Monthly Archives: July 2017

Hamilton Olympic v Valentine Phoenix
2.30pm Sunday 30^th July at Darling Street Oval

Last Meeting: Round 9, 2017: Valentine 1 Hamilton 1 at Cahill Oval.
Ladder: Hamilton 3^rd (34pts), Valentine 4^th (32)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Hamilton – Won Bears 3-0 (a), Won Eagles 1-0 (h), Won Blues 2-1 (a)
Valentine – Drew Magpies 2-2 (h), Won Jets 3-2 (h), Lost Rosebud 2-4 (a)

Bottom Line

This weekend’s ‘Match of the Round’ is the highlight of a critical week of football in the PS4 NPL NNSW, as finals hopes go on the line in the biggest weekend of action so far, this season.

Hamilton are humming along beautifully and are undefeated in six matches. Olympic have won five of those six, including four straight and have gone from being on the fringe of the top four to well and truly inside it now.

Last weekend, Hamilton did what they have been unable to do for the last two seasons – back up a win against Edgeworth with three points the following week. On Sunday, against Weston they did exactly that, winning 3-0 and moving into third position, jumping above Valentine in the process.

Olympics’ recent form means a slip-up on Sunday won’t be fatal to their finals hopes, but it may just put a spanner in the works. With the top four cut-off expected to be around 36 points, Olympic really only need one win from their last three matches to be safe.

However, for their opponents Valentine losing is no option – with a clash in round 21 with Edgeworth following their meeting with Olympic on Sunday.

The Phoenix did brilliantly well to snatch a point from their last start against Maitland where they went down to ten men after Josh Carroll was sent off just after half-time.

Valentine then conceded and were down 2-1, but Jalon Brown stepped up as he has done so often this season and scored a wonderful goal to ensure a share of the points.

Valentine sit on 32 points, just two points ahead of fifth placed Broadmeadow Magic, who play Maitland at the same time, and really need at least four points from their three matches.

A point will be a pass mark for Valentine on Sunday and keep their finals hopes alive, but defeat and the Phoenix will face an uphill struggle.

What the Coaches Said:

Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“They [Valentine] have had a really good year. They have got class up the front in Jalon Brown, obviously, we’ve got to shut service down to him. They just work hard all over the park for each other and are a really good team unit. They won’t get as much space, obviously on our small ground as what they had out on their ground. I think they’ve done really well on their ground this year. They have probably only lost once on their ground all year.”

“The shape we are playing at the moment, we have done really well defensively the last couple of weeks. Two clean sheets in a row. I think we’d only kept one clean sheet the whole time since we lost Danny Ireland. Defensively we are starting to work really well as a unit. We are going to create plenty of chances, but as long as we keep our defensive structure in place I think we’ll do well on Sunday.”

Darren Sills (Valentine)

“At the end of the day, we play two teams that are above us [Hamilton and Edgeworth]. If we want to be in semi-final contention and we want to be playing semi-final football we have to beat them because even if results go our way and we don’t win games, that’s not the sort of form you want to have going into the semi-finals.”

“They [Hamilton] are in good form. Two clean sheets in two weeks. A great result against Edgeworth and they backed it up with a solid win against Weston and they are back on their home turf and they are statistically very, very difficult to beat there.”

Key: Hamilton haven’t conceded in their last two-and-a-half matches. Can Valentine find the key to unlock Olympics’ watertight defence?

U20s Hamilton Olympic – Valentine Sunday 30^th July kick off 12.30 pm Darling St Oval

U18s Hamilton Olympic – Valentine Sunday 30^th  July kick off 10.45am Darling St Oval

NPL YOUTH: ROUND 20

U13s Olympic vs Adamstown Saturday 29^th  July kick off 10.00 am at Darling St Oval

U14s Olympic vs Adamstown Saturday 29^th  July kick off 11.30 am at Darling St Oval

U15s Olympic vs Adamstown Saturday 29^th  July kick off 1.00 pm at Darling St Oval

U16s Olympic vs Adamstown Saturday 29^th  July kick off 2.30 pm at Darling St Oval

IN OTHER GAMES:

Edgeworth Eagles v Weston Bears
2.30pm Saturday 29^th July at Jack McLaughlan Oval

Last Meeting: Round 9, 2017: Weston 1 Edgeworth 2 at Rockwell Automation Park.
Ladder: Edgeworth 2^nd (36), Weston 11^th (7)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Edgeworth – Won Blues 3-1 (a), Lost Olympic 0-1 (a), Won Jets 4-1 (h)
Weston – Lost Jets 0-1 (a), Lost Magpies 2-3 (h), Lost Rosebud 0-2 (h)

Bottom Line

With the minor premiership race heating up, this match is a crucial one for the Eagles, with a game in hand on the Jaffas, who they are level on points with currently.

With the Westfield FFA Cup heartbreak during the week, this match can bring out two reactions from the Eagles. One of greater drive and determination after the gutting defeat, or a flat performance after the emotion of the Cup.

The Eagles conceded a final minute goal to South Melbourne on Wednesday to lose 1-0, after impressing for much of the match.

In the PS4 NPL NNSW the Eagles bounced back last weekend from their defeat to Hamilton, with a 3-1 victory over Charlestown under lights at Lisle Carr Oval.

The return to form of striker Keigo Moriyasu – who scored just his second goal since round three – was pleasing for coach Damian Zane and he could be just the spark Edgeworth need in this run into the finals.

Weston make their first trip away from Rockwell Automation Park in more than a month after four straight home matches which yielded little for them in the way of competition points.

The Bears come into the match on an eight-game losing streak – not an ideal run when you face the two-time major and minor premiers.

But, the Bears have shown plenty of fight and desire over the last three matches, with tight defeats to Maitland and the Jets Youth followed by a 3-0 defeat last weekend to a Hamilton side who have really hit their stride.

With so much to play for Edgeworth will be hot favourites to make it five wins in a row against the Bears. Stats don’t lie and Edgeworth are very hard to beat at home – losing just twice in the last two seasons there.

What the Coaches Said:

Steve Piggott (Weston)

“There were a lot of players who got pushed off the ball [against Hamilton]. I’d say about 70% of our team got muscled off the ball at least once or twice. Ignacia Giampaoli, he got substituted at half-time. He had to come off with a busted shoulder. Millsteed who took his place got smashed off the ball about eight times, maybe more. They are just too strong, physically too good for us.”

“I said [after the match] go and watch BarTV, tell me how many times you got pushed off the ball. Then tell me if you have got a solution to it. Go to the gym with Michael Holt and see if you can work on some things. Short term, what do we do? Apart from me telling them plant your feet when you come to the ball, stop get your arms out and put all your weight on your heels and stop getting pushed off the ball. I can’t do that for the individuals, I can only tell them and show them how to keep the ball. If you haven’t got any physical strength and get outmuscled, how am I meant to help them?”

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“It’s just been made a bit tougher with Dom [Bizzarri] pulling out of the Cup game, so it means Adam [Cawley] comes into the starting line-up, so he would have been fresh on Saturday. Keigo [Moriyasu] and Will Bower will come off the bench [in the cup]. Depending how Josh [Evans] pulls up Aaron Oppedisano may play on Saturday.”

“A lot depends on the spirit we are in. If we get a win in the cup and are in good spirits, I think we’ll knuckle down and get the job done. Everyone is just sort of talking as if we’ve just got to rock up on Saturday and we get the points. We’ll be fatigued, there is no doubt about it, so we’ll just have to switch on and have a really good mental attitude towards the game.”

 Key: Can the Eagles recover quickly and get back on the horse after their Cup heartbreak?

 

Adamstown Rosebud v Charlestown City Blues
2.30pm Saturday 29^th July at Adamstown Oval

Last Meeting: Round 9, 2017: Charlestown 2 Adamstown 2 at Adamstown Oval.
Ladder: Adamstown 10^th (13), Charlestown 8^th (16)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Adamstown – Lost Jaffas 1-6 (a), Lost Magic 0-3 (a), Lost Roosters 1-3 (a)
Charlestown – Lost Eagles 1-3 (h), Drew Jaffas 2-2 (a), Lost Olympic 1-2 (h)

Bottom Line

Old Boy’s Day couldn’t have come at a better time for Adamstown after they hit rock-bottom last weekend in a 6-1 hiding they received from a Lambton Jaffas side with a point to prove.

The Old Boys could provide just the inspiration Adamstown need, who after winning two straight against Weston and Valentine, have now lost three on the bounce and are in danger of an ignominious end to an already forgettable campaign.

After leaking goals in the first half of matches against Valentine and Lake Macquarie, the Rosebuds have been better in the first 45 against both Broadmeadow and Lambton.

In both fixtures, Adamstown have held firm for more than 35 minutes, but goals just before the break in both have crippled their chances.

Maybe a return to Adamstown Oval, for the first time since their dramatic comeback against Valentine, could potentially spark the home side.

While Charlestown have had little to show for it on the ladder in their last five matches, the side mixed with youth and experience which Shane Pryce has put on the park recently has stood up to the plate.

They have faced the top three sides in their past three matches and in all three the Blues took an early lead, only to be pegged back.

It has been in the second half of matches recently where Charlestown have struggled to keep pace with the top sides, conceding all seven goals in their last three matches in the final 45 minutes.

Old Boys’ Day is sure to lift Adamstown, but based on recent form the Blues are favourites heading into Saturday’s clash. They will be out to demonstrate that their solid showings against the top three were no fluke, with a win over the struggling Rosebuds.

What the Coaches Said:

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“We need any type of motivation we can get. They are just scraping through to the end. Let’s hope the Old Boys’ Day gives them something to play for. That’s the challenge every week to just try and get them up so they don’t drop their heads like they did against Lambton last week. It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do to be honest. I knew that going into it, I probably didn’t realise how hard it was going to be, but it’s been a great opportunity.”

“I actually think they have shown enormous courage in the last month. I think Prycy [Shane Pryce] will be really proud of what he has achieved to be quite honest especially in the last month with all the turmoil going on before it, and people backstabbing and all that. It’s not a nice environment to coach in for him, no doubt and he has done really well and can hold his head up high. That’s what we’ve got to do, we’ve got to match them for that first 50 minutes.”

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“It’s [conceding second half goals] been mainly because we’ve had to make changes. People have either got injured or had to come off, experienced players and that has probably hurt us a bit I suppose. I don’t think it’s a fitness thing or even probably to a point a mental thing. Circumstances in games have changed and we’ve had to change people around in different positions or bring on some young guys who are new to the first-grade experiences and the smarter and clever players finish over the top of us.”

“I can’t fault attitude and effort from the players at the club and also the opportunity that has been given to some younger players who haven’t let me down or their teammates down or the club. I’m really impressed that way.”

Key: Can Adamstown show some pride on Old Boys’ Day or will the Blues spoil the party?

 

Maitland Magpies v Broadmeadow Magic
2.30pm Sunday 30^th July at Cooks Square Park

Last Meeting: Round 9, 2017: Broadmeadow 0 Maitland 7 at Magic Park.
Ladder: Maitland 6^th (28), Broadmeadow 5^th (30)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Maitland – Won Roosters 4-0 (a), Drew Phoenix 2-2 (a), Won Bears 3-2 (a)
Broadmeadow – Won Rosebud 3-0 (h), Won Jaffas 3-1 (h), Won Blues 2-0 (h)

Bottom Line

This clash at Cooks Square Park on Sunday may not have ‘Match of the Round’ billing, but it is of equal importance to Hamilton’s clash with Valentine at the same time.

The equation is simple. Win and finals are still a chance, anything else and it becomes an uphill battle to a top four place.

Everyone expects this one to be tight, just as many felt the round nine encounter between the two sides would be. But, what happened that afternoon at Magic Park is still something many are trying to comprehend – a 7-0 thumping of Broadmeadow on their home turf.

Since that stunning defeat, Magic have lost just two of their nine PS4 NPL matches since and are on a six-game unbeaten run.

Eighth after the Maitland defeat, Magic have risen to fifth and sit just two points outside the top four. With victory on Sunday, and a Valentine defeat, or draw at Hamilton, and Broadmeadow will be in the four.

One side that will be doing their utmost to stop that occurring is Maitland who seemed to struggle after that huge win against Magic. They lost two straight, and didn’t win in three matches as they dropped from second to fifth and now sit in sixth.

However, a thumping 6-1 victory against the Jets Youth in round 14 turned Maitland’s season around and they have now gone unbeaten in five of their last six, winning three.

Matt Thompson returns from suspension for the Magpies which is a huge inclusion to the side who cruised to a 4-0 victory last weekend against Lake Macquarie.

With Ryan Clarke, Matt Comerford and Josh Dutton-Black all looking good of late, Magic will have their work cut-out.

Mitch Oxborrow may play for Magic in his final match before moving to A-League club Brisbane Roar and his influence will be key.

It’s a match which can’t be split. Two sides with quality all over the park.

What the Coaches Said:

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“I’d rather not be in this position, but we’ve got to do it. We want to be playing finals football so we might as well start now in a way. There is a job to be done, so let’s go and do it. They [Magic] are in a mean streak of form, six on the trot in the league and a good run in the FFA Cup. Since we beat them in the first round that could have been forgiven for falling in a heap, but they’ve really got themselves together and regrouped and done really, really well.”

“All credit to Ruben and his boys for getting where they are, because at that stage [after the 7-0 defeat] you thought their season may just be written off. We know they are dangerous, we know that in the earlier game just about everything went right for us and everything went wrong for them. We know it won’t be the same way again, it’ll be a real tussle, so we’ve got to be ready for it.”

Ruben Zadkovich (Broadmeadow)

“[Maitland are a] quality team. Hot and cold, but when they are hot they are real hot. We witnessed that first hand in the first round. We were obviously really poor that game and did some silly things, and not much went our way. But, I think they are a good quality team. They have got a few boys that can definitely hurt you. The likes of Thommo [Matt Thompson] and Clarkey [Ryan Clarke] and Commo [Matt Comerford]. They are just high quality players. They are a good side.”

“At the moment Mitchy [Oxborrow] will be probably back this weekend, but I’m not 100% sure if we’ll play him because we’ve got to look towards the future. I’ve got to talk to Brisbane [Roar] about where he is at and what they want from him. He’s not going to be a guaranteed starter and if he is playing then it definitely will be his last game. He definitely won’t play in the FFA Cup match [against Moreton Bay] because we want him to be available for Brisbane [in the FFA Cup] and that’s just an example of the club putting player’s futures and careers ahead of our own ambitions, because we know it’s important for Mitch to start well at Brisbane.”

Key: Can Magic’s defence, which has conceded just once in their last four matches stand tall against Maitland lethal attacking arsenal?

 

Newcastle Jets Youth v Lake Macquarie Roosters
8pm Tuesday 18^th July at Macquarie Field 

Newcastle Jets Youth 5 (Hayes 12’, Joice 17’, Jennings 37’, Moric 69’, Kelly (og) 90+1’) defeated Lake Macquarie Roosters 0 at Macquarie Field.

*Match played earlier due to Jets’ Weifang Cup commitments.

source: sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic FC would like to sincerely thanks all parents, players and supporters who attended our Annual Trivia Night last Friday night. A huge crowd of 260 participants had a wonderful time, not only contributing in all the rounds and activities, but also socialising with other Olympic people.

A special thanks to our sponsors who donated such lovely gifts, to all the ladies who spent so much time organising, and finally to the Greek Community for allowing the club to utilise the facilities. Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 Trivia, the Alex Tagaroulias table.

Regards

Con Gounis

Secretary HOFC

 Hamilton Olympic 3 (Smith 10’, Papas 41’, M.Swan 84’) defeated Weston Bears 0 at Rockwell Automation Park.

Weston’s wretched run of results continued on Sunday afternoon as the Bears lost their eighth PS4 NPL NNSW match in a row to Hamilton Olympic.

Scott Smith returned to the starting side for Olympic and returned to the scoresheet, while Reece Papas scored his first goal of the season, and substitute Matt Swan snagged his second goal of 2017.

Smith got the ball rolling for Olympic inside ten minutes when Daniel Bird squared a pass from the right to the striker at the top of the box.

Smith struck his shot low and through traffic, making it difficult for Weston keeper Kane Runge as Hamilton opened the scoring.

Bird was provider once more as Papas got on the scoresheet. From a similar position to the opening goal, Bird cut a ball back to Papas from the right edge. Papas shot low and hard, across goal to make it 2-0.

Matt Swan sealed the result in the 84^th minute when Papas turned provider. The recent signing chipped a neat pass through the Bears’ defence and Matt Swan drove home on the volley to put some icing on the cake for Olympic and cement their spot in the top four.

To back up last weekend’s win over Edgeworth was the most pleasing aspect of the result for Hamilton coach Mick Bolch, who said the match reached “no great heights”.

“They did what they needed to do. It was tough conditions; the ground was really bumpy and it was really windy up there.

“It became a bit of an arm-wrestle for a while in the second-half. We were pretty comfortable, but they made it difficult. They put themselves about and they tried really hard. But, I think the experience showed at the end of the day.

“They have got a team of young kids who were more than willing and chased all day. Tyler Warren made some good saves, they had a couple of good strikes from just outside the box, but I think the experiences showed, we were a little bit stronger in the individual battles.”

Weston coach Steve Piggott said his side were physically outplayed.

“We played ok in patches. We certainly had more scoring opportunities than we did in the last month which was good, but no finishes. We hit the bar twice, again we’ve got to take those opportunities, they are few and far between.

“We were just pushed off the ball, outmuscled, dived in a few times and got punished for it. They were just too strong physically.”

Under 20s Olympic won 2-1
Under 18s Olympic won 2-0

NPL Youth
Olympic vs North Coast Football
Under 15s Olympic won 2-0
Under 14s Olympic won 3-0
Under 13s drew 2-2

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Merewether Advance Senior FC
1st Grade drew 2-2
2nd Grade Merewether won 0-1

NET results
Under 12s Olympic defeated Kahibah 6-0
Under 11s Olympic defeated Cooks Hill 3-1
Under 10s Olympic defeated Cooks Hill 5-2

Olympic Junior Results
Under 16a Olympic defeated by Kotara 1-3
Under 15a Olympic drew with Lambton Jaffas 2-2
Under 13a Olympic defeated by Kahibah 0-3
Under 12b Olympic drew with Valentine 0-0

 

Maitland Magpies 4 (L.Thornton 30’, Clarke 46’, OG 71’, Comerford 72’) defeated Lake Macquarie Roosters 0 at Macquarie Field.

Maitland kept their finals hopes flickering in the ‘Match of the Round’ with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over seventh placed Lake Macquarie. The win set up their round 20 fixture with Broadmeadow Magic as a finals-like match-up with the loser unlikely to feature in the playoffs.

However, the big story out of the afternoon was the news that Roosters coach Anthony Richards announced to his player’s post-match that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

Richards said it was a difficult decision.

“I just told the boys that I won’t be here next year. I’m going to move on to maybe somewhere else. I didn’t tell them before the game, I told them after the game. These guys and terrific, they’ll do everything for me so it’s a tough call to go,” Richards said post-match.

“The boys are a little upset, as I am. Unfortunately, that is going to happen.”

On the park, Liam Thornton opening the scoring for Maitland on the half-hour mark, when he looped his header over Roosters keeper Benn Kelly after a Josh Dutton-Black free-kick from the right edge.

It was Thornton’s second chance of the afternoon, after his previous header hit the crossbar and bounced away.

The Magpies took their slim lead into the break and were given a gift when they returned courtesy of Lake Macquarie who turned it over at the back to Chris Fayers who set up Ryan Clarke to stroke it home.

The Roosters then got a foothold into the match, with Sam Walker and Tom Sparre causing problems for the Maitland defence.

But, in the 68^th minute Lake Macquarie’s resurgence was brought to an abrupt halt when Benn Kelly took on the Magpies with the ball at his feet.

It’s was a comedy of errors from the experienced keeper who slipped over after receiving a back pass, got back to his feet, took on Matt Sokulski, turned over the ball and then dived at the feet of the Maitland midfielder, bringing him to ground in the box.

Kelly was sent off and Lakes hopes were dashed. The errors then continued in the ensuing penalty, with Matt Comerford striking it hard and straight and reserve keeper Kannon Ford who stood his ground.

He saved the penalty and then fumbled the ball, before the Magpies scrambled the ball over the line to make it 3-0.

There was nothing lucky about Maitland‘s fourth, with Matt Comerford showing off his dazzling speed and skill. He ran from inside his own half, darting past several yellow shirts and into the Roosters penalty box to slide in the Magpies’ fourth of the afternoon.

Maitland, spoiling Old Boys Day while setting up a showdown with Broadmeadow next weekend as they look to keep the finals dream alive.

Magpies Coach Phil Dando said he was pleased with a “good professional performance.”

“We struggled a bit early on, we found it hard on a difficult pitch. They were looking to atone from a heavy defeat the other night.

“They [Lakes] played it long and put us under pressure, but we got the goal in the first half and we said we need to go on with it. All credit to the guys, we really did do well in difficult circumstances.”

 

Lambton Jaffas 6 (Griffiths (p) 36’, Remington 45+1’, 74’ Brown 47’, 48’, 66’) defeated Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Hunter) at Arthur Edden Oval.

 After weeks of up and down performances, Lambton Jaffas returned to form in style with a 6-1 crushing defeat of strugglers Adamstown Rosebud.

Pat Brown scored his first hat-trick since 2015, Luke Remington scored a double and Joel Griffiths converted a penalty to lead Lambton to just their second victory this month.

The Jaffas took a while to get on the scoreboard, but when they did, they rammed home the advantage.

Rosebud keeper Riley Hill felled Ryan Griffiths in the box to give Lambton a chance to open the scoring from the spot. Joel Griffiths, making it count with the easiest of penalties, rolling it into the bottom right corner.

Just before the break Lambton struck a hammer blow when Luke Remington stepped past defenders and curled a shot into the left corner from the top of the ‘D’.

It seemed Remington’s strike before the break had deflated the Rosebuds when they returned as Pat Brown put the game beyond doubt with two goals within three minutes of the resumption.

The first came after Adamstown failed to clear their lines. Michael Kantarovski chipped a neat ball over the top of the Rosebuds defence and Brown guided it past Hill to make it 3-0.

The second came less than a minute later when the Rosebuds turned the ball over from the kick-off, Joel Griffiths threaded the needle for Brown and he rounded Hill and slotted home his second.

Brown sealed his hat-trick in the 66^th minute after Ben Hay curled a free-kick onto the head of the tall striker he powered the ball into the net.

Luke Remington made it 6-0 in the 74^th minute when a Dain Greentree pass sent him one-on-one with Hill and he chipped a controlled finish to rub salt into the Adamstown wounds.

Mitch Hunter gave the visiting fans something to cheer about in the 78^th minute when he headed home a near-post cross. But, it was a harrowing day for Adamstown as they slumped to a third straight defeat.

It was a good three points to put in the bank for Lambton coach James Pascoe.

“It was a good performance. It was one of those weeks where up to match morning we didn’t know which match 11 would be available to play. We managed to be really comfortable in the end so it was a good day in the end.”

“It’s fair to say we need to keep the winning perspective. I thought Adamstown started the game ok, but when Remo [Luke Remington] scored the goal on the stroke of half-time, it took the wind out of their sails and it looked like a couple of their boys had clocked off a little bit.

“We keep it in perspective, it was a good result and it could have potentially been an even bigger score line. They looked like a team that thought their season was over already.”

Rosebud coach Nick Webb said the uncertainty of coaches at the club was starting to take its toll on performances.

“Trying to lift them is hard. We did quite well for 35 minutes, and then when we conceded the penalty the heads went down and that was the end.

“The extra five percent you expect out of players just isn’t there because most of them are thinking of next year and where they are going to play and not concentrating on what’s in front of them.”

 

Edgeworth Eagles 3 (Sanders 61’, Moriyasu 78’, Moore 84’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 1 (Purcell 31’) at Lisle Carr Oval.

Three goals in the final 30 minutes ensured Edgeworth regained the ascendency in the minor premiership race with three matches to play.

The Eagles trailed just after the half-hour mark after Jarrod Purcell scored for the Blues, but second half strikes to Kieran Sanders, Keigo Moriyasu and Keanu Moore led Edgeworth to all three points.

Edgeworth had the first opportunity to open the scoring when Ayden Brice was bumped to ground in the box by Rene Ferguson. The tall right-back stepped up to take the spot-kick, but was denied by the outstretched boot of Blues keeper Nathan Archbold.

Five minutes later Ferguson sped down the left edge before playing Purcell in on goal in the 31^st minute, who rolled his shot over a diving Nate Cavaliere and into goal to give Charlestown a shock lead.

The Blues took their 1-0 advantage into the sheds and when they returned it seemed like they would cause a huge upset. Enter Keigo Moriyasu.

The Japanese sensation, who has had a difficult time of late, burnt the Blues down the right and squared a ball to Sanders on the penalty spot who guided it into the right corner.

From there, Moriyasu’s confidence grew. This time it would be Sanders providing for Moriyasu, as the Englishman knocked a pass down the left. Moriyasu stepped onto his right foot and curled his shot inside the far post of Archbold.

Keanu Moore then sealed the win, with his first goal in Eagles colours this season. The fleet-footed midfielder turned defenders inside and out, before rolling a calm left foot finish into goal with the assistance of the right post.

The Eagles relieved to get the three points and keep pole position in the minor premiership race and give them confidence heading into the Westfield FFA Cup where they play South Melbourne on Wednesday night.

Eagles coach Damian Zane felt the win moves them a step closer towards the minor premiership.

“We were on top the whole time, bar probably ten minutes after they scored to be honest,” Zane said.

“They scored a nice goal and for that next ten minutes they were pretty upbeat, but second half I just said don’t lose patience, do our defensive job and we will win.”

Zane was pleased with the performance of Moriyasu who returned to form.

“He trained well this week and he was great. He’s going to be big for us coming home and I feel he is going to have a big finish to the year.”

Blues coach Shane Pryce couldn’t knock the performance of his side.

“Again, the players put up a good fight and a good effort. I think we worried them for a bit, making them chase the game for a bit. But, in the end obviously, class rises to the top and they were just that much better than us last night.

He sounded out keeper Nathan Archbold for special praise.

“Archie, he’s pulled off another couple of saves. Over the last four to six weeks he has been a consistent high performer. I’ve been more impressed with him this year.

“He along with Josh Maguire have been our best this season.”

 

Source: sportstg.com

Weston Bears v Hamilton Olympic
2.30pm Sunday 23^rd July at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Round 8, 2017: Hamilton 2 Weston 0 at Darling Street Oval.
Ladder: Weston 11^th (7), Hamilton 4^th (31)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Hamilton – Won Eagles 1-0 (h), Won Blues 2-1 (a), Won Jets 2-1 (a)
Weston – Lost Jets 0-1 (a), Lost Magpies 2-3 (h), Lost Rosebud 0-2 (h)

Bottom Line

If the wooden spoon is to be avoided by the Bears, it is becoming must-win territory after last weekend’s tight defeat to the Jets Youth.

Weston deserved to hold their heads up high last Tuesday when they harassed and harried the Newcastle Jets A-League side at Weston.

It seemed that performance would be the catalyst for them to get some victories and climb off the bottom of the table in their remaining five matches.

But, again on the weekend the Bears couldn’t quite do the job against the Jets Youth. An unfortunate own goal scored by Jordan Jackson put them behind the eight ball early and they just couldn’t find a route back into the match.

This weekend a strong and physical Hamilton side are in town, brimming with confidence after a victory over Edgeworth last weekend. It will be another tough test for the young Bears.

While Olympic haven’t been at their best this season, three points have been achieved with monotonous regularity through the back half of the season.

Hamilton have lost just one of their last 12 and now incredibly sit just two points off top spot.

Michael Bolch got his wish and Olympic were flying heavily undetected, under the radar. That was until last weekend.

This weekend, the spotlight is back on Olympic. But, the margins are so tight. With three points separating first from fifth, winning is essential if Hamilton want to sure up their spot in the finals.

Hamilton have to be favourites, but Weston at home are always a tricky proposition.

What the Coaches Said:

Steve Piggott (Weston)

“We played them last time, it was a lot closer than what people might think. They scored a penalty, we gave them a goal, I think Greg Anderson was in both of those situations. Passed back to the goalie from three yards out and Kane Goodchild tapped it in. We self-destructed there. But, again we’ve got to stop them dominating.”

“Reece Papas has got good feet and good vision. The Swan boys have been on fire for them. They did a bit of a job on the weekend. They are a good team and probably a little more buoyant from their 1-0 victory over Edgeworth. They’ve got everything to play for, we’ll be looking to keep our form coming back into this week’s match and look for a point again.”

Michael Bolch (Hamilton)

“They [Weston] are a good young side. Steve [Piggott] is redeveloping up there and while they haven’t won a great deal of games, they have been competitive in every game they’ve played. These games are dangers for us. If you go back the last three years and we have beaten Edgeworth at this time of the year in the last three years and then you’ll find the next game we drop points straight away.”

“From the last couple of years, we’ve been on that big of a high after beating and going top of the league we’ve probably lost a bit of focus on the next game coming up. Our biggest thing this weekend is making sure we are mentally up for the game. I’m sure a few boys are looking to see where they [Weston] are on the table and that’s the complacency that sets it. We’ve just got to harp on it all week, about how important the game is.”

Key: The last two seasons Hamilton haven’t backed up victories over Edgeworth with three points the week after. Can they buck that trend on Sunday?

U20s Weston – Hamilton Olympic Sunday 23^rd  July kick off 12.30 am Rockwell Automation

U18s Weston – Hamilton Olympic Sunday 23^rd  July kick off 10.45 am Rockwell Automation

NPL YOUTH: ROUND 18

U13s North Coast Football vs Olympic Sunday 23^rd July kick off 1.00 pm at Coffs Sport & Leisure Park

U14s North Coast Football vs Olympic Sunday 23^rd July kick off 3.00 pm at Coffs Sport & Leisure Park

IN OTHER GAMES:

Lake Macquarie Roosters v Maitland Magpies
2.30pm Sunday 23^rd July at Macquarie Field

Last Meeting: Round 8, 2017: Maitland 1 Lakes 0 at Cooks Square Park.
Ladder: Lakes 7^th (22), Maitland 6^th (25)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Maitland – Drew Phoenix 2-2 (a), Won Bears 3-2 (a), Lost Eagles 1-2 (h)
Lakes – Lost Jets 0-5 (a), Won Rosebud 3-1 (h), Won Blues 2-0 (h)

Bottom Line

It’s a case of last chance saloon for the Magpies this weekend, with anything less than a victory against the Roosters extinguishing their hopes of a finals appearance.

Last weekend, a frustrating draw with a ten-man Valentine increased the gap between Maitland and the top four to six points.

It’s been a difficult period for the Magpies, who since beating Broadmeadow 7-0 in round nine, have won just three of their eight matches since.

After that victory, Maitland sat second on the ladder and it has been a downward slide ever since, as they have slipped to sixth.

Lake Macquarie will celebrate Old Boy’s Day on Sunday and will be keen for a victory to send both their past and present players home in good spirits.

The Roosters had the bye last weekend before meeting the Jets Youth on Tuesday night, where they were dismantled 5-0.

However, before the weekend off the Roosters had an improved run of form, following a mid-season slump.

They won just one of eight matches through the middle portion of the season and experienced a similar slide on the ladder to the Magpies. After four rounds, Lakes were first, but now sit seventh.

Lakes then won two straight, including a 3-1 victory over Adamstown Rosebud where they rocketed out of the blocks to lead 3-0 inside the opening 31 minutes, before the defeat to the Jets.

With their season on the line, Maitland are expected to win on Sunday, but on Old Boy’s Day and with striker Sam Walker re-discovering his early season form in recent weeks, the Roosters will push the Magpies all the way.

What the Coaches Said:

Anthony Richards (Lakes)

“We’ve just got to make sure we don’t give them opportunities to run at us. We’ve got to cut them down before they wind up, not illegally, but, get tight on them so they don’t get that free space. That’ll be our plan to try and limit the amount of free space that they get. You can’t do it for 100% of the game and eventually those guys get free and they are dangerous.”

“Not a lot to be honest [changed during our two wins]. We are taking our chances which is taking a bit of pressure off us defensively. Once we are taking our chances it is helping us. It’s not just Sam Walker scoring goals either. Tommy Sparre and Justin Broadley is back in the team and playing.”

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“You just have to go about your business as normal and let everything take care of itself. You can’t go out and say we absolutely must win this, because I think it puts too much pressure on you. You just have to go and do the best you can and hopefully it’s good enough. I keep saying, I keep telling them, on our day our football is as good as anyone going around. Hopefully we do enough to get the right result.”

“They [Lakes] were well organised and they are an enthusiastic side who look to play football. They are looking to do all the right things, and are tough to break down. We only beat them 1-0 and we pinched a ball and broke away and scored the goal. It’s going to be tense as it was in the first game.”

Key: It’s do or die. Can Maitland keep their season alive?

Lambton Jaffas v Adamstown Rosebud
2.30pm Saturday 22^nd July at Arthur Edden Oval

Last Meeting: FFA Cup, Round 5, 2017: Adamstown 0 Lambton 1 at Adamstown Oval.
Ladder: Lambton 2^nd (33), Adamstown 9^th (13)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Lambton – Drew Blues 2-2 (h), Lost Magic 1-3 (a), Won Roosters 3-1 (h)
Adamstown – Lost Magic 0-3 (a), Lost Roosters 1-3 (a), Won Phoenix 4-2 (h)

Bottom Line

A spluttering Lambton Jaffas side meet Adamstown Rosebud in the opening match of round 19 of the PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW this Saturday.

The Jaffas have lost form just at the wrong time of their campaign, and they have won just one of their last four to fall from top spot on the ladder and lose the initiative in the race for the minor premiership.

Injuries crippled Lambton on the weekend against Charlestown including Joel Griffiths (calf), Luke Remington (hip flexor), Nathan Morris (knee) and Pat Brown (elbow).

The injuries forced Lambton to play the final minutes with just ten men, and adds to the already injured Jobe Wheelhouse (ankle) on the sidelines.

Wheelhouse has proved to be a significant loss for Lambton who have won just two of five in his absence.

Their opponents Adamstown seemed to be heading in the right direction after consecutive victories over Weston and Valentine.

However, in recent weeks, defeats to Lake Macquarie where they didn’t show up in the opening half-hour and a 3-0 loss to Broadmeadow last weekend have stalled their progress.

Like Lambton, the loss of key players Alex Read, Dayne Pawlik and Justin Tannock didn’t help the Rosebuds cause against Magic.

With Lambton looking so comfortable for much of the season, what hasn’t been discussed is the chance of the slipping out of the top four.

Defeat on Saturday opens the door to that possibility, which would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago.

What the Coaches Said:

James Pascoe (Lambton)

“Last week for the third time this year, we cleared the bench by about the hour mark and had to because of injury and then picked up a fourth injury after that, so we were down to ten men for the last 25 minutes.

“But, regardless don’t use that as an excuse in any way shape or form. People still have to adjust to different roles if they are asked to do that. We put bits and pieces of good performances together across the last two or three weeks, but we haven’t quite put together a strong 45 minutes in either half, so that is what we are looking for this weekend.”

“All I asked the boys to do is to concentrate, to work as hard as they can and to look forward, don’t look backwards. As far as I’m concerned after Edgeworth dropped those three points last week, we are playing for the minor premiership, we are not playing for survival in the top four. That has to be our mind-set. It’s the mind-set of people that want to be successful and we certainly want to be that, so that’s how we will be approaching things.”

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“[Lambton] are obviously up there and on their day they are as good as any team. We’ve just got to match them in the enthusiasm I think. I still truly believe that we were unlucky against Magic. Ruben [Zadkovich] can say what he likes but, the truth is we had two cleared of the line and should have scored in the first five minutes and then it’s a different ball game. But, you’ve got to score goals to win and that’s what you’ve got to do. They scored some good goals and Kale [Bradbury] obviously changed that game for them.”

“We aren’t that bad, we just need a bit of luck at the minute. To be honest they were really disappointed after the game. That was the first time I saw a real desire to win [on the weekend]. They were disappointed not to get something out of it. We’ve got to take that confidence, because it wasn’t a bad performance, into Jaffas.”

 Key: Can Lambton find some much-needed form, confidence and come out of the clash injury-free?

Charlestown City Blues v Edgeworth Eagles
6pm Saturday 22^nd July at Lisle Carr Oval

Last Meeting: Round 8, 2017: Edgeworth 2 Charlestown 0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.
Ladder: Charlestown 8^th (16), Edgeworth 1^st (33)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Charlestown – Drew Jaffas 2-2 (a), Lost Olympic 1-2 (h), Lost Roosters 0-2 (a)
Edgeworth – Lost Olympic 0-1 (a), Won Jets 4-1 (h), Won Magpies 2-1 (a)

Bottom Line

Edgeworth will be aiming to return to the winner’s circle and keep ahead in the minor premiership race when they face Charlestown in the first Saturday evening fixture since April.

Last weekend Edgeworth were ground down by Hamilton, who simply gave them no room to work with on the small Darling Street pitch.

The Eagles chances were few and far between and the only goal came courtesy of a penalty from the boot of Kane Goodchild.

The fixture is the beginning of what will be a busy week for the Eagles, who play three matches.

After the match with Charlestown, they will play South Melbourne in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 in Melbourne, before meeting Weston at home next Saturday.

While Edgeworth have a busy end to the season, Charlestown have a relative light one by comparison. The Blues have just three matches left this season, with finals now mathematically impossible.

They have showed grit and determination against top four sides in their last two matches, going down 2-1 to Hamilton in round 17, before last weekend sharing the points with Lambton Jaffas.

Blues striker Rene Ferguson is having a season to remember, finding the back of the net ten times this season, and has scored in his last two matches.

Ferguson sits just two goals off the top of the Golden Boot standings and is every chance of reaching top spot by season’s end.

Ferguson will no doubt cause problems for an Edgeworth side who will be keen to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment. With that in mind they head into the clash as strong favourites.

What the Coaches Said:

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“I was ecstatic [after the Lambton result last weekend]. We were playing obviously, the leaders at the time and the players were immense on the day for me. Playing the leaders away from home and we went out and took the game to them and I was proud of the effort.”

“Obviously, with the change that is coming there is still uncertainty for some players. I think when something like that happens with so long to go, it’s easy just to throw your hands up in the air and say, ‘what the hell’ or ‘why are we still doing this’ so to speak with not making the semis or being a chance. Full credit to the guys who are turning up to training and turning up to play on the weekend and giving it there all. I’m happy with that.”

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“They [Charlestown] have been very good. They seem to have injected a few young guys and instead of possibly having senior guys who haven’t much to play for, instead they’ve got younger guys who have got a chance. When I took over, every young guy was working hard trying to impress me, so they’d be doing the same trying to impress [incoming coach] Dave Tanchevski.”

“[It will be] not very difficult [to make sure they focus on this weekend and not the FFA Cup]. Because, if you saw our shed after the game [against Olympic] they were shattered. I had a couple of boys apologise for their performance. I said ‘hey, don’t apologise, you’ve had a one off poor game.’ That’s just the standard they have set. Originally, I set the bar and they sort of maintain it. I don’t think [focus] will be an issue.”

Key: With the minor premiership on the line can Damian Zane’s Eagles win these crunch matches as they have the last two seasons?

source: sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic 1 (Goodchild (p) 28’) defeated Edgeworth Eagles 0 at Darling Street Oval.

A miraculous comeback wasn’t required this weekend from Hamilton Olympic in the ‘Match of the Round’ as they hit the front early and stayed there against Edgeworth in a gritty 1-0 victory at home.

Kane Goodchild scored the only goal of the match in the 28^th minute and from there Olympic grounded their way to three crucial points, which would have felt like gold to coach Mick Bolch.

The match was tight and tense to start with, and both sides couldn’t find a way through.

Bolch made an interesting tactical move before the match, pushing Rhys Cooper up front to play alongside Kane Goodchild and moved Scott Smith back to the bench.

Cooper was a constant threat for the Edgeworth defence, as Hamilton gained the ascendancy midway through the half.

A free-kick won on the right edge was whipped in by new-signing Reece Papas, and was too heavy as it curled past the back post. But, in attempting to shadow the ball out, Eagles skipper Josh Evans got his arm in the way.

After a quick consultation with his assistant, James Cleal pointed to the spot and Goodchild finished his second penalty after he had to re-take the initial spot-kick after Cooper encroached on the area.

Edgeworth got themselves back in the arm-wrestle after going behind, but couldn’t find a way through Olympic’s stout defence led by the outstanding Kyle Hodges, who was imperious all afternoon.

After the break, both sides got back to the grind. Neither created many chances of note, with the Eagles best falling to Brody Taylor with a head at the back post. But, it was straight at Olympic keeper Tyler Warren.

Eagles coach Damian Zane went to three at the back for Edgeworth and threw on Adam Cawley, Bren Hammel and Will Bower, but they couldn’t find a way through.

After weeks of fightbacks, Hamilton showed their ability to get in front, and stay there and the three points now leaves them just two points off top spot.

Olympic coach Michael Bolch felt the match was like “finals football”.

“Both teams felt each other out. We went in there with a defensive shape to stifle them a bit through the middle of the park.

“They do really well with their rotations through their tens and their nines up front. We learnt a bit when we got beat by them in the FFA Cup and tried to clog those channels up a little bit.”

“I thought we created chances, I don’t know if they really created a clear-cut chance. I thought structurally we were outstanding all day.”

Bolch also praised his captain Kyle Hodges.

“He put his hand up after the FFA Cup game [against Edgeworth]. If you watch three or four of their goals, our centre-backs weren’t even in the picture. They got dragged out of the backline all day. He was colossal today.”

Zane felt his side were poor.

“First half, no composure and just application we weren’t hungry enough,” Zane said.

Zane thought the talk about the looming Westfield FFA Cup before the match had an impact on his side.

“When you’ve got the [FFA] Cup. I know some teams say it isn’t, but it is a distraction. I missed Friday’s session to go to Melbourne to have a look at [South Melbourne].

“The players know if I’m not at a session, they know what is going on and they probably start talking and without even realising you are forgetting about the actual job you have to do this.”

He also felt a loss wasn’t the worst thing for Edgeworth at the moment.

“I think you need a loss every now and then, so maybe it wasn’t a bad thing.”

Under 20s Olympic won 5-1
Under 18s Olympic won 6-1

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Charlestown
Under 16s Olympic won 8-0
Under 15s Olympic won 6-2
Under 14s Olympic won 5-0
Under 13s Olympic won 6-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Maryland Fletcher
1st Grade Maryland won 0-2
2nd Grade Maryland won 0-3

NET results
Under 12s Olympic defeated Maitland 11-0
Under 11s Olympic defeated by Magic 0-2

Olympic Junior Results
Under 15a Olympic defeated by Nelson Bay 0-1
Under 13a Olympic drew with New Lambton
Under 12b Olympic defeated Singleton 2-1

IN OTHER GAMES:

Valentine Phoenix 2 (Pettit 38’, Brown 72’) drew with Maitland Magpies 2 (Thompson (p) 16’, Dutton-Black 58’) at Cahill Oval.

They were a man down, a goal down and staring down the barrel of defeat, but Valentine refused to go down as they produced a backs-to-the-wall display against Maitland on Saturday.

Level at 1-1 at halftime, the second half started terribly for the home side as Valentine’s Josh Carroll was sent off just seconds after the break, following a push in the back of Maitland skipper Carl Thornton.

Maitland took full advantage in the 58^th minute when Ryan Clarke darted down the left edge of the box and squared a low ball to an unmarked Josh Dutton-Black at the back post for slotted his third goal in two weeks.

Matt Thompson then controlled the midfield with the Phoenix down to ten men and it seemed there would be only one result – a Maitland victory.

However, no one told Jalon Brown, who against the run of play scored a wonderful goal from distance to make it 2-2 in the 72^nd minute.

Not much was happening for the Phoenix until Brown got on the ball and unleashed from 30 metres out on his left boot.

Both sides had some late chances, but neither could breakthrough as the match ended locked at 2-2.

Earlier Matt Thompson got the Magpies off to a dream start when he dispatched a spot-kick after Ryan Clarke was brought down in the box.

Valentine centre-back Reece Pettit equalised just before half-time after Maitland failed to clear a Phoenix corner and Pettit headed the ball over Matt Trott to make it 1-1 at the break.

The victory consolidated Valentine’s spot in the top four, while Maitland now needs to win their final four matches to be any chances of making the finals.

Magpies coach Phil Dando praised the Phoenix for their determination with only ten men.

“All credit to them. They worked hard, we knew they would keep going for 90 minutes even with the ten.

“We knew they’ve got some quality with Brown as I mentioned the other day. He’s different class when he gets away there and gets a sniff in front of goal. In the end, he was the difference.

“Unfortunately, in recent weeks, we’ve conceded two most weeks and while ever we are doing that we are not going to win the majority of games.”

Phoenix coach Darren Sills was proud how his side “dug deep for each other in some trying circumstances”.

“I’m bitterly disappointed with a number of issues that went on, on that park today, none from my players. I thought my players did tremendously well, and I believe with an even share of luck we could have stolen all three points today.

“We started in November and you go through a process, every team is the same, they work hard, they work very, very hard.

“The thing is we work hard, and we know the rules, we know what to do. We don’t try and flaunt the rules of the game and we get a player sent off for whatever reasons, and we are down to ten men for 50 minutes.”

Lambton Jaffas 2 (Brown 48’, Sullini (og) 56’) drew with Charlestown City Blues 2 (Ferguson 14’, Casciaroli 68’) at Arthur Edden Oval.

Lambton Jaffas spluttering late season form continued on Saturday against Charlestown in a controversial contest at Arthur Edden Oval.

The match threatened to boil over just after the interval when an incident involving Cameron Sullini and Pat Brown fired up the opposing sides.

The plucky Blues would not leave the star-studded Jaffas alone, as they fought tooth and nail for a share of the points. Rene Ferguson was the star for the Blues, netting his 10^th goal of the season.

In a superb move which he started in Charlestown’s half, Rene Ferguson played a diagonal ball forward to Daniel Bartlett on the left edge.

Bartlett returned the favour, threading a pass through for Ferguson down the left edge, and as Jaffas keeper Brad Swancott approached quickly, Ferguson neatly swept home the opening goal.

Both sides traded blows for the next 30 minutes, but neither could make an impact on the scoreboard.

That was until Pat Brown scored his first goal since round five after Riley McNaughton sent in a flat, pinpoint cross from the right side, which Brown thumped home.

A minute later though and Brown’s afternoon was about to turn sour as he reinjured his left elbow when Blues captain Cameron Sullini fell on top of him after a challenge.

Brown left the park and Ryan Griffiths entered the fray. A little over five minutes later and the Jaffas hit the front.

Luke Remington weaved his way down the left edge, ran along the by-line and squared a ball towards Joel Griffiths, but Sullini’s boot was first to the ball and he prodded it over his own goal line.

Howls of protest ensued as Charlestown players believed the ball had crossed the byline but the goal stood and Lambton led 2-1.

Charlestown were then given the opportunity to lock up the match in the 63^rd minute after Bartlett was taken down in the box by a sliding tackle from Michael Sessions. However, Swancott has other ideas saving Dan Casciaroli’s spot kick.

The Blues wouldn’t have to wait long for the equaliser as Ferguson muscled his way inside the box, squared a ball to Bartlett, whose shot hit Casciaroli, and the Blues midfielder controlled the ball and slotted to make it 2-2.

On this occasion, it was the Jaffas bench who protested, appealing about a handball, but referee Ryan Gallagher would hear none of it, and awarded the goal.

Neither side could find a winner, in the final 20 minutes and the points were shared.

Jaffas coach James Pascoe told The Newcastle Herald post-match that “it was one of the most bizarre games” he and opposition coach Shane Pryce had sat through, in relation to refereeing decisions.

“Refs are human and they make mistakes but just the volume of incidents that appeared clear-cut to everyone on the ground that ended up going the other way. It was for and against both teams though.

“It was a strange, strange game.”

The afternoon was further soured for the Jaffas by injuries to Joel Griffiths (calf), Luke Remington (hip flexor) and Nathan Morris (knee), in addition to Pat Brown (elbow).

Lambton are also still waiting for Jobe Wheelhouse (ankle) to return from injury after he went down in the Westfield FFA Cup a month ago.

Newcastle Jets Youth 1 (Jackson (og) 9’) defeated Weston Bears 0 at Rockwell Automation Park.

Jets Youth coach Lawrie McKinna felt his side deserved to win against Weston as the young Jets recorded their first victory under their new coach.

The victory took them five points clear of bottom-placed Weston and should all-but-assured that they avoid finishing bottom this season.

The Jets Youth only took nine minutes to open their account, in what was the only goal of the match.

Kaleb Cox played a neat one-two with Cameron Joice as the Jets played a short corner. Cox chipped a cross, over the face of goal, which Jets defender and skipper Pat Langlois got a head to.

The slight deflection of the head of Langlois took Bears defender Jordan Jackson by surprise, who couldn’t get out of the way of the ball, and in the end knocked the ball into his own net.

It was the only goal of the afternoon, in a match, McKinna felt his side controlled from the outset.

“First half we did really well, second half Weston came out late in the game. Overall, we deserved the win. It was just great for the boy’s confidence as well.”

“We dominated most of the first half. Second half, we were kind of well on top, but Weston started to have a go. Tristan [Esquilant] in goals never really had many out-and-out saves to make.

“But, in saying that the last 15 minutes we were under a bit of pressure and hung on a little bit, we stopped playing with the same kind of purpose.”

McKinna singled out defender Pat Langlois for special praise.

“Patty, he was outstanding again. He played with the first team on Tuesday against Weston and was outstanding.

“We will not be using him on Tuesday for our game against Lake Macquarie. He will be playing in the first team on Wednesday.”

The match against the Roosters on Tuesday night will be the Jets Youth sides’ last in the PlayStation®4 NPL NNSW until they return from the Weifang Cup in China. The side flies out to China on Thursday.

Broadmeadow Magic 3 (Bradbury 38’, 81’ Virgili 72’) defeated Adamstown Rosebud 0 at Adamstown Oval.

Broadmeadow recorded their eighth straight win and roared to within three points of the top of the table with a 3-0 victory over Adamstown Rosebud on Sunday afternoon.

A super strike from Kale Bradbury got the scoring started for Magic in the first-half and James Virgili along with Bradbury sealed the three points in the second half.

Adamstown kept Broadmeadow at bay for much of the first-half until Bradbury unleashed a rocket from the left edge of the penalty area.

Bradbury stepped past two defenders and onto his right, before unleashing from 45 degrees on the left – a shot which powered into the top right corner in a split-second.

Magic’s second came with less than 20 minutes left, as Mitch Oxborrow launched a long ball which Virgili raced onto the end of and finished wonderfully – in a carbon copy of the goal he scored last weekend against the Jaffas.

Bradbury’s third goal in the 81^st minute was the icing on the cake for Magic after a goal-mouth scramble. Shane Paul’s shot was saved into the post by Rosebud keeper Riley Hill and Bradbury tapped home the crumbs.

Broadmeadow coach Ruben Zadkovich was delighted with the result but was surprised by Adamstown’s lack of attacking intent.

“The game started and they just went straight back into this negative block,” Zadkovich said.

“I don’t really know what the aim of their plan was, whether it was just to frustrate us or spoil the party.

“It makes no sense to me when you are a time that has got nothing to lose. Very negative from them.

“They didn’t offer anything really, and we just kept peppering and peppering and eventually it took a special goal from Kale [Bradbury] to break them down and once that happened that was it.”

Zadkovich was very happy with how his side controlled the match.

“Chance after chance after chance all game. Won 3-0, should have been six, seven, eight. We totally dominated. It was very comfortable.”

While disappointed with the result, Rosebud coach Nick Webb was proud of his side, who were without three of their most experienced players.

“To be honest I was really happy with our whole set-up. If we had taken some of the opportunities that were there it would be a different game, to be honest.”

“They certainly had their opportunities, but so did we and in the end class rules in the end.

“It was a special goal from Kale Bradbury to break the deadlock when we were set up really well in how we wanted to play.

“Then [Mitch] Oxborrow got on the ball and launched a 70-metre long ball that our keeper should have come out to get and then the third one was a scrappy goal in the goal-mouth.

“We got three cleared off the line today and there were other ones that we should have scored. Over all the games that I have coached, I am actually proud of the effort today more than any.”

source: .sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic v Edgeworth Eagles
2.30pm Sunday 16^th July at Darling Street Oval
“Match of the Round”

Last Meeting: Round 7, 2017: Edgeworth 1 Hamilton 1 at Darling Street Oval.
Ladder: Hamilton 4^th (28pts), Edgeworth 1^st (33)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Edgeworth – Won Jets 4-1 (h), Won Magpies 2-1 (a), Won Rosebud 3-0 (a)
Hamilton – Won Blues 2-1 (a), Won Jets 2-1 (a), Drew Magpies 2-2 (h)

Bottom Line

For the third time this season Hamilton takes on Edgeworth and over the last three seasons, fixtures between these two sides have been the most eagerly anticipated.

While Hamilton don’t seem as close to the premiership race as they were over the past two seasons, a win over the Eagles this weekend will incredibly put them within two points of top spot.

Olympic come into the match on the back of two straight victories, and two last-gasp victories, instilling themselves as the competitions comeback kings. Last weekend, two goals in the final 17 minutes ensured three points against Charlestown.

It was the third match in a row Olympic have scored in the final 15 minutes to get a result.

It is fascinating that while Olympic are the league’s most potent side in the final 15 minutes of matches – scoring 10 and conceding just two – their opponents Edgeworth are the PlayStation ® National Premier Leagues (NPL) NNSW’s best defensive side in the final 15 minutes.

They haven’t conceded once in the PS4 NPL this season and have scored four of their own.

While these statistics show that Hamilton won’t be able to leave it late against the Eagles, what is hidden is their Westfield FFA Cup match at Darling Street.

Scott Smith scored in the 80^th minute for Olympic in their 4-2 defeat. It is the only goal leaked by Edgeworth in the final 15 minutes in all matches this season, which muddies the water on this match a little.

What is clear though is Edgeworth’s form. It is white hot. They have won 13 of their last 14 in all competitions and come into the match on the back of a 4-1 thumping of the Jets Youth last week.

Another cracking contest awaits. Edgeworth deservedly are the favourites, but never write off Olympic at Darling Street, a place where they have lost just four of their last 43 league season matches.

What the Coaches Said:

Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“[Edgeworth] have got dangers all over the park. They’ve done the same as they’ve done for the last two years, come home with a late run. They’ve put themselves in prime positions for the minor premiership again. Obviously, we need to be on our game, they’ve got quality all over the park. [Kieran] Sanders is doing really well, [Daniel] McBreen up front, [Dylan] Holz has been doing really well for them. We need to be a lot better than what we have been.”

“You’ve got to take the positives, while we haven’t been playing great football, we are still getting results. We have only lost one game in 11 weeks, to the Jaffas which we were pretty unlucky when we hit the post four times, so we are still eking out results. It is a sign of a good side, win when you are not playing well.”

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“I’ve already said to the boys, to not listen to what is going around. Everyone is telling the crisis [Hamilton] are in. I look at the points table and it tells me a different story. On Tuesday I was pretty blunt with my message about how we go about this week and that it is not going to be easy. They always come out with a point to prove against us.”

“It’s going to be a tough match. It’s a massive game. If we stay ahead of the pack after this weekend away to a Hamilton, it is ours to lose that is for sure. We’ve lost both games [at Darling Street] in the league since I’ve been here. We are not a big physical team, and we thought it would be even harder this year. That’s the reason why we brought in Kieran [Sanders], for the games at Darling Street. He’s just got mongrel in him, he’s tough, he’s skilful.”

Key: Can Edgeworth win their first PS4 NPL match at Darling Street since 2011?

U20s Hamilton Olympic – Edgeworth Sunday 16^th July kick off 12.30 pm Darling St Oval

U18s Hamilton Olympic – Edgeworth Sunday 16th July kick off 10.45 am Darling St Oval

NPL YOUTH: ROUND 18

U13s Olympic vs Charlestown Saturday 15^th  July kick off 10.00 am at Darling St Oval

U14s Olympic vs Charlestown Saturday 15^th  July kick off 11.30 am at Darling St Oval

U15s Olympic vs Charlestown Saturday 15^th  July kick off 1.00 pm at Darling St Oval

U16s Olympic vs Charlestown Saturday 15^th  July kick off 2.30 pm at Darling St Oval

IN OTHER GAMES:

Valentine Phoenix v Maitland Magpies
2.30pm Saturday 15^th July at Cahill Oval

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Maitland 0 Valentine 4 at Cooks Square Park.
Ladder: Valentine 3^rd (31), Maitland 6^th (24)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Valentine – Won Jets 3-2 (h), Lost Rosebud 2-4 (a), Won Jaffas 2-1 (h)
Maitland –  Won Bears 3-2 (a), Lost Eagles 1-2 (h), Drew Olympic 2-2 (a)

Bottom Line

Neither Valentine nor Maitland can afford to drop points this weekend as the race for the top four intensifies.

Maitland sit four points adrift of fourth-placed Hamilton and while defeat won’t end their finals hopes, it will make the task very difficult

The Magpies scraped past Weston last weekend in the ‘El Classicoal’ and while coach Phil Dando though his side were lucky to claim three points, he will be pleased they could still claim victory without playing at their full potential.

Valentine had last weekend off with the bye but met the Newcastle Jets Youth on Wednesday last week.

A 3-2 victory against the Jets kept them entrenched in the top four and provided a significant boost to their confidence after it received a battering in the second half of round 16 against Adamstown.

The Phoenix led 2-0 inside half-an-hour against the Rosebuds. Captain, Scott McGinley put a penalty over the bar before half-time and from there it all went downhill for Valentine. Four goals later and the Rosebuds had pulled off a remarkable 4-2 win.

Since Valentine’s promotion in 2016, the sides have met three times in the NPL. Maitland won the first – a fiery encounter – 3-2 at Cahill Oval and the Phoenix have won both since.

The sides have a lot of history, with Valentine and Maitland vying for promotion from the NewFM Northern League One in 2014, which Maitland ultimately won.

The Phoenix haven’t beaten Maitland at Cahill Oval since 2014, where they thumped them 4-0 – the same scoreline which they won by earlier this season.

This match cannot be split. Both sides have been up and down of late winning two of their last four. Whoever stands tall in the big moments will get the job done.

What the Coaches Said:

Darren Sills (Valentine)

“There is a little bit of rivalry forged between the clubs. I think that stems back from the NewFM days, so I’m looking forward to it. Across they park they have got some great players. I think Phil Dando has done a terrific job with the workload, whether or not that is catching up with them I don’t know. This is their Grand Final this weekend, they really need to perform and win. We are in the same boat, we really need to cement a top four position and we need to win this game.”

“Simple fact is, people say to you, you’ve had a great year, we haven’t done anything so it’s not a great year until we at least get to the semi-finals. Although our minor premiership aspirations are pretty well over it would be terrible to fall at the last hurdle and not make the semis, so we are really working hard to ensure that happens.”

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“We thought we matched them for a large part of the game and then it was during that busy period that we had, we just lost our way a bit in the second half. But, first half we were really matching them. We just ran out of legs a bit. We shouldn’t be that bad this time around. We are a bit more settled now, just playing at the weekend instead of two games a week, so we should be ready for it.”

“We have the perennial problem of course that every team we play against has the bye the week before they play us, so they’ll come into it fresh and we are still chipping away. But, they’re very quick and of course, with [Jalon] Brown up front. They use that pace, a bit like us really. They use that pace up front and if you are not defending well they will kill you off.” 

Key: Consistency. Both sides haven’t been that of late. Who can step up in a match that means plenty for both clubs?

 

Lambton Jaffas v Charlestown City Blues
2.30pm Saturday 15^th July at Arthur Edden Oval

Last Meeting: Round 7, 2017: Charlestown 1 Lambton 2 at Lisle Carr Oval.
Ladder: Lambton 2^nd (32), Charlestown 8^th (15)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Lambton – Lost Magic 1-3 (a), Won Roosters 3-1 (h), Lost Phoenix 1-2 (a)
Charlestown – Lost Olympic 1-2 (h), Lost Roosters 0-2 (a), Lost Magic 0-2 (a)

Bottom Line

Lambton will aim to respond from a defeat with a victory for the fifth time in all competitions in 2017 when they host a Charlestown side who have lost three on the spin but have given a good account of themselves in each defeat.

The Blues come into the fixture on the back of a defeat to Hamilton Olympic on Sunday afternoon, where like most sides recently against Hamilton, they had the lead going into the final 20 minutes before a late Olympic surge was enough to get them over the line.

Injuries to key players including skipper Matt Tull have cruelled the Blues over the back-half of the campaign, but to look on the bright side their young talent has stood tall over the last few weeks.

Meanwhile, Lambton have struggled over the last few weeks, winning just one of their last three matches to fall from the top spot on the ladder.

Last weekend they were outgunned by a dominant Broadmeadow Magic side 3-1 away from home, where they struggled to create chances against a strong Magic backline.

The loss of Jobe Wheelhouse seems to have been keenly felt by Lambton who have won two and lost two in the PS4 NPL NNSW since he was injured a month ago in the Westfield FFA Cup clash with Edgeworth.

To add to that, the Jaffas record of late against the Blues isn’t that flash, and while they won 2-1 in round seven, that is the only victory Lambton have had against Charlestown in their last three encounters.

With the experience and pedigree Lambton has, in comparison to a mainly younger and less experienced Charlestown side, the Jaffas will rightly be favourites to make it two from two against the Blues this season.

What the Coaches Said:

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“Tough time to get them. Beware of the wounded bear. They’ll be looking to get back on track and get back to winning ways. We are playing away from home, Lambton at home with the quality of player they have got with the expectation to win the whole thing, it’s a massive game for them and a game where we hopefully can turn up and show the same fight and passion that we did on the weekend.”

“The message for my guys with the changes at the club is go out and put yourself in the spotlight and the window so to speak for everyone to see. As long as you come off and you’ve had a go, well then you can hold your head up high. That was our attitude to the Olympic game and it’s going to be the same this weekend as well. [We’ve got] nothing to lose.”

Key: Can Lambton respond from defeat with a win for the fifth time this year?

 

Newcastle Jets Youth v Weston Bears
2.30pm Saturday 15^th July at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Round 7, 2017: Weston 2 Jets Youth 2 at Rockwell Automation Park.
Ladder: Jets Youth 10^th (9), Weston 11^th (7)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):
Jets – Lost Eagles 1-4 (a), Lost Phoenix 2-3 (a), Lost Olympic 1-2 (h)
Weston – Lost Magpies 2-3 (h), Lost Rosebud 0-2 (h), Lost Jaffas 0-5 (a)

Bottom Line

Both Weston and the Jets Youth will be in need of some confidence in the PS4 NPL NNSW with both sides winless run in their last 11 matches combined.

The Bears have lost their last six straight, while the Jets Youth have lost their last five matches.

Weston were unlucky on Saturday in the Coalfields Derby, going down 3-2 in a tight encounter where they deserved at least a point.

Midweek, they took on the Newcastle Jets Hyundai A-League side and went down 2-0 in a match where the Bears gave a great account of themselves, scrambling in defence to deny the Jets on numerous occasions, while also creating a couple of chances for themselves.

The Jets Youth play their third match of a four in a frantic two-week period when they clash with the Bears on Saturday. They will play Lake Macquarie on Tuesday before flying out to China where they will participate in the prestigious Weifang Cup.

The Jets will no doubt be keen to head to China on a positive note after a season to forget where they have won just twice in 16 matches.

The young Jets have had the wood over the Bears recently with Weston winning only one of the last five matches between the sides.

Earlier this season, Chris Hurley scored a double for the Bears – of which his first was a goal of the year contender.

Hurley’s second put Weston in front in the 90^th minute, but they couldn’t hold on as Mark Moric scored in the third minute of stoppage time to ensure the points would be shared.

Expect another close encounter on Saturday, but the buzz about the Weston playing group after playing the Jets on Tuesday may just be enough to give them the edge.

What the Coaches Said:

Labinot Haliti (Jets Youth Assistant)

“[Weston] are a good team, they did well [on Wednesday night]. Obviously, coming up against the Newcastle Jets A-League team it was always going to be a test for them. But, I thought it was a good game overall. The young boy Patty [Pat Langlois] played the full game, and Leroy [Jennings] in the middle he came on with about 30 to go so he got a bit of game time. Slowly, slowly everything is coming good.”

“It’s good that there are boys from the Youth coming up and they get a bit of a chance to show themselves. But, they are only young boys so they are going to have plenty of ups and downs, as it’s a football career and that is part of it. The last two games, especially against Valentine was good, and against Edgeworth, one of the best teams in the comp, maybe not so good in the second half. But, I think the most important thing is if they are learning and improving game to game.”

Steve Piggott (Weston)

“It was an exciting experience for those young players, for me. I still live for those moments when you come up against quality coaches and you put your brains together and see if you can plan around the quality that they have got. We probably could have done a little better, but you are limited by what you have got in a team. I was happy with my performance and I was happy with their performance.”

“It’s always tough when you have a midweek match. Can you replicate what you did? If we can replicate the intensity and the willingness to do the things we did really well [on Tuesday], this weekend against the Jets Youth we should win the match. For me the Jets Youth are similar to us, a young side, lacking confidence at times. Can either group get over their deficiencies and put it into practice to win the game?”

Key: With two young sides on show, can a player on either side step up and take the game by the scruff of the neck?

 

Broadmeadow Magic v Adamstown Rosebud
2.30pm Sunday 16^th July at Magic Park

Last Meeting: Round 7, 2017: Adamstown 0 Broadmeadow 0 at Adamstown Oval.
Ladder: Broadmeadow 5^th (27), Adamstown 9^th (13)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):
Broadmeadow – Won Jaffas 3-1 (h), Won Blues 2-0 (h), Won Phoenix 3-1 (a)
Adamstown – Lost Roosters 1-3 (a), Won Phoenix 4-2 (h), Won Bears 3-0 (a)

Bottom Line

Adamstown faces one of the most daunting prospects in the PS4 NPL NNSW at the moment – a dual with a Magic side who have won seven straight and only seem to be getting better.

Last weekend Broadmeadow knocked over the league-leading Lambton Jaffas 3-1, in one of their most impressive performances of the season and coach Ruben Zadkovich spoke after the match about how keen his men are to right the wrongs of the first 11 rounds.

One of their most disappointing performances of the first round of matches was the clash at Adamstown Oval on ANZAC Day against the Rosebud’s where Magic simply couldn’t break down a stout Adamstown defence.

Zadkovich and his men will be keen to erase that result from their memories with a quality showing in front of their home fans against the Rosebuds.

Adamstown coach Nick Webb returns to Magic where he started the season as Assistant Coach before taking a break and then moving to Adamstown last month.

Webb has turned results and morale around for the Rosebud’s, as they have won two of their last three matches and climbed off the bottom of the ladder in the process.

The only issue for Webb has been Adamstown’s first half performances. Since he has arrived they have conceded nine of their 11 goals in the first half of matches and he will have to rectify that against a Magic side who can’t stop scoring at the moment.

In second halves they have been unstoppable, scoring six goals in the second half of their last three matches, so it really is a balancing act for Webb and his side.

Magic roar into this match as favourites. But, as Adamstown showed in round seven – underestimate them at your peril.

What the Coaches Said:

Ruben Zadkovich (Broadmeadow)

“Tough game. They are a good side, for some workers. They’ve got working class players so they’ll be industrious, so we’ll have to compete and match them physically and mentally before the game even starts to be honest. Then if we turn up with the right attitude, our quality should get us across the line with the way we are playing at the moment.”

“The first round was frustrating, we still dominated, don’t get me wrong, we absolutely dominated the game. Their keeper made a few good saves and we should have taken chances, but we didn’t. In the end, they had all 11 players all camped back in their half, hanging on for a point when they were coming last. The whole game was frustrating for me, and I’m prepared that they might do something similar again. I’m hoping that they actually have a go so we can actually put on a decent show, and decent football like we have in recent weeks.”

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“’You’ve got to stop the outlets that is allowing the balls into [James] Virgili and Kale [Bradbury] and these guys. Obviously, shutting down [Mitch] Oxborrow and his balls in behind like he has been playing. He is the key to our game plan and we’ll be working on that, but at the end of the day we’ve got to be confident enough in ourselves to go out and win the game as well.”

“We are not going to sit back and hope we can defend. That is just not how I coach. We just need to take our opportunities that are in front of us and that is obviously what has been killing us. We still are leaking way too many goals but certainly, we are not scoring enough.”

Key: Can Adamstown solve their first half woes, without comprising their second half performances?

Source: sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Goodchild (p) 73’, Cooper 80’) defeat Charlestown City Blues 1 (Ferguson 17’) 

Hamilton are quickly making a name for themselves as the PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW’s comeback kings, as for the third week in a row Olympic fought back from a deficit in the second half.

Goals from Charlestown-bound forward Kane Goodchild and speedster Rhys Cooper in the final 20 minutes ensured the three points would head home with the men from Hamilton. 

It was the Blues though who shot out of the blocks. Rene Ferguson opened the scoring for Charlestown in the 16^th minute with a contender for ‘Goal of the Season’.

After the ball came off pin-balled off heads following a Blues goal-kick, it fell to Ferguson who from about 35 metres out launched a looping long-range strike which dipped over Tyler Warren in the Olympic goal to make it 1-0.

It was a stunning way to get the scoring started for the home side who took their slim advantage into the sheds at half-time.

When they returned, the Blues continued to hold Olympic at bay. That was until Dan Bartlett clipped Andrew Swan in the box in the 72^nd minute and referee James Cleal pointed to the spot.

Kane Goodchild – who will play at Charlestown next season – stepped up and dispatched the spot-kick to the delight of the visiting fans.

A little over five minutes later, and the competitions ‘Comeback Kings’ had hit the front. Goodchild played in Rhys Cooper – amid cries of offside – down the middle of the park.

Cooper sprinted onto the pass, prodding it past the onrushing Nathan Archbold to make it 2-1 and ensure Hamilton would keep their spot in the competition’s top four.

Under 20s Olympic won 7-1
Under 18s Charlestown won 2-3

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Lake Macquarie
Under 16s Olympic won 1-0
Under 15s Lakes won 1-2
Under 14s drew 2-2
Under 13s Olympic won 11-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Nelson Bay
1st Grade Nelson Bay won 1-2
2nd Grade Olympic won 3-0

IN OTHER GAMES

Broadmeadow Magic 3 (Virgili 33’, Bradbury 59’, 74’), Lambton Jaffas 1 (Hay 85’) at Magic Park.

Broadmeadow Magic recorded their seventh victory in succession with a dominant 3-1 victory over Lambton in the ‘Match of the Round’.

The victory keeps Magic in fifth – just a point outside the top four.

After an arm-wrestle over the opening half-hour Magic got their noses in front and didn’t look back when James Virgili opened the scoring. Mitch Oxborrow launched a long ball from deep inside his own half which the Magic flyer latched onto.

Lambton skipper Michael Sessions misjudged the swirling long ball as he ran backwards and Virgili sped through and finished superbly to make it 1-0 in the 33^rd minute.

James Virgili turned from scorer to provider in the 59^th minute when he teed up Kale Bradbury. Virgili darted along the by-line and squared for Bradbury who smashed home his sixth goal of the season to make it 2-0.

Oxborrow’s masterclass continued when he found Dino Fajkovic with a long pass in the 74^th minute.

Fajkovic fired a shot from the right side of the box which was well saved by Swancott, but Kale Bradbury was on hand at the back post to control the ball as it rolled towards the by-line, step away from Ridge Marpu, and thump home his second goal of the match.

Jaffas keeper Brad Swancott received a yellow card in the aftermath of the goal after questioning the decision of referee Stephen Laurie.

Replays showed the ball appeared the cross the by-line as Bradbury attempted to take control of the ball. But, it took nothing away from a clinical Broadmeadow performance.

Ben Hay scored a late consolation for Lambton in the 85^th minute after Pat Brown found space down the right edge, and Magic couldn’t clear the danger.

But, it did little to take the gloss of Broadmeadow’s day though as they retained the Elders Charity Shield.

Magic coach Ruben Zadkovich says finally the luck is falling his side’s way.

“Now little things are going our way, little calls are going our way, offsides are going our way, things off the keeper are falling to us.

“We had zero luck for about six weeks there and it was a really tough struggle to keep players believing in what we are doing because results dictate your confidence. I’m a resolute person and we are slowly turning into a pretty resolute bunch.

“Now they are getting their belief and their rewards they are more than confident before games start that they are going to go out and get what they deserve.

“That is all they needed. That is the biggest difference between where we were and where we are now.”

Jaffas coach James Pascoe felt too many mistakes hurt his side in the wash-up.

“If you commit that many unforced errors in the game, you give the other team the ascendency.

“We didn’t execute the game plan as we would have liked. That happens at times and you’ve got to be able to adjust.

“[Magic] were terrific at the back. The Griffiths boys didn’t get any spare change out of them at all. Jonny Griffiths and Piddo [Josh Piddington] were immense.

“At the end of the day, I think the score is about right for the game.”

 

Maitland Magpies 3 (Dutton-Black 18’, 82’ Clarke 41’), Weston Bears 2 (Barner 16’, Buswell 67’) at Rockwell Automation Park. 

‘We were lucky to get away it.’

Those were the thoughts of Maitland coach Phil Dando after the Magpies left it late to claim a 3-2 victory over last-placed Weston on Saturday.

In the third Coalfields Derby of the season, Maitland scraped through with a one-goal win for the third time.

And while it wasn’t the Magpies’ best performance, three points were all they needed as they kept within touching distance of the top four.

Early on, it seemed an upset was brewing when Weston opened the scoring after just 16 minutes.

Sam Ford chipped a pass over the top of the Magpies backline and keeper Matt Trott misjudged the bouncing ball. Barner was able to control the ball, round Trott, and slot the ball into an open net for just his second goal of the season.

However, Weston’s lead was short lived. Just two minutes later Josh Dutton-Black curled in a corner which somehow snuck inside Kane Runge’s near post and the Magpies were back level.

Maitland continued to control the match for the remainder of the opening half and Ryan Clarke ensured the Magpies would head to the break with the lead. After a mazy run down the left side, the speedy striker cut infield and unleashed from the edge of the box.

The shot was too powerful for Runge and found its way inside the near post.

The Magpies took their 2-1 lead into half-time and when they returned they struggled to continue their opening half dominance as Weston got a foothold in the contest.

Cooper Buswell prodded home a corner in the 67^th minute, to make it 2-2, and the Bears seemed to grow in confidence. It looked as though they could go on and win the match.

But, Weston fell asleep at the back in the 82^nd minute. Matt Comerford sped down the left and weaved infield before finding Dutton-Black in the middle of the box.

The winger turned, spun, and fired and powerful shot from close range which Runge could only parry into his net.

The great escape seemed to have been completed by the Magpies, however, Chris Hurley gave them one final scare. A Weston corner was not cleared by Maitland and fell to Hurley on the edge of the box, who controlled and volleyed with his left boot.

The ball flew towards goal and just didn’t dip enough as it sailed just over the bar.

Maitland survived after a tough Coalfield derby, recording their fifth win in a row against the Bears.

“I’ve been banging on all season about when we play at our best we are a match for anyone in the competition. Today we were nowhere near our best,” Dando said post-match.

“We really did make it hard for ourselves. We started poorly again and we talked at half-time about upping the tempo and the ball speed being a bit quicker and we got none of it. We actually went backwards, second half,” he added.

Despite his disappointment, Dando was pleased with his side’s desire.

“One thing we did is that we were desperate in the end. We needed the points and we hung tight, at least without playing well, we hung tight and we got something out of it.”

Bears coach Steve Piggott felt focus in the vital parts of the match hurt his side again.

“We get in the game and we even it up and we even it up and then a lack of concentration again. They get a foothold again and then you are chasing the game.

“It’s too hard to chase the game against an experienced side with young players. It’s too hard. The expectation just gets too much.”

“Sometimes when we analyse a game. The key moments hurt us because we hurt ourselves and the good teams don’t. They get away with it.

“I don’t call it luck, I just call it experience it. It’s the edge in the key moments. This year we’ve been guilty of stuffing up key moments or losing the key moments.”

 

Edgeworth Eagles 4 (Brice 6’, Sanders 14’, McBreen 53’, Taylor 75’) defeated Newcastle Jets Youth 1 (Frendo 15’) at Jack McLaughlan Oval.

Edgeworth returned to the top of the table with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over the Newcastle Jets Youth.

It didn’t take the Eagles long to open the scoring – just six minutes – after Bren Hammel whipped in a corner for Ayden Brice to powerfully head into the back of the net.

Edgeworth made it 2-0 just eight minutes later when Kieran Sanders played a wonderful one-two with Will Bower.

The Englishman sprinted down the left side of the box and finished with precision, curling his right foot shot home to double the advantage.

But, the Jets Youth were quick to reply after Edgeworth failed to deal with a corner and Jackson Frendo struck his shot sweetly from the edge of the box which nestled in the bottom right corner. After a frantic opening 15 minutes, the Eagles led 2-1.

It took almost 40 minutes for another goal in the match. It came in the 53^rd minute when Will Bower put his free kick on a dime for Daniel McBreen to head home at the back post and double the lead.

Brody Taylor sealed the match in the 75^th minute for Edgeworth when he tapped home at the back post, following a near-post flick-on from McBreen.

The win was Edgeworth’s third in a row in the PS4 NPL NNSW and their fifth in all competitions as they continued their strong run of form.

Eagles coach Damian Zane said his side “played quite well”.

“Second half we just said go out and do the job, finish it,” Zane said.

“They might have had one shot in the second half and realistically we could have scored a couple more goals.”

“When we got the news in from Broadmeadow that was good too.”

Jets Youth coach Lawrie McKinna felt his side “were in a bit flat from Wednesday night.”

“It’s just disappointing we lost three goals from three set-pieces. That was poor.

“The boys let one in, in the first couple minutes and then one in a couple of minutes after half-time so that was disappointing.

“We felt we dropped off a bit in the second half and that was where Wednesday’s game came in.”

 

Lake Macquarie Roosters 3 (Walker 11’, Sparre 27’ defeated Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Niyonkuru 87’) at Macquarie Field. 

There were no second-half heroics for Adamstown this weekend after they conceded three first-half goals at Macquarie Field on Sunday.

The Rosebud’s left themselves with too much work to do in the second stanza as the Roosters kept their faint finals hopes flickering with a superb first half performance.

Sam Walker ensured he kept pace with Jalon Brown at the top of the Golden Boot count when he pinched the ball just inside the Rosebuds half after Alex Read and Owen Littlewood got in each other’s way.

Walker sprinted down field and went one-on-one with Rosebuds keeper Riley Hill before calmly slotting across Hill to make it 1-0.

Tom Sparre scored his first goal of the season for the Roosters in the 27^th minute when Adamstown couldn’t clear a Lake Macquarie corner. The ball sat up for Sparre on the edge of the box and he hit it sweetly, low and hard into the bottom left corner.

Trent Partridge made it an ever better first 45 minutes for Lakes when he curled a shot inside the top right corner following some sparkling build-up play from the Roosters.

Partridge’s post-goal celebration was one of the more interesting of the season, with Lakes clearly enjoying their start to the match.

Adamstown created enough changes in the back-end of the first half and into the second, but they were unable to take them as they did a week earlier.

Aaron Niyonkuru added a late bright spot on an otherwise disappointing afternoon for Adamstown when he danced past defenders and finished in the 87^th minute.

But, it was all too-little-too-late for the Rosebuds as they went down 3-1.

Rosebuds coach Nick Webb felt his side weren’t good enough from the outset.

“We were very poor in the first 35-40 minutes. We knew exactly what they were going to do and they did exactly what we said they would do.

“We handed them the first goal and pretty well handed them the second goal, to be honest.”

But, Webb said they weren’t without their chances.

“We had our own opportunities towards the end of that first half. We should have at least had one, maybe two if not more.

“Second half I think they got in our half twice. We just didn’t quite have the comeback of last weekend. We can’t expect to turn up for 60 minutes and win a game. It just doesn’t happen.”

Roosters coach Anthony Richards was pleased with the result but wasn’t totally happy with the performance.

“It was a good first half from us and then it sort of slowed down a little bit. We sort of went into a bit of a defensive mode.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go on with it [in the second half]. I guess we just did enough to get over the line.

“We were looking for three points, that was out focus today and we were good enough to get it.”

source: sportstg.com

Charlestown City Blues v Hamilton Olympic

2.30pm Sunday 9^th July at Lisle Carr Oval

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Hamilton 1 Charlestown 2 at Darling Street Oval.

Ladder: Charlestown 8^th (15), Hamilton 4^th (25)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Charlestown – Lost Roosters 0-2 (a), Lost Magic 0-2 (a), Won Jets 4-0 (h)

Hamilton – Won Jets 2-1 (a), Drew Magpies 2-2 (h), Won Rosebud 3-0 (h)

Bottom Line

Hamilton teetered on the brink of defeat last weekend against the Jets Youth and will want to hope their “worst performance of the season” according to coach Mick Bolch is well and truly behind them.

Andrew Swan and Rhys Cooper were the saviours for Olympic last weekend as each scored in the final 15 minutes to spare Hamilton’s blushes and keep them in pole position for a finals berth.

While Olympic’s form has been patchy of late, they have only lost one of their last 10 PS4 NPL matches since the defeat to Charlestown in round six. With new signing Reece Papas getting some time to gel with the team on the weekend and at training he will only be better for the run.

Charlestown were always going to be up against it at Magic Park last weekend against a Broadmeadow side who have looked unstoppable of late.

But, the Blues rolled up their sleeves and put in a strong performance. Rene Ferguson caused problems aplenty for the Magic defence, while goalkeeper Nathan Archbold – recruited Broadmeadow – made some brilliant saves to keeper them in the game.

Midweek the Blues went down in another tight contest – 2-0 to the Roosters to leave them in 8^th place with five matches left to play.

A win for Olympic and they could consolidate the fourth spot on the ladder, however, defeat could drop them out of the four.

The margins are so very tight at this time of the season and Hamilton will be favourites to continue their march towards a finals spot.

What the Coaches Said:

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“I guess, there is a comparison between the predicaments at both clubs. Bolchy and I are moving on at the end of the year, one to another job and I’m not going anywhere yet. It’s pretty hard on both sides on the coin to walk into a dressing room and demand and expect the best from your players because of the situation we are in.”

“I really think this is anyone’s game. We’ve got a home game and I did mention before that the response from my guys against Maitland a few games ago was brilliant. I think it’s up for grabs for anyone to be honest. I don’t want us to roll over, we’ve still got jobs to do and the boys still have contracts to play for and win bonuses. The players have been brilliant.”

Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“[Charlestown] haven’t been travelling brilliantly the last few weeks, but I’m sure they’ll be up. There always up playing Olympic and a few of their old boys. They’re a different side with Josh Maguire playing. He gives them that little bit of leadership and ex-factor in the front third.”

“There are a lot of distractions at the moment and as a group, we just need to focus on football and the job at hand again. [The distractions] have probably been spoken about too much, to be honest. It’s always going to be there. The paper again this week, you had Grant Brown signing for Charlestown. The players and myself both have a job to do for Hamilton Olympic for the rest of the year and that has got to be our number one priority every time we take the field.”

Key: With both coaches leaving at the season’s end, which team can put their off-field distractions to the side?

U20s Hamilton Olympic – Charlestown Sunday 9^th July kick off 12.30 pm Lisle Carr Oval

U18s Hamilton Olympic – Charlestown Sunday 9th July kick off 10.45 am Lisle Carr Oval

NPL YOUTH: ROUND 17

U13s Olympic vs Lake Macquarie Sunday 9^th  July kick off 10.00 am at Darling St Oval

U14s Olympic vs Lake Macquarie Sunday 9^th  July kick off 11.30 am at Darling St Oval

U15s Olympic vs Lake Macquarie Sunday 9^th  July kick off 1.00 pm at Darling St Oval

U16s Olympic vs Lake Macquarie Sunday 9^th  July kick off 2.30 pm at Darling St Oval

IN OTHER GAMES:

Broadmeadow Magic v Lambton Jaffas

2.30pm Sunday 9^th July at Magic Park

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Lambton 1 Broadmeadow 1 at Arthur Edden Oval.

Ladder: Broadmeadow 5^th (24pts), Lambton 1^st (32)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Broadmeadow – Won Blues 2-0 (h), Won Phoenix 3-1 (a), Won Bears 4-1 (a)

Lambton – Won Roosters 3-1 (h), Lost Phoenix 1-2 (a), Won Bears 5-0 (h)

Bottom Line

Broadmeadow Magic will look to win their seventh consecutive match in all competitions when they host Lambton in this weekend’s ‘Match of the Round’.

Magic have proved an unstoppable force of late and while they have piled on the goals – 19 in their last six matches – defensively they have been rock solid as well, conceding just three times during the same period.

Last weekend they recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over Charlestown which coach Ruben Zadkovich thought could have been more. Magic’s all round domination of sides recently sets up a mouth-watering contest against the league leaders.

To put their recent form in context, the closest any side has got to Broadmeadow over their last six matches is two goals – in a 3-1 win over Valentine and last weekend against the Blues.

Their opponents Lambton who boast one of the premier squads in the competition, won’t be overawed by Broadmeadow’s recent form. They will feel they have the talent and temperament to end Magic’s winning run.

After an upset loss to Valentine in round 15 the Jaffas returned to form on the weekend against Lake Macquarie, meaning Lambton have responded with a win on every occasion this season, where the week before they suffered defeat.

Earlier in the season, the two sides met in a cracking twilight contest on Good Friday where they were unable to be separated after both received and penalty and converted it during the second half.

With both sides boasting strong rosters, Magic’s recent form and home ground advantage means they will enter as slight favourites on Sunday. But, everything points to an almightily close contest.

What the Coaches Said:

James Pascoe (Lambton)

“Good venue, two good sides. I think all the ingredients are there for it to be an absolute ripper so we’re well and truly looking forward to this one. It’ll be great.”

“I think obviously, [Broadmeadow] have stopped conceding silly goals I suppose if I can put it that way. I thought the first game that we played against them for probably an hour in that match, they played the best football that we have come up against all year. They’ve had a bit of horror run at home for a while where they have conceded a hell of a lot of goals. They’ve stopped conceding and that has been a big part of [their strong form].”

Key: Broadmeadow’s defence has been rock solid over their previous six wins. Can they keep it watertight against the best attacking side in the competition?

Weston Bears v Maitland Magpies

2.30pm Saturday 8^th July at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Maitland 1 Weston 0 at Cooks Square Park.

Ladder: Weston 11^th (7), Maitland 6^th (21)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Weston – Lost Rosebud 0-2 (h), Lost Jaffas 0-5 (a), Lost Magic 1-4 (h)

Maitland –  Lost Eagles 1-2 (h), Drew Olympic 2-2 (a) Won Jets 6-1 (h)

Bottom Line

Weston and Maitland will meet in their third “El Classicoal” of the season at Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday, with the Bears aiming to break a five-match winless run against the Magpies.

Since the Magpies were promoted to the PlayStation®4 NPL NNSW in 2015, the sides have met five times, with Weston winning the first derby. Since then, Maitland have won three PS4 NPL fixtures, drawn one and defeated the Bears 3-2 in the first Westfield FFA Cup meeting between the sides earlier in 2017.

Maitland come into the game stinging after a heart-stopping 2-1 home defeat to Edgeworth. Will Bower – who was born and bred in Maitland – scored in the last-minute condemning the Magpies to their 20^th consecutive top grade match with a victory against the Eagles.

The defeat also had a significant impact on the Magpies finals hopes. They now sit four points off a top four spot and it is paramount they win this weekend.

Weston just haven’t been able to get themselves going again after their round 10 victory over Charlestown. Since that afternoon, the Bears have lost five games straight and have conceded 15 goals in their last five encounters.

The young Bears are down on confidence and are in desperate need of a boost. A derby battle at home against their local rivals may just give them the lift they need.

While defensively Weston have been poor, in attack they have managed just two goals in their last five matches and haven’t scored in nearly three-and-a-half hours of football.

With no relegation, there is little pressure on Weston and plenty on Maitland. The Magpies are raging hot favourites, but how they respond after a gut-retching defeat last weekend will be the real test.

What the Coaches Said:

Steve Piggott (Weston)

“There are no surprises, it’s just who performs on the day. We’ve had a couple of tight matches against [Maitland]. They’re physically stronger than us. There is no doubt about that. If they put their best eleven out they are favourites every day. Physically we’ll get pushed off the ball a bit. In the last couple of matches against them, we’ve probably made some mistakes at the back playing out that they have punished us for.”

“Hopefully we can get it right most of the time, this time and maybe not give them a gift or two and won’t have to fight back with two late goals. We’ve looked at the games we’ve played against them, we know what we’ve got to do, it’s just about doing it for 90 minutes for us.”

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“There’s no easy games in the competition. Derby games have that little special edge as well, so they’ll be up for it. We are depleted with our some of our squad being away so we’ve just got to make sure we’ve got our best 11 on the park and just go and do the business.”

“We said all season, in the short competition that we have, only 20 games, you don’t want to lose any or you want to lose the bare minimum. We’ve lost five and we don’t really want to lose any more or then it will make it tough for us. We’ve just got to go out there and do the business and see what other results happen. But, we’ve got to do the business ourselves. If we don’t do it ourselves well, we won’t get what we want.”

Key: Maitland have conceded four goals in the last 15 minutes of matches, in their past three games. Can the young Bears keep in the contest early and strike late?

 

Edgeworth Eagles v Newcastle Jets Youth

2.30pm Sunday 9^th July at Jack McLaughlan Oval

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Edgeworth 1 Jets Youth 0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval.

Ladder: Edgeworth 3^rd (30), Jets Youth 10^th (9)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Edgeworth – Won Magpies 2-1 (a), Won Rosebud 3-0 (a), Lost Jaffas 0-2 (h)

Jets – Lost Phoenix (a), Lost Olympic 1-2 (h), Lost Blues 0-4 (a)

Bottom Line

The Jets Youth will look to build on improved performances against Hamilton and Valentine during the week when they take on the defending premiers at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Jets performance against Hamilton was their best in three weeks after successive heavy defeats against Maitland and Charlestown and you would expect they will be up for a clash with Edgeworth.

Mark Moric starred for the Jets on Saturday scoring his third goal of the season and causing problems all afternoon for the Hamilton defence.

He then backed up Saturday’s showing with a brace against Valentine midweek and with Kristian Brymora’s departure from the club, expect Moric to continue to play a significant role for the Jets in their final five matches.

Their opponents Edgeworth have continued to plug away, winning their fourth match in a row on Sunday against Maitland in dramatic fashion.

Youngster Will Bower struck in stoppage time to ensure the Eagles would take all three points. The win was a crucial one for Edgeworth who sit in third, just two points off top spot with a game in hand on the competition leading Jaffas.

Recent history has shown that the Jets Youth put in strong performances against the Eagles, with their last four matches being tight encounters.

Last season Edgeworth won both matches 4-2 against the Jets, but in the corresponding fixture, last season the Jets lead 2-1 with ten minutes to go only to go down 4-2. Earlier this season, the Eagles edged out the Jets 1-0.

With the premiership race, incredibly tight Edgeworth need to win this one and are raging hot favourites to do so.

What the Coaches Said:

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“I think Lawrie might be in charge this week, so you’d imagine they are going to come out fired up if you are playing in front of the CEO. They were all over Hamilton [last weekend] the bits I’ve seen. Bolchy [Olympic coach Mick Bolch] said they were flat so it’s hard to tell whether there are problems at Olympic or did the Jets play well?”

“The teams that went through the emotion of the cup, I bet you they didn’t do that well [last weekend]. I know the Gold Coast they’re leading their comp and they lost. South Melbourne lost. I said to someone, it’s just human nature. The players are distracted. You can talk about what you want. The draw was on Thursday and every one of those players were glued to their phone or TV watching the draw and then talking about South Melbourne instead of Maitland. For us, that [win last weekend] is probably the biggest three points of the year.

Key: Can Edgeworth put their Westfield FFA Cup distractions aside against the Jets?

  

Lake Macquarie City Roosters v Adamstown Rosebud

2.30pm Sunday 9^th July at Macquarie Field

Last Meeting: Round 6, 2017: Adamstown 1 Lake Macquarie 2 at Adamstown Oval.

Ladder: Lakes 7^th (19), Adamstown 9^th (13)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Lakes – Won Blues 2-0 (h), Lost Jaffas 1-3 (a), Lost Magic 0-3 (h)

Adamstown – Won Phoenix 4-2 (h), Won Bears 3-0 (a), Lost Eagles 0-3 (h)

Bottom Line

The Rosebud’s have roared back to life in the last two weeks and will shoot for a third consecutive victory – an achievement not matched since 2015 – when they travel to Lake Macquarie on Sunday afternoon.

It really will depend on which Rosebud outfit turns up on Sunday. Will it be the one which was so disappointing in the first half last weekend against Valentine or the side that turned it on to score four goals in the final half-an-hour of the same match?

The win against the Phoenix was the first-time Adamstown have recorded consecutive victories since 2015.

Lake Macquarie have seemed to have lost traction of late after they slumped to their third consecutive loss on the weekend against Lambton. But, a midweek victory over Charlestown was just what the doctored ordered for the Roosters.

A goal from Sam Walker on Wednesday night ensured he sits just one goal off top spot in the Golden Boot standings, and if he can inspire Lakes to a victory on Sunday, finals may not be out of the question.

The last time these two sides met, it was a tight encounter with Lakes coming away with a 2-1 victory – their first against Adamstown since 2010.

Roosters midfielder Blake Green starred that day and his impact on matches cannot be underestimated. Green has scored five goals in 2017 and when he has found the back of the net Lakes have not lost.

With all the momentum and form in their favour, Adamstown will head to Macquarie Field as favourites, although expect a tight encounter.

What the Coaches Said:

Anthony Richards (Lake Macquarie)

“I don’t think it’s been a disappointing run of form, but a disappointing run of results. We weren’t playing too bad along the way. I thought we did quite well against Jaffas on the weekend. It was only their little bit of quality that beat us and against the Magic again it was only a couple of little lapses that hurt us. But, overall I wasn’t too concerned with how we went. But, it was good to get the points [against Charlestown].”

“[Adamstown] are going really well. Any side that changes their coach quite often become dangerous. They’ve got the evergreen Stu Musialik in there pulling the strings and Alex Read whether he is a centre back or striker he is a good player. In round one we were quite lucky to get the win that day. They played really well and we were just good enough to take our chances when they came.”

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“[Lakes] are a quality side. They love playing on the counter and we’ve got to be very, very careful of not being short at the back to be quite honest. They created numerous chances [against Charlestown] and could have [scored] a lot more really.”

“We’ve just got to be better on the ball and we’ve just got to show a lot more commitment for the 90 minutes like we did in that last 45 [against Valentine]. We’ve got to come out and want to play and show some confidence. We’re not a bad side, we are certainly not a terrible side so we’ve just got to show that confidence and that desire to want the ball like we have at training.”

Key: Consistency. Can the Rosebud’s build of their second half performance against Valentine or was it a flash in the pan?

source: sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Cooper 75’, Swan 87’) defeated Newcastle Jets Youth 1 (Moric 43’) at Darling Street Oval. 

Hamilton Olympic produced another stirring second-half fightback against the Jets Youth, as they scored twice in the final 15 minutes to record an important 2-1 victory.

For the ninth time, this season Hamilton scored in the final 15 minutes, as they begin to develop a reputation as the competition’s comeback kings.

Mark Moric got the Jets off to a dream start, but goals from Andrew Swan and Rhys Cooper in the second half ensured the three points would stay at Darling Street.

The Jets worked the first goal beautifully as Cody Carroll found space down the left edge and hit a chipped pass centrally to Finn Parris who laid the ball off for Moric to drive the ball into the right corner from close range.

The Jets led 1-0 at the break and looked set to record an upset victory.

Enter Andrew Swan.

In his first match for Olympic, Reece Papas whipped in a free kick from 45 degrees on the left edge, and onto the head of Jets defender Kieran Hayes.

It ballooned high off Hayes towards goal and Andrew Swan was too strong in the air, rising above keeper Tristan Esquilant and nodding the ball over the line.

Just as it seemed the Jets Youth would quell the Olympic fightback, Kane Goodchild broke free down the middle of the park.

Charging down the ground, he curled a through ball across to the left, which judging by the groans of the Hamilton faithful, seemed too deep.

But, the experienced Swan ran the ball down just inside the line, darted infield, and squared the ball for Rhys Cooper who tapped home a first-time finish which brought the Olympic fans to their feet.

The comeback kings producing another stunning fightback to claim all three points and consolidate their spot within the four – for this weekend at least.

Olympic coach Mick Bolch wasn’t best pleased with his side describing it as “our worst performance of the season”.

“The old cliché is the sign of a good side is you can win when you are playing bad, but look we were poor. We didn’t string three passes together for the whole first half and we continually turned the ball over.”

Bolch said Andrew Swan’s injection off the bench was a match-turner.

“Andrew Swan probably changed the game. Within two minutes of him coming on, he scored the equaliser and set up the winner.

In contrast, Jets Youth coach Clayton Zane was very happy with his side’s performance saying they were “excellent from start to finish”.

“We dominated the game, we led 1-0. We should have led by more at half-time, we fluffed our lines a few times in front of goals.

“I was always a little bit worried with not taking chances against them. You know they’ve got a bit of steam in their front third when they start throwing things at you.”

Under 20s Olympic won 4-0
Under 18s Olympic won 3-1

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Maitland
Under 16s Olympic won 2-0
Under 15s Olympic won 3-0
Under 14s Olympic won 5-2
Under 13s Olympic won 4-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Hunter Simba
Washed out

NET results
Under 12s Olympic defeated Charlestown 2-0
Under 11s Olympic defeated by Adamstown 1-3

Olympic Junior Results
Under 16a Olympic defeated Maitland 6-1
Under 15a Olympic defeated Maitland 5-1
Under 13a Olympic defeated Sth Wallsend 6-1
Under 12b Olympic defeated Adamstown 2-1

Under 7/1 Olympic defeated New Lambton

IN OTHER GAMES:
Edgeworth Eagles 2 (Taylor 6’, Bower 90+2’) defeated Maitland Magpies 1 (Cansdell-Sheriff 12’) at Cooks Square Park. 

Edgeworth young gun Will Bower proved to be the hero for the Eagles as he scored a stoppage time goal to steal three points at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.

The ‘Match of the Round’ could not have been tighter with both Edgeworth and Maitland very evenly matched as they have proved already this season. But, in the moment that mattered, it was Bower who stood tall.

The Eagles flew into an early lead inside the opening ten minutes when Brody Taylor darted down the left edge of the box and finish astutely into the right corner.

Their lead didn’t last long though as the Magpies applied sustained pressure on the Eagles defence. Josh Dutton-Black curled in a free-kick from the left edge and the tall timber of Shane Cansdell-Sheriff nodded the ball on to lock up the scores.

Maitland were swift on the counter-attack and caused the Eagles defence plenty of headaches in the opening half. An injury to Matt Comerford midway through the opening half was a setback for the home side as they searched for the go-ahead goal.

Both sides continued to probe until half-time but neither could trouble the scoreboard as they headed to the sheds lock at one goal apiece.

When they returned, Ben Martin had a golden opportunity to put the Magpies ahead but his shot from close range was well blocked by goalkeeper Nate Cavaliere.

Keanu Moore came off the bench for Edgeworth in his first match back after a stint in Victoria and immediately looked sharp.

With one of his first touches, the speedy midfielder had a chance to nod the Eagles into the lead but headed straight at Magpies keeper Matt Trott.

Trott was brilliant in the second half, pulling off some tremendous saves as Edgeworth pushed hard. The final 15 minutes was all the Eagles as the Magpies seemed to fatigue and in the end, they couldn’t hold them out.

A Kieran Sanders corner was not dealt with by the Maitland defence and Bren Hammel nodded the ball on to Bower who scrambled the ball over the line among a sea of bodies.

There were appeals for offside from the Magpies players, but from replays, it seemed as though power was just onside.

Maitland were left to rue another late fade out, while the Eagles celebrated the fourth victory in a row.

Magpies coach Phil Dando felt his side were slow out of the blocks but was impressed with how they matched Edgeworth for large parts of the contest.

“I thought we were very, very sloppy to start with. But, then we got back into it very quickly and for much of the game, I thought we were on a par with them.

“They’re the yardstick and the best team in the comp and we matched them for large periods of the game.”

Dando said a hectic early season schedule was “certainly a large part of the reason” for his side’s late fadeouts in the last two matches.

The busy schedule ensured they couldn’t build their fitness base after they were “largely underdone” fitness-wise when he arrived.

  

Adamstown Rosebud 4 (Read 59’, Littlewood 77’, 84’, Tannock 88’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 2 (J. Brown 14’, 23’) at Adamstown Oval.

 Adamstown recorded one of the comebacks of the season as they fought back from a two-goal deficit at half-time to record a 4-2 victory over Valentine.

The Phoenix look set to sew up a finals spot after Jalon Brown struck twice in the opening 23 minutes, but the Rosebud’s came home like a steam train.

With the bye, next weekend, Valentine’s race for a top four spot just got a whole lot tighter.

The day began disastrously for the Rosebuds when Owen Littlewood played a weak back-pass to keeper Riley Hill in the 14^th minute, which Phoenix striker Jalon Brown took full advantage of.

Hill reached the ball first, but it was too late as Brown blocked the clearance and tapped the ball into an empty net.

The afternoon got even worse less than ten minutes later for the home side as Alex Read stuck out an arm out to a Scott McGinley chipped pass.

The defender was rightly given a yellow card and Brown would make him feel even worse seconds later as he whipped a free kick inside the near post to make it 2-0.

Valentine had a chance to make it 3-0 in the 43^rd minute when Scott McGinley was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Jordan Harrison. Valentine’s skipper stepped up and blazed his penalty over the bar.

Less than 14 minutes into the second half and the Adamstown fightback began, as Alex Read made up for his earlier mistake.

Dayne Pawlik’s corner wasn’t punched clear of the box Phoenix keeper Perry Budden and Alex Read hit a strike with venom which powered into the back of the net to reduce the deficit to one.

Rosebuds continued to push on for an equaliser and they got their reward in the 77^th minute.

Ryan Ensor curled in a corner from the right edge with was bundled home by Own Littlewood and the fightback was well and truly in full swing.

If Adamstown Oval had a roof on it in the 84^th minute, it would have been blown off as Pawlik whipped in a free kick from 45 degrees on the right.

It looked as if it had too much power, but no one told Owen Littlewood that as he rose high to head the Rosebuds into the lead.

Justin Tannock put the icing on a memorable comeback in the 88^th minute, after Aaron Niyonkuru headed on an Alex Read clearance.

Tannock was in a footrace with Josh Murray who stumbled and the tall striker took full toll, rounding Phoenix keeper Perry Budden and rolling home his second of the season.

To add further misery to the Phoenix’s afternoon, defender Zac Sneddon was given a second yellow card when he and Pawlik collided.

Pawlik looked to collect Sneddon who clutched at his ankle as he went to ground. The match was called off as he received medical attention and in his final match for Valentine this season he was handed a red card in what looked a strange decision.

Adamstown coach Nick Webb described the comeback as “awesome”.

“The club needed it, the players needed it just to show some real fight. For me, as a coach, it was a really good experience.

“They didn’t follow any game plan I put in the first half. Second half they went out and they completed everything they wanted to do and tore them to bits, to be honest.”

Webb said he talked to his side at half-time about the importance of putting on a quality second-half.

“I wanted them to show some life, show that the shirt means something to them. A few of the senior boys stood up and tore shreds of the other senior boys and that really led the way for the younger boys to realise this is not just a game, this is what it is all about.”

“I’ve nearly had all of them come up to me today and said, ‘I never felt anything like that today’ and it was just amazing.”

Valentine coach Darren Sills was clearly dejected post-match.

“We trained so well this week and really well. I thought we are on fire, we’re right. Then we came out and [Adamstown] didn’t touch the ball the first 20 minutes. Possession had to be up near 80 percent, it was just unbelievable.

“We got in the sheds. They were all buzzing and happy, confident. Then we go out there and fall asleep at a set piece again. It was just a terrible, terrible performance in the second half.

“We got into a dog fight with them and no one wanted to get in the fight with them.”

 

Lambton Jaffas 3 (J.Griffiths 24’, Verity 33’, R.Griffiths 53’) defeated Lake Macquarie City Roosters 1 (Walker 78’) at Arthur Edden Oval. 

Ryan Griffiths kept up his perfect scoring record in the PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW netting his fourth goal in as many matches as Lambton proved too strong for Lake Macquarie. 

His brother Joel got the ball rolling for Lambton when he opened the scoring for in the 24^th minute when the Roosters struggled to clear the ball out of their penalty box.

Luke Remington controlled the miscued clearance on the edge of the ‘D’ and teed up Joel Griffiths on the right who powered home on the volley from close range.

Nathan Verity then headed the Jaffas into a two-goal lead in the 33^rd minute, after Joel Griffiths curled in a pinpoint corner.

Lambton took a 2-0 lead into half-time and when they returned Ryan Griffiths made it four goals in as many PS4 NPL matches.

When the game resumed, Michael Kantarovski played a beautiful pass between the lines to Joel Griffiths, who squared to the top of the six-yard box. Lakes keeper Benn Kelly couldn’t claim the ball, and Ryan Griffiths cleaned up the scraps.

Sam Walker added a late consolation for the Roosters in the 78^th minute when Lambton defender Liam O’Dell’s clearance could only find Tom Walker who headed a pass to his brother Sam who finished expertly.

It was a much needed three points for Lambton after a disappointing loss last weekend to Valentine. The Jaffas ensuring they will stay top of the table at the end of the weekend.

Lakes coach Anthony Richards conceded they were beaten by a better side.

“They were just too good in that top third, they took their chances when they came. We didn’t really help ourselves with injuries today. Brad York hurt his knee early, Dean Holt got caught at work in Dubbo and Tommy Smart had to come off early.

“Having said all that, the boys created some really good chances. But, they are a good side, they are well organised and they’ve got quality around the park.”

 

Broadmeadow Magic 2 (J. Virgili 24’, Oxborrow 80’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 0 at Magic Park. 

Broadmeadow Magic ensured their finals hopes are alive and kicking in a huge way as they secured a 2-0 victory over 8^th placed Charlestown.

Goals from former Hyundai A-League players James Virgili and Mitch Oxborrow bookended the win for Broadmeadow, with a red card for defender Scott Robertson the only sour note.

Charlestown striker Rene Ferguson caused some early headaches for Magic’s defence, but it was James Virgili who opened the scoring for Broadmeadow in the 24^th minute.

After some quality build up from Dino Fajkovic, Oxborrow chipped a pass to Virgili who darted down the right edge of the box and finished superbly past Nathan Archbold in the Blues goal.

Josh Piddington almost doubled the lead for Broadmeadow minutes later, but his header was brilliantly saved by Archbold.

Magic took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break and when they returned Nathan Archbold continued to thwart the home side. First, James Virgili found space down the right and Archbold pushed his cross away from danger.

Then, Dino Fajkovic couldn’t find a way past Archbold twice. Fajkovic weaved into the box and powered his shot towards goal. Archbold parried the initial strike back to the strong front man who headed another effort on goal which Archbold jumped to his feet to grab.

For the second time this season against the Blues, Magic were reduced to ten men when Scott Robertson was sent off after a receiving a second yellow card for what looked to be referee abuse.

Charlestown had a late chance to lock the match up with a goalmouth scramble, but couldn’t force the ball across the line.

Magic were good enough down a man to seal the three points when Oxborrow played a wonderful one-two with Kale Bradbury and finished expertly across Archbold from the left side of the box.

Broadmeadow ending the round in fifth place on the ladder, just a point outside the top four.

Magic coach Ruben Zadkovich was hugely impressed with his side’s showing.

“We thoroughly, thoroughly deserved to win. We pretty much battered them, to be honest. Chance after chance after chance after chance.

“Their coach has come out and said their keeper was their best player and he was by a long shot. Our football was very good, our attitude was very good and the boys are getting their rewards.”

Zadkovich said his side could have won by a lot more, if not for Archbold.

“To be honest, if the scoreline was 8-0, I think it would have been a fair result. Then again, that’s football you don’t expect them all to do in.

“So more realistic, it should have been five or six nil. I’m stoked we are creating all the chances and keeping a clean sheet as well.”

Source: sportstg.com