An impressive Newcastle Jets showed their top-four credentials with a dominant 5-1 win over A-League Women's newcomers Wellington Phoenix at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday.
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The performance was in stark contrast to a disappointing 3-1 loss to defending premiers Sydney to open their season six days earlier.
Young gun Kirsty Fenton, in just her second ALW appearance, gave the hosts a 1-0 lead at the break after scoring into the top-right corner with a curling, left-footed shot in the 33rd minute.
In a bittersweet outing, the 18-year-old Jets Academy product was then forced from the field with an ankle injury in the 55th minute as the hosts opened the floodgates.
Norwegian Marie Dolvik Markussen scored from long range as Fenton was being replaced by Ash Brodigan.
Jets all-time leading scoring Tara Andrews then produced two goals in as many minutes, heading home a corner in the 61st before driving the ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 62nd.
Substitute Sophie Harding made it 5-0 with a back-post tap-in in the 73rd before Phoenix pulled one back through Ava Pritchard off a corner in the 81st.
The result never looked in doubt from the outset with the Jets producing a cohesive and entertaining performance.
The inclusion of 110-time capped Matilda Emily van Egmond was telling.
The world-class midfielder was signed by the Jets during the week and was one of four changes to Newcastle's starting line-up. She replaced injured Bethany Gordon and was everywhere and in everything, lifting the players around her.
Striker Jemma House made way for Dolvik Markussen, who has been managing heel issues since arriving in Australia and played 24 minutes off the bench against Sydney.
Taren King came into centre-back after being unavailable in round one and Cassidy Davis reverted to a defensive midfield role.
American Elizabeth Eddy shifted from midfield to right-back in place of suspended Tiana Jaber.
Goalkeeper Georgia Boric made her national league debut in place of Claire Coelho and was rarely troubled.
In an exciting first half, Lucy Johnson and Fenton both put close-range headers wide, Dolvik Markussen hit the side netting and was also denied by Wellington shot-stopper Lily Alfeld at point-blank range and Eddy pushed a shot straight across the face of goal.
The match was the first of a club double-header with the men also playing Phoenix after.
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