Newcastle’s chances of making their first W-League finals appearance since 2009 suffered a minor blow as they were upset by bottom-placed Adelaide United on Friday afternoon.
The lady Reds put in a determined display in hot conditions in Newcastle, as the home side were left to rue missed opportunities.
Newcastle created the majority of the chances in the match, but lost concentration in key moments.
Katie Stengel muscled her way into the box in the 3rd minute, and her close range effort was well-blocked by Reds keeper, Sarah Willacy. The follow-up fell once more to the tall striker who squared centrally to the Jenna Kingsley, but she too hit her shot at Willacy.
Arin Gilliland then went close from long range – pushing her shot just wide – before a soft free-kick awarded to the visitors allowed Danielle Colaprico to bend home a fantastic free-kick in the 21st minute.
The Jets responded though – and quickly at that – Katie Stengel took on a strike from distance which took a wicked deflection on its way into the back of the net, and the match was all locked up in the 28th minute.
But, a lapse in concentration before half-time saw Katie Naughton score the go-ahead goal for the visitors.
Adelaide took their advantage into half-time and when they returned Alyssa Mautz almost double the Reds’ lead.
Under the cosh for the first quarter of the second half, Cortnee Vine’s introduction brought a renewed spark to the Jets attack. She broke forward and nearly equalised in the 69th minute, just pushing her shot wide.
The Jets then laid siege on Adelaide’s goal for the final ten minutes, and were left wondering how they didn’t make it 2-all.
First, Nikola Orgill hit the bar with an in-swinging cross from the right. Then, Vine blazed over after a goalmouth scramble.
Adelaide’s stout defence across the 90 minutes was enough to get them across the line, as the Jets lost at McDonald Jones Stadium for the first time this season.
From the coach:
“If you are playing a team coming last and you have to wait until the last 10 minutes to show the right attitude, then there are problems.
“We didn’t deserve to win, Adelaide were better on the day and wanted to win more.
“The difference in the two teams tonight was attitude and ours wasn’t up to scratch.
The moments:
15′ | 0 – 0 | SO CLOSE! We earn a corner, as Huster puts it right into the mixer – Gilliland with another header which is punched away by Willacy #WLeague #NEWvADL
21′ | 0 – 1 | Adelaide get the scoring underway from a free kick from just outside the 18-yard #WLeague #NEWvADL
25′ | 0 – 1 | CHANCE! Brewer puts one into the area which JUST evades a stretching Arin Gilliland #WLeague #NEWvADL
28′ | 1 – 1 | GOAL! We draw level! #WLeague #NEWvADL
28′ | 1 – 1 | Stengel strikes from 30-yards out, her shot deflects off Naughton, passes a diving Willacy and into the bottom right corner #WLeague #NEWvADL
30′ | 1 – 1 | CHANCE! Gilliand again! A great strike which just misses the right post #WLeague #NEWvADL
43′ | 1 – 2 | Adelaide reclaim the lead off the back of a corner #WLeague #NEWvADL
66′ | 1 – 2 | CHANCE! Kingsley almost pokes home Brewer’s cross at the back post #WLeague #NEWvADL
79′ | 1 – 2 | OFF THE BAR! Orgill’s cross from the right almost dips under the bar. #WLeague #NEWvADL
88′ | 1 – 2 | CHANCE! Pinball in the box, and in the end Vine blasts her volley over the bar. #WLeague #NEWvADL
Ground: McDonald Jones Stadium
Newcastle Jets: 2.Hannah BREWER, 3.Natasha PRIOR, 5.Arin GILLILAND, 6.Cassidy DAVIS, 7.Gema SIMON, 9.Katie STENGEL, 10.Emily VAN EGMOND, 17.Jenna KINGSLEY, 18.Clare WHEELER, 23.Tori HUSTER, 28.Britt ECKERSTROM (gk)
Subs: 8.Sophie NENADOVIC, 11.Cortnee VINE, 16.Nikola ORGILL, 20.Claire COEHLO (gk)
Subs Not Used: 20.Claire COEHLO (gk)
Yellow cards: Prior (76’), Brewer (89’)
Red cards:
Goals: Stengel (28’)
Adelaide United: 3.Makenzy DONIAK, 4.Alyssa MAUTZ, 5. Jenna McCORMICK, 6.Georgia CAMPAGNALE, 9.Adriana JONES, 10.Alex CHIDIAC, 14.Grace ABBEY, 15.Emma CHECKER (c), 20.Sarah WILLACY (gk), 24.Danielle COLAPRICO, 25.Katie NAUGHTON
Subs: 2.Emily HODGSON, 8.Emily CONDON, 11.Laura JOHNS, 30.Evelyn GOLDSMITH (gk)
Subs Not Used: 30.Evelyn GOLDSMITH (gk)
Yellow cards:
Red cards:
Goals: Colaprico (21’), Naughton (43’)
