Clinical Wellington Phoenix Demolish Newcastle Jets in Weather-Affected A-League Women's Clash
Wellington Phoenix have emphatically broken their Newcastle hoodoo in the A-League Women's competition, thrashing the Newcastle Jets 5-1 in a match that was ultimately abandoned due to dangerous weather conditions at No.2 Sportsground on Sunday evening.
Historic Victory Sealed Before Storm Interruption
The Phoenix, who are soaring in second position on the ladder with eight matches remaining in the season, had never previously taken a single point from their four prior visits to Newcastle. This historical drought was decisively ended through a ruthless first-half display that left the home side reeling.
Teenage sensation Pia Vlok set the tone early, scoring unchallenged from the edge of the penalty area in both the 10th and 15th minutes. The visitors' dominance continued as Emma Pijnenburg added a third in the 20th minute with a free shot from outside the box, before Ellie Walker made it 4-0 just three minutes later with a clever flick from close range following a corner.
The statistics starkly illustrated Wellington's superiority during the opening period, with the Phoenix registering 12 shots compared to just three from the struggling Jets. While Wellington demonstrated clinical finishing, Newcastle's defensive adjustments proved too slow when they turned possession over to their opponents.
Vlok's Hat-Trick Highlights Individual Brilliance
The 17-year-old Vlok completed her remarkable hat-trick in the 64th minute, becoming the second-youngest player in A-League Women's history to achieve this feat. Her third goal came against the run of play, moments after Newcastle's Alexis Collins had been denied by Phoenix goalkeeper Victoria Esson and Josie Allan sent a shot over the crossbar.
Allan created further opportunities for the Jets in the second half, curling one effort just wide of the far post and having another attempt thwarted by a leaping Esson. It wasn't until the 73rd minute that Newcastle finally found the back of the net, with striker Melina Ayres stabbing home a rebound to provide some consolation for the home supporters.
Challenging Conditions and Team Changes
The match was played throughout with a howling southerly wind blowing across the ground, creating difficult conditions for both teams. Play was suspended with just two minutes of regulation time remaining when thunder and lightning moved into the area, with officials subsequently calling off the contest entirely.
For Newcastle, it proved a particularly challenging initiation for 17-year-old goalkeeper Georgia Ritchie, who made her A-League debut in place of the injured Anna Leat. Jets coach Stephen Hoyle made five changes to his starting lineup from the side that suffered a 2-1 defeat to Adelaide eleven days earlier.
Attacking players Charlotte Lancaster and India Breier, captain Cassidy Davis, and defender Zoe Karipidis all made way. In their place came forwards Melina Ayres and Josie Allan, defender Josie Wilson, and versatile player Claire Adams.
Ladder Implications and Looking Ahead
The Jets, now sitting on 16 competition points, remain just four points clear of the bottom of the table. However, they are also only three points outside the top six as they prepare for a challenging away fixture against Melbourne Victory next Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix's comprehensive victory reinforces their credentials as genuine contenders this season, while Newcastle must regroup quickly as they seek to keep their finals aspirations alive in the coming weeks.
