Glory women nab much-needed win

Perth Glory kept their slim Westfield W-League finals hopes alive with a fighting 3-2 victory over the winless Newcastle Jets at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday night.

Perth Glory kept their slim Westfield W-League finals hopes alive with a fighting 3-2 victory over the winless Newcastle Jets at Percy Doyle Reserve on Saturday night.

The Jets looked destined to secure their first win - and points - of the season when they took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but Glory fought back to level the score by half-time and sealed maximum points when Marianna Tabain found the back of the net in the 67th minute.

Glory-s win broke a four-game losing streak for last season-s semi-finalists, but the West Australian club faces an uphill battle to break into the top four with just three games remaining in the regular season.

The Jets suffered an early blow when Hannah Beard had to be subbed off after just 10 minutes with a corked thigh following a clash with Shawn Billam in the opening minute.

Departing Canadian international Christina Julien presented Glory with the first chance of the match with a low cross from the right, but striker Kate Gill was ruled offside.

Tara Andrews then put the visitors ahead after 20 minutes when she pounced on a clever pass from her unmarked teammate Rhali Dobson.

Glory had a chance to equalise moments later, but both Gill and Rosie Sutton were unable to get on the end of a searching cross from Tabain.

Dobson was causing headaches for the depleted Perth defence missing Sasha Andrews (ankle) and Sarah Carroll (shin) and almost made centre back Brownyn Studman pay for a careless pass, but the Newcastle striker-s shot was easily stopped by goalkeeper Chantel Jones.

But Sophie Nenadovic quickly caught Jones napping in the minutes that followed and fired a low shot past the helpless goalkeeper to give the Jets an unlikely 2-0 lead.

It didn-t take long for Glory to respond, with Elisa D-Ovidio capitalising on a chance from 30m out to peg one back for the home side.

D-Ovidio, playing at right full back in the absence of Carroll, was in the thick of the action again shortly before half-time when she perfected a cross to Sutton, who headed the ball past Jets custodian Eliza Campbell, only to have the goal cancelled when the assistant referee-s flag was raised.

However, Sutton was able to equalise in the third minute of additional time before the main break when she knocked the ball into the back of the net from another great Tabain cross.

Julien and D-Ovidio had chances in quick succession early in the second half, while Newcastle-s Hannah Brewer forced Jones to make a diving save in the 58th minute.

The result was secured when Sutton intercepted a fumble from Jets defender Siahn Bozanic and passed to Tabain, who casually placed the ball into the lower left corner of the goals.

Dobson and substitute Ashley Spina had chances to equalise, with Jones tipping a high ball from the latter over the crossbar.

Gill, Julien and Ella Mastrantonio also missed opportunities to add a fourth for the home side in the final minutes.

Perth Glory 3 (D-Ovidio 31m, Sutton 45m+3, Tabain 67m) Newcastle Jets 2 (Andrews 20m, Nenadovic 28m) Played at Percy Doyle Reserve

Perth Glory: 1. Chantel Jones (GK), 3. Cecilie Sandvej, 4. Bronwyn Studman, 5. Shannon May, 9. Rosie Sutton, 12. Kate Gill, 13. Elisa D-Ovidio (18. Amy Knights 85m), 16. Thia Eastman, 17. Marianna Tabain, 19. Shawn Billam (8. Ella Mastrantonio 56m), 21. Christina Julien (15. Jess Dillon 90m).

Unused substitute: 28. Gabrielle Dal Busco (GK)

Yellow cards: Bronwyn Studman 50m

Newcastle Jets: 1. Eliza Campbell (GK), 2. Hannah Brewer, 4. Siahn Bozanic, 5. Ciara McCormick, 7. Gema Simon, 9. Tara Andrews, 10. Rhali Dobson (17. Lauren Brown 82m), 12. Hannah Beard (6. Ashley Spina 10m), 14. Sophie Nenadovic, 16. Cassidy Davis, 18. Clare Wheeler (23. Stacey Day 70m).

Unused substitute: 20. Claire Coelho (GK)

Yellow cards: Nil