A late goal from Newcastle Jets substitute Jemma House earned her team a 1-0 Liberty A-League win over a courageous Wellington Phoenix side in slippery conditions at Gosford's Central Coast Stadium on December 27, a stark contrast to their clash seventeen days ago, when the Novocastrians prevailed 5-1. The difference in the scorelines speaks volumes about Wellington's effort in this encounter, which saw the Kiwi team produce a couple of lively raids early in each half, only to undo their good work through what is proving to be one of their biggest shortcomings so far this season - a quality final ball. All too often, Wellington is guilty of giving the ball away via a wayward or overhit pass, after having done the hard work by securing the sphere initially, then engineering an opportunity from which a goal could potentially result. Cue the crucial pass, and the chance is spurned more often than not … "If you're going to give a ball, give a quality ball. Otherwise, retain possession". Newcastle displayed the benefits of that approach time and again, most particularly through Emily Van Egmond, who was far and away the most creative player on the park. Inside the opening minute, she picked out Marie Dolvik with a pass which invited the winger to nutmeg Zoe McMeeken before unleashing a shot which was headed away by Wellington's defensive rock, Mackenzie Barry - she was immense throughout proceedings. After Van Egmond had thundered a twenty-five yarder narrowly past the diving Lily Alfeld's right-hand post in the seventh minute, Wellington fired their first shot in anger, Chloe Knott stinging the gloves of Georgia Boric from twenty yards after catching Cassidy Davis in possession then working a slick one-two with the once again eye-catchingly-performed Alyssa Whinham. Newcastle responded to that scare via the Van Egmond - Dolvik ticket again - the latter gave McMeeken a torrid time throughout proceedings. After getting the better of the fullback on this occasion, McMeeken was relieved to see Alfeld confidently plucking the ball from the air, a feat she repeated in the 37th minute to deny the same player. Plenty took place prior to that incident, however, with Whinham's surging run sparking a twentieth minute attack which also featured Grace Wisnewski's switch of play and Ava Pritchard's cross, inviting Whinham to let fly from the edge of the penalty area. Hannah Brewer blocked this effort, but it was far from Pritchard's only contribution to the contest. Ten minutes before half-time, she charged down a clearance before setting up Kelli Brown for a first-time shot which she directed straight at Boric, some ten minutes after having been in some distress - Brown briefly had to be withdrawn from the fray to receive treatment for a leg injury. She certainly made a good recovery from it, as five minutes before half-time, the persistence of Knott earned Brown an opening from which the striker unleashed an ambitious shot on the turn. Boric proved equal to the effort, having looked on as her defence half-cleared a corner from Wellington's "Energizer Bunny" - Knott's relentless running in attack and willingness to track back deep into her own half is one of the outstanding features of the new team's game. Gemma Lewis' charges generally acquitted themselves well throughout this contest, defending solidly and forcing Newcastle errors - many a stray pass emanated from a white-shirted player in this contest. Many an obscure refereeing decision favoured them as well - witness the perfectly timed tackle Barry executed on Van Egmond in the 25th minute which inconsistently performed whistle-blower Georgia Ghirardello deemed worthy of a Newcastle free-kick. Justice was served via the inaccuracy of the Matildas' midfielder's set-piece attempt - it was never a foul! In the dying minutes of the half, Alfeld was twice called into action, firstly gathering a Tiana Jaber cross intended for the hitherto anonymous Tara Andrews, then nonchalantly plucking another Dolvik drive from the sky, seconds after Boric had smothered a grasscutter from Wisnewski after McMeeken had won possession for the Kiwi team, who were good value for the scoreless scoreline come the half-time whistle. Newcastle attacked straight from the kick-off at the start of the second half, Dolvik driving down the left past two players before inviting Andrews to let fly. Her shot was blocked, but was only cleared as far as Van Egmond, who drilled a twenty-yarder into the gloves of Alfeld a mere eighteen seconds after referee Ghirardello had blown her whistle to restart play. Not long after, Wellington were scrambling the ball to safety after Sophie Harding made in-roads down

the left before delivering a wicked low cross into the danger zone, while another cross, a 48th minute delivery from Elizabeth Hunt-Eddy, wasn't cleared, allowing Dolvik and Andrews to team up again, the latter's shot drawing a save from Alfeld at her near post. Following these early threats, the game resumed the pattern of the early stages of the first half, with Wellington's efforts bolstered by the fresh legs of Mona Walker and Talitha Kramer. The change in personnel didn't solve their main problem - delivery of quality final ball - however, and for all their efforts, it was Newcastle who offered the next threat on goal of note, in the 62nd minute. Dolvik once again exposed McMeeken's shortcomings, only to run into the brick wall that was Barry - thou shalt not pass! The ball broke for Van Egmond, who invited Harding to evade a challenge before picking out Andrews with a cross. Her shot was blocked, and from Van Egmond's resulting corner, Hunt-Eddy's goalbound drive was sliced clear by Saskia Vosper. Cue another Van Egmond corner, this one resulting in Harding's unchallenged header landing on the roof of the net. Wellington responded with a super attack, arguably the best of the match by either team thus far. McMeeken - far more effective as an attacking force than in the defensive role she fulfils - worked a delightful one-two with Whinham which allowed the flank player to get in behind the Newcastle defence and deliver a cross which ricocheted off Boric and across the face of goal to Knott. She had her back to goal as she looked to bring the ball under control, and Jaber hard on her heels - but not for long! For Knott's heels were clipped by the defender, and down she went - as clear-cut a penalty as you could wish to see! Not in the eyes of referee Ghirardello, however, although it's a safe bet she wouldn't have hesitated to point to the penalty spot had the offender been a Wellington defender - we've been down this road too many times in Wellington Phoenix men's fixtures over the years to know that there's a slightly different agenda in play when the team from this side of the Tasman is involved in such situations. This incident was an example of the nervousness which had crept into Newcastle's defensive play by this stage of proceedings, with the unnecessary concession of throw-ins and stray passes further evidence that Wellington's efforts were giving their opponents cause for concern aplenty. Cue some Van Egmond-led attacks in response, the Matilda seeing her 65th minute drive turned away by Alfeld before thundering a similar effort past the post two minutes later, by which time Wellington had introduced Grace Jale to the fray. Her first involvement saw her fail to connect cleanly with a shot which came about after a Knott free-kick wasn't cleared in the 72nd minute, a threat which prompted Newcastle to step up their game if they harboured hopes of claiming all three points. Fifteen minutes from time, Kate Taylor's vital headed clearance and Vosper's timely tackle foiled one raid, before Barry's intervention denied House as she made her first meaningful contribution to proceedings. The pair clashed again three minutes later, and Barry again proved superior, the defender's stunning block denying House in the act of shooting. She twisted her ankle in her bid to keep the scores level, however, but though she was hobbling as a consequence, Barry didn't let her injury get in the way of her defensive duties, as Van Egmond can testify upon being foiled by the rock-like number four ten minutes from time. Seconds later, Van Egmond slammed a twenty-five yarder against Alfeld's left-hand post, with the 'keeper beaten all ends up. Within a minute, Newcastle was awarded a free-kick, and Van Egmond's delivery broke for Davis to let fly from twenty yards. Alfeld tipped this effort onto the bar, but House, following in, reacted quickest of anyone to the rebound and bundled the ball home. It was a tough blow for Wellington, who had performed exceptionally well to this point. They could have conceded more goals before the final whistle, however - Hunt-Eddy and House were narrowly astray with their attempts, while Taylor's timely intervention denied substitute Ashley Brodigan in the area - but to have done so would have been extremely harsh on a team which is improving by the week, and which wasn't far off a point on this occasion. Wellington:     Alfeld; McMeeken (Martin, 88), Barry, Taylor, Vosper; Whinham (Jale, 64), Gomez (booked, 28) (Walker, 51), Wisnewski; Pritchard, Knott (booked, 90), Brown (Kramer, 51) Newcastle:     Boric; Jaber, King, Brewer, Hunt-Eddy; Johnson (Fenton, 67 (booked, 72), Davis, Van Egmond; Harding (Franco, 85 (booked, 90), Andrews (House, 71), Dolvik (Brodigan, 85) Referee:     Georgia Ghirardello