The Newcastle Jets have kept alive their finals hopes with a clinical 3-1 win over A-League Women's front-runners Western United at their new venue in Tarneit on Sunday.
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The Jets put the hosts under immense pressure with a high-pressing game and are in striking range of the top six with two rounds remaining.
Western Sydney seized outright sixth spot by beating Canberra in a midweek fixture then killing off Perth's season with a 1-0 win at Wanderers Football Park on Saturday.
Wanderers, on 30 points, hold a three-point buffer over the seventh-placed Jets, who improved to 27 points.
The Jets led 2-1 at the break after a fairly evenly contested opening half in the first ever match at United's new Regional Football Facility
All three goals came within the first 21 minutes.
Jets midfielder Libby Copus-Brown struck the first blow with a well-timed volley into the bottom left corner of United's net in the fifth minute after a sublime delivery into the box by Sarina Bolden.
Centre-back Tash Prior denied United with a goal-line clearance after a scramble in the 14th minute but Aimee Medwin found an equaliser from a tight angle six minutes later after outmuscling Jets defender Lorena Baumann for a ball played long.
It took less than one minute, however, for Newcastle winger Lauren Allan to respond with a curling strike into the top right corner from the edge of United's 18-yard box after teammate Emma Dundas' shot was initially blocked.
Bolden produced the killer blow in the 66th minute with a header after Mindy Barbieri's pinpoint corner kick found the Philippines international unmarked at the back post.
The win came after Newcastle succumbed 2-0 to Melbourne City in Melbourne one week earlier.
Newcastle players all took a knee in protest of racism directly after kick-off against United (35 points), who slipped to second after Sydney (36) beat Wellington 4-2.
Defender Josie Wilson replaced Zoe Karipidis, who is away with the Australian schoolgirls, in the only change to the Jets starting side.
Experienced striker Melina Ayres, who has not played since January 28 due to glandular fever, put a frustrating period behind her with an encouraging 20 minutes off the bench.
Newcastle return to No.2 Sportsground on Saturday to host fifth-placed Melbourne Victory (33) in their final home game of the season.
Defender Claudia Cicco and forward Lara Gooch will be back from Young Matildas duties at the AFC under-20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.
Gooch scored the 79th-minute winner as Australia beat South Korea 1-0 on Saturday to finish third.
On Sunday, Sydney (36 points) beat Wellington 4-2 at Porirua Park to move top of the table, Victory drew 0-0 with City (35) at Home of the Matildas and Central Coast (34) beat last-placed Canberra 4-1 in Gosford.
Matildas midfielder Tameka Yallop scored in the 74th minute to seal Brisbane's 2-1 win over Adelaide at Marsden Sports Complex on Saturday but the Roar (23) cannot make finals.
