Lauren Allan’s brace inspired Newcastle Jets to a 4-1 triumph over Western Sydney Wanderers and helped seal the club’s first victory of the Westfield W-League season.
Allan gave Newcastle a perfect start by scoring a sumptuous breakaway goal and doubled the lead with a close-range header after Georgia Yeoman-Dale restored parity for the Wanderers with a scorcher from outside the box.
Tara Andrews added a third by pouncing on a goalkeeping error from Courtney Newbon, the Newcastle striker’s fourth goal in four matches for the Jets, before Gema Simon increased the deficit to three in the second half by darting in behind the Wanderers defence and rounding Newbon for her first goal in three years.
The win lifts Newcastle into fifth place and is coach Ash Wilson’s second Westfield W-League victory.
Key moments
Newcastle did not have their shooting boots with them during last weekend’s stalemate with Brisbane Roar but Allan ensured the home side made it count early against the Wanderers. A lovely ball from Rhianna Pollicina released the speedy Allan down the left and she applied the perfect outside of the boot finish to beat Newbon.
It was the third week in a row that Newcastle have taken the lead first and on all three occasions the team had been pegged back.
The Wanderers only needed two minutes to equalise. Yeoman-Dale, who was left out of the starting line up by boss Dean Heffernan in last weekend’s derby loss to Sydney FC, stepped inside from the left and blasted an unstoppable effort past Newcastle ‘keeper Claire Coelho.
Western Sydney went close to edging in front when Leena Khamis wriggled into space in the box and curled it agonisingly close to the top left hand corner, but Newcastle – through the pace of Allan and presence of Andrews, put their foot down.
Andrews flashed an effort wide of the post after Sunny Franco teed her up, with Newbon rooted to the spot. Andrews was only denied by a save of the season contender from Newbon, who tipped Andrews’ free-kick onto the crossbar.
But Andrews’ presence in the box helped the Jets and Allan score their second. Newbon could not deal with Simon’s delivery and after Andrews got a headed touch on Allan was alone at the back post to seal a maiden brace in the competition.
Having earlier denied Andrews’ brilliant free kick, Newbon was culpable for the third. The Wanderers cleared a corner out as far as Tess Tamplin, her delivery was into the danger area and Newbon spilled it into the path of Andrews who slotted her fourth goal in as many games.
And things worsened in the second for the visitors. Newcastle captain Simon ended a goal drought of three years after latching on to Hannah Brewer’s pass and rounding Newbon to make it four.
By now the Wanderers had lost their bearings and Newcastle enjoyed several chances to hit five. Newbon’s miscued clearance fell into the path of Pollicina but her attempted lob sailed wide, while Cassidy Davis could only volley into the arms of Newbon when Simon’s cross found her alone at the back post.
Allan had visions of the match ball when she was played in behind only for the attacker to take a heavy touch when rounding Newbon.
