With just under ten minutes to go, Libby Copus-Brown pulled the Jets back into the match with a contender for goal of the season.
Her first ever W-League goal looked like the spark for the Jets to cancel out Sydney’s previous two strikes, and go on to pinch a point.
However, it wasn’t to be for the Jets who went down 3-1 to a talented Sydney FC outfit.
There was an early disruption for the Jets, with Cortnee Vine ruled out during the warm-up. She was replaced in the starting XI by Pana Petratos, with Renee Pountney replacing her on the bench.
The Jets could have opened the scoring in the ninth minute after Jenna Kingsley pounced on a loose ball inside the area, but her square ball to Pana Petratos was just too far in front for the striker to get any real purchase on her shot.
Britt Eckerstrom came up with a couple of BIG saves in the opening half hour to deny Sydney as they began to play nicely with the ball in the mid-to-final third.
She couldn’t keep out Savannah McCaskill in the 28th minute though, who headed home a nice Caitlin Foord cross to put Sydney in front.
Teigan Collister ALMOST had her second W-League goal in as many games when she was found beautifully on the edge of the area, but her shot was pushed wide by Bledsoe in the Sydney goal.
Sydney had a pair of chances in as many minutes early in the second half through McCaskill, whose first effort hit the crossbar and second was saved superbly down low by Britt Eckerstrom.
The ball began to fall the Jets way a little as the second half wore on, with Newcastle winning a series of corners. Arin Wright went closest from the set pieces, firing in a header on goal which forced Bledsoe into a fantastic save on the line.
The Sky Blues broke through in the 77th minute though, with substitute Princess Ibini tapping home at the back post to double their advantage.
An absolute thunderbolt from Libby Copus-Brown pulled us right back into this one 👏👏 #SYDvNEW #WLeague #MadeOfNewcastle pic.twitter.com/s84t8A1dZR
— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) January 4, 2019
But, the Jets had hope just five minutes later and it was an extraordinary strike from one substitute.
Teed up by Tara Andrews, the shot from Libby Copus-Brown from around 25 yards out was an absolutely incredible one. It sailed into the top corner, and the youngster’s first W-League goal halved the deficit.
It was Andrews who had a fantastic chance to level things up minutes later, when Arin Wright went bounding down the left and squared it up. Andrews let one fly, but it was blocked.
With the Jets pressing, it was Sydney who ultimately snagged their third goal and secured the win. It was a good strike from Savannah McCaskill, which left Eckerstrom with no chance.
