Jets Fight Back for Hard-Earned Point
The Newcastle Jets have continued their promising start to the A-League Women's season, securing a gritty 1-1 draw away against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday. The result at Porirua Park means the Jets remain unbeaten after two outings, picking up four valuable competition points as they build under new coach Stephen Hoyle.
Wellington started the match at a ferocious pace, putting the Jets under immediate pressure. The home side's early dominance paid off after just four minutes when English forward Brooke Nunn found space behind the Newcastle defence. A clever pass from 17-year-old debutante Pia Vlok set Nunn free, and she finished clinically from a tight angle, the ball squeezing through the hands of Jets goalkeeper Anna Leat.
Penalty Decision Sparks Comeback
Despite facing a barrage of early attacks, the Newcastle defence held firm, showing encouraging resilience after conceding a league-worst 53 goals last season. Their perseverance was rewarded in the 22nd minute when referee Anna-Marie Keighley awarded a penalty after Lauren Allan was brought down in the box by Wellington's Mackenzie Barry.
The decision was labelled "questionable" by Phoenix captain CJ Bott after the match, but there were no doubts about the finish. Striker Melina Ayres stepped up and coolly buried the spot-kick, sending the ball low and left to level the scores. The goal marked a significant personal milestone for the 26-year-old, ending a 582-day goal drought since her last A-League strike in the Jets' historic finals win on April 13, 2024.
Solid Defence Seals the Result
The second half developed into a tense arm-wrestle, with both teams creating half-chances. Newcastle's Anna Leat, recently named in the New Zealand squad for upcoming games against the Matildas, produced a crucial save at full stretch to deny Alyssa Whinham in the 55th minute.
Substitute Kelli Brown, who will join Leat in the New Zealand team, came close to snatching a winner with a well-struck free kick that whistled past the post in the final ten minutes. The Jets' defence was called upon one last time in the dying stages, with left-back Claudia Cicco producing a brilliant piece of cover defence to block a shot from Manaia Elliott and ensure the points were shared.
The Jets now look ahead to a run of back-to-back home games at No.2 Sportsground, where they will host Western Sydney Wanderers next Saturday before a clash with Brisbane Roar on November 30. With key players returning from injury and their attack beginning to fire, Stephen Hoyle's side is showing the gritty signs of a team on the rise.
