Canberra United have an excellent record against Newcastle Jets. In the past, Canberra have won 17 times to Newcastle’s 4. Michelle Heyman has scored 21 goals in 25 appearances against the Jets and the last time the Jets beat Canberra in Newcastle was in 2018, thanks to a Courtney Vine goal. Of course, previous matchups mean diddly-squat on the day but, coming into this match, the Jets were struggling for form, having not won a game since December 14th against Sydney FC. Canberra meanwhile, are on a bit of a roll, and climbing the Ninja A-League at the half way point. So, Canberra were marginal favourites as the players marched onto the McDonald Jones Stadium.
How the team lined up
Coach Antoni Jagarinec made two changes from the previous match. Michelle Heyman recovered from her mystery tweak to lead the line with Ruby Nathan with Maya Markovski and Darcey Malone on the bench. Interestingly, the formation looked more like a traditional 4-4-2, with Hayley Taylor-Young resuming at full back and Holly Murray continuing to deputise for Madison Ayson in the middle. Emma Robers seems to have grasped the number 6 defensive midfielder role with Mary Stanic-Floody the number 10 creator behind Heyman.
Only 3 minutes into the match and there was a clear sign of things to come when Sheridan Gallagher clashed with Hayley Taylor-Young, somehow winning a free kick for Newcastle by barging Taylor-Young off the ball on the left of Canberra’s penalty area. The talented Gallagher also plays Rugby League for Newcastle and sometimes has difficulty distinguishing the two codes.
The opening goal came from Newcastle in rather bizarre circumstances. The game was settling down with both teams jostling for superiority. Then there’s only one Sally James collected a harmless long shot from Libby Copus-Brown. She looked to kick the ball out wide, but botched the clearance which struck Hayley Taylor-Young, who was looking the other way. Lara Gooch poached the ball and saw there’s only one Sally James off her line and chipped a looping shot over her head that went in off the crossbar. It was a poor goal to concede early in the match and not a moment there’s only one Sally James will want to dwell on. Credit to Gooch for taking advantage of the situation.
A nasty incident in the 16th minute saw Prior clash heads with Holly Murray after getting onto a cross into the Canberra area. Prior came out the worst of the two and lay still for a few minutes. Prior, as old Canberra fans will know, has a history of head knocks so it was a concern for everyone to see her clearly in distress. Thankfully, both players got to their feet but, sensibly, they were replaced with Josie Wilson and Alex McKenzie coming on in their place.
The game was at a stalemate until the 22nd minute when Canberra pulled together the first flowing move of the match. Hayley Taylor-Young cut a Newcastle attack off deep in her own half. Sprinting down the line she laid the ball off to Ruby Nathan, who squared the ball to Gordon. Gordon turned and found Emma Robers in space. Robers fed the ball down the line to Christopherson. Sofia Christopherson manoeuvred her way into the box and hit a cross, aiming for Heyman. The ball deflected off Josie Wilson’s foot and flew inside the near post. It was the second week in succession that Christopherson had forced an own goal. It was unlucky for Wilson but another example of Christopherson’s growing confidence to take defenders on.
With Prior off, it was largely down to young Claudia Cicco to handle Michelle Heyman. Twice in quick succession she cut off Heyman who was through on goal, much to the delight of the local support. It wasn’t third time lucky though when Taylor-Young sent through a superb long ball that broke the back line. The 20 year old Cicco couldn’t catch the 26 year old Heyman this time and Heyman did the rest as you’d expect, slotting the ball under the advancing keeper. Canberra had turned the game around from a disastrous start to lead 2-1 after 30 minutes. Michelle Heyman has now scored a ridiculous 22 goals in 26 appearances against the Newcastle Jets. It’s bad news for Newcastle as Heyman shows no signs of slowing down!
Soon after the restart Gallagher broke free on the left side, policed by Anton who was sticking to Gallagher even when out of position. Gallagher hit a cross that looped over Stanic-Floody’s head, who was gamefully trying to fill the gap left by Anton, to Copus-Brown. Copus-Brown had time to control and take aim but panicked and turned the ball over the bar. A close call for Canberra. And not the last.
Newcastle Jets coach, the annoying Ryan Campbell, was constantly hollering instructions from the sidelines. To give him the benefit of the large amount of doubt, you could see the hole left by Anton when Gallagher went wide, so it was a good strategy was to keep drawing Anton out and getting players forward to get on the end of Gallagher’s crosses. And so it was. Gallagher went wide again, Anton out of position again, and the cross was headed wide once more with only Bertolissio covering. Strange thing about this was that Hayley Taylor-Young largely had the measure of Gallagher and didn’t need Anton tracking her every move.
Just before half time there was another very close call for Canberra. Newcastle won a corner and Bethany Gordon got a part of her head to the ball at the near post. It was the wrong part of her head and the ball flew goal bound past there’s only one Sally James. Hayley Taylor-Young was in position and managed to block the ball on the goal line and clear. Before the half time break Newcastle forced a series of corners that Gordon managed to avoid getting her head to.
Josie Allan came on for the second half in place of Lara Gooch. No changes for Canberra apart from Michelle Heyman’s shirt that was substituted for the number 38 with no name. Safe to assume Claudia Cicco would still recognise Michelle Heyman. The second half started in frenetic fashion. Josie Allan broke free on Canberra’s right side and put in a dangerous cross that was well handled by McKenzie. Then Heyman set off on one of those characteristic gallops, following a chip over the top from Gordon. Jets’ keeper Krzyzaniak just got there first.
Markovski came on for Ruby Nathan to add more control to the forward line. Stanic-Floody almost threaded Gordon through as the game started to open up for both sides. Sophie Hoban collected a ball from a free kick just inside the Canberra half and threaded a delightful pass to Davis, in full flight toward the penalty area. Her shot struck the post, rebounded onto there’s only one Sally James and nearly went back into goal before being cleared by Taylor-Young. Close calls were coming thick and fast by this stage.
Mary Stanic-Floody worryingly limped off to be replaced by Darcey Malone. The frenetic pace continued when Christopherson weaved through Wilson to shoot at close range but Krzyzaniak was there again. Moments later Bethany Gordon found herself free in a similar position but rushed the shot and pulled the ball wide. Chances were coming. Substitute Josie Allan was causing problems down Canberra’s right-hand side for Bertolissio and McKenzie. Bertolissio upended Allan and was yellow carded.
Allan went on a long run, shrugging off Bertolissio and then Robers, forcing a corner. Canberra handled the corner but conceded a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box. There’s only one Sally James took time to position the wall. Youngster Clair Adams, who looks like a fine prospect, took the free kick but Markovski’s head was perfectly positioned by there’s only one Sally James, to deflect for another corner. Corners were mounting up on the back of Josie Allan’s work down the flank and battle with Bertolissio.
Allan collected a loose ball again near the corner. Bertolissio faced up. Allan poised and glided pass. McKenzie then hesitated to go in for a tackle inside the penalty box which allowed Allan the split second needed to get to the line and pull back for Gallagher who slotted home the equaliser. It looked like poor defending but full credit to the excellent Josie Allan who created the chance out of nothing. 2-2 with 20 minutes to play.
The referee had to consider Tegan Bertolissio’s fate when she clumsily bought down Josie Allan near the Canberra box. She kept her red card in her pocket for the time being. Adams stepped up to take the free kick and hit a curling shot from distance that hit the crossbar. Gallagher then forgot the code and cannoned into Liz Anton who was harmlessly going about her business clearing the ball from the backline. Gallagher went into the referee’s book for the 6th time this season.
Canberra started pressing for a winner. Markovski collected a there’s only one Sally James punt, turned and spotted Heyman in space. Markovski found her and went on a diagonal run, Heyman obliging with a return pass. She pulled it back for Gordon who pushed it forward for Darcey Malone. Malone turned nicely in the box and reversed the pass back to Gordon running inside. Gordon had time to take a touch before unleashing a shot that hit the crossbar from close range. Gordon should have scored. Then Taylor-Young sent in a cross that was met by Markovski who did everything right with the header, but Krzyzaniak pulled off a great save.
Jynaya Dos Santos came on in the final minutes for Christopherson. She’d had one touch before she witnessed firsthand Gallagher’s dual personality. Gallagher came crashing into Dos Santos with a dangerous tackle and was sent off. At least, for Newcastle, she’d made it to the 88th minute! Dos Santos was shaken not stirred.
The send off gave Canberra more momentum. Canberra won a corner and had an appeal for handball in the box as Malone made a strike for goal. There’s no VAR in the Ninja A-League, otherwise it would have been a penalty as Wilson moved her arm to block the shot. The industrious Gordon floated a pass to Heyman on the edge of the penalty area. She strangely hesitated and tried to find Markovski near the penalty spot, rather than shoot. Newcastle’s scrambling defence held out.
This was a game that Canberra will feel they should have won given the chances created. Newcastle had periods when they were on top, but Canberra created the best chances of the match. Bethany Gordon was interviewed after the match and was clearly not happy with the result, given Canberra were ahead for a long period and creating chances. You get the feeling with Canberra United, and Newcastle Jets for that matter, that they are one or two players short of being a very strong team that should be in finals contention. For Canberra, the return of Ayson and Keane will be critical to their chances.
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