Western United coach Mark Torcaso has been left flummoxed by their 2-0 loss to Newcastle, a result which blows the ALW premiership race wide open.
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Despite sitting second-bottom and losing four straight, goals from Taren King and Ashlee Brodigan highlighted a surprisingly straightforward Jets win in Ballarat, in interim boss Gary van Egmond's first match in charge.
Though creating some quality chances after going 2-0 down on Wednesday, wayward shooting from Golden Boot leader Hannah Keane meant the hosts collectively didn't create a shot on target until a tame 80th minute Adriana Taranto effort.
After losing two straight, United now meet second-placed Melbourne City on Saturday just two points clear atop the table and with just a three-point buffer over third-place Sydney, who possess two games in hand.
"I really can't put my finger on it, I think we left our run late," said Torcaso.
"We played the second half well, we did enough that we probably should have won in the end.
"But we started very poorly, in the end two games in a row that we've started off really poorly."
Brodigan should have put the Jets ahead in the 23rd after a mixup between Natasha Dakic and goalkeeper Hilary Beal sprung her for an open look at goal which she put wide.
Undeterred, the visitors pressed and took the lead when a fourth corner in succession found King at the back post in the 38th for her first-ever ALW goal.
Brodigan then got her rewards two minutes into the second half when, making amends for her earlier miss, she brought down a pass with a sublime touch before finishing under pressure.
"Them coming out and scoring straight away in the second half was very important - it put us on the back foot straight away," said Torcaso.
The Jets now head straight to Perth to take on the Glory on Sunday, looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since 2019.
"It gives them a lot more confidence and a lot more confidence in what we're trying to help them with," said van Egmond.
"The effort was good. I've only had them for just over a week and they've responded pretty well.
"We created a lot of chances ... we probably could have taken a few more but on the balance of the game I thought it was a fair result."
Australian Associated Press
