Cortnee Vine scored a spectacular goal on the stroke of half-time to inspire the Newcastle Jets to a 1-0 win over Canberra United at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.
United went into the match unbeaten after starting the W-League season with a win and a draw while Newcastle were chasing their first competition points.
The Jets took the field without injured key players Tara Andrews and Matildas duo Emily van Egmond and Larissa Crummer.
The hosts had the better of the chances in the first half before 20-year-old Vine broke the deadlock with a sublime outside-of-the-foot shot from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 47th minute.
Katie Stengel received the ball with a player in her back and rolled free to find an unmarked Vine on the right. The 20-year-old struck the ball sweetly, curling it into the top left corner to the delight of the home crowd.
It was Vine’s second goal in the W-League and in as many matches after she scored in Newcastle’s 2-1 loss to Melbourne Victory in their first game of the season.
Newcastle continued to dominate after the break but Canberra applied plenty of pressure in the final stages with goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom forced to pull off some late saves before Ellie Carpenter’s last-gasp attempt for the visitors glanced just wide of the post.
The Jets take on Western Sydney away on November 24 before returning home to host Brisbane Roar at No.2 Sportsground on November 29.
