Wellington at Sky Stadium in round 10. The Kiwis have notched only one win since. They sit in 11 th spot on 21 points, two places and five points behind the Jets (26 points).
However, they are coming off consecutive draws twith Sydney (1-all) and Wanderers (2-all) and have captain Alex Rufer back from injury. "They are very solid and have some top players," James said. "We know how dangerous they are on the counter attacker.
" In their first encounter of the season, Kosta Barbarouses swooped on a turnover in midfield by the Jets and fired a shot from nearly halfway which caught Scott out of his box in just the second minute. "You can't give Kosta an inch," James said. "He will punish you if you give him time and space.
We have to keep him tight." The Jets are seven points outside the top six and need to win the final five games to be a realistic chance of maing the play-offs. "We don't look too far ahead," James said.
"If we win Sunday, it builds a bit of momentum. "We are in good form. It probably seems like we have had a little slump in the past two games.
We had that [6-2] loss against Western and a draw against Macarthur, which to me felt like a loss. We were in front for most of the game. "We have done well and have only lost one in the past nine games.
We are confident and in a good patch. "We just need to keep it going and going game by game." The Jets confirmed on Thursday that coach Rob Stanton would depart at the end of the season.
"It hasn't been a distraction," James said. "That is all part of football. "I will be forever grateful to Rob.
He gave me an opportunity to get a run of games. "We just focus on ourselves. If there is outside noise, we don't listen to it.
We are trying to win games for the club and the fans." James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald. James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
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