North Queensland Fury came from behind tonight in the postponed R25 game in Townville to win 2-1 and keep their mathematical finals hopes alive. Newcastle Jets had weathered the hurricane, but 5 days later couldn't keep their early lead alive despite having the better of the game in general.

The Fury started with Robbie Fowler and Dyron Daal up front, quieting earlier speculation about Fowler's place in the squad. It was the Jets however that came out firing. Within a minute a free-kick was won at the edge of the area, but the Song Jin-Hyung free-kick delected off the wall, and Matt Thompson his header of the corner from the left over the crossbar.

Three minutes later Michael Bridges speculation lob over Fury 'keeper Justin Pasfield from distance, also cleared the crossbar with the custodian well off his line.

In the 10th minute however Fury's Robbie Middleby got up on the right and his cross was headed wide on the left by Fowler.

Newcastle continued to pressure and got a reward in the 19th minute when Matt Thompson latched onto a ball knocked back out from a corner and whacked it into the net from 25m. 0-1

In the 22nd minute Chris Grossman had a shot blocked by Ben Kantarovski, and then another chance game to Newcastle, one that 'in the missing' they would rue. Thompson sent a ball through for Jobe Wheelhouse to run onto. With only the advancing keeper to beat Wheelhouse struck it straight at him, and Pasfield was able to parry the shot with his legs.

The Fury's early lethargy was at last passing - in the 38th minute Fowler had a shot deflected wide, after Ufuk Talay had first had his blocked.

The home side got the break they needed before half-time. New signing Jimmy Downey sent a long ball out of defence across the field to Dyron Daal who under pressure from Nikolai Topor-Stanley could only chest it down. It fell fortuitously for Chris Grossman whose shot sliced through the mass of players and bulged the net. 1-1

After the break the game was more even. In the 51st minute Fowler turned in the area but couldn't get a decent shot it and Ben Kennedy had no worries with it. Two minutes later however Thompson got a shot on target but it was blocked by the dogged Matthew Smith. Song soon after got down the right flank, receiving a ball from Thompson, but his shot was blocked.

In the 68th minute Fury substitute Terry Cooke hit a free kick just over the Jets crossbar.

Joy for the Fury faithful in the 80th minute. Cooke on the right looked up and saw Chris Tadrosse free on the left. he lifted a well weighted ball over the the left side of the goal area for Tadrosse to steam in and volley into the net inhindered. 2-1

A happy Fury coach Ian Ferguson stated: "We kept giving the ball away in the first half, but again character in the boys came through again. Even though we were one down you always have that feeling that we can come back and do something and that’s exactly what they did. To be one down again and come back and get the goal just before half time and the hole to open up late in the second half, it was fantastic. Credit to all the subs, that is what I’m looking for when you come off the bench."

A dejected Jets coach, Branko Culina, said: "We always knew that the first half was going to be critical and we had to take our opportunities. When the goal was scored we thought ‘great the pressure is going to be on the opposition. We knew that with the conditions we would find it difficult. By allowing them to score that goal just before halftime we gave them a fresh set of legs and they were buzzing after that. We played well enough, particularly in that first half, to have done better."

Both teams now have only a few days to recover and travel to R26 games. The Jets now face the Mariners in the F3 derby on Saturday night in Gosford, while Fury have the league leader Melbourne Victory in Melbourne.