They coughed up the ball too easily in a 3-1 loss to defending premiers Sydney FC in their season-opener at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday.

After going into the sheds locked 0-0 at the break, thanks largely to some shot-stopping heroics by Claire Coelho and solid back-line defending, the Jets proved their own worst enemies in the second half.

A failure to keep the ball led to Remy Siemsen's goal in the 52^nd minute. Cortnee Vine then intercepted a pass out of the back line to set up Princess Ibini in the 58^th.

Jets forward Lauren Allan had almost immediate impact after coming on for Jemma House in the 62^nd. She scored from the edge of the six-yard box in the 67^th.

But the momentum swing was short-lived as Vine restored Sydney's two-goal buffer two minutes later with a free touch in the goalmouth from a corner.

To make matters worse, Newcastle played the last 15 minutes of the match reduced to 10 after right-back Tiana Jaber was sent off for two yellow card offences.

The performance against a benchmark side gives Jets coach Ash Wilson plenty to work on in the lead-up to Newcastle's first home game against newcomers Wellington Phoenix at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday.

"We just didn't protect the ball as much as we should have," Wilson said. "Lots of unnecessary turnovers cost us against a good team, and we just weren't consistent."

Some more decisive passes, stronger challenges for the ball and better game management would have made it a different story.

"The corner goal was poor defending from us, that's the reality of it," Wilson said. "If it stays out of the goal it's 2-1 and you're still in the game and you've got a bit of momentum. They're lessons that the girls are going to have to learn."

But it was not all doom and gloom. The ALW debuts of teenage talent Kirsty Fenton at left-back and Lucy Johnson in the middle of the park were positives, as was the return of attacking player Ash Brodigan, who was thrust into the action after a four-season absence in place of injured Bethany Gordon in the 33^rd minute.

American midfielder Elizabeth Eddy showed her quality in a 90-minute performance and Norwegian forward Marie Dolvik Markussen came off the bench in the 66^th.

"There were definitely positive signs," Wilson said. "We just need the girls to continue being confident in the things we're asking them to do and to have a bit more care at times."

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