Newcastle remains anchored to the bottom of the A-League ladder after going down 1-0 to Adelaide on Sunday but, unlike their last encounter, it was not all one-way traffic for the Reds.

Marcelo Carrusca scored the winner in the 28th minute but Adelaide will be sweating on the Argentine’s playmaker’s fitness after he was taken off with a suspected quad injury late in the opening half.

Things got even worse for the Reds, who finished the game with 10 men, with Carrusca’s replacement Nigel Boogaard stretchered off wearing a neck brace late in the game after falling awkwardly on his head.

Last time the two sides met, the Jets suffered a 7-0 drubbing, the biggest defeat in the club’s history.

Adelaide again came out of the blocks quickly at Hunter Stadium but the hosts, who grew into the game and had the best of the second half, proved far more formidable opponents this time.

With just three minutes on the clock the Reds staged their first attacking raid with Spaniard Sergio Cirio setting up Bruce Djite, who misfired.

Mitch Cooper had the Jets’ best chance of the half in the 23rd minute but his point-blank strike was cleared off the line by Reds defender Dylan McGowan.

Four minutes later Adelaide opened the scoring through Argentine Carrusca.

Cirio’s initial shot was saved with goalkeeper Ben Kennedy’s block going only as far as Carrusca, who made no mistake.

The Jets began to show the urgency they lacked in the opening stages with Cooper, Enver Alivodic and Edson Montano all threatening to find the equaliser late in the half.

Kennedy then pulled out a great save to deny Cirio just before the break.

Alivodic tried his luck from range in the 50th minute then a minute later set up Ben Kantarovski, who also shot just wide.

The Jets were desperately unlucky not have levelled moments later when a poke from Montano hit the post.

With the Reds having made all three subs, they were then forced to end the game with 10 men when Boogaard was stretchered off in the 76th minute.

He went up for a header only to propel himself over Montano and swan dive onto his head.

Alivodic continued to threaten till the end but it just was not to be for the Jets.

Source: AAP