Unwanted by other A-League clubs, late signing Sarina Bolden was determined to leave her mark with the Newcastle Jets.
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And, with 11 goals in 12 appearances, the Philippines striker is more than making a statement.
In good news for Jets fans, the 27-year-old is far from done.
"I try not to make soccer about a number but it is a measurable thing and it's cool to be, 'Look how far I've come' ... I've still got a lot more in me," Bolden told the Newcastle Herald after producing a hat-trick in Newcastle's crucial 3-0 win over Brisbane at Maitland on Saturday.
The clinical treble in front of around 1900 spectators at Maitland Sportsground kept Newcastle in the finals race with five rounds remaining while propelling Bolden into the Jets' history books.
No player has scored more goals in a season for the club - American Katie Stengel notched 10 goals in 2017-18, the last time Newcastle made finals.
Bolden is now nipping at the heels of A-League leading scorer Michelle Heyman (Canberra), who has scored 12 goals in 16 games.
The Philippines' World Cup star played for Western Sydney last season, scoring once in 10 appearances, and debuted for the Jets in round six.
"After the World Cup, I was looking for teams," Bolden said.
"There were some offers here and there but it just wasn't what I had envisioned for myself. I wanted to stay in the A-League but no teams wanted me.
"I just kind of held on. At a point I didn't know if it was too late but [former Jets coach] Gary [van Egmond] reached out to me and said, 'There's a position open. Are you still wanting to play in the A-League, play for the Jets?'.
"I said, 'Let me try it out, see if it feels good'. It took me just one session and I was like, sign me up."
Bolden was ruthless against the Roar, whose finals hopes took a huge hit with the loss.
She scored with a header off a corner in the 39th minute then after being played into space in the 77th and 78th minutes in a game where scoring opportunities were few and far between for both sides.
READ MORE: All the latest news in Newcastle sport
"It's a long time coming," Bolden said of her hat-trick heroics.
"I've been wanting to perform really well in A-League and no better way to do it than with a hat-trick, especially against Brisbane.
"It's always such a tough game against them, so to do it against a really good opponent makes it feel even more better.
"But I don't make those three goals without the team and the hard work that everyone put into the game today."
The win elevated the Jets to 23 points and fifth place before the round was completed on Sunday evening.
Bolden was flying to Europe on Sunday to join the Philippines side in Spain for the Pinatar Cup but will be back in time for Newcastle's next match, against Perth in Maitland on March 4.
Heyman and Bolden are on track to break new ground in the competition with 13 goals the most ever scored in an A-League campaign.
"I can't put a number to it, but I hope it's a lot," Bolden said of how many goals she would like to score before season's end.
Asked if she was at the peak of her powers, Bolden said:
"I think I'm getting there. I still think I have a lot of potential. It's just cool that I'm steadily progressing, and that's all I really want, to keep growing and getting better and better."
Meanwhile, off-season signing Georgia Amess struck twice and provided an assist for another as Maitland claimed the inaugural Northern NSW Football Women's Charity Shield with a 4-2 win over Broadmeadow at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Friday night.
In the men's exchange, Magic beat Lambton 3-1.
