Newcastle Jets guaranteed themselves a berth in the Westfield W-League finals series with an impressive 2-0 win over Sydney FC.
Katie Gill’s first half brace was the difference between the two teams with Sydney’s season hanging in the balance as the Blues are now relying on other results to reach the play-offs.
The Jets impressed in recording their fourth win from the last five starts while Sydney conversely have now won just one of their last seven.
The Blues though can consider themselves unlucky not to get something from this match recording 24 attempts on goal to the Jets’ 12.
The difference in the end being Gill’s opportunistic goalscoring.
At the other end of the field Blues striker Leena Khamis had an unlucky time in front of goal with her early season goalscoring form seemingly having deserted the league’s top scorer.
Khamis had an early sight of goal and although her snap shop burst through the hands of Jets goalkeeper Alison Logue, the shot-stopper recovered the ball as it trickled towards the goal.
Sydney was reinforced by former Matilda midfielder Leah Blayney who returned from the US and joined last week’s returnee Kelly Golebiowski in an increasingly experienced Blues line-up.
Golebiowski played provider for Khamis for what looked to be the opening goal of the match ten minutes in. Khamis’ impressive turn and volley seemed headed for the far corner only to be met by an equally notable diving save by Logue.
Gill broke the deadlock on 21 minutes scoring out of virtually nothing with the Matildas striker turning and firing an impressive shot from 25 metres that dipped over the head of a stranded Nikola Dieter.
Moments later Kirstyn Pearce’s cross from the right forced Dieter into a diving stop and soon after Sam Wood hit the side-netting from a similar position as Newcastle attempted to drive home the advantage.
Eight minutes after the opener Gill was at it again shrugging off the challenge of marker Lisa Gilbert to stick a long leg out and stab the ball past Dieter.
Combative Blues midfielder Kylie Ledbrook unleashed a superb long ball to release Khamis but once again Logue was equal to the task.
Joanne Peters and Gill exchanged passes to set up Emily van Egmond but her curling effort went past the far post to deny the Jets would have been a stunning goal.
The Jets played with increasing confidence as the match wore on but Sydney were competing hard everywhere except on the scoresheet.
Just prior to half time Blues defender Alesha Clifford saw her header tipped over the bar by Logue as Sydney attempted to fight their way back into the contest.
Sydney created numerous second half openings but was thwarted by a combination of poor finishing and a Newcastle back four that defended resolutely throughout despite the absence of inspirational skipper Cheryl Salisbury through injury.
Any doubts that it was not to be Sydney’s day were proven when Khamis guided the ball past Logue only to see the Jet’s Kiwi international defender Rebecca Smith recover to make a remarkable last ditch goal-line clearance.
The Blues had much the better of the second half with a confident Jets side content to play cautiously.
Newcastle though could have extended their lead late on with Van Egmond’s header pushed onto the post by Dieter.
In the final moments, substitute Maggie Elhusseini was inches away from a Gilbert cross as the Blues laid a late siege to the Jets goalmouth but the goal would not come much to the frustration of coach Alen Stajcic.
“The effort was fine but football is about scoring goals,” he said.
“If you don’t put ‘em away then you don’t deserve to win and some stupid errors cost us goals again today.”
Jets boss Gary Phillips was understandably very happy with the performance and the result but believes there is still area for improvement.
“Today I think we dominated the first half, we didn’t have as many shots as Sydney but we made our shots count,” said Phillips.
“In the second half Sydney came out firing and we knew they would but our defence was rock solid.”
The Jets are now aiming for a second-place finish on the table where a home semi final at EnergyAustralia Stadium awaits.
Match Details
Newcastle Jets 2 (Katie GILL 21-/28-)
Sydney FC 0
Saturday 20 December
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown
Attendance: 300
Local kick off 4.00pm AEDT
Referee: Jacqui Melksham
Assistant Referees: Ariane Nemorin, Leanne Smith
Fourth Official: Liz Shorter
Newcastle Jets line up: 1.Alison LOGUE (gk), 3.Samantha WOOD (14.Nicole JONES 63-), 6.Amber NEILSON (c), 7.Gema SIMON, 10.Joanne PETERS, 11.Stacey DAY, 12.Katie GILL, 15.Emily VAN EGMOND (2.Hannah BREWER 92-), 16.Kirstyn PEARCE, 18.Rebecca SMITH, 19.Sanna FROSTEVALL (21.Taleah DOYLE 91-)
Substitutes not used: 20.Gemma O-TOOLE (gk)
Yellow cards: Samantha WOOD 9-
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC line up: 20.Nikola DIETER (gk), 3.Danielle BROGAN, 4.Alesha CLIFFORD, 5.Lisa GILBERT, 6.Servet UZUNLAR, 8.Jo BURGESS (18.Nicola BOLGER 62-), 10.Kylie LEDBROOK, 17.Danielle SMALL (14.Maggie ELHUSSEINI 75-), 19.Leena KHAMIS, 22.Kelly GOLEBIOWSKI (15.Jessica SEAMAN 75-), 23. Leah BLAYNEY
Substitutes not used: 1.Rachel COOPER (gk)
Yellow cards: Kylie LEDBROOK 93-
Red Cards: Nil
