But Jets coach Ernie Merrick is adamant there is ample time for his team to turn their season around, after a 1-all draw with Perth Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday left them winless after four starts.

For the second time in two home games, Newcastle led 1-0 but were unable to keep their visitors at bay.

A fortnight earlier, Adelaide struck twice after half-time to win 2-1. On Saturday, Glory veteran Diego Castro equalised in the 86th minute after a frantic goal-mouth scramble.

That left Newcastle with two draws and two losses from their first four fixtures - the same return as from the opening four rounds last season, albeit in different order.

Pressure is mounting but the A-League's most experience coach sees no cause for panic.

"We've only played four games," Merrick said.

"Most teams have played five. There's plenty of time.

"If we keep playing like that, we've got to win games, and we will win games.

"The quality of the performance was terrific."

Merrick said he felt Newcastle were unlucky not to have won three of their first four games.

The only time he concedes they were outplayed was in the 4-1 loss to Sydney FC at Leichhardt.

"We created more than enough chances to win that game," he said. "It's not the first time I've said that.

"But it's a credit to the boys.

"The quality of football was first class.

"It was end-to-end stuff. I'm sure the crowd would have enjoyed that. It was a high-standard game."

Minus skipper Nigel Boogaard, a late withdrawal because of a groin strain, Newcastle opened the scoring in the 31^st minute.

Midfielder Steve Ugarkovic found Jason Hoffman with a through ball, and the veteran fired off a left-foot shot that Perth keeper Liam Reddy had no chance of stopping.

They had earlier been denied a penalty in the 22^nd minute when winger Nick Fitzgerald appeared to have been fouled inside the box.

Newcastle came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 53^rd minute when Fitzgerald burst into space, only to be denied by desperate defending.

Perth veteran Diego Castro equalised in the dying minutes of regulation time but barely a minute later, the visitors were reduced to 10 men when defender Alex Grant was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Perth coach Tony Popovic said there were "lot of positives" to emerge from his team's committed display.

"I thought they were brilliant," Popovic said.

"A point was the least they deserved ... the key for us was when we went a goal behind, we didn't crumble."

The result leaves Newcastle second last on the ladder, ahead of only Wellington Phoenix.

Their next assignment is high-flying A-League newcomers Western United at Geelong on Saturday week.