Thorsnes provided a cool one-on-one finish, after running onto a counter-attacking long ball over the Jets backline, to break a 2-2 half-time deadlock in the round three game.

The Jets lost to Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 last week, after opening with an encouraging 1-1 draw against a star-studded Melbourne City.

Newcastle had fought back from 2-0 down to be level at half-time on Saturday after two late penalties converted by Tara Andrews.

Kaleigh Kurtz was penalised for a foul on Nicki Flannery on the corner of the 18-yard box in the 40^th minute and Karly Roestbakken was judged to have fouled Jenna Kingsley at the top of the area in the 45^th.

Replays showed that Roestbakken was perhaps unlucky to be penalised after Kingsley hit the turf.

Canberra, who were without former Jets striker Katie Stengel because of an ankle injury, had built a deserved lead before the dot shots.

Ashlie Crofts, making her starting debut, tapped in a rebound for 1-0 in the 29^th minute after Roestbakken's long-range shot was tipped onto the crossbar by Jets keeper Claire Coelho.

American Simone Charley, who had been close twice with shots, made it 2-0 in the 32^nd when she slotted past Coelho after Leena Khamis' ball put her in behind the Newcastle defence.

Crofts was wide with a shot in the 36^th minute and Brazilian Camila hit the woodwork in the 44^th for the visitors.

Newcastle had chances in the first half via Flannery, who was wide of goal in the 31st and 33^rd minutes.

In the second half, Flannery, up against her former side, was over the crossbar with a header in the 66^th minute and a shot in the 72^nd as the Jets pushed for the winner.

Libby Copus-Brown was also off target during a promising period for Newcastle.

However, Canberra had threatened as well, mainly through Crofts and Thorsnes, who hit a one-on-one chance in the 50^th minute straight to Coelho.