The Newcastle Jets' season is on the line as their A-League Women's midpoint approaches after a costly 4-2 loss to competition pace-setters Sydney at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday afternoon.
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A leaky defence continues to prove their downfall with the damage done in a devastating opening seven-minute period in which the Jets conceded three goals.
It was always going to be a tough ask to get back into the game from there but, in promising signs, Newcastle gave it a good shake.
The hosts pulled a goal back in the 10th minute through Adriana Konjarski, her first since returning to the league this campaign, then Tara Andrews scored off a corner in the 48th minute and it was game on.
But Princess Ibini's 64th-minute penalty strike, awarded after Teigen Allen felled the Sydney forward in the Jets' 18-yard box, put the game out of reach.
Coach Ash Wilson lamented another slow start, which has become a concerning trend for Newcastle this season, and conceded they will be playing must-win football from hereon in if they are to be any chance of staying in touch with the top four.
The result left them eighth on seven points, six adrift of fourth.
The Jets, who have played more games than all of the teams above them, reach their season midpoint against seventh-placed Canberra (eight points) in Canberra next Saturday.
"It leaves us in a position where every game is crucial to be getting points out of," Wilson said.
"That's the mindset we have to take into everything moving forward. You have to get as many points as you can from the next games.
"Obviously, you want to do that every week, but there's a little bit more pressure as the season builds and you're in a position that you're in. That's not something that scares me. I don't think it's something that scares the girls."
In a hard-to-watch opening period, American Madison Haley pounced on a Jets defensive lapse to score after only 20 seconds.
Sarah Hunter (4th minute) and Mackenzie Hawkesby (7th minute) quickly followed suit with goals of their own to silence the 1024-strong crowd. Both came from neat interplay and slick movement into the Jets' 18-yard box.
The game was an entertaining arm wrestle for the most part but in the end polish when it counted proved the difference.
"You have to put away your chances; you have to make sure that you're not conceding early and easy like we did," Wilson said.
"Sometimes the scoreline reflects more the moments that you haven't capitalised on than it does the actual performance."
Goalkeeper Claire Coelho replaced Georgina Worth, who was ruled out through sickness, in the starting side.
Americans Murphy Agnew (hip, back) and Sarah Griffith (back) remained sidelined through injury.
Also on Saturday, Canberra beat Adelaide 2-0 and Western United beat Wellington 1-0. Perth drew 1-1 with Victory on Friday night.
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