Newcastle Jets have gone down 4-2 to Perth Glory in a high-scoring encounter at McDonald Jones Stadium on a hot Thursday evening in the opening game of Round 11.
There were two enforced changes to Ash Wilson’s lineup with Libby Copus-Brown (suspension) and Nikki Flannery (ankle) unavailable for tonight’s clash. This allowed Teigan Collister to return to the starting side and also gave Lauren Allan her Westfield W-League starting debut.
With temperatures hovering around the 40 degree mark earlier in the day, the game got underway amidst sweltering conditions and neither side exerted themselves too much in the opening exchanges, but it was Perth who took the lead at the midway point of the first half when Hana Lowry rose to head home in the 22nd minute.
In a keenly fought contest, both sides continued to slug it out but just when it looked like Perth would head into the sheds with a one-goal lead, they doubled their advantage from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after Tessa Tamplin was adjudged to have fouled Crystal Thomas in the box, allowing Morgan Andrews to make it 2-0 right on the stroke of halftime.
The Jets made one change at the break with Paige Kingston-Hogg coming on for Pana Petratos we reverted to a back three, and the changes sparked the Jets into action as they started to bombard the Perth goal but just couldn’t find the back of the net.
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Caitlin Doeglas extended Perth’s lead in the 65th minute when she tapped home the rebound after Andrews hit the crossbar from long range, but the Jets did not give up and continued to fight back and reduced the arrears in the 75th minute thanks to a stroke of luck.
Tessa Tamplin, some 40 yards from goal, looked to deliver an early cross into the area, but her effort only managed to lob Morgan Aquino in the Perth goal as it sailed into the top corner and gave the home side an unlikely route back into the contest.
Not to be outdone, Perth restored their three-goal cushion courtesy of a superb long-range strike from Spanish international Celia which gave Claire Coelho absolutely no chance in the 78th minute.
In front of a vocal home crowd, the Jets never gave up and were rewarded in the 83rd minute when Lauren Allan marked her first start with a well taken goal after being played in by substitute Renee Pountney to make the score 4-2.
Despite our best efforts and seven minutes of stoppage time, there were no more goals for either side as Perth held on for their first win of the campaign.
The Jets are back in action next Saturday night for their Round Nine replay against Adelaide United on February 1st at McDonald Jones Stadium.
