Monthly Archives: July 2018

Lake Macquarie City 2 (Walker 12’, Hunter 41’) def. by Hamilton Olympic 3 (Cooper 25’, Bertos 57’, Bailey 86’)

Saturday 28^th July, 2:30 pm at Macquarie Field

In two games between these two teams this season, there have been a whopping 12 goals.

Five of those came on Saturday in a see-sawing affair, where Olympic came from behind twice but could have been dead and buried at the end of the first half.

Sam Walker opened the scoring for Lakes in the 12^th minute of playing, after Reece Papas was caught in possession and the Roosters striker pulled off a nice finish. The home side should have had another shortly after but wasn’t able to turn the ball in the midst of a goalmouth scramble.

Olympic made them pay shortly after though, with a nice move which started with the goalkeeper and ended with Rhys Cooper sliding a good finish past Stuart Plant in the Lakes goal.

A precise header, along with a fair bit of luck, earned Lakes their second goal. It was Mitch Hunter who rose highest from the corner in the 41^st minute.

Olympic got themselves back on level terms in the 57^th minute through a Leo Bertos header inside the six-yard box, and when Jacob Bailey seized on a Plant mistake in the 86^th minute Hamilton wrapped up the three points.

Under 20s Olympic won 3-1
Under 18s Lakes won 1-2

NPL Youth
Charlestown vs Olympic
Under 16s drew 1-1
Under 15s Olympic won 13-0
Under 14s Olympic won 7-0
Under 13s Charlestown won 2-3

Zone League 2
Olympic vs New Lambton
1st Grade New Lambton won 2-3
2nd Grade drew 3-3

Community Juniors
Under 16A Olympic won 2-0
Under 13A Olympic 9-2 Charlestown

Edgeworth Eagles 1 (Jackson 85’) drew Maitland Magpies 1 (Pratt 73’)

Sunday 29^th July, 2:45 pm at Jack McLaughlan Oval

It took until the second half for this clash to really come to life, but when things sparked it ensured a thrilling finish on Sunday afternoon.

Tyson Jackson was the saviour for Edgeworth, rescuing a point with an 85^th-minute goal after Maitland perhaps could have been a little further ahead.

There weren’t many chances in the first half, Maitland’s best was a Sean Pratt free kick which went close.

Both sides wrestled for control and Edgeworth started to take it as the first half wound down, when Adam Cawley was just millimetres away from finishing into a near empty net and a Daniel McBreen free header inside the box couldn’t be steered home on the stroke of half-time.

Maitland had a golden opportunity on the hour mark after Edgy keeper Josh Low brought down a Magpie inside the area. Alex Read stepped up to take the spot kick but put it straight at the legs of Low.

They had another chance from the spot in the 73^rd minute when Tom Duggan was brought down inside the box by Aaron Oppedisano.

This time it was Pratt who stepped up, and although Low went the right way the penalty was too good and Maitland was ahead.

Jackson smashed his equaliser for Edgeworth into the top corner from close range in the 85^th minute, and the momentum was well and truly back with the home side.

They should have won it just minutes later when a floated free-kick found an unmarked Daniel McBreen, but his header from point-blank range went over the bar and the two sides shared the points.

“I’ve not long watched the game, and Maitland were pretty good, to be honest,” said Edgeworth coach Damien Zane.

“The first twenty minutes we lacked composure and that was through them putting us under pressure, as it went on I thought, and it sums up the game, they were better but we had the better chances.

“It’s pleasing in a sense that we were threatening and created chances, but we have to be better. We gave away two poor penalties, defended poorly twice, so in the end, it was good to fight back and give ourselves an extra little buffer. I’ll take a point.”

If the ladder remains as it is, Edgeworth will take on Maitland in a two-legged semi-finals battle in four weeks’ time. Zane believes his side will have to step up and ‘match their intensity’ if that tie eventuates.

“The Swan brothers and Carl Thornton were swarming us and I don’t think we really dealt with it all that well,” said Zane.

“I thought we won that midfield battle in the first match, and we won that match, so that’s one area. We have a few players that need an extra run, we have a trial match against the [Western Sydney] Wanderers on Wednesday and I think that’ll be good.

“Boys like Sam Maxwell, Aaron Oppedisano, Dylan Holz are not long back from injury. Josh Evans is just back from his trip away so that’ll be good, and it’s important to get some solid game time into a few guys and get that rustiness out.”

The draw takes Edgeworth four points clear at the top, and their next three games are against the competition’s bottom three sides – Adamstown, Lakes, and Valentine.

“If we don’t win those games, then we don’t deserve to win the premiership,” said Zane.

“They’re bottom of the table, but they’ve got nothing to lose and that’s the tough thing in itself. We pride ourselves on not switching off and losing games that we’re favourites to win, so I don’t think we’ll get cocky and not turn up.

“It’s important we get the job done. You don’t want to go into the finals in poor form, so there’s a few reasons we want to keep on winning.”

Charlestown City Blues 4 (McPherson 10’, Goodchild 73’, Minors 85’, Ott 90+2’) def. Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Berlin 80’)

Sunday 29^th July, 2:30 pm at Lisle Carr Oval

The last ten minutes saw the scoreline blow out slightly after what had been a close match for the most part, and it’s a big win which has kept Charlestown’s slim finals hopes alive.

In their first match since marquee man Ljubo Milicevic announced his retirement via social media, Charlestown got off to the perfect start when Pete McPherson put one away in the tenth minute.

The Blues thought they had a second in the 18^th minute when Scott Smith tapped home from close range, but he was offside.

It took more than an hour for another goal to come, the chance coming after Adamstown youngster Liam Ryan brought down Matt Tull inside the area.

Kane Goodchild stepped up and hit an almost-perfect penalty into the corner to double the home side’s advantage.

That advantage was halved shortly after though when Chris Berlin found himself in behind the defence. A half-step sent Jim Fogarty the wrong way and made the finish easy for Berlin.

It was a goal which sparked Charlestown into action, and when Daniel Minors’ glancing header found it’s way in the 85^th minute the Blues had an unassailable lead. Daniel Ott’s first goal in Charlestown colours in late injury time was the icing on the cake.

“I was happy with the performance, it’s been a bit tough over the past couple of weeks with injuries, I think we got seven players back yesterday from the Edgeworth game,” said David Tanchevski, Charlestown City Blues coach.

“You’re reintroducing a new starting line-up once again, so there’s an inconsistency there but I was really happy with how the boys performed. We created a mountain of chances we didn’t take in the first half and let them back in at 2-1, but then finished them off well.”

Two points off Maitland in fourth and one-off fifth-placed Hamilton Olympic, Charlestown has played a game more than each of those sides and look an outside chance of playing finals football.

Their hopes hinge on poor results for the teams around them – but Tanchevski said a good run home is ‘all we can do’.

“If we can keep winning, we have Valentine at Valentine next Sunday. If we can win that game, hopefully, we’re in for a fight,” said Tanchevski.

“That’s what our goal at the start of the season was, to be in the finals shout coming into the last three or four weeks of the season.

We probably should have been in a better position, if it wasn’t about for the players we had unavailable, but we’re still where we wanted to be at the start of the season.

“Anything can happen in this comp, there’s been some crazy results this year, so as long as we keep on winning then we’re doing our bit.”

Packed in between Adamstown this weekend and Valentine next weekend, however, is a mammoth FFA Cup Round of 32 clash against NPL Victoria leaders Heidelberg United.

“We’re excited, the boys are really excited to get on there. It’s a bit more of a professional field, going down to Melbourne and playing, the experience is going to be great for the guys,” said Tanchevski.

“The team that we’re playing apart from an A-League team is one of the tougher teams you could draw. They knocked out Perth Glory last year, so we’re up for a big battle with a depleted squad again.

“Pete McPherson can’t get up there, Matt Tull is suspended and Ljubo [Milicevic] is out. We’ll give it a good go, and the boys will be better for the experience, that’s for sure.”

Weston Bears 1 (Morris 73’) def. by Valentine Phoenix 3 (Wood 18’, 55’, 90+2’)

Sunday 29^th July, 2:30 pm at Rockwell Automation Park

In a rare purple patch of form, Weston went into Sunday’s clash as favourites – something they haven’t done all too often these past few years.

Joel Wood had different plans though, putting on an absolute clinic for the young strikers at the ground with a hat-trick to seal all three points for a Valentine side which now has a shot at avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon.

His first was from the penalty spot in the 18^th minute after Nathan Morris brought down Wilson Edwards inside the box. Wood sent Kane Runge the wrong way and made it 1-0.

Ten minutes after half-time, Wood doubled his and Valentine’s tally. It was a solid finish at the back post, the number 9 beneficiary of a nice Matt Paul ball across the box.

Weston got themselves back into it in the 74^th minute of play, when Nathan Morris hit a stinging volley into the inside of the far post and subsequently the back of the net.

The visitors would have the last laugh, though. In what looked like a very tight call for offside, Joel Wood broke the line and finished past a furious Runge to give the visitors all three points for the first time since they’d last played Weston.

source: http://northernnswfootball.com.au

Lake Macquarie City v Hamilton Olympic

Saturday 28^th July, 2:30pm at Macquarie Field

Saturday’s visitors missed the chance to jump level with the top four last weekend and the hosts slipped down the ladder after a seven-goal thriller.

In fact, there were seven goals scored the last time these two sides met too when Hamilton pinched a 4-3 win in a tit-for-tat battle at Darling Street Oval back in May.

High scoring games have become somewhat of a theme of Lakes’ games this season, and there have been more goals at Roosters’ matches than any other side with 66 (30 for, 36 against).

The 4-3 loss to Jets Youth last weekend was one in which Lakes never led, but were level at 2-2 and 3-3 before an 82^nd minute goal condemned them to defeat and pushed Lakes down to tenth on the ladder.

Such is the compact nature of that ladder, a win this weekend could push them back up as high as eighth. Will Lakes have enough in the tank though, especially against a desperate Hamilton side?

Olympic could have pushed level with the top four last weekend, but a frustrating 0-0 draw with Maitland denied them the chance to make any significant ground on the finals spots.

Still three points off fourth place, Hamilton need to ensure they pick up maximum points every weekend between now and the finals in order to capitalise on any potential slip up from Maitland.

Therefore, a win on Saturday is crucial to Hamilton’s finals hopes. Even more so when you consider that this weekend is followed by big matches against Lambton and Magic.

What the coaches said:

Nick Webb (Lakes)

“I’m hoping it’s not a high scoring game, I hope we win 1-0. I’d like to get a clean sheet to be honest, we’re looking to be better defensively and if we can snag a goal that would be really good.

“I’m expecting Hamilton to be quietly confident, and hungry for the game. Last time we showed that we can stay in the fight, we’ve certainly got what we need to get a result this weekend.

“Sam Walker has been outstanding for us this year, we made him captain at the start of the year and he’s led from the front. There’d be nothing better for the squad to see him get the Golden Boot, I understand James Virgili was injured last night [in the FFA Cup] which might open the door up for Sam. There’s no doubt we’re not making the semi-finals this year, so there’d be nothing better than to send Sam out with the Golden Boot.

“Not really any changes this weekend, Jackson O’Sullivan snapped his wrist in the first couple of minutes last weekend against the Jets. Harry Lane should be back in for him after a couple of weeks out with a head injury, so we should be back to our starting 11.”

10.45am  u18s Lake Macquarie vs Hamilton Olympic

12.30pm  u20s Lake Macquarie vs Hamilton Olympic

Youth NPL:

Round 21: Charlestown vs Hamilton Olympic at Lisle Carr Oval Saturday 28 July

U13s kick off 10.00am

U14s kick off 11.30am

U15s kick off  1.00pm

U16s kick off   2.30pm

Edgeworth Eagles v Maitland Magpies

Sunday 29^th July, 2:30pm at Jack McLaughlan Oval

At different places in the ladder but three points clear in their own respects, this is a huge match for both teams at the pointy end of the season.

In what has developed into a strong, competitive rivalry since Maitland’s promotion back to the top tier of local football, Edgeworth hold the upper hand. They’ve won all but two matches in the last ten between these two, including a 2-0 win back in Round 8.

It’s the back end of a huge three game run for Edgeworth, who beat Hamilton and Charlestown in the weeks previous and now face fourth-placed Maitland.

The most recent of those victories was a 2-0 over Charlestown, with an own goal and a Daniel McBreen header extending the Eagles unbeaten run in the league to nine matches.

May 13^th is the last time Edgeworth was beaten in the NPL NNSW, and they’ve won their last four games on the trot. It’s a run which has them perched three points clear at the top.

Maitland are three points clear themselves as well, but of fifth place rather than second. They could have shot six clear of the chasing pack with a win last weekend, but earned a point in a 0-0 stalemate against Hamilton.

It was a hard-earned point for a side which was missing four first-team regulars, and had a bench filled with players aged 21 or under. It’s a good reflection of the depth in youth which Maitland has – their Under 20s side is currently at the top of the table.

This match is the second in a tough run home for Maitland, who face all the other teams in the top five in their final five matches this season. A win on Sunday would be huge in their quest to remain inside the top four.

What the coaches said:

Damien Zane (Edgeworth)

“Maitland are doing pretty well despite their injuries, I think they’ve kept three clean sheets in a row. Bolchy’s got his teams pretty organised defensively, they’ll be tough to break down. I know Alex Read is back, Sean Pratt, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Clarkey come on which will add to their attack. We’re expecting a semi-finals type match.

“We weren’t at our best last weekend [in the 2-0 win over Charlestown] but you can’t expect to be good every weekend. One of our trademarks is getting the job done, even when we’re not at our best. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but I thought we were fairly comfortable without being flashy and it’s good to sometimes have those wins.

“To win the comp you’ve got to do that, you can’t be up and play good football every match because the players are only human. They’ve just got to roll their sleeves up, work hard for each other, take our chances and we did that. I’m happy to win whatever way it is.

“Aaron McLoughlin hurt his ankle last week so he’s out. Dylan Holz will be back in, and Josh Evans was on the bench last weekend. He only flew in on the Friday so we weren’t going to risk him unless we were hanging on near the end and needed him on, so he’ll have a full week of training under his belt and be ready to go [this weekend].”

Weston Bears v Valentine Phoenix

Sunday 29^th July, 2:30pm at Rockwell Automation Park

This time last week, this match would have been a clash of the cellar-dwellers but with one side’s rise through the ranks it’s now an opportunity for some momentum.

Valentine has won just once this year, and it was against Weston back in Round 8. The 4-3 victory was a see-sawing affair which saw Valentine go down in the first minute, streak out to a two goal lead, and survive a late scare.

This weekend’s home side looked to be down and out, after their huge and potentially season defining win against Maitland back in Round 12 was followed by four games without a win.

Weston then shocked the competition with a 3-0 with over Charlestown in Round 17, and then last week kept the good times rolling with a 2-1 win over a ten-man Adamstown side.

Sat eighth on the ladder, the Bears could jump even higher if things go their way this weekend. A point on Sunday would mathematically assure they avoid the wooden spoon.

On the other hand, failure to take three points could send the wooden spoon to Valentine and see them finish bottom of the league for the first time since 2013. Unlike that year however, they won’t be relegated to the NEWFM Northern League One.

In order to avoid a similar fate, they’ll need to orchestrate a staggering turnaround in their remaining four matches. They’ve lost their last four matches on the trot, conceding 14 goals along the way.

Five of those goals came last weekend courtesy of Broadmeadow in the 5-0 drubbing at CB Complex. The only team Valentine has beat all season is Weston – can they do it again this weekend?

What the coaches said:

Sam Griffin (Valentine assistant)

“Weston have played themselves into form and have had a couple of good wins in the last two weeks, unfortunately we’re coming up against a team on the up which is not what we want. We want the teams around us to get beat to give us a chance to get out of trouble, but they’re not doing us any favours so we’ll do it the hard way.

“Avoiding last place is pretty significant for us, it’s not a prize that anyone wants to finish the year with so there’s a fair bit of motivation to get ourselves out of trouble. It’s unfortunate, we’ve been playing decent games and getting beat so we’ve got to find another gear to go to.

“It’s just a matter of concentration for most games, for example against Olympic a couple of weeks ago they scored four goals in 15 minutes and then for the rest of the game we were level. It’s those lapses which break us, and we just can’t come back from those kind of things. While we play good football for long periods, it’s about playing it for 95 minutes to get a result.

“Aaron Niyonkuru is in doubt, he had an MRI on Wednesday on his knee which is unfortunate for us. Scott Carter, Zac Sneddon, and Connor Motherway have to get through training on Thursday to be a chance.”

Charlestown City Blues v Adamstown Rosebud

Sunday 29^th July, 2:30pm at Lisle Carr Oval

With the season winding down, the lofty ambitions which Charlestown held at the beginning now hinge on getting results at the back end.

Adamstown will be looking this weekend to secure two wins in as many attempts over Charlestown this season, following their 3-2 win over the Blues back in Round 8.

Last weekend was a tough assignment for Charlestown, and one in which they weren’t able to upset the scales and pinch a win. They went down 2-0 to league-leaders Edgeworth.

Despite a torrid run of form that has seen the Blues pick up one win in their past seven outings, Charlestown still sits just four points off fourth place.

Troop numbers are low for Charlestown with a number of key players out through injury, so just how they’ll approach Sunday’s match will be one to watch. Remember, they have their FFA Cup Round of 32 clash with NPL Victoria side Heidelberg United coming up next Wednesday night.

Adamstown have no such midweek match to contend with in the aftermath of this Sunday’s clash, but they’ll be down on troops this week after two red cards last weekend.

Robbie Turnbull and Ben Higgins were both sent off – Higgins after the final whistle – in the 2-1 loss to Weston which pushed them down into ninth on the ladder.

It means that once again, Rosebud will be without more experienced personnel in the backline. Coach, and occasional player, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff may step into the fray, after starting in the Under 20s 4-3 win last weekend.

Lambton Jaffas and Newcastle Jets Youth played their Round 19 fixture on Tuesday night, with Jaffas winning 3-0.

Broadmeadow Magic has the bye.

Source: northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic FC are proud to announce the club’s inaugural Sportsman’s Luncheon on Friday, 24^th August, 2018 at The Premier Hotel.

The event will feature special guests Newcastle Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna, Newcastle Jets & 2x Hyundai A-League Championship winning coach Ernie Merrick, and Newcastle Jets star Jason Hoffman, who will exclusively discuss all the ins and outs of the Newcastle Jets just weeks before the 2018/19 Hyundai A-League season is set to begin.

The day will be hosted by NBN’s Mitchell Hughes and include auctions and raffles.

Hamilton Olympic FC Secretary Con Gounis says it’s an event not to be missed.

“After the wonderful year that the Newcastle Jets had in season 2017/18, the inaugural Sportsman’s Lunceon is a fantastic chance to hear what Head Coach Ernie Merrick has in place for the upcoming 2018/19 A- League season,” Gounis said.

“Ex-Hamilton Olympic Junior Jason Hoffman, will no doubt have some experiences he will share of his junior days with the club, so come along to the Hamilton Olympic FC Sportsman’s Luncheon. A great day is assured!”

Tickets are just $110 each, or $1000 for a table of ten which includes a two (2) course luncheon and four (4) hour drink package.

Please contact Con at secretary@hamiltonolympic.com.au or phone 0423221352 or 4962 3236 for tickets or enquiries. RSVP by August 17th.

Source: northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic 0 drew with Maitland Magpies 0

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Darling Street Oval

A win for either side would have gone a long way to securing a top four finish but instead, no goals were able to be scored in what was a tense, tied battle that saw defence reign supreme in Michael Bolche’s return to Darling St. Oval.

Both sides were missing some key men as Hamilton’s Simon Mooney and Jed Hornery, as well as Maitland’s Matt Thompson, Matt Comerford and Ryan Clarke, were all out for this fixture and it seemed to be the offence that was lacking in the early parts.

Neither side were able to gain the momentum and win the battle in the midfield with both looking nervous and cagey to press too far forward.

The first major moment in the game came from an Olympic corner in the 30^th minute. The ball was crossed into the box and after being cleared out from the Maitland defence, the referee stopped play and it looked as though a penalty was about to be awarded, however, after a quick discussion with his linesman, the play was waved away.

Minutes later, Hamilton went close to breaking the deadlock when a Leo Bertos cross found a flicked header from Jacob Bailey onto Scott Petit’s head who’s shot smacked into the crossbar and out for a goalkick.

Maitland had a golden chance to score just before half time, but Tom Duggan’s shot sailed over the crossbar and didn’t trouble Daniel Eisenhauer in goals.

However, one moment that did worry Hamilton’s man between in the sticks was early in the second half when he was caught out after being beaten by Magpies’ veteran Andrew Swan, who then cut the ball across the goal looking for a teammate. It beat Tom Duggan’s foot, but fell for Louis Townsend but his shot was blocked by an incoming defender.

With minutes to go in the match, Olympic looked set to take the lead when a brilliant run from Jarryd Sutherland saw a cut-back land in front of goal for stalward Rhys Cooper, but his shot was saved by Matt Trott, and it proved to be the last opportunity for either side in the match.

Hamilton Olympic coach Pete McGuinness praised his side for their ability to play at a high level despite the large amount of games they’ve played in recent weeks.

“I felt the boys gave a massive effort after a very busy couple of weeks,” McGuinness said.

“We created a few really good opportunities to score but just couldn’t convert those chances.

“The game was very stop-start and didn’t really have a flow to it which suited them [Maitland].

“It was a clean sheet though so that’s something to take into next week.”

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

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Maitland
Under 16s Olympic won 5-1
Under 15s Olympic won 7-0
Under 14s Olympic won 4-0
Under 13s Olympic won 7-0

Community Juniors
Under 16s Olympic won 5-4
Under 13s Olympic 4-0   Valentine                                                                          Under 12s Olympic 0-2 Charlestown

Lake Macquarie City Roosters 3 (Sam Walker 39’, 45’, Mitch Hunter 80’) def. by Newcastle Jets Youth 4 (Cai Tipaldo 2’, Yerasimakis Petratos 18’ PEN, 56’, Josh Cairelli 82’)

Saturday 21^st July, 2:30pm at Macquarie Field

Despite being unable to feature in the Northern NSW NPL finals, the Newcastle Jets Youth side have continued to find successful results, this time over Lake Macquarie in a high-scoring, offensive affair.

The young Jets started the game well quickly and it took less than two minutes for them to find a way past the Roosters’ defence when Cai Tipaldo latched onto a low-crossed ball to blast it past Stuart Plant in goals.

Jets Youth continued to find their way into the home side’s box and after being brought down and awarded a penalty, Yerasimakis Petratos made no mistakes from the spot, doubling his team’s lead in the process.

However, as he so often does for Lakes, captain Sam Walker stepped up nabbing two goals in quick succession with minutes remaining in the first half to equalise the score-line as the two sides headed into the sheds.

As it was in the first half, the Jets Youth side continued to lob on the pressure, and some slick footwork from Petratos saw him grab a second midway through the half.

Lake Macquarie’s Mitch Hunter found an equaliser with a chipped-volley effort, but it was short lived as Jets substitute Josh Cairelli popped up just minutes later to slot home a one-on-one goal to give his side a late victory.

Lake Macquarie coach Nick Webb stated he was disappointed with his team’s defence.

“Our team created numerous opportunities again and the score could have been 9-all,” Webb said.

“But we have to be better at our defensive structure.”

Valentine Phoenix 0 def. by Broadmeadow Magic 5 (Kale Bradbury 24’, 27’, James Virgili 45+2’, 90+2’, Josh Piddington 60’)

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at CB Complex

It’s been eight years since Valentine conjured a victory against Broadmeadow and that trend is set to continue following a terrible home-loss at the hands of the Magicians that now sits them on the verge of winning the dreaded wooden spoon.

Magic’s wide men Kale Bradbery and James Virgili are two names that have featured multiple times in the NNSW NPL Team of the Week, as well as sitting near atop of the Golden Boot tally, and they were both the stars once again as they both grabbed impressive doubles.

Bradbery’s two goals came early in the first half – the first coming from close-range after some great wing-work by James Virgili, and the second followed a one-on-one effort just minutes after his first.

Broadmeadow kept the pressure on the cellar dwellers and were able to find another on the stroke of half-time through James Virgili, who found himself in behind the defence after a terrific ball from his fellow winger Bradbery.

The second half opened in similar fashion to the first with Magic controlling the tempo, and it seemed a fourth goal was destined to take place when Bradbery jumped onto a Phoenix defensive error however, some last-ditched defending from Valentine youngster Wilson Edwards kept them at bay momentarily.

Minutes later, a Broadmeadow free-kick taken from near the sideline was whipped onto the back post by Matthew Hoole and after an initial touch from Valentine keeper Perry Budden, fell for the visiting captain Josh Piddington, who slotted it easily.

Valentine’s awful day was capped off when James Virgili knocked home his second right at the death to sound off a 5-0 drubbing.

The victory now sees Broadmeadow move into second place ahead of Lambton Jaffas however, they have their bye next weekend, while Valentine remain stuck to the bottom of the table, eight points away Lake Macquarie City.

Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Fin Beasley 87’ PEN) def. by Weston Bears 2 (Chris Hurley 2’, Nathan Morris 18’ PEN) 

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Adamstown Oval

Both Adamstown and Weston entered this match needing a victory for any thread of a chance to play in the finals series, however, it was the visiting Bears who held on for the win, extending the Rosebud’s winless streak to eight weeks.

It took just over sixty seconds for Weston to take the lead as a nicely worked play down the right edge resulted in Chris Hurley banging the ball in from outside the box to open the scoring in style.

It was only fifteen minutes later when Weston received another golden opportunity to score after Jackson Burston’s header was ruled to have been illegally redirected from an Adamstown defender’s hand.

Club veteran Nathan Morris stepped up to the spot, and coolly knocked it past Domonic Fox in goals to double the Bears’ lead, and matters only seem to worsen from there for the hosts.

Despite winning the throw-in following a strong battle with Hurley, Adamstown’s Robbie Turnbull was shown a straight red card after the referee deemed Turnbull to have deliberately fallen on top of Hurley, leaving his team to play the remaining 70 minutes with a man down.

The Rosebuds continued to push on looking to work their way back into the contest, and late on they received a penalty of their own that was knocked home by in-form man Fin Beasley.

Despite a late burst of resurgence, Adamstown were unable to find an equalising goal, and Weston took all three points.

Adamstown coach Shane Cansdell-Sheriff said he was pleased with how his team continued to press on despite being a man down for much of the match.

“The attitude and determination the boys showed to stand up and fight in the second half was incredible given the lack of experience amongst our team,” Cansdell-Sheriff said.

“We dominated the second half and even scored a goal despite the player down.

“The character our team is showing week in, week out, despite all the barriers being thrown in front us, is fantastic.

“I look forward to the day when the tide changes because we will hurt teams.”

Charlestown City Blues 0 def. by Edgeworth Eagles 2 (Own Goal 8’, Daniel McBreen 66’)

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Lisle Carr Oval

Edgeworth have taken one step closer to an incredible fourth consecutive premiership after defeating Charlestown City away from home in quite convincing fashion.

Charlestown headed into this match having only won one match from their past seven outings, as well as having conceded 16 goals from those games and as a result, their spot in the finals is certainly at risk. Anything but a victory would be a failure for the Blues, and with the way the contest began, they would be facing an uphill battle.

A free-kick to the Eagles saw in-form midfielder Adam Cawley lob the ball into the box, finding the head of a Charlestown defender who agonisingly tucked it away inside the right upright to gift the first goal for the league-leaders.

In response, Charlestown looked to kick up a gear and their focus was to get balls into the box to challenge the Edgeworth defence. Few of those crosses lead to any major opportunities that goalkeeper Josh Low and his back four couldn’t handle, and Edgeworth lead as the two teams headed in for the break.

Funnily enough though, in the second half, it would be the visitors who would find the back of the net courtesy from a crossed ball.

With twenty five minutes to go in the game, a swirling corner saw former Hyundai A-League Golden Boot winner Daniel McBreen rise above the pack, and successfully head the ball past Blues’ keeper Jim Forgarty in goals.

The win now sees the Eagles move four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand of Broadmeadow behind them, while for Charlestown, after experiencing a great run to begin the year, they now sit four points outside of the top four and their hopes of returning to the finals for the first time since 2014 look bleaker each week as it nears.

Edgeworth coach Damian Zane said that despite the victory, he wasn’t all that pleased with his team’s performance.

“I’m happy with the result but it wasn’t one of our best performances,” said Zane.

“We lacked a bit of composure in possession but I’m happy with the way we continued to battle along even though we weren’t playing out best and that has become a trait of ours.

“One of the plus sides is that we got some game time into a few players that needed it.

“I’m happy to get the three points and keep a clean sheet which helps to move on to next week.”

Lambton Jaffas had the bye.

source: northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic v Maitland Magpies

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Darling Street Oval

This match is shaping up as a crucial ‘six-pointer’ of the season, as two depleted squads look to stake their claim for playing time in September.

Fresh off a 4-1 win over Valentine mid-week, Olympic are a chance to catch the top four if they take the three points from the Magpies.

If the Magpies swoop in with a win, they’ll shoot six points clear of Hamilton and virtually ensure their place in the finals series.

Last time these two teams came head-to-head, Maitland lead, trailed, and snatched the win in the 88^th minute.

Tight games like the one Olympic played against Edgeworth last weekend, have become something of a staple between the two sides in recent times.

In the end, it took a goal-keeping blunder from Olympic’s Tyler Warren and an incisive Edgeworth finish to deny Olympic a point last weekend – but they made up for it during the week.

Olympic welcomed back Kyle Hodges in their win over Valentine on Wednesday night and another win on Sunday would make the race for the finals very interesting.

On the contrary, a Maitland win could just about spell the end of the race as they could move as many as six points clear of the rest of the chasing pack.

A hard-fought win 2-0 over Jets Youth last weekend featured goals to two mid-season recruits in Sean Pratt and Justin Micallef, and pushed them three points clear on the ladder.

Form on the road hasn’t been one of Maitland’s strong points this season as they’ve won just once away from home – over Lakes back in Round 9 – and it’s area they’ll need to improve this weekend.

U18s Olympic vs Maitland at Darling St Oval Sunday 22^nd July kick off at 10.45am

U20s Olympic vs Maitland at Darling St Oval Sunday 22^nd July kick off at 12.30pm

NPL YOUTH:

Hamilton Olympic vs Maitland at Darling St Oval Saturday 21^st July 2018.

U13s kick off at 10.00am

U14s kick off at 11.30am

U15s kick off at 1.00pm

U16s kick off at 2.30pm

Newcastle Jets Youth v Lake Macquarie City

Saturday 21^st July, 2:30pm at Macquarie Field

Eight goals and a hugely entertaining match was showcased last time these two sides met. Could we get the same this weekend?

That match, the 5-3 thriller in which Jets Youth emerged triumphant, was one of the highest scoring matches of the season.

It was by far Jets Youth’s highest scoring match of the season, in fact, that single match has accounted for almost a quarter of the young Jets’ goals this season (23).

They didn’t add to that tally last weekend though, going down 2-0 to Maitland in a match where they may have felt hard done by to not take a point following what was a solid performance.

Sitting five points adrift of the top four, Jets Youth are still a chance of making a late push into the top four but it does look unlikely. A win on Saturday would do those hopes no harm.

Lake Macquarie had the bye last weekend and slipped down the ladder into ninth following Adamstown’s draw with Broadmeadow. To make matters tighter, Weston behind them gained ground with their win over Charlestown.

It puts the Roosters in the middle of that lower-mid-table logjam, which has just four points between tenth and seventh. They’ll look to take confidence from their last result beating Valentine 2-1.

While Lakes are just about out of the running for the finals, there is still one honour that could head out to Macquarie Field this year – the Golden Boot. Sam Walker is equal with James Virgili at 12 goals apiece and could take the lead with a strong showing on Saturday.

Adamstown Rosebud v Weston Bears

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Adamstown Oval

Solid results for both sides last weekend will have imbued each with confidence ahead of this weekend.

With just a point separating the two on the ladder, Adamstown will be hoping for a result similar to their 2-1 triumph over Weston back in Round 7 to boost them up the ladder.

If Adamstown win, it’ll be their first clean sweep over an opponent since they managed two wins over Maitland in the league last season.

The performance against Magic last weekend earned Adamstown a point in what was something of an upset result.

Two Rosebud youngsters were picked in last weekend’s Team of the Week – Oliver Davies and Finn Beasley – and the latter will look to prove a handful once again for Weston defenders this weekend.

However, if two players in the Team of the Week is good, then how about three? It’s a feat which Weston managed last weekend with Jackson Burtson, Jamie Subat and Nathan Morris all earning selection in the side.

Burston’s two goals, Subat’s birthday strike and Morris’ defensive marshalling was crucial in last weekend’s surprise 3-0 defeat of Charlestown and they’ll once again be crucial for the Bears this Sunday.

It’s been a common trend this season for the Bears who have shown they can turn up for the big games against big teams. With Steve Piggott’s reign at Weston down to it’s fourth-last match, the Bears will want to step up and finish the season strong.

Charlestown City Blues v Edgeworth Eagles

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at Lisle Carr Oval

Crucial for things at either end of the top four, Sunday out at Lisle Carr Oval shapes as a mouth-watering encounter between two sides who need all three points.

A draw doesn’t hurt Edgeworth but could knock down Charlestown’s hopes of making the top four, however it was 1-1 the last time these two sides met back in Round 7.

A depleted Charlestown defence struggled last weekend, and went down 3-0 to battlers Weston. They weren’t without their chances though, and if they’d found a little more luck, it could have been a different result.

It’s two defeats on the trot for Charlestown now, and they’ve only scored twice in their last three outings. In fact, they’re the equal second-lowest scoring side in the competition despite sitting in sixth.

Finals hopes for Charlestown depend on the results of sides around them, but the best way to ensure they keep touch is by grabbing three points. Edgeworth are the top opponent though and have plenty to play for themselves.

A potential fourth consecutive premiership is up for grabs out at Edgeworth, and they’re three points clear at the top of the ladder with a game in hand on Lambton and Magic who sit in second and third respectively.

This match comes smack-bang in the middle of a tricky run of three matches, the first of which came last weekend in the tight 1-0 win over Hamilton.

Victory this weekend could see the Eagles shoot six points clear at the top of the ladder, if results elsewhere go their way. It’ll lead into what’s always an enthralling clash against Maitland next weekend.

What the coaches said
Damien Zane (Edgeworth)

“Charlestown have struggled, but they beat Broadmeadow two weeks ago and I thought they were in that match against Hamilton (2-0 defeat). I watched the game against Weston, they hit the post at 1-0 and were in that match so it hasn’t been as bad as what the results have indicated.

“They’e going to be desperate, it’s going to be a tough match. We’re not turning up thinking they’re going to roll over, it’s do or die for them over the next five weeks. We’re expecting a tough match.

“Mitch Dobson is a big loss, the way he’s been playing, but we’ll move on. [Josh] Rosey can go back into the centre, Sam Maxwell and Aaron Oppedisano are back on the right, Maxy can go into the centre if needed. Aaron McLoughlin can come in on the left if needed, Josh Evans will be back and we’ll make a decision as to rushing him back in…we’ve got plenty of options there, and it won’t be an excuse for us.

“We’re five weeks out now, and we’ve created a condition where now we can look at it and say that a win can really give us the upper hand in the race for the premiership. To go six points clear would be massive, and it just puts pressure then on the chasing pack to continue winning. That’s massive, but we just want the three points.”

Valentine Phoenix v Broadmeadow Magic

Sunday 22^nd July, 2:30pm at CB Complex

At opposite ends of the ladder, this match is a must-win for each but for completely different reasons.

A Magic win would see them jump back into second place thanks to Lambton’s bye, while a win for the Phoenix would pull them closer to the pack in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon.

This will be Valentine’s third match in eight days, and they’ll be keen to ensure it doesn’t end the same way as the past two.

They were resoundingly beaten by Lambton last weekend in Round 17, 3-0, before being thumped 4-1 by Hamilton on Wednesday night.

Two results which have left them eight points adrift at the bottom of the ladder, with five games to play and to avoid the wooden spoon, they need to start picking up points.

To chase the prize at the other end of the ladder, Broadmeadow need to win their remaining four matches and hope results elsewhere go their way.

What they must avoid this weekend is a result similar to last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Adamstown. It was a match which they were expected to win but couldn’t get the job done.

What Broadmeadow do have in their corner is their incredible defensive record – they’ve conceded just one more goal (14) than Valentine has scored all season (13). If they can add to their league-high tally of 34 this weekend, they’re good odds to keep a clean sheet.

Lambton has the bye.

source: northernnswfootball.com.au

Fulltime here at Lisle Carr Oval, a scoreless second half sees Olympic defeat Valentine Eleebana FC 4-1!

Our next game is this Sunday when we face Maitland FC in what is set to be an absolute blockbuster in the context of things!

source: Tom Tsamouras

JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE 2018/ 2019 A- LEAGUE IS SET TO BEGIN, HEAR ALL THE INS AND OUTS ABOUT THE NEWCASTLE JETS FROM LAWRIE, ERNIE AND JASON ( EX-OLYMPIC JUNIOR)

HOFC are proud to announce the club’s inaugural SPORTSMANS LUNCHEON on Friday, 24^th August, 2018 at The Premier Hotel.

Please contact Con at secretary@hamiltonolympic.com.au

or phone on 0423221352 for tickets or enquiries.

source:Tom Tsamouras

Hamilton Olympic will hope to get back to winning ways tonight when it faces Valentine Eleebana FC in our round 14 NPL Northern NSW re-Scheduled fixture which will be played at Lisle Carr Oval Charlestown tonight.

Source: Tom Tsamouras

HOFC would like to congratulate ex- Olympic Junior Adam Zervas on his selection in the Joeys 28 player squad that are currently in Sydney for a 7 day training camp.

The squad will be trimmed down to 23 after the camp in preparation for the 2018 AFC U16 Championship in Malaysia.

Please find an article that gives further details about the newly appointed coach, and further information about the upcoming Joeys matches.

All at the club are extremely proud of this wonderful achievement, Adam! All the very best at the camp and your future path in football.

Source: Tom Tsamouras

Edgeworth Eagles 1 (Garland 57’) def. Hamilton Olympic 0

Sunday 15^th July, 2:30 pm at Jack McLaughlan Oval

It was a huge game for both sides, Edgeworth the chance to maintain their lead at the top of the league and Hamilton the opportunity to move closer to that top four.

The perennial premiers stepped up to the plate and with results elsewhere going their way it looks like the title may be staying at Jack McLaughlan Oval – but there’s still plenty of football to play.

Bailey Garland went close in the 16^th minute with a shot which just went wide from outside the area, and a Tom Stewart header at the other end went over the top just minutes after.

Garland had Edgeworth’s first chance of the match, and he’d have their first goal too shortly after half-time. He seized on a mistake from Tyler Warren, running from deep in the Hamilton half, rounding Warren, and finishing for his third goal in as many games.

Stuart Musalik was brought from the field shortly after that goal, with Kane Treble coming on for the final half-hour in search of an equaliser.

Edgeworth had the ball in the back of the net once again in the 81^st minute and Aaron McLoughlin finished the nicely worked free kick, but Daniel McBreen was offside for the initial header back across goal.

The visitors thought they must have equalised in the 90^th minute when Jacob Bailey rose highest and sent his header toward goal. It looked for all money going in, but Josh Low dived low to his right and pulled off an incredible save to ensure the Eagles won the three points.

Under 20s Olympic won 2-0
Under 18s Olympic won 3-1

NPL Youth
Edgeworth vs Olympic
Under 16s Olympic won 1-0
Under 15s drew 2-2
Under 14s Olympic won 3-1
Under 13s Edgeworth won 0-1

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Charlestown
1st Grade Charlestown won 1-2
2nd Grade drew 1-1

Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Virgili 42’) drew Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Berlin 50’)

Sunday 15^th July, 2:30 pm at Magic Park

Failure to pick up all three points for the second-week running has Broadmeadow Magic facing the impossible to climb back to their previous heights.

The draw with Adamstown wasn’t despite a lack of trying, with a plethora of chances but the Magic men couldn’t find that finishing touch.

For Adamstown, it’s a much-improved result given their recent run and compared to the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Broadmeadow earlier in the season.

James Virgili, on his return to the side after a week in China with the Newcastle Jets, had two early chances in the opening ten minutes but wasn’t able to find the target.

Kale Bradbury should have opened the scoring in the 18^th minute but fired it well over the top, and Magic was looking red hot.

There were chances up the other end for Matt Sokulsky and Finn Beasley, but it took until just before the half-time break for either side to find the breakthrough and it was Broadmeadow who did so.

A free kick broke down, but the ball was still in around the area and it was with Kale Bradbury out on the left-hand side. He sent the ball in, and Luke Virgili hit a low shot on the volley into the bottom corner to send Magic to the sheds a goal to the good.

Four minutes after the half-time break through, Adamstown was level. Finn Beasley did all the hard work, pinching the ball, beating players and managing to lay it off to strike partner Chris Berlin. Berlin hit his shot first time, and with the help of the inside of the post, it found it’s way in.

Magic fought for a winner and had chances, Kale Bradbury nearly had one in the 79^th minute and one of the two resulting corners should probably have made its way in. The home side wasn’t able to find that elusive goal, and it’d finish 1-1.

Adamstown coach Shane Cansdell-Sherriff was pleased with the result.

“I thought it was a good game, the boys did really well. Broadmeadow have been top of the table, I thought we handled it well and stopped them playing their game,” said Cansdell-Sherriff.

“We went out with a game plan and the boys executed it really well, and we were unlucky not to finish with a win. Everyone did really well but in particular, I thought the wide men, Matt Sokulsky and Finn Beasley, I thought they did really really well at driving the Magic defence back.

“I thought our two central midfielders broke up play very well, and defensively we were solid, worked hard together and did what was needed. We stopped three strong front men causing issues.”

Sat eighth on the ladder after a fairly innocuous start to the season, Adamstown are no hope of making the finals and are fairly assured of avoiding bottom spot. What they want to accomplish for the rest of the season is fairly simple.

“We want to win every game, we’ve got to build and keep working hard,” said Cansdell-Sherriff.

“We’ve come a long way, we’ve had our ups and downs but we have a very young side. Every week, we get better so it’s just a matter of building on it and building some more consistency.

“That’s been an issue for us, we’ve had a lot of bad decisions and bad luck cost us throughout the season. We lost our number one goalkeeper (Benn Kelly) on Friday night at training after having a bit of fun in the warm-up.”

Lambton Jaffas 3 (Waller 25’, Griffiths 48’, Crowley 52’) def. Valentine Phoenix 0

Saturday 14^th July, 2:30 pm at Arthur Edden Oval

It’s the end of the season which results need to be forthcoming, and Lambton showed they have the ability to grind them out with a resounding win in what shaped as a tricky fixture.

With other results, it’s a win which moves them into second on the ladder and keeps them within three points of Edgeworth in the top spot. The Eagles have a game in hand.

A goal at around the midway point of the first half got things underway for Lambton, and it was Tom Waller who seized on a loose ball at the edge of the area. It didn’t look much of a shot, but it was deceptive and dribbled past Scott Carter and put the home side ahead.

A four-minute blitz shortly after half-time wrapped up the result for Lambton. Ryan Griffiths, returning from injury had a simple finish inside the six-yard box for his seventh goal of the NPL NNSW campaign.

Shortly after, Braedyn Crowley popped up for his eighth of the season and probably the best of the day. He pinched the ball from a Valentine defender, rounded Carter and finished into an empty net to put his side three goals ahead.

There were unsavoury scenes in the 71^st minute after Braedyn Crowley and Scott Carter found themselves in a foot race after the ball. Carter looked certain to win it, but Crowley looked to speed past the goalkeeper after he’d relaxed.

Carter, with no eyes for the ball, put something of a shot on Crowley as he tried to make his way past and the young striker was barrelled into the advertising boards on the fence. Crowley avoided serious injury, and Carter was shown a yellow card.

Maitland Magpies 2 (Micallef 49’, Pratt 70’) def. Newcastle Jets Youth 0

Sunday 15^th July, 2:30 pm at Cooks Square Park

Windy hill was once again living up to its name, and they were conditions which worked in Maitland’s favour.

The second half double, including a goal to debutante Justin Micallef, puts Maitland three points clear of Charlestown (whom they have a game in hand on) and five clear of Jets Youth.

Top four looks all but assured for Maitland, and a pair of tricky fixtures against Hamilton and Edgeworth in the coming fortnight should tell all.

After a fairly even first half, it took just four minutes into the second for the scoring to be opened.

It was a brilliant little header from debutante Justin Micallef, who was the beneficiary of a nice ball in from Ryan Clarke. The looping header went over Tristan Esquilant, and Micallef did his best Tim Cahill impression at the corner flag.

Jets Youth needed to get back on the scoreboard and began to go forward in search of an equaliser. They almost had it on the hour mark, but Joey O’Connor’s shot hit the side netting.

It was the visitors who had a lot of the ball and looked to be close to finding something, but a quick counter-attack put out any hope of a Jets Youth comeback down.

It was the head of Andrew Swan which began the counter-attack, the ball from youngster Tom Duggan sent Sean Pratt toward the goal. He finished inside the far post and wrapped up the win for Maitland.

Weston Bears 3 (Subat 54’, Burston 77’, 80’) def. Charlestown City Blues 0

Sunday 15^th July, 2:30 pm at Rockwell Automation Park

The Blues were down on troops at the back, but not many would have predicted the kind of result we’d see on Sunday afternoon.

It’s one which hauls Weston eight points away from the bottom of the ladder and leaves Charlestown three points adrift of Maitland in fourth, who have a game in hand.

Charlestown’s injury crisis was bad heading into this one but worsened before 15 minutes had passed when Kane Goodchild was substituted with a quad injury.

It was the only real highlight in a first half which was end-to-end, but without much action inside either penalty area. The whistle was in the referee’s mouth plenty though, with both sides penalised for fouls all over the park.

The game sprang to life after half-time though, and it was the birthday boy who opened the scoring for Weston. He rose highest for a Chris Hurley cross and headed home to give the home side the lead.

Charlestown wasn’t without their chances though, a goalmouth mix up almost saw a goal on the hour mark before a headed chance at the front post hit the upright and bounced clear shortly after.

In the 77^th minute though, Weston would put the game just beyond doubt. A Charlestown clearance found the head of Cooper Buswell, who sent it back down the field. Jackson Burston was first to it, spotted Jim Fogarty off his line, and chipped him to give the Bears a two-goal buffer.

If things were just about beyond doubt after their second, they definitely were in the 80^th minute. A Nathan Morris free kick was swung in, and Burston swung a leg at it. It dribbled past Fogarty and gave Burston his second of the day and Weston the three points.

source: northernnswfootball.com.au