Two-and-a-half weeks after beating Western United, a 10-player Newcastle Jets slumped to one of the club's worst-ever results in a 6-0 loss to the competition leaders at No.2 Sportsground on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts were already 1-0 down when centre-back Emily Garnier was issued a straight red card for a professional foul on United's Adriana Taranto in the 18th minute.
The Jets' American import had already received a yellow card for a late challenge on Tyla-Jay Vlajnic in the 14th minute before then pushing Taranto in the back four minutes later as the last line of defence.
From there, Newcastle never looked likely to perform a miracle comeback and take another three points off Western United as they had done in a 2-0 win at Ballarat on February 8.
The Jets' defence, even before the send-off, was continually found wanting.
An unmarked Kahli Johnson easily volleyed in at the back post for a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute after Hannah Keane had whipped a cross into the Jets box.
Johnson made it 2-0 in the 34th minute after she ran the ball into the box, stepped around Jets captain Cassidy Davis and fired into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Five minutes later, Newcastle goalkeeper Georgina Worth, who made several impressive saves throughout the match, punched the ball into her own net while trying to clear Vlajnic's curling left-footed corner kick.
Vlajnic then fired a left-footed strike from the top of the 18-yard box into the top right corner in the 44th minute to have the visitors up 4-0 at the break.
The second half was more of the same, with Newcastle's chances few and far between and mostly lacking conviction.
Danielle Steer was unmarked at the back post to put away Angela Beard's cross into the Jets' box in the 55th minute then Keane completed the rout when she scored in the 78th minute after a short pass from a United free kick.
The result equalled Newcastle's 6-0 losses to Brisbane Roar in 2009 and Melbourne Victory in 2013 but was not as bad as the club's worst-ever defeat in A-League women's history - that was a 7-0 thumping by Victory in 2020.
Jets coach Gary van Egmond made two changes to his starting line-up.
New signing Emily Roach was deployed up front and Leia Puxty at left-back.
One replaced Chicago Red Stars forward Sarah Griffith, who was on loan to the Jets and has returned to the United States ahead of the National Women's Soccer League season.
The other came in for striker Ash Brodigan, who was suspended due to card accumulation, and Lauren Allan reverted from fullback to a forward position.
Attacking player Renee Pountney, who has nine previous appearances with the Jets, was also signed last week and took the field in the 84th minute.
The Jets have now conceded a whopping 41 goals in 14 games and will be fighting off the wooden spoon in their final four matches.
They are second-last with just 10 points, five more than Wellington (5), and three behind Adelaide (13), who were playing Victory (22) on Sunday night.
Things won't get any easier when Newcastle are back home again next Saturday afternoon against third-placed Melbourne City (25).
Earlier on Sunday, Sydney FC (27) were 1-0 winners over Phoenix (5) in Wellington.
On Saturday, Canberra (20) beat Western Sydney (14) 3-0 and Perth (18) were 2-0 winners over Brisbane (16).
United lead the standings on 33 points.
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