Our A-League Women’s side travelled down the M1 to take on the Central Coast Mariners at polytec Stadium
The Mariners drew first blood just five minutes into the match at polytec Stadium. Skye Halmarick took a right-footed shot from the centre of the box and sent it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0.
The Jets worked their way into the game around the 20th minute. Claire Adams sent a left-footed effort from the centre of the box just over the bar, with Allie Thornton setting her up.
A frantic spell followed in the 21st minute. Adams and Tamar Levin both missed from the centre of the box from Cameron Valladares’ crosses, before Adams went again from very close range and Morgan Aquino saved in the bottom right corner. Zoe Karipidis then sent a left-footed shot from outside the box wide of the target.
Halmarick had a header from a Talia Kapetanellis cross that went just to the right of goal in the 23rd minute. Emma Dundas then had a shot from outside the box blocked in the 26th minute, and Levin sent a left-footed effort from the right side of the box just wide from Dundas’ pass following a corner.
Danika Matos had a shot blocked for the Mariners in the 38th minute. Thornton had a right-footed shot just over the bar in the 43rd minute, set up by Adams with a through ball. The score remained 1-0 to the Mariners at the break.
Levin sent an early second-half effort wide of the left post from Valladares’ cross, before the Mariners had the better of the next spell. Claire Henninger saved from Peta Trimis in the 51st minute, and the hosts went close through Eliza Familton, Kapetanellis and Halmarick without adding to their lead.
The Jets pushed back around the hour, with Adams, Dundas and Valladares all having shots from outside or at the edge of the box. The Mariners made two changes, with Tess Quilligan replacing Te Reremoana Walker and Morgan Witz replacing Kapetanellis. Valladares then forced a save from Aquino in the 67th minute.
Stephen Hoyle responded in the 68th minute with a double change, bringing on Josie Allan and Erin Flurey for Valladares and Adams. It would pay off three minutes later. Flurey fed Levin on the left side of the box, and she fired a right-footed shot into the top right corner to make it 1-1 in the 71st minute.
The Mariners went close through Witz and Trimis in the minutes after the goal, before Emma Bates replaced Natasha Prior in the 76th minute. Levin had a chance in the 80th minute, but Aquino saved in the top centre of the goal.
The Mariners made late changes, with Alexia Karrys-Stahl and Charlotte Lancaster coming on, before the Jets probed for a winner. Allan was denied by Aquino in the 88th minute, while Dundas shot too high and Levin missed the top left corner in stoppage time. Full-time came with the scores locked at 1-1.
The Jets will be back in action next Saturday, when they travel south to face Melbourne City.
