A hat-trick and an assist from 19-year-old forward Daisy Brown helped secure a 4-1 win over the Newcastle Jets, lifting the Roar inside the top six on the Ninja A-League ladder and firmly in the hunt for finals football.
Just after the ten-minute mark, the Roar sparked into life when Zara Kruger threaded a pass to Bente Jansen in the box. Jansen cut inside onto her right foot, her trademark move, and sliced a low shot that Jets’ keeper Georgia Ritchie did well to palm away.
Eight minutes later, Marianna Seidl delivered an in-swinging corner that rattled off the goalpost before going out of play. The Roar continued to threaten and created a string of chances, but the deadlock held.
At the other end, Roar goalkeeper Tahlia Franco pulled off a string of impressive saves, blocking a dangerous low cross from a Jets free kick before pulling off a sharp save to deny Jets’ top goalscorer Melina Ayres moments later.
As the half wore on, the match opened up, but both teams were unable to find a breakthrough.
Franco sprang into action again on the stroke of half-time, making a crucial close-range block to deny Jets’ Alexis Collins before the teams headed to the sheds locked at 0-0.
Just minutes into the second half, Ashlyn Miller whipped in an inviting cross into the centre of the box for 19-year-old Daisy Brown. Brown nodded the ball into the right corner to fire the Roar ahead 1-0.
It wasn’t long before Brown lit up the scoresheet again. She blocked Jets’ keeper Ritchie’s clearance and deflected it straight into the back of the net.
Brown completed her hat-trick on the hour, nicking the ball from the Jets defence inside the box before drilling a low shot past an outstretched Ritchie and into the bottom left corner.
Jansen made it four for the Roar ten minutes later. She latched onto a cross-field pass from Daisy Brown, took a touch and then drilled a shot that glanced off of Ritchie and into the net.
The Jets pulled one back midway into the second half after Jets’ Tash Prior headed home a loping cross.
In stoppage time the visitors struck again when Sophie Hoban was played in behind and finished tidily past Franco in goal.
The final whistle sealed a 4-2 victory for the Roar and a valuable three points in the pursuit for a top six finish.
Next Friday night, the Brisbane Roar welcome Perth Glory to Spencer Park, with kick-off at 6pm AEST.
