Melbourne City’s slim hopes of an A-League Women Premiership remain alive after a hard-fought 2-0 win over a spirited Newcastle Jets at ABD Stadium.
REACTION: ‘We’re thinking of them’: Davis’ tribute to flood victims on record night
Goals from Kaitlyn Torpey and Hannah Wilkinson secured the points and moved them back into second spot on the ladder.
City travel to Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday knowing a win, combined with Adelaide United defeating Sydney FC, will secure them the premiers’ plate.
They looked shaky early on Tuesday, however, when an early defensive lapse from Emma Checker allowed Sophie Harding to burst through and hit City’s post.
City took the lead when Torpey pounced on attempts to clear away a Rhianna Pollicina pass and netted from range in the 16th, but it was a rare moment of incisiveness from the hosts in a frustrating opening stanza.
The Jets, looking to mark Cass Davis’ 109th straight appearance – an Australian national league record for men or women – with a win, had the better of the half’s remaining chances.
Their most notable came when Harding seized on a wayward pass from Torpey and rounded Checker to go clear on goal in the 30th, only to send her shot straight at Melissa Barbieri.
But City doubled their lead four minutes into the second half after Pollicina collected Claire Coelho’s save of her own shot and dinked a cross for Wilkinson to head home from close range.
Back from international duty with New Zealand, it was Wilkinson’s 11th goal of the season and tied Larissa Crummer for the most scored in a single season for City.
The Kiwi had a golden chance to claim the record in injury time but headed straight at Coelho.
Harding popped up again with the best of the Jets’ second-half chances in the 52nd but her well-struck effort was well-saved.
Nursing an injury-ravaged squad, the Jets host Brisbane Roar on Friday.
RE-LIVE: City v Jets, as it happened
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: CITY 2-0 JETS
Melbourne City keep their hunt for the premiership alive with a three-point display against Newcastle Jets on Tuesday night.
Hannah Wilkinson closes Fiona Worts’ gap at the top of the golden boot standings to just two as she guns to finish the season as the league’s top scorer.
CHANCE: High and wide from van der Meer (8.49pm AEDT)
A pinpoint Leah Davidson pass has split the gap between Newcastle’s left centre-back and full-back to find Marisa van der Meer steaming in on goal for City.
But her shot lacked composure, flying high and wide of the mark under no defensive pressure.
GOAL! Wilkinson on hand to head home Pollicina cross with ease (8.11pm AEDT)
Hannah Wilkinson scored her 11th goal of the season with ease to put City two goals to the good.
Pollicina’s initial shot from close-range was blocked by Coelho, but the rebound fell back to the City star who lobbed the ball across goal toward Wilkinson all alone, who stooped down to head the ball into the back of an unmarked net.
It’s 2-0 to City just minutes into the second half.
HALF-TIME: CITY 1-0 JETS
Newcastle had opportunities to score throughout the first half – but it was City finding the back of the net on two occasions through the first 45, with the latter being chalked due to an offside call.
OFFSIDE! No goal for City (7.40pm AEDT)
Jets keeper Claire Coelho was forced to deal with a Rebekah Stott shot from distance after Ashlee Brodigan ducked to avoid contact with the ambitious strike.
Coelho denied stott but Rhianna Pollicina was on hand to tuck the ball home. Unfortunately for the hosts her finish from inside the six-yard box was tucked home from an offside position.
GOAL! Torpey buries the opener (7.22pm AEDT)
The hosts make Newcastle pay for an early miss, with Kaitlyn Torpey bombing down the right flank to find the back of the net to put City ahead inside 16 minutes at ABD Stadium.
Torpey led the charge toward the bench in the aftermath of the opener to hold Holly McNamara’s number nine kit aloft in a tribute to the injured City star.
CHANCE! Off the woodwork for the Jets (7.14pm AEDT)
Sophie Harding has given the home side a tremendous scare, rattling the left-hand goalpost with a low, driven shot from inside the box after winning the ball on the edge of the penalty area and driving in on goal off the left flank.
(KICK-OFF: Davis the record-breaker for Newcastle (7.05pm AEDT)
It’s official – Cassidy Davis owns the outright record for consecutive A-Leagues appearances, with her 109th-straight game in Newcastle kicking off at ABD Stadium.
