Philippines international Sarina Bolden declared her arrival at the Newcastle Jets in spectacular fashion on Sunday, producing a match brace to inspire a much-needed 4-3 win over Canberra at McKellar Park.
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After going behind in the second minute when Michelle Heyman scored her 97th A-League goal on the counter-attack, the Jets responded quickly and clinically.
Bolden, who famously scored the Philippines' first World Cup goal in July, has been training with the Jets and was unleashed against Canberra after gaining clearance to play on Saturday.
The 27-year-old wasted little time before proving to be a key signing with a composed side-footed finish past Canberra goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln in the sixth minuter after a pinpoint pass from Emily van Egmond put her on goal.
Van Egmond, in her second appearance of a valuable four-game guest stint, made it 2-1 seven minutes later with a clever lob from the top of the box after a Jets free kick on halfway.
The Jets held their one-goal advantage after an even and entertaining first half, and there was plenty more action to come following the break.
The hosts equalised in the 58th minute when Vesna Milivojevic proved lethal with a free kick from about 25 metres out that took a deflection but never looked in doubt of finding the back of the net at the near post.
Just three minutes later, Bolden put the Jets 3-2 up with a cheeky chip over Lincoln's head after Cassidy Davis provided a perfectly weighted ball beyond Canberra's back line from halfway.
Lauren Allan made it 4-2 in the 81st minute with a curling shot into the top left corner from a tight angle after substitute Sophie Hoban found the forward in space on the right.
Milivojevic added a third goal for Canberra in the 90th minute but the Jets were able to hold strong for seven minutes of stoppage time to take a crucial win in the round-six exchange.
The win, Newcastle's second of the season, elevated the Jets to seven points and keeps them in the mix for a top-six position.
The Jets announced Bolden's signing one hour before kick-off while also confirming Congolese international Kizinga Ndjoli Exaucee had departed the club without playing a game.
Bolden replaced Hoban in the only change to Newcastle's starting line-up from their 3-2 loss to Melbourne City one week earlier.
Striker Melina Ayres remained sidelined with a hip issue for the fourth game in a row.
There are no A-League Women's games next weekend due to a FIFA window.
The Jets' next outing will be when they host Sydney FC at No.2 Sportsground on December 10.
