Brisbane Roar 4-2 Newcastle Jets
by Alice de Koster-Kitto (21/3/26)
Above: Brisbane Roar hat-trick hero Daisy Brown (fourth right, back to camera) celebrates after one of her hugely important strikes last night. Photo: A-Leagues.
It was a heated end-to-end battle at Spencer Park this Friday evening, where a second-half goal-fest made up for a quiet opening 45 minutes and ended in a massive 4-1 victory to Roar, sending the hosts to sixth on the ladder.
Brisbane dominated the attacking half in the early moments of the game, with Momo Hayashi breaking through a scrambling Jets defence, but was unable to convert in front of goal.
Claudia Cicco played a crucial role in the Jets’ defence, intercepting in dangerous areas, preventing an early goal as the Roar eased their way through the midfield.
Josie Allan gave Newcastle their first chance of the match with a bursting run, which was challenged by Seidl, who was shown a yellow card for the interception, awarding the Jets a free kick, which got dangerously close to an opening goal, but was ultimately halted by Roar keeper Talia Franco.
An issue with Tash Prior’s boot momentarily left a gap in the Jets’ backline, just as Brisbane’s front line put pressure on the visitors. Despite being down a defender, Newcastle was able to scrabble the ball away as the hosts got close to putting the ball over the line, before Priori made her way back to the pitch.
An expert save from Georgia Ritchie saved the Jets from conceding in the 19th minute, after Hayashia headed the ball of a fantastic Tish Woods long ball.
In an almost identical scramble in the box at the other end, Melina Ayres got gravely close to opening the scoring for Newcastle twice in extremely close succession. Both attempts were wonderfully saved by Franco.
A Hayashi free kick in the 31st minute could have given Roar the opening goal; however, the ball sliced over the crossbar.
While the hosts came onto the pitch as the more dominant attacking side, Newcastle quickly responded and turned the game around, taking the better of a slew of end-to-end chances in the first half. After a minute of added time and strong efforts across the pitch, the match remained goalless at half-time.
Daisy Brown opened the scoring for Brisbane Roar in the 46th minute, slotting the ball behind Emma Bates and straight past the hands of Ritchie. Ayres looked to respond and reassert the Jets’ attacking strength with a powerful strike from outside the box, which just flew over the crossbar.
Another strike from Brown extended Queenslanders’ lead, with the 19-year-old earning a brace just minutes after first hitting the back of the net.
The match remained a heated battle, as the second yellow card of the evening was shown to Ashlyn Miller after a scuffle inside the box.
The Jets found a fantastic opportunity to earn a goal, as Lauren Allan’s first touch of the game came in the form of a shot on target, which once again, found the safe hands of Franco.
The 62nd saw Brown compete her hat-trick, earning her seventh goal and first claim of the match ball in her maiden A-League campaign, and finding her place as one of the league’s youngest ever hat-trick heroes.
Just minutes later, Bente Jansen slammed the ball to the back of the net, after an excellent buildup from Medwin and Brown, bringing the scoreline up to 4-0.
It wasn’t long before Jets found a response, with Tash Prior scoring the first of the evening for the visitors, as stoppage time approached.
Tameka Yallop came dangerously close to the line as the Matilda looked for a comeback goal in her second appearance back from injury. The ball was excellently saved by Ritchie, who sent the ball over the crossbar.
The intensity did not slow down in the final minutes of the match, as Copus-Brown was shown a yellow card following a foul on Hayashi.
Sophie Hoban managed to send the ball around Franco, netting the second for the Jets within five minutes of added time.
Despite non-stop efforts at both ends, right up to the final second of play, there were no late goals to be found, leaving Brisbane Roar victorious.
The penultimate round of the home and away season will see Brisbane host fellow top six rivals Perth Glory. Newcastle Jets will head to ServiceFM Stadium to take on Adelaide United.
BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-2-1): Franco, Studer, Cuthbert, Hayashi, Medwin, Woods, Kruger, Seidl, Miller, Jensen, Brown. Substitutes: Meyers, Kinsella, Stephenson, Campbell, Piazza, Yallop.
Scorers: Brown 47’, 52’, 62’. Jansen 69’.
NEWCASTLE JETS (4-3-3): Ritchie, Bates, Prior, Cicco, Wilson, Hoban, Copus-Brown, Dundas, Ayres, Collins, J.Allan. Substitutes: L.Allan, Lancaster, Page, Boertje, Brown, Karipidis.
Scorers: Prior 73’, Hoban 90’.
Referee: Rebecca Durcau.
Attendance: TBC.
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