Canberra United have clocked consecutive A-League Women’s wins for the first time in 23 matches with a 5-1 rout at home against Newcastle.

At McKellar Park, the hosts were rarely troubled and struck twice in the opening half-hour, with two delightful assists from winger Nicki Flannery helping United pinch the match-winning break.

The vital win saw United claw their gap to the top four back to two points as they push to return to finals action.

A chipped pass from Flannery allowed poacher Michelle Heyman to open the scoring on 16 minutes before a driven ball found Wu Chengshu for a second 10 minutes later.

Chinese international Wu didn’t know much about her goal but claimed it nonetheless, the ball taking a deflection and clattering into her face before finding the back of the net.

Flannery had a hand in the third goal too, her cross bobbing around in the box before ending with an easy tap-in for Heyman at the back post.

Newcastle’s Tara Andrews had a chance to open the scoring inside five minutes, but an air-swing meant the Jets’ counter-attacking move went to waste.

Lauren Allan also had a great opportunity, but blasted a shot into the side netting from close range shortly before halftime, while Canberra keeper Chloe Lincoln made an outstanding save to deny Allan a goal shortly after United went three ahead.

United centre-back Ellie Brush found a fourth goal late in the piece, turning home a Vesna Milivojevic set-piece on 78 minutes, although Andrews pinched one back for the Jets shortly after.

Milivojevic capped yet another industrious display with a goal in stoppage time, drifting in at the back post to turn home Emma Ilijoski’s cross.

It was another blow for the Jets, now having lost five of their past six games.

In scoring for a second straight game, Heyman took her tally to five goals for the season with the A-League Women’s all-time leading scorer continuing her hot form.

By Alex Mitchell in Canberra