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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Sport
James Gardiner

Jets need to maintain altitude: Jenkinson

Japanese import Manabu Saito at Jets training in Maitland this week. Picture by Grant Sproule, Jets Media

CO-CAPTAIN Carl Jenkinson reckons opposition teams "can't really live with us" when the Newcastle Jets "play our football".

The challenge for the Jets has been producing their best for longer periods, and more often.

The Jets take on Melbourne Victory at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, with the home side a chance to move into the top six for the first time in two months.

They are unbeaten in the past four games and are fresh from a spirit-boosting 2-all draw with Perth Glory, in which they twice came from a goal down.

"We showed good character, good spirit against Perth," Jenkinson said. "We did play really well in patches. It's about doing that more regularly and for the whole 90 minutes. We have shown what we can do, we just need to do it more.

"When we play our football teams can't really live with us to be honest. We have to make sure we are doing it for more of the 90 minutes than we did on the weekend.

"In general, we are doing really well. It is about keeping it going."

The unbeaten run has coincided with Jenkinson's move from right fullback to partner Matt Jurman in the centre of defence.

"We spoke about it in the [English] summer before I came out here, it was an option for me to play there," the former Arsenal defender said. "The boss put me in there against Western United and I had a good game. I have been playing there since.

"I am enjoying it and I think, generally, Matty and I have been doing well. It wasn't good to concede two goals at the weekend. Generally it has been good, we have to build on it."

The shift to the middle has also given Jenkinson a clear view of the Jets attack, which has burst into form with six goals in two games.

"It is great to watch at times," he said. "The confidence has grown. I think we have always known as a team that we can achieve some great attacking play. It is about doing it a bit more regularly.

"When the ball starts going into the back of the net when maybe it wasn't before, that builds momentum, and it happens more and more. It has been pleasing. If we are scoring goals at one end of the pitch, you are not seeing the ball so much down the defensive end.

"We are doing some fantastic stuff going forward, we just have to keep doing it."

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