Western United moved to within four points of league-leaders Auckland FC with a comprehensive 6-2 win over Newcastle Jets on March 16, 2025, at McDonald Jones Stadium. This impressive victory was highlighted by a clinical four-goal first half, marking one of the highest-scoring matches in recent A-League history.
Noah Botic set the tone for Western's dominance by scoring his 11th goal of the season just six minutes after kickoff, putting the visitors on the board early. Shortly thereafter, just two minutes later, the Jets found themselves down 2-0 thanks to a Mark Natta own goal, as his unfortunate touch deflected Riku Danzaki’s mishit attempt off the post and past the goalkeeper.
The onslaught continued as Rhys Bozinovski extended the lead to three with his first goal of the match, driving home accurately after collecting the ball following another dangerous Danzaki cross. The Jets struggled to recover, and Botic soon turned provider, delivering a pinpoint cross for Danzaki, who tapped it in to make it 4-0 before halftime.
With Western United comfortably leading at halftime, Bozinovski struck again shortly after the restart, scoring his second goal and putting his side up 5-0 by the 53rd minute. The Jets, who played their third game within just seven days, appeared fatigued and overwhelmed.
Despite the grim scoreline, the home side began to show glimpses of resilience. Charles M’Mombwa, who was substituted in earlier, scored his first goal for the Jets, injecting some hope for the home fans. This was swiftly followed by another moment of fortune for the Jets when Angus Thurgate inadvertently redirected the ball past his own goalkeeper, bringing the score to 5-2.
Just when it seemed the Jets might rally for more, Michael Ruhs came off the bench for Western United and scored the final goal of the match, making it 6-2 and sealing Western's victory. This goal also set the record for the most goals scored (31) across Round 23 of the Isuzu UTE A-League, breaking previous competition records.
The record extended beyond the match, as Western United set new club milestones, marking their best tally for consecutive wins at four matches and matching their all-time highest season total with 46 goals.
While the loss dashed Newcastle's hopes of reaching the playoffs, placing them ninth on the table with only 25 points—eight behind sixth-placed Adelaide—coach Rob Stanton acknowledged the strength of the Western United side, stating, "Congratulations to Western United for a very good performance; they are doing extremely well and using everything they’ve got to perform.” he added, “I am responsible for it. Could I have done something different? Yeah, maybe.”
Western United's next matchup is set against Perth Glory at Ironbark Fields on April 5, 2025, where they will look to build on their current momentum following this decisive victory. For now, attention turns to the preparations needed for the upcoming clashes, knowing they are positioned as serious contenders for the title this season. With their attacking prowess and solid performances, it’s clear they will be tested but could very well prove to be the team to beat going forward.