Adelaide United are up into fourth place on the Ninja A-League ladder after coming from behind to defeat Newcastle Jets 2-1 at No.2 Sportsground.
The home quickly established their dominance in Newcastle and were inches away from breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute as Sophie Hoban rattled the crossbar with a ferocious effort.
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The opening goal of the game arrived in the 27th minute and it was a crowd favourite who scored it; Jets legend Cassidy Davis firing home Charlotte Lancaster’s cutback to score just her sixth Ninja A-League goal on what was her 184th appearance.
Adelaide looked to rally almost immediately and almost bagged the equaliser less than 60 seconds later as Emily Condon curled a low effort inches wide of the target.
The in-form Lancaster spurned a good chance to double the Jets’ lead on the approach to half-time as she blazed a left-footed effort high over the bar from the edge of the box.
Lancaster looked to turn provider again, this time in the second half as her low ball into the box eventually fell at the feet of Kelli Brown, however the attacker’s first shot was well saved by Ilona Melegh before she then blasted the follow up into the side netting.
Those misses would prove costly, as Adelaide soon pulled themselves level and it was their half-time substitute Erin Healy who did the business.
Shifting the ball onto her favoured left foot, full back Emily Hodgson whipped an inviting cross towards the near post which was met by the arriving Healy who cleverly steered the ball beyond the keeper and into the back of the net.
With confidence now surging through her veins Healy set about bagging a second as she let fly from the edge of the area but her powerful effort was well saved by Jets keeper Anna Leat.
Having been in total control the Jets were now well and truly on the back foot and found themselves behind in the 73rd minute as Adelaide substitute Carina Rossi bagged her first Ninja A-league goal, slamming the ball into the back of the net from two yards out following an almighty scramble inside the box.
As the game ticked into five minutes of stoppage time the home side cranked up the pressure but were constantly thwarted by some resolute Adelaide defending, and none more so than in the 95th minute.
Racing onto Alexis Collins’ poked through ball, striker Melina Ayres beat Melegh to the ball but the 17-year-old goalkeeper capped off an impressive night, somehow saving Ayres effort as the Reds held on for a memorable win.
The victory for Adelaide is their first away win over Newcastle for the first time in nearly five years, with the win taking them up into fourth on the ladder.
As for Newcastle, defeat for Stephen Hoyle’s side brings about an end to their two-game winning run and they now sit in sixth position.
WHAT THEY SAID
Adelaide United goalscorer Erin Healy spoke with match commentator Teo Pellizzeri at full time.
