The Newcastle Jets have triumphed over the Western Sydney Wanderers in a 4-1 victory at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday night.
The Jets’ 17-year-old Tess Tamplin gave her side the lead on the 43rd minute, opening up the angle to slot the ball past Wanderers keeper Nicole Simonsen following a superb pass from Clare Wheeler.
Tara Andrews doubled the lead early in the second half and although a spectacular Elizabeth Addo strike threatened to spoil the party, the Jets consolidated with late goals to Teigan Collister and Cortnee Vine.
Jenna Kingsley was the first to come close to scoring on the night, firing over from the right after being released by Wheeler.
The Newcastle forward also forced Nicole Simonsen’s first save of the night minutes later, the Wanderers keeper lunging right to deny Kingsley from a similar position on the right.
Western Sydney’s midfield began to take control, the likes of Lo’eau Labonta and Erica Halloway fashioning chances that Leena Khamis and Addo were unable to take full advantage of.
Newcastle should have taken the lead on the 40th minute when a corner deflected into Arin Wright’s unopposed at the back post. With the goal at her mercy, the 26-year-old fluffed her lines, inexplicably blazing over from five yards.
However the pain was short-lived when Tamplin netted her debut goal three minutes later, prolonging Western Sydney’s horrific streak of 42 straight away matches without a clean sheet.
The end-to-end football at No.2 Sportsground continued into the second half, Kylie Ledbrook heading wide from close range after more wonderful wing-play from Halloway.
However it was Andrews who doubled Newcastle’s lead against the run of play, unleashing a grasscutter from well outside the box past Simonsen after Gema Simon teed her up.
Labonta continued to pepper the goal with curling shots from long range, her best effort forcing a strong save from Britt Eckerstrom.
It took sensational attacking play from the Wanderers in the 66th minute to get back in the match.
After receiving the pass from Rachel Lowe, Labonta played the give-and-go with Addo, before the Ghanian international met Labonta’s chipped pass into the box with an outstretched volley that flew past Eckerstrom.
Western Sydney continued to press, but another goal on the counter for the Jets all but condemned the visitors to their 10th loss of the season with 20 minutes remaining.
This time Collister weaved another magical moment into a match that was not meant to have any, chipping the ball over Simonsen in a place where she had no right to do so; deep in the far right-hand-side of the box.
Liz Addo continued to shine, bamboozling two Newcastle defenders before sending a cross across to Remy Siemsen, who spurned the opportunity with a ballooning effort.
The hosts scored their fourth minutes later, substitute Vine finishing neatly after a comedy of errors allowed the ball to roll to her unguarded on the penalty spot.
Eckerstrom continued to audition for the Portland Thorns FC starting XI with a brilliant double save, parrying away a fiercely driven Ledbrook shot before reacting again quickly to turn away a sweetly-struck Labonta rebound.