Injury may spell end of season for Searl

Searl sustained the knee injury in the 15th minute and she will have scans this week to determine the full extent, but coach Peter McGuinness feared she could need reconstructive surgery.

‘‘The physio felt it could be her ACL, which is not good at all. The young girl’s had a terrible run with injuries,’’ McGuinness said of 19-year-old Searl, whose career has already been interrupted by chronic fatigue, two broken ankles and a hamstring problem.

The Jets are anchored at the bottom of the ladder after their fifth loss from as many games but McGuinness was pleased with their response and overall effort after being thumped 6-0 by Melbourne Victory seven days earlier.

It looked like another long afternoon for the Jets when they trailed 2-0 after 12 minutes after goals by American Stephanie Ochs and former Golden Boot Michelle Heyman, then Searl hobbled from the field three minutes later.

But McGuinness said they dug deep against a star-studded Canberra outfit.

‘‘They gave it everything for 90 minutes and that’s all you can ask against any team, especially a very good Canberra side, looking at their roster,’’ McGuinness said.

‘‘We had a couple of good chances in the first half but unfortunately we didn’t take them. But I said to them after the game, if they continue to play with that sort of effort, they’ll get rewarded for it and they’re going to improve as players and as a team.’’

Ochs netted her second goal and Canberra’s third when she provided the finishing touch to Heyman’s cross from the right wing in the 62nd minute.

The three points gave Canberra (9) a share of the lead with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory after the Roar lost 1-0 to fourth-placed Adelaide United (7) in Brisbane yesterday.

Newcastle are yet to register a point after scoring three goals and conceding 21. Their next game is against Western Sydney Wanderers.