Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 Newcastle Jets
By Jonathon Hagger 9/2/24
Above: Western Sydney are back on the winners list. Photo : Wander Women
With six wins and two draws apiece the Western Sydney Wanderers faced off against the Newcastle Jets at Carrington Park in rural New South Wales. Two very talented, young and in red hot form teams plined up against each other for a Friday night football match that turned out to be a fantastic watch.
With eight goals each so far this season, Sophie Harding for the Wanderers and Sarina Bolden for the Jets, were players to watch out for but it turned out to be the young guns who really impressed.
The match started at a fast pace with each team sending the ball quickly from one end of the pitch to the other. The Jets strategy of applying a strong press disrupted the Wanderers passing accuracy early on resulting in a lack of rhythm.
The eighth minute of the first half yielded the first heart stopping moment as the Jets snuck in behind the Wanderers defenders forcing the goalkeeper, Collins, to come a long way out from her goal and after not taking a clean save the first time, she had to employ all her reflexes to save the second attempt. Not long after the speed of the Jets created an opportunity for Copus-Brown, who took a shot from the right hand side of the goal, only for the ball to agonisingly sail out for a goal kick.
The pressure applied by the Jets was converted into a goal in the 14th minute as Bolden laid off a beautiful pass to the feet of Copus-Brown. A clean shot was launched from just outside the goal area, beating a fully outstretched Wanderers keeper whose effort was not enough to stop the goal. The Jets went ahead 1-0.
Sophie Harding took the initiative for the Wanderers in the 29th minute. Having beaten her defender, Harding took a shot at the goal but the ball sprayed wide. Might this be a turning of momentum in the Wanderers favour? It certainly appeared that way as the Jets players began to assert themselves much more.
A long goal kick headed on through the midfield by Caspers straight down the middle of the pitch was just the opening that the Wanderers needed. Once again, in the 43rd minute Sophie Harding found herself running at full pace towards the Jets goal with three defenders chasing her. A well placed chipped ball beat the goalkeeper and levelled the match. Wanderers 1 – 1 Jets.
The second half started off the same way the first half finished – both teams playing fast football. It was the Wanderers who had the early ascendency, setting up camp in the Jets half but the Jets weren’t giving in. Both teams attempted to enforce some dominance on the match with repeated counter attack opportunities opening up however both goalkeepers were up to the task.
The Jets emphasis on applying a strong defensive full pitch press almost worked brilliantly in the 75th minute as the Jets midfield were pickpocketed giving Bolden a free shot on goal. It was thenWanderers GK, Collins, who was called upon to tidy up.
Caceres, Wanderers wonder sub, drew a foul in the 77th minute just outside the Jets goal area. Harrison took the free kick that sliced through a lacklustre Jets defensive effort, with the first attempt being swatted away by Nino. The ball wasn’t cleared though and Wanderers defender Vicky Bruce coolly slotted the ball into the goal. Wanderers 2 – 1 Jets.
The remainder of the match played out at the same frenetic pace. Each team moved the ball with great speed in both structured and unstructured attacks. The Wanderers closed out the match with two superb opportunities to score yet neither of which were converted. Chesari drove into the box and let a shot go which was very soon after followed by Harding perfectly placing the ball for Morris to score all but for the exceptional talent of Nino who saved a sure goal.
The match finished 2-1 with the Wanderers getting the win over the Jets.
Final thoughts. Every person who attended the match got their money’s worth of entertaining football. The continual fast pace and end to end action made this match an absolute pleasure to watch. Two very good and competitive teams played out a high energy match that every football fan could savour. Well done to both teams.
Performances to be proud of. Emma Dundas (Jets) was a real dynamo in the midfield. At only 16 years of age she plays with the maturity of someone who is 26. Holly Caspers (Wanderers) created lots of attacking opportunities.
Western Sydney Wanderers: 3-4-1-2. Collins, Bruce, Harrison, Ferris, Matos, Price, Apostolakis, Rue, Younis, Harding, Caspers.
Subs: Khamis, Keir (90’ + 1), Chessari (62’), Caceres (62’), Morris (88’).
Scorers: Harding (43’), Bruce (78’).
Newcastle Jets United: 3-4-3. Nino, Baumann, Prior, Karipidis, Davis, Dundas, Copus-Brown, Hoban, Barbieri, Bolden, Allan.
Subs: Dunbar, Wilson, Cicco (45’), Huynh (76’), Gooch. (76’).
Scorers: Copus-Brown (14’)
Referee: Isabella Mossin.
Attendance: 3,873.
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