SYDNEY FC striker Mark Bridge has fired back at claims that he's mentally soft and says the best way to silence the vocal Newcastle Jets fans tomorrow night will be to score and make sure his side emerges with all three points.

An ucomplimentary report quoting Newcastle defender Tarek Elrich surfaced in the local press yesterday, in which he urged the fans to get stuck into Bridge over his departure from the Jets last season.

Bridge's reply to the initial boo-boys was to score the winner in Newcastle's inaugural championship, and he hoped it would be a friendly note on which to end their relationship. But the fans remain unforgiving, and his first visit, in September, produced a hostile reception, and things have returned to the boil this week.

"I didn't realise it until this morning. I came to training this morning and Robbie Middleby said I copped a whole page in the Newcastle Herald saying [Elrich] hopes the crowd gets stuck into me because apparently I crack under pressure," he said. "Seems like they've forgotten the grand final already.

"So I'm going up there and I expect them to boo me like always. They booed me last year, so I expect them to boo me when I play for another team, but I'll just do my job .. and hopefully we'll get a win."

Sydney FC coach John Kosmina backed his "exceptional" striker to prove a point, laughing off the suggestion that Bridge lacked toughness. "I noticed that in the grand final last year. He 'cracked' that good finish. I hope he cracks like that under pressure this weekend."

Sebastian Hassett