The Newcastle Jets have gone down 2-1 to the Westfield W-League Premiers, Sydney FC, in the last match of the regular season.
The Newcastle Jets- season has come to an end in the Westfield W-League after Wayne O-Sullivan-s side was defeated 2-1 by newly crowned Premiers, Sydney FC, on Saturday afternoon.
Skipper Hayley Crawford scored for the home side at Wanderers Oval to level the match after Kyah Simon put the Sky Blues ahead on 56 minutes. But despite the valiant efforts of the Jets – including vice-captain Amber Neilson who was brought on in the second-half to play her final match before retirement – Sydney would win a penalty and score the winner with less than 20 minutes remaining.
Servet Uzunlar stepped up to slot home the spot-kick for the visitors to seal the three points, and in doing so, wrapped up their second Westfield W-League crown.
Goalscoring opportunities were at a premium in the opening stanza as both sides struggled to settle into a comfortable passing rhythm throughout the opening 45 minutes.
But the match opened up in the second-half, and Simon made the most of the extra freedom as she raced past Crawford before slotting the ball underneath goalkeeper Allison Lipsher.
The Jets showed great spirit to score the equaliser just minutes later when Crawford soared to head home a pinpoint Nicole Cross corner in the 62nd minute.
Both sides then looked for the winner, and it was the visitors who would reclaim the advantage when referee Peta McCallum ruled that Catherine Cannuli was fouled by Thea Slatyer in the Newcastle penalty area. Uzunlar made no mistake from 12-yards, despite Lipsher moving in the right direction for the penalty.
Newcastle displayed character until the last, though, and Kate Hensman looked to have restored parity in the final moments of the match when she beat her marker and stormed into the box before hitting a low strike past Dimi Poulos. But the shot slammed into the post before deflecting out to safety.
The result was naturally disappointing for Crawford and her Jets teammates as they finished the Westfield W-League 2010/11 season in sixth position on 10 points, just 3 points shy of the Semi-Finals.
Newcastle Jets: 1 (Crawford 62-)
Sydney FC: 2 (Simon 56-, Uzunlar 72- pen.)
