NEWCASTLE Jets W-League coach Peter McGuinness took positives out of a 3-1 trial game loss to defending major premiers Sydney FC at Adamstown Oval on Saturday.
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The young Jets turned over the ball to hand Sydney two one-on-one chances which they converted and the other goal conceded came from another defensive error.
Herald Women’s Premier League leading scorer for 2013, Rhali Dobson, scored with a long-range strike for Newcastle’s goal, which made it 1-1.
Newcastle were missing Young Matildas Eliza Campbell, Tara Andrews and Grace Macintyre, while Sydney were without six Young Matlidas and three senior Australian representatives.
The loss comes three weeks out from Newcastle’s season opener against Perth Glory at Wanderers Oval and McGuinness was happy with the hit-out.
‘‘There were some good signs for us considering the level of youth and inexperience we had out there,’’ McGuinness said.
‘‘We gifted them their three goals with simple errors but it was a trial game and we will learn.
‘‘Our fitness was quite good and there were some good signs in how we were playing without the ball.
‘‘We had a few chances as well, especially in the last 20 minutes.’’
McGuiness praised the performance of teenage Football Mid North Coast goalkeeper Claire Coelho, who filled the void in the absence of Campbell and injuries to Ainsley Buchanan and Hannah Southwell.
