Brisbane Roar have fought back from a goal down to record a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Newcastle Jets in an action-packed Round 7 Westfield W-League clash at Wanderers Oval in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
Brisbane Roar have fought back from a goal down to record a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Newcastle Jets in an action-packed Round 7 Westfield W-League clash at Wanderers Oval in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
The Jets had the better of play in the first half and led 1-0 at the break courtesy of a well-taken shot by American import Tori Huster in the 16th minute.
But the Roar upped the tempo in the second half and took the lead via a cracking shot from Amy Chapman nine minutes after the resumption and a penalty to Emily Gielnik in the 63rd minute.
The Jets clawed their way back into the contest when Gema Simon equalised in the 69th minute but the Roar sealed the win when skipper Clare Polkinghorne headed home 10 minutes before the final whistle.
The win lifts Brisbane into third place on the Westfield W-League ladder while the Jets remain in seventh.
The match started in breezy overcast conditions and it was the home side who took control early when opening the scoring after 16 minutes.
Emily van Egmond flicked on a Tiffany Boshers cross from the right flank to the edge of the six-yard box where Huster swept in a right foot shot into the far corner of the net.
The Roar almost equalised just a few moments later when Vedrana Popovic sent a dangerous corner to the back post where Lana Harch headed toward goal only to see her shot cleared off the line by Newcastle defender Hannah Brewer.
Down the other end the Jets went close to doubling their lead near the half-hour mark when Boshers sent another strong cross into the box that unmarked striker Michaela Hatzirodos tried to guide the ball into the net but Roar goalkeeper Hoshima Kishi got down low to save.
The Jets started the second half where they left off when Hatzirodos pounced on a defensive error from the Roar and scampered to the edge of the box before unleashing a strong shot that produced a fine diving save from Kishi, high and to her right.
The visitors hit back just before the hour mark when Gielnik pushed the ball out to Chapman who struck on thunderbolt from the corner of the box that found the top far corner of the net to make it 1-1 after 57 minutes.
The visitors took the lead just six minutes later when live-wire winger Katrina Gorry was brought down in the box by Brewer. Gielnik stepped up to the penalty spot and fired her shot past Eliza Campbell to make it 2-1.
The Jets wrestled back control of the fixture when substitute winger Madeline Searl broke into space down the left flank before firing a cross towards the back post where Boshers chipped the ball back into the six-yard box for Simon to steer the ball into the net to make it 2-2 after 69 minutes.
Both sides pressed for the winner with Campbell working hard to keep out shots from Gorry and Gielnik while the Jets went close with Searl and a long-range effort from Huster.
But it was the Roar who would have the final say in the 80th minute when Kellond-Knight sent a swinging free-kick toward the back post where Polkinghorne got free of her defender and sent her strong header inside the far post.
The home side pressed hard for a late equaliser but the Roar showed plenty of determination in defence to hold on for a thrilling win.
Newcastle Jets 2
Tori Huster 16, Gema Simon 69
Brisbane Roar 3
Amy Chapman 54, Emily Gielnik 62p, Clare Polkinghorne 80
at Wanderers Oval, Newcastle.
Newcastle Jets
1. Eliza Campbell (GK), 2. Hannah Brewer, 3 Hayley Crawford (capt), 4. Gemma Pearce, 5 Tori Huster, 6. Angela Salem (8. Madeline Searl 56min) 7. Gema Simon, 10. Emily van Egmond, 12, Tiffany Boshers (15. Alisha Foote 77min),16. Stacey Day, 18. Michaela Hatzirodos (9. Tara Andrews 81min).
Unused sub 20 Alannah Rosewood (GK)
Brisbane Roar
1. Hoshimi Kishi (GK), 2. Laura Alleway, 3. Amy Chapman (13. Tameka Butt 72min), 4. Clare Polkinghorne (capt), 5. Brooke Spence, 7. Erika Elze, 8. Elise Kellond-Knight, 10. Lana Harch (16. Sachiko Tatsuoka 63min), 11. Vedrana Popovic, 17. Emily Gielnik, 19. Katrina Gorry (6. Ashley Spina 86min).
Unused sub Kate Stewart (GK)
