After a stunning season in the local competition, Jenna Kingsley was again the star, scoring the winner as the Newcastle Jets kicked off their Westfield W-League campaign in style with a 2-1 victory against the Western Sydney Wanderers.
After a season where Kingsley scored 35 goals for local side Warners Bay in the Women’s Premier League, her Midas touch continued on Sunday afternoon as she iced all three points with a composed finish.
The Jets got off to a flyer, after former Wanderer Katie Stengel opened the scoring just 15 minutes in following a mix-up at the back. Wanderers custodian Trudy Burke and centre-back Ellie Brush got their wires crossed, as Brush headed over her onrushing keeper and towards goal with Stengel enjoying the easiest of tap ins.
From there the match was a relatively even affair with both sides creating half chances, but not quite breaking through on a warm afternoon in Newcastle.
However, that all changed in the second stanza as the Wanderers came out with greater intent in the attacking third.
Wanderers skipper Erica Halloway and Rosie Dee Sutton began to cause headaches for the Jets backline. Sutton fizzed a shot wide and Halloway continued to probe.
Jets’ keeper Britt Eckerstrom was superb in goal for her first Westfield W-League match, making a number of spectacular stops.
But finally the weight of possession led to a goal for the visitors, and it was Halloway who got the reward in the 78th minute, as she headed home.
But, a minute later Kingsley would seal the three points for Newcastle and start their season on a winning note.
The moments:
1’ | 0-0 | We are underway here at @MJStadium. It’s a warm one for the girls this afternoon! 29 degrees currently in Newcastle ? #NEWvWSW
12′ | 0-0 | CHANCE! Gilliland cross fizzes across the face of goal. #NEWvWSW
14′ | 1-0 | GOAAAAAALLL!!!!! Katie Stengel #NEWvWSW
14′ | 1-0 | That is Katie’s 3rd goal in two matches @MJStadium! She loves Newcastle ? #NEWvWSW
24′ | 1-0 | Van Egmond with the backheel and Kingsley is away. All class ? #NEWvWSW
39′ | 1-0 | Stengel breaks free of her marker down the left and almost puts her cross on a platter for Orgill #NEWvWSW
HALF-TIME @MJStadium We lead 1-0 courtesy of a Katie Stengel tap-in #NEWvWSW
54′ | 1-0 | Jets open up through the middle and Sutton goes one-on-one with Eckerstrom. But, she stands her ground saves the day. #NEWvWSW
70′ | 1-0 | Eckerstrom with another superb diving save ?
77′ | 1-1 | Goal @wswanderersfc Halloway heads home from close range to lock it all up. #NEWvWSW
78′ | 2-1 | KINGSLEY!!!!! #NEWvWSW
78′ | 2-1 | 35 goals in the local WPL in 2017, make that one from one in the @WLeague this season. #NEWvWSW
89′ | 2-1 | Less than 90 seconds left of regulation time and we lead 2-1. Bring us home Newcastle! #NEWvWSW
90′ | 2-1 | Well played Tash Prior, well played ?. @wswanderersfc with dangerous cross, and dealt with well. #NEWvWSW
FULL-TIME!! A 2-1 win for the girls @MJStadium. A winning start to the season. How good is that! #NEWvWSW
Ground: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Referee: Lara Lee
Western Sydney: 2.Maruschka WALDUS, 5.Kahlia HOGG, 6.Lo’eau LABONTA, 7.Ellie BRUSH, 8.Erica HALLOWAY, 9.Rosie SUTTON, 11.Marlous PIEETE, 13.Olivia PRICE (10. Lee FALKON 35’) 15.Talitha KRAMER, 16. Alix ROBERTS, 20.Trudy BURKE
Subs Not Used: 4.Chloe O’BRIEN, 18.Alexandra HUYNH, 30.Nicole SIMONSEN (gk)
Yellow Cards: Waldus 21’, Brush 31’
Red Cards: N/A
Goals: Erica Halloway (78’)
Newcastle Jets: 2.Hannah BREWER, 3.Natasha PRIOR, 5.Arin GILLILAND, 6.Cassidy DAVIS, 9.Katie STENGEL (21. Pana PETRATOS 83’) 10.Emily VAN EGMOND, 16.Nikola ORGILL (14. Tara PENDER 59’) 17.Jenna KINGSLEY, 19.Ash BRODIGAN (12. Tara ANDREWS 69’) 23. Tori HUSTER, 28.Britt ECKERSTROM (gk)
Subs Not Used: 20.Claire COEHLO (gk)
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards: N/A
Goals: Katie Stengel (15’), Jenna Kinglsey (79’)
