Newcastle Jets concede late equaliser in 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers

It was a devastating blow for Newcastle, who led for almost 70 minutes before conceding at the death.

Ashlie Crofts' late goal for Wanderers - a close-range chip over the head of Jets shot-stopper Georgia Boric - came after the visitors had butchered some clear-cut chances, including what appeared to be an easy tap-in for Sunny Franco in front of an open goal in the 76^th minute.

But Western Sydney had also hit the goalposts on numerous occasions and Rosie Galea sprayed one over the bar for the hosts in the 67^th.

Newcastle travelled to Blacktown after a disrupted week due to the growing COVID-19 outbreak in the Hunter region. Young gun Kirsty Fenton was ruled out after testing positive to COVID and Norwegian Marie Dolvik Markussen was a late withdrawal due to being deemed a close contact of a COVID case.

But the Jets also carried plenty of confidence into round three after an emphatic and entertaining 5-1 win over newcomers Wellington Phoenix, who they meet again next, one week earlier.

That confidence showed when defender Tiana Jaber, who replaced Fenton in the starting side after missing the previous match due to suspension, produced a wonder strike in the 21^st minute to give Newcastle a 1-0 lead.

Cassidy Davis, in her A-Leagues record 100^th consecutive appearance, provided the assist with a square ball to Jaber, who took a touch around a defender then fired the ball over the head of Wanderers goalkeeper Sarah Willacy from around 30 metres out and directly in front.

Jaber described her first A-League goal at half-time as "the best moment of my life". It came within one minute of Erica Halloway hitting the right post for Wanderers up the other end of the field and as the clock wound down looked as if it may turn out to prove the difference.

Jets striker Tara Andrews said post-match Newcastle paid the price for a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.

"We were up 1-0 for the majority of the game, so it was disappointing to concede that one late," Andrews said.

"The ball just wouldn't go in the back of the net towards the end. We had a chances, a few clear-cut ones that we probably should've scored.

"We're creating the chances. We just need to keep the ball a bit more and play around rather than just go long. We were going long a lot today. So just try to go back to our game, where we play in to feet and are threading the balls through."

The draw moved Newcastle to four points as they look towards playing Phoenix next at Central Coast Stadium on December 27.

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