The Newcastle's W-League finals hopes took a huge hit in a 2-0 loss to Melbourne Victory at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday.
The win elevated Victory to 13 points and third place while the seventh-placed Jets slipped nine points adrift of the top four with five games remaining in the season proper.
It was the second time the two sides had traded blows within a fortnight. When they met in round seven, Victory led 3-0 at half-time before the Jets staged a stunning second-half comeback and managed to close to the scoreline to 3-2 only to end up losing 4-2.
Newcastle coach Ash Wilson had said the Jets were their own worst enemy in that encounter and would have felt a sense of deja vu in the rematch on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors produced a much sharper first-half performance to lead 2-0 at the break. Kayla Morrison scored with a header off Kyra Cooney-Cross's free kick in the eighth minute and Catherine Zimmerman found the back of the net with a close-range effort in the 30th.
Victory put Newcastle under immense pressure and the hosts struggled at times to maintain composure and did not make the most of their possession in the final third.
Wilson made a double substitution at half-time in an attempt to spark a Jets revival - midfielder Chloe O'Brien replaced Alisha Bass and striker Sophie Harding came on for Jemma House, who made her starting debut.
It was an improved second-half performance for the Jets but there was to be no comeback this time around.
The hosts finished with 10 players after midfielder Rhianna Pollicina was red-carded in injury time for a second-yellow card offence. She was booked in the 80th minute then again in the 93rd and will miss their round-10 clash with Adelaide at No.2 Sportsground next Friday night.
House replaced Lauren Allan in the starting 11 and goalkeeper Claire Coelho was back between the posts in place of Nicole Simonsen.
