The Newcastle Jets have paid the price for another slow start, conceding three goals in the first seven minutes of a 4-2 loss to A-League Women's front-runners Sydney at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday.
The game was still in the opening minute when American Madison Haley pounced on a poor Jets' pass in defence and gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Sarah Hunter (4th minute) and Mackenzie Hawkesby (7th minute) quickly followed suit with goals of their own to silence the 1024-strong Newcastle crowd. Both came from neat interplay and slick movement into the Jets' 18-yard box.
It was always going to be a Herculean effort to get themselves back in the game from there but Newcastle gave it a good shot.
They created hope with a well-worked goal in the 10th minute, finished at the back post by Adriana Konjarski. Midfielder Lucy Johnson threaded the ball in behind Sydney's defence for Lauren Allan, who found Konjarski with a perfectly placed pass.
Sydney held the 3-1 advantage at the break but, as they have done so many times this season, Newcastle came out firing for the second half.
They were rewarded quickly with Tara Andrews scoring from close range off a corner in the 48th minute to trail 3-2 with plenty of time remaining.
The hosts were pushing hard for an equaliser, and repelling all of Sydney's advances, when a penalty in the 64th minute took the wind out of their sails.
The spot kick was awarded after Jets right-back Teigen Allen felled Princess Ibini in Newcastle's 18-yard box and the Sky Blues forward restored the visitors' two-goal advantage.
Goalkeeper Claire Coelho replaced Georgina Worth (illness) in the only change to Newcastle's starting side from their gritty 2-0 win over Adelaide one week earlier.
Americans Sarah Griffith (back) and Murphy Agnew (back, hip) both remained sidelined while fullback Tessa Tamplin returned via the bench after missing the Jets' previous four outings with a leg injury.
The result left Newcastle in seventh position with seven points as they approach their season midpoint in Canberra next weekend.
Sydney, meanwhile, improved to 18 points at the top of the competition standings. Western United joined them there with a 1-0 win over Wellington at home on Saturday afternoon.
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