Perth Glory assured they will host a home semi-final after a 4-2 win against Newcastle Jets at Ashfield Sports Club on Saturday.
A first half brace from Samantha Kerr and another to Caitlin Foord, cancelled out Jets skipper Emily van Egmond’s early strike. Substitute Elisa D’Ovidio added a fourth in the second half, while the Jets scoring a late consolation goal through Tara Andrews.
The visitors made a perfect start and were ahead after only seven minutes. Van Egmond saw Glory keeper Mackenzie Arnold off her line and her sublime chip gave the visitors the early lead. Van Egmond was running the show and five minutes later her lob was tipped over the top by Arnold at full stretch.
But on 21 minutes the Glory levelled. A cross by Sarah Carroll found Kerr, who challenged Jets keeper Claire Coelho, the keeper’s punch only went as far as Foord who fired home from the edge of the box.
The goal lifted the league leaders and three minutes later they hit the front, the pacey Kerr racing clear, she held off Cassidy Davies and finished clinically past Coelho. Then on the stroke of half time Glory added a third.
The Jets had not learnt their lesson and another long ball sent Kerr racing clear, and she lobbed the on-coming Coelho to give the home side a 3-1 lead at the break.
After the break the Jets took the game to the lead leaders and Alanna Kennedy and Shelina Zadorsky were working overtime, but the Jets could not find a way through.
The Glory showed them how to do it and added a fourth on 84 minutes, D’Ovidio pouncing on a mistake from Jets defender Sophie Nenadovic to fire home. To the Jets credit they continued to press and were rewarded with a consolation goal from Andrews in the final minutes.
Perth Glory 4 (Foord 21’, Kerr 24’, 45+4’, D’Ovidio 84’)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Van Egmond 7’, Andrews 89’)
Perth Glory: GK Mackenzie ARNOLD, 2 Sarah CARROLL, 4 Bronwyn STUDMAN (3 Carys HAWKINS 65’), 5. Shannon MAY, 6 Alanna KENNEDY, 9 Caitlin FOORD, 12 Kate GILL, 14 Collette MCCALLUM (c), 15 Shelina ZADORSKY, 17 Marianna TABAIN (13 Elisa D’OVIDIO 75’), 20 Samantha KERR (7 Gabrielle MARZANO 64’)
Subs not used: RGK Kathleen WAYCOTT
Yellow Cards: Carroll 23’, Kennedy 57’
Newcastle Jets: GK Claire COELHO, 2 Georgia YEOMAN-DOYLE (12 Sophie NENADOVIC 34’), 3 Hayley CRAWFORD, 5 Katherine REYNOLDS, 6 Angela SALEM, 7 Victoria HUSTER, 8 Amber NEILSON (15 Elizabeth COPUS-BROWN 72’), 9 Tara ANDREWS, 10 Emily VAN EGMOND, 11 Rhali DOBSON (17 Grace MACINTYRE 62’), 16 Cassidy DAVIS,
Subs not used: RGK Renee RUDDER
Yellow Cards: Crawford 75’
