The two sides went into the clash sharing bottom of the W-League ladder with four points and the same goal differential.

The match remained scoreless at the break after a first half that was played end to end. Newcastle's best chance had come through striker Tara Andrews with a left-footed shot which rattled the bar in the 20^th minute.

It was Andrews who broke the deadlock early in the second half when she scored from the penalty spot in the 52^nd minute. The hosts were awarded a spot kick after Tessa Tamplin's searching ball from the right sideline into the Reds' box was deemed to have been handballed by defender Amber Brooks.

The second goal came through substitute Renee Pountney, in her second appearance back from injury.

Teigan Collister provided the money ball, with her cross from the right finding Pountney unmarked in the box to take a touch then bury the ball into an open goal.

The much-needed win elevated Newcastle to seven points and into seventh spot. they moved ahead of Perth (five points) and within three points of sixth-placed Canberra (10) with two rounds remaining.

It was Newcastle's first clean sheet in 18 W-League appearances and the first win for caretaker coach Ash Wilson.

Striker Lauren Allan retained her place in the starting side to take on the Reds. Midfielder Libby Copus-Brown returned from suspension and Paige Kingston-Hogg was given her W-League starting debut.

Pountney replaced midfielder Clare Wheeler in the 33^rd minute and had a long-range effort saved in the centre of the goals by Reds shot-stopper Sarah Willacy three minutes later.

Wheeler looked set to come off after just seven minutes when she went down with an ankle injury, but she returned to the field five minutes later and played on for another 20 minutes.

The Jets' next outing will be when they host Melbourne Victory at No.2 Sportsground on February 23.