DESPITE a new coach at the helm, the Newcastle Jets have not been able to make a comeback from their string of losses since December 20.
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Named as interim replacement coach for Gary van Egmond a week ago, Zane Clayton faced his first task leading the deflated team at the weekend.
The Jets played the Central Coast Mariners and lost 3-0.
The game plateaued at half time, when the Mariners had already closed in with their three points.
For the match, Clayton switched from van Egmond's preferred 4-3-3 formation to a traditional 4-4-2 which "threw them [the players] to the wolves a little bit", Clayton said.
The loss took the Jets to eighth place on the A-League ladder, just ahead of Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Heart. The Jets will meet the Western Sydney Wanderers this Saturday, February 1, at 7.45pm at Hunter Stadium.