FOUNDATION Jet Hannah Brewer scored her first W-League goal and played a starring role as Newcastle downed Melbourne Victory 3-1 on Friday to continue their climb up the ladder.
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Brewer, 80 games into her W-League career, won a penalty to help put Newcastle up 2-1 at half-time before scoring the clincher at AAMI Park with a highlight-reel individual effort in the 72nd minute.
The tenacious defender won the ball before breaking into space, pulling off a one-two passing move with striker Katie Stengel and placing her shot past goalkeeper Casey Dumont.
“That was amazing,” Brewer said of how she felt about the goal.
“I’ve always dreamt of scoring but, being a defender, I’ve never really got in the box, and today was that day, and it felt amazing.”
It capped a player-of-the-match performance from Brewer which helped Newcastle go to 16 points after nine rounds and the top of the table ahead of the Perth versus Brisbane match on Friday night.
Third before the round, Newcastle will sit no lower than second after the weekend.
The win also put Newcastle a step closer closer to finals football for the first time since the inaugural W-League play-offs in 2008-09.
“Us girls have been working so hard in training and the season so far and we knew this was going to be a tough game, regardless of where we both sit on the table,” Brewer said.
“We played out of our skin today and we worked really hard for each other and I think that showed.”
Jets coach Craig Deans was particularly pleased with the second-half performance from his side.
“Every player had an excellent mentality today and wanted to win, and they showed that,” Deans said.
“I’m going to be hearing about that one from Hannah for a while I think.”
Tori Huster opened the scoring for Newcastle with a clever and composed side-foot shot over Dumont in the fifth minute.
Huster was unmarked at the far post off a deflected cross from Jenna Kingsley and the American hit the high-bouncing ball perfectly.
Victory levelled in the 28th minute when 15-year-old Kyra Cooney-Cross appeared to deflect a header onto Jets defender Nikola Orgill’s head for an own goal.
Newcastle were back ahead in the 41st minute when Stengel scored from the penalty spot despite a diving Dumont getting a hand to the ball, which went in off the post.
Brewer earned the chance when clearly taken down by Annabel Martin in the box.