Canberra United got their title defence back on track with a comprehensive 5-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at Wanderers Oval.
Canberra United got their Westfield W-League title defence back on track in emphatic style with a comprehensive 5-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at Wanderers Oval, Newcastle, on Saturday afternoon.
Canberra had the better of play in the first half but were kept scoreless by some good saves from Jets goalkeeper Eliza Campbell as the sides went to the break locked at 0-0.
But the floodgates opened in the second half at the visitors scored five goals in a 20-minute spree to blow out the scoreline.
The win sees Canberra still undefeated from two matches after being held to a 0-0 draw in the opening round of the season against the Roar, while Jets remain on one point from their opening draw with Sydney.
The match started in perfect conditions, sunny and warm with a light breeze in front of close to 1000 fans in Newcastle and it was the home side who had the first chance, with Gema Simon heading Emily Van Egmond’s corner over the crossbar.
From that point on the half belonged to Canberra as Ashleigh Sykes provided the main threat on the left side.
She had two great chances on goal but Newcastle custodian Eliza Campbell did well to save a low shot at the near post before denying Sykes’s sliding shot with her outstretched leg just before half-time.
The home side came out with more purpose in the second half. Van Egmond moved back into the midfield, allowing Hannah Brewer and Michaela Hatzirodos, who had replaced Tara Andrews at the break, to get in behind the Canberra defence.
But Canberra goalkeeper MacKenzie Arnold was up to the task and saved shots from Hatzirodos and Newcastle’s American import Tori Huster.
Just as it looked like the Jets may open the scoring it was Canberra who struck first.
Michelle Heyman, who had been kept under wraps by Hayley Crawford and Stacey Day, slid a ball wide for Hayley Ruso and she did well to chip over the advancing Campbell and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0 after 74 minutes.
As the Jets stretched forward in search of an equaliser they left themselves open at the back and Canberra took full advantage.
Ariane Hingst pushed a lovely ball through for Heyman inside the box and she buried the shot from right in front of goal to make it 2-0 after 84 minutes.
The visitors got their third in the 86th minute when Raso was brought down on the edge of the area by Jets substitute Sammara Schmitzer. Hingst sent her curling free-kick towards the far post where it took a deflection off the wall and skimmed under Campbell into the net.
Canberra made it 4-0 just one minute later when Heyman lobbed the Jets defence on the halfway line. Caitlin Munoz was first to the ball and went one-on-one with Campbell squeezing a shot under the Jets keeper.
Canberra completed the rout deep into injury time with a deserved goal to the hard-working Ashleigh Sykes who was on the spot to poke home from point-blank range after the Jets defence had failed to clear the ball.
Newcastle Jets 0
Canberra United 5
(Hayley Raso 74, Michelle Heyman 84, Ariane Hingst 86, Caitlin Munoz 87, Ashleigh Sykes 90+5)
Newcastle Jets
1. Eliza Campbell, 2. Hannah Brewer, 3 Hayley Crawford (capt), 4. Gemma Pearce, 5 Tori Huster, 7. Gema Simon, 9. Tara Andrews (Michaela Hatzirodos 45) 10. Emily van Egmond, 12, Tiffany Boshers, (11 Kate Hensman 63) 15. Alisha Foote14. Sammara Schmitzer 81) 16. Stacey Day.
Bench 11. Kate Hensman, 14. Sammara Schmitzer, 18. Michaela Hatzirodos, 17. Alannah Rosewood (GK) .
Canberra United
1. Mackenzie Arnold (GK), 2 Caitlin Cooper, 3. Georgina Yeoman-Dale (10. Snez Valjanovska 89) 6. Caitlin Munoz, 7. Ellie Brush (capt), 8. Hayley Ruso, (16. Catherine Brown 92) 11.Michelle Heyman, 153. Nicole Sykes, 14. Ashleigh Sykes, 17. Ariane Hingst, 19. Jennifer Bisset (18 sam Wood 73).
Bench. 10. Snez Valjanovska, 16. Catherine Brown, 18. Sam Wood, 20 Trudy Burke (GK)
