Newcastle Jets lifted themselves off the bottom of the A-League with a convincing 3-0 victory over New Zealand Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Saturday night.

Playing their first match since sacking coach Nick Theodorakopoulos, the Jets looked hungry for goals and eventually broke the game wide open with three in the final 18 minutes.

Jets Socceroos players, defender Jade North and midfielder Stuart Musialik, and Colombian import Milton Rodriguez netted late in the game to clinch a crucial victory in the battle of the cellar dwellers.

The result relegated New Zealand to last place and continued their miserable run of having not won a match or scored a goal in six matches.

North rose high above the Knights defence to head home a Nick Carle corner in the 72nd minute.

Carle played a short corner to Musialik in the 86th minute, which the midfielder buried into the bottom left corner from long range.

Rodriguez completed the rout with a sweet left-footer from a tight angle in injury time.

Newcastle threatened the New Zealand goal from the outset but the Knights proved a tough nut to crack.

With the match headed for a stalemate, North stepped up to net his first goal for the Jets.

Shortly after, Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy made a fine save to stop Knights striker Sean Devine from equalising.

Newly installed Jets coach Gary Van Egmond, who has been put in charge until at least the end of the season, picked a three-pronged attack consisting of Joel Griffiths, Vaughan Coveny and Rodriguez.

Rodriguez hit three volleys within five minutes early in the half.

New Zealand goalkeeper Michael Turnbull superbly saved one of the efforts and another went straight into his hands.

The Colombian should have buried at least one of the chances in the 17th minute after swivelling into position but his effort flew over the cross bar.

The Jets bombarded the Knights goalmouth but the visitors offered strong resistance.

In the 36th minute, Newcastle seemed certain to score from a Coveny and Rodriguez combination.

Coveny found himself in front of goal and could have shot but passed unselfishly to his strike partner, who hesitated at the crucial moment and had the chance whisked away by the New Zealand defence.

Rodriguez looked set to find the net after combining with Griffiths in the 53rd minute but he steered his shot wide.

Five minutes later, the Colombian had a 25-metre free kick turned around the post by Turnbull.

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