Scoring her first W-League goal was a "bittersweet" moment for Lauren Allan.
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The 23-year-old was signed by the Newcastle Jets after an impressive Herald Women's Premier League season with New Lambton in which she racked up a tally of 33 and combined with Jets teammate Tara Andrews for 81 goals.
Allan was thrown straight into the mix, being used off the Jets bench in round one. She has featured in every game since and was given her starting debut against Perth Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night in place of injured teammate Nicki Flannery.
The goal came late in a 4-2 loss that left the Jets languishing in second-last spot on the competition standings with three games remaining. But Allan was pleased to have played out the full 90 minutes.
"I'm disappointed with the loss because we needed to win that and Perth have jumped ahead of us now and it's not ideal for the team, but individually I'm happy with my starting debut and first goal, so it's hard, conflicting," Allan said.
The lightning quick attacker did her chances of retaining a starting spot no harm, getting into good positions and creating scoring opportunities before finding the back of the net from an acute angle in the 83rd minute.
"I liked getting the full 90 and starting from the start and getting to build into the tempo," Allan said.
"Being a starting player with New Lambton then coming in as a bench player, I wasn't used to that and I definitely struggled a bit coming into a game.
"If we're down a goal and looking for that goal it's such a hot environment, which is hard, but I definitely enjoyed progressing through the match and hopefully I showed what I'm capable of."
Unlike most of her Jets teammates, the Kahibah junior has not come through the Emerging Jets system.
Allan instead spent four seasons playing college football in the United States before returning to WPL for a full campaign last year.
Her performance against Perth was not lost on Jets caretaker coach Ash Wilson, who said scoring remained a problem area.
"I thought maybe in that second half we created possibly more chances than we have in a long time but, again, not finding the back of the net is costing us," Wilson said. "I don't mind if we win 5-4 but you've got to score goals.
"I thought Loz's goal was a good goal. I thought we were patient. Good build-up. Nice little combinations. Nice little ball in behind and Loz finished it well. So for me, that's the kind of football I need us to play a bit more consistently ...
"The execution sometimes lets us down, but that was a nice, well-worked goal and I thought everyone was composed and Loz's finish and her movement to get in behind Renee Pountney's ball was a nice play. That's what I want to see more of."
Newcastle are just three points ahead of last-placed Adelaide, who play Western Sydney on Saturday night.
