Monthly Archives: August 2020

Newcastle Olympic v Charlestown Azzurri
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 2.30pm

Two clubs looking to build into a strong back end of the year will meet on Sunday when Newcastle Olympic host Charlestown Azzurri at Darling Street Oval in the match of the round.
Olympic and Azzurri will be determined to secure an important three points and bolster their chances of finishing in one of the top five places with seven rounds to go.

Olympic are fresh off a gutsy 1-0 victory over local rivals Adamstown Rosebud on Tuesday but suffered a number of injuries in their round six fixture.
Newcastle’s second win of the year put them in the top four with Dino Fajkovic’s dynamic strike in the second half the difference between the two sides.
The Azzurri suffered a devastating 1-0 loss to Valentine last week having created a number of chances but came away with nothing to show for it.
Graham Law’s side are eighth on the table after the loss but remain one win outside the top five while a couple of wins on the trot could change Azzurri’s fortunes.

In the last 10 matches between the two sides, Olympic have won six of those encounters although Charlestown has dominated recent fixtures winning three out of the last four including a double over Olympic last season.

Charlestown will be without captain Matt Tull for the game due to suspension but welcome back Jackson Frendo and Regan Lundy. Olympic skipper Kyle Hodges will be available to line-up on Sunday but the home side will be without promising youngster Tim Stewart.

Coming off their fantastic result on Tuesday night, Olympic will look to make it two wins on the trot for the first time this season. Coach Alex Tagaroulias said they will have another fight on their hands to get the three points.

“There’s nothing easy in this competition and every game is tough while the Adamstown game was a real arm wrestle the other night,” Tagaroulias said.
“[Azzurri] have some decent young players. They’re tidy up the spine and Riley Smith is dangerous also but we’ll focus on what we can do.

“There is log jam after the top two teams and we like to see ourselves as contenders and these are the games that we need to prove that we are.”
Charlestown will see this game as a vital chance to rise up the standings. Coach Graham Law said he has still been impressed with his side and believes a run of winning form is around the corner for Azzurri.

“The way we are playing, we are dominating games but we just need to take our chances and I’m really pleased with how we’re playing as we are a young team so we have to be patient,” Law said.

“It’s a matter of time before we turn performances into points and I said to them keep doing what you’re doing because the league is so tight and we haven’t given up on semi-final football.

“We unfortunately lose our captain but the young boys will step up and we’ll prepare for a very tough game against Olympic.”
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Maitland Magpies v Broadmeadow Magic
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 2.30pm

Another hugely significant fixture will light up round seven with Maitland and Broadmeadow to do battle in a must-watch game at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.

It will be second plays third with the two sides showing impressive form as of late while few can forget the recent history between the two clubs.

Maitland advanced to last year’s grand final beating Magic in an incredible semi-final series, with the Magpies going through due to late goal in the second leg.
Broadmeadow have only been defeated once this season, going down to

Edgeworth in round three but have won their last three games and boast the best attacking record in the competition with 16 goals.

The red and yellow beat Lake Macquarie at home last start and will be eager to maintain their great form and keep pace with Edgeworth at the top of the table.
The Magpies are coming off a massive result against Lambton, beating the Jaffas at home to continue their astonishing home record.

Maitland has a 14-game unbeaten run at their Cooks Square Park fortress and will look to add Broadmeadow to their list of scalps.

Broadmeadow Magic coach Anthony Richards said he looked forward to another exciting match-up.

“Everyone is really happy and looking forward to the game as it will be a good contest for us as the young boys will get to trial themselves against the champions,” Richards said.

“We don’t really look at the ladder. If we have enough points to play semi-finals then great but we’re just looking forward to playing a really good side.

“The attack has been great and you have a guy like John Majurovski who has won the golden boot four times and giving his knowledge to the young boys. It’s invaluable to the guys coming through and that is where they are learning their craft.”
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Lambton Jaffas v Adamstown Rosebud
Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 2.30pm

Lambton will host local rivals Adamstown with the two sides looking to bounce back with a victory at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday.
The Jaffas have had a mixed first six games to sit in fifth having lost their third game of the season against Maitland last start.
Coming off back-to-back losses, the match looms as a must-win for Lambton who will be looking to keep pace with the teams at the top.
Adamstown have also endured two straight losses including a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle Olympic on Tuesday night and have yet to produce another win since their opening day victory over Charlestown.
The Rosebuds sit only a win behind Lambton, who beat Adamstown twice last season and will look to earn another victory to start to build some consistency.
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Valentine Phoenix v Edgeworth Eagles
CB Complex, Sunday 2.30pm

Top of the table Edgeworth will travel to play a buoyant Valentine side at CB Complex on Sunday.
The two sides sit at the opposite ends of the table although Valentine are hot off their first win of the campaign after defeating Charlestown 1-0 last start.
The Phoenix managed to hold on to a clean sheet after facing waves of Azzurri attack, with captain-coach Adam Hughes and Dain Greentree earning entries into the team of the week.
Edgeworth have been flawless so far this season and will look to make it seven from seven when they travel to the home of the Phoenix.
Eagles striker Kristian Brymora will look to continue his goal-scoring form to consolidate his lead at the top of the goal scoring charts with six strikes.
Edgeworth will be favourites but will not take Valentine lightly having been beaten by the Phoenix 3-1 at CB Complex late last year.
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Weston Workers v Lake Macquarie City
Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 2.30pm

Weston will return to Rockwell Automation Park to face Lake Macquarie on Sunday with only three points splitting the teams on the table.
Weston

are sixth while a victory could reinstate them in the top-five after narrowly going down to Edgeworth away from home last round.
Scott Carter was instrumental in goal for the black and white and is racing to be fit while the Bears will look to earn their first victory at home this season against the Roosters.
Lake Macquarie fought hard against Broadmeadow last start to nearly overturn a two-goal deficit before eventually going down 2-1 at Magic Park.
With only one win to their name so far, Lake Macquarie will be optimistic about adding another win to the list and start to climb the table.
Weston have been ruthless against Lake Macquarie in previous fixtures, scoring a whopping nine goals in the two games against the yellow and blue last year, although expect the two sides to be fired up to produce a closer game.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Merewether v Newcastle Olympic
Arthur Edden Oval – Friday 8pm

Merewether can move into top spot on the table with a win when they meet Newcastle Olympic on Friday.

The Llamas are yet to lose a game this season, with their only blemishes coming in the form of a draw against New Lambton in round one and Adamstown in round four.

It is a similar story for Newcastle Olympic who sit top of the table having lost just one match at the hands of Merewether in round two. The Llamas also edged out the women from Darling Street in a trial prior to football’s return from its COVID-19 suspension.

“[Newcastle Olympic are] a good team. They’re well coached, they’ve been scoring a lot of goals so that’s going to be interesting,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.

“I think the girls are looking forward to it and ready for the challenge.”
Friday night’s fixture will likely have implications on the race for the minor premiership for both sides with just four points separating first and fourth on the table.

“If we can win this game then we’re probably a pretty good chance at the minor premiership. If we don’t it’ll probably be Olympic which are favourites,” Ellis said.

Merewether will take the same starting side which beat New Lambton last weekend into the clash. Katy Gray, Tamara Nash, Nicki Jones and Rhali Dobson all impressed against the Eagles, with Ellis hopeful the combinations will again gel under lights.

“It looks like we’ll be starting the same team that we did on Sunday. I’m really looking forward to this game,” Ellis said.

“We’ve got to focus on everyone just doing their job and playing to their potential and I think we’re good enough, if we do that, to beat them.”
Newcastle Olympic are expected to be full strength for the clash, which on paper appears as one of the more anticipated matches of the season.

“The girls love to be pushed and we have proven this year we are mentally and physically strong,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said.
“This is a big game but at the same time it’s just another game of football that all players and club officials are grateful we get to play.

“The squad is looking fresh. We had a positive session on Tuesday night and then went to our men’s game so there is a bit of excitement about the club.”
According to Attwill, previous form against Merewether would count for little, with her side confident they can come away with all three points. “We don’t read into any previous matches against Merewether,” she said.

“We respect them as we do every opponent and know that when we turn up, our ability to fulfil the game plan will determine the outcome. We will draw from recent performances and know we can win.”
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Adamstown v New Lambton
Adamstown Oval – Sunday 3pm

New Lambton coach Brad Jones will be looking for creativity and out of the box thinking when his side travel to Adamstown Oval to take on Rosebud on Sunday.
The Eagles have only recorded one win in 2020 but with an attacking side that includes Sophie Stapleford, Taylah Bryde and Adriana Jones they hold no shortage of strike power.

“We just need to believe in the style of play. We know how Adamstown play, we know how they defend, you need to execute very well to capitalise because they’re very structured,” Jones said.
“The focus this week is how to adapt a bit of an X-factor against a structured defence.”

The Eagles coach was full of praise for a number of young players within the squad, with the side a vastly different New Lambton outfit to the one that won last year’s title.

“I think there’s a couple of unsung heroes in the side that have been doing a tremendous job all season,” Jones said.
“Tahlia Gossner is unsung, she doesn’t get many accolades. She’s young, she’s strong and she plays brilliantly and she does a lot of work for us that goes unnoticed by others.”

New Lambton will head into the clash unchanged, with the side keen to bounce back from last week’s disappointing loss to Merewether.
“[The girls] just want to get back on the pitch and write the wrongs from last week and put some goals away,” Jones said.

A loss for Adamstown would be a crucial blow to their slim hopes of finals qualification. The Buds are fifth, two points behind Warners Bay but pending other results could find themselves quickly becoming merely a mathematical chance of playing finals football.

“New Lambton are a team in a similar position to us and play a similar style to us, so I am hoping this might suit us for the weekend,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.

Olivia Sneddon is likely to return for Adamstown in a major boost for the side. Sneddon was injured in a challenge during the Buds loss to Olympic in round four.

“She will do a full session [on Thursday night] and see how she pulls up tomorrow before making a decision on Sunday’s game,” Campbell said.
“Alex [Tagaroulias] has done well in goals for her start in first grade but Olivia is one of the best goalkeepers in the league and will bring a lot of confidence and enthusiasm to the group when she finally returns.”
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Thornton Redbacks v Broadmeadow Magic
Thornton Park – Sunday 3pm

Thornton will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Adamstown when they face a rampant Broadmeadow Magic side on Sunday.
Magic’s last loss came against Merewether in round four, with the women in red equal top of the table with 16 points.

“The girls are looking forward to the game. We just want to keep improving as a squad,” Broadmeadow coach Jake Curley said.
“The line-up should be similar as our previous game. We want to focus on [Gemma Harrison] and [Erin Wilson] getting used to our system.”
These two sides were set to meet twice this week, with Wednesday night’s round two catch-up game postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

The race for top spot on the Herald Women’s Premier League has become a tantalising battle in recent weeks. Newcastle Olympic and Magic have a game in hand, with goal difference a chance to determine the eventual premiership winner.

Merewether can not be discounted from the debate either. The Llamas have two games in hand and could move into outright first with a pair of wins.
“I’m a little bit of a traditionalist so the minor premiership is the pinnacle in my opinion,” Curley said.

Injuries and player unavailability are set to make a tough task even more difficult for Thornton.
Celeste Ortega Edwards remains in doubt with a hamstring strain, while Luci Maddison will also miss the game.
According to coach Alan Primmer, the Redbacks will need to be well-balanced in both attack and defence if they are to cause an upset.
“It’s a balance. We do not want them to get in behind with quick players but we can’t sit on the 18-yard box and expect to hold them out,” Primmer said.
“Our defence will have to work hard as a unit.
“We created far too many chances last week [against Adamstown] to only come away with two goals which hurt us. We need to be clinical in front of goal.”

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

In the final match of Round 6 of the NPL seniors Newcastle Olympic was able to record two victories over Adamstown Rosebud on Tuesday night.
First Grade collected the 3 points with a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal by Dino Fajkovic while Reserve Grade secured the same points following a 2-1 win.

NPL SENIORS:
Adamstown vs Olympic
1st Grade Olympic won 1-0
Goal: Dino Fajkovic
Reserve Grade Olympic won 2-1

YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic u13s and u14s who played Round 9 of the competition at Darling St Oval on Tuesday night proved far too strong for Lambton Jaffas recording emphatic wins in both games.

Olympic vs Lambton Jaffas
Under 14s Olympic won 8-0
Under 13s Olympic won 4-0

On Wednesday 19th August at Darling St Oval:
U16s kick off at 7:45PM
U15s kick off at 5:45PM

source: Tom Tsamouras

Jemma House strengthened her claims for leading scorer with another hat-trick as Newcastle Olympic overpowered Mid Coast 4-0 on Sunday.

It was the classy striker’s fourth treble in seven Herald Women’s Premier League appearances this season.

The win moved Olympic to 16 points and kept them top with a superior goal difference over Broadmeadow, who also rose to 16 points yesterday after beating Warners Bay 2-0 at John Street Oval.

The match was the first of a busy week for both sides. Olympic are set to play New Lambton in a rescheduled fixture on Wednesday night before facing unbeaten Merewether on Friday night.

Magic take on Thornton midweek then again on the weekend.
House scored twice to give Olympic a two-goal half-time advantage at Darling Street Oval. Brooke Summers made it 3-0 before House sealed the victory by firing the ball into the top right corner after Keely Gawthrop laid it to her from an indirect free kick.

Merewether improved to 14 points and third place with a 3-0 win over New Lambton at Arthur Edden Oval. United coach Scott Ellis described it as “a really positive” performance ahead of their round-nine clash with Olympic.
“This was the first game where at the end when I asked the girls, ‘Do you think we’re playing to our capability?’, they said, ‘It’s not perfect but today we felt like things were working’,” Ellis said post-match yesterday.

“I’ve been banging on about we haven’t made it yet. Today was the first time where we’ve had a game where I’m feeling like we worked the way we’re supposed to.

“The midfielders really stepped up. Katy Gray had a blinder and Jamee [Ellis], Katy and Tamara [Nash] had really good games there. We held much more of the ball so we did less chasing.

“Our backline was super solid. Finishing could’ve been better. But it’s a really good lead-in to the Olympic game.”

United led 1-0 at the break after Ellie Butler headed home a Jamee Ellis free kick inside the first 10 minutes.

Tamara Nash extended the lead early in the second half before Rhali Dobson broke into space on the left then slotted past advancing Eagles shot-stopper Ruby Jones into the far bottom corner in the 65th minute.

New Lambton coach Brad Jones again rued a failure to finish as the defending champions were left languishing in second-last position on four points as they prepare to face Olympic midweek followed by Magic next round.

“It’s the story of our season,” Jones said. “We’re still creating good chances. [Merewether goalkeeper] Alison [Logue] made one brilliant save in the first half that I think if we played any other side we would’ve taken the lead.

“It’s just the final third again. In the second half, I thought we contained them pretty well but they’re brilliant at the counter attack … I thought we deserved to get something out of that but we’ve got to finish.”

Adamstown scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to secure an important 3-2 win over Thornton at Thornton Park. Ainsley Childs scored in the first half then Taleah Mountford around the 70-minute mark to have the Redbacks 2-0 up before Kiarra Lewis scored twice then Emma Bates sealed the win with a free kick five minutes from full-time.

The win moved Rosebud ahead of Mid Coast (9) and into fifth spot on 10 points, two adrift of the top four, and came after four straight losses.

“There was a bit of pressure,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said. “If we lost, our season was over from a finals point of view. So they ground one out, which is probably what we needed.”

At John Street Oval, Kobie Ferguson scored for Magic in the first half then Maddie Dean in the second. The Panthers (12) slipped to fourth spot with the loss.

Round 8 results:
Newcastle Olympic 4 (Jemma House 3, Brooke Summers) beat Mid Coast 0 at Darling Street Oval. Half-time: Olympic led 2-0.
Merewether 3 (Ellie Butler, Tamara Nash, Rhali Dobson) defeated New Lambton 0 at Arthur Edden Oval. Half-time: United led 1-0.
Broadmeadow 2 (Kobie Ferguson, Maddie Dean) beat Warners Bay 0 at John Street Oval. Half-time: Magic led 1-0.
Adamstown 3 (Kiarra Lewis 2, Emma Bates) defeated Thornton 2 (Ainsley Childs, Taleah Mountford) at Thornton Park. Half-time: Thornton led 1-0.
Pointscore: Olympic 16, Broadmeadow 16, Merewether 14, Warners Bay 12, Adamstown 10, Mid Coast 9, New Lambton 4, Thornton 0.

Source: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au

ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD V NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC
ADAMSTOWN OVAL – TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 8:15PM

Two cross-town rivals collide when Newcastle Olympic visit Adamstown at a rescheduled fixture time of 8:15pm on Tuesday.
Both teams had to withdraw from their fixtures last round due to COVID-19 precautions but the two outfits will be eager to return to the field in another big game.

The Rosebuds haven’t tasted victory since their opening day win over Charlestown and will be chasing a valuable three points to stay in touch with the top five places.

Olympic have had a solid start to the season but will also be looking to notch their second victory of the year with their first coming in round one against Weston.

Olympic achieved a win over Adamstown last season at Adamstown Oval, while the two teams played out a 2-2 draw in the latter stages of the previous year.
The match will have plenty of feel as a lot of players have played for both clubs to add to the build-up of this Newcastle rivalry.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Olympic have announced former Newcastle Jets striker Joel Griffiths as its head coach, with the A-League winner to take over next season in a major coup for the club.

NPL SENIORS:
On Tuesday 18th August Newcastle Olympic contest Round 6 with Adamstown Rosebud at Adamstown Oval.
First Grade kick off at 8.15PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 6:00PM
U18s is postponed

Members of the u14s Newcastle Olympic team getting ready for action

YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic Youth NPL teams contest Round 9 of the competition against Lambton Jaffas on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th August at Darling St Oval.

On Tuesday 18th August at Darling St Oval:
U14s kick off at 7:45PM
U13s kick off at 5:45PM

On Wednesday 19th August at Darling St Oval:
U16s kick off at 7:45PM
U15s kick off at 5:45PM

source: Tom Tsamouras

HERALD WPL:
On Sunday 16th August Newcastle Olympic played Mid Coast in Round 8 of the competition at Darling St Oval and proved too strong.

First Grade won 4-0 thanks to goals from Jemma House 3, and Brooke Summers.

Reserve Grade were defeated 4-2
U17s won 2-0
U14s drew 2-2

NPL SENIORS:
On Tuesday 18th August Newcastle Olympic contest Round 6 with Adamstown Rosebud at Adamstown Oval.

First Grade kick off at 8.15PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 6:00PM
U18s is postponed

YOUTH NPL:
On Saturday 15th August Newcastle Olympic Youth NPL teams were scheduled to play Broadmeadow Magic in Round 8 of the competition at Magic Park but all games were called off by the home team. These games will not be replayed and will be recorded as draws!

Newcastle Olympic Youth NPL teams contest Round 9 of the competition against Lambton Jaffas on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th August at Darling St Oval.

On Tuesday 18th August at Darling St Oval:
U14s kick off at 7:45PM
U13s kick off at 5:45PM

On Wednesday 19th August at Darling St Oval:
U16s kick off at 7:45PM
U15s kick off at 5:45PM

ZONE LEAGUE:
On Saturday 15 August Newcastle Olympic zone teams took on Uni Mens at Islington Park.

First Grade won 6-1
Reserve Grade drew 2-2

Over 35s:
Newcastle Olympic O35s were scheduled to take on Maitland in Round 7 of the competition at Cooks Square Park on Friday 14th August but the match was washed out.

SAP/NET:
U9s, u10s and u11s SAP Newcastle Olympic teams played at LMRFF against Edgeworth and Macquarie Girls and had some outstanding performances. U11s White kick off at 6:30PM at LMRFF vs NNSW Newcastle Girls on Monday 17th August!
U12s NET played Kahibah at Islington Park on Saturday and had no problems recording a 2-0 victory.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors played Round 7 of the season on Saturday 15th August at Darling St Oval against Wallsend, South Wallsend, Maryland Fletcher, and Newcastle Grammar and put in some outstanding performances.

source: Tom Tsamouras

NPL SENIORS:
On Tuesday 18th August Newcastle Olympic contest Round 6 with Adamstown Rosebud at Adamstown Oval.

First Grade kick off at 8.15PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 6:00PM
U18s is postponed

HERALD WPL:
On Sunday 16th August Newcastle Olympic play Mid Coast in Round 8 of the competition at Darling St Oval.

First Grade kick off at 3:00PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 12:50PM
U17s kick off at 10:50AM
U14s kick off at 9:00AM

YOUTH NPL:
On Saturday 15th August Newcastle Olympic Youth NPL teams were scheduled to play Broadmeadow Magic in Round 8 of the competition at Magic Park but all games were called off by the home team. These games will not be replayed and will be recorded as draws!

ZONE LEAGUE:
On Saturday 15 August Newcastle Olympic zone teams take on Uni Mens at Islington Park.

First Grade kick off at 3:00PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 1:00PM

Over 35s:
Newcastle Olympic O35s take on Maitland in Round 7 of the competition at Cooks Square Park on Friday 14th August. Kick off is at 7:15PM

SAP/NET:
U9s Blue kick off at 10:30AM at LMRFF vs Edgeworth, on Saturday 15th August. U9s White kick off at 10:30AM at LMRFF vs Edgeworth on Saturday 15th August.
U10s White kick off at 12:00PM at LMRFF vs Edgeworth on Saturday 15th August. U10s Blue kick off at 12:15PM at LMRFF vs Edgeworth on Saturday 15th August.
U11s White kick off at 6:30PM at LMRFF vs NNSW Newcastle Girls on Monday 17th August. U11s Blue kick off at 5:00PM at LMRF vs Macquarie Girls on Friday 14th August.
U12s NET kick off at 9:00AM at Islington Park 2 vs Kahibah on Saturday 15th August.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors play Round 7 of the season on Saturday 15th August.

U6s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Wallsend
U6s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Wallsend
U6s/03 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Wallsend
U7s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against South Wallsend
U7s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Maryland Fletcher
U8s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Newcastle Grammar
U8s/02 kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Maryland Fletcher
U8s/03 kick off at 9:30 AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Wallsend

source: Tom Tsamouras

NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V MID COAST FC
DARLING STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

The race for top spot on the Herald Women’s Premier League table continues when Newcastle Olympic host Mid Coast at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.

The home side sit locked with Broadmeadow on 13-points at the top of the table. Both sides still have a game to play, with Olympic’s clash with New Lambton at the weekend postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

“I think having that weekend off was disappointing but also creates that fire in the belly again to get back on the park,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said.
“There’s a few niggles after a couple of the games so I think it probably did them quite good to have a bit of a rest.”

Olympic are expected to be unchanged, with the exception of Imogen Tusek who remains in doubt with a back injury. Attwill is well aware of the threat posed by the visiting Middies, despite their position of fifth on the table.
“Looking at their recent performances, they’ve definitely come out really strong since the restart. It is going to be a very different game,” Attwill said.
Mid Coast will look to return to the winner’s circle when they make the trip south.

Middies recorded its first loss since the return of football last weekend, going down to a strong Broadmeadow side in blustery conditions at Magic Park.
“The girls are confident heading into the weekend. They know that last week was a lot closer than the score reflected and they’re looking forward to the challenge this week,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.

“This week we’ve focussed on trying to maintain possession for longer periods, especially under pressure. Olympic are a high-quality team but I feel if we can maintain pressure across the park, we’ll be able to stay with them.”
Grass is yet to lock down his starting 11 with a number of players under an injury cloud.

“Chelsea Hall has a niggling hamstring strain but I don’t expect it to keep her out. Nicki Learoyd had her wisdom teeth out on Wednesday, so we’ll see how she pulls up as to whether she takes her place in the side,” Grass said.
The Mid Coast coach was quick to identify the need to convert in the final third on Sunday, with chances against the quality Olympic defence likely to be few and far between.

“Our front line will have to fire this weekend. Scoring chances will be at a premium so we’ll have to capitalise on anything that comes our way,” Grass said.
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NEW LAMBTON EAGLES V MEREWETHER UNITED
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

The completion of round seven marked the official halfway mark in this year’s Herald Women’s Premier League. From here on in every game has ramifications on finals calculations, something New Lambton coach Brad Jones is well aware of.

“The focus is that if we can get ourselves on a run, the good thing is that is with the way the competition is so nice and tight, if you can string together a few results, you’ll go rocketing up that table,” Jones said.

New Lambton sit seventh on the table with just one win from six starts. The thought of games against the competition’s top sides is something their coach is looking forward too.
“The reality is [Merewether] have been the yard stick for the last five years in the competition and with the quality of players they’ve got you just know that you’re going to be in for a top game,” Jones said.

“It’s a good thing for our young squad to see where we are at.”
When it comes to goalkeepers it will be a battle of youth versus experience on Sunday. For the Eagles, Ruby Jones has looked strong in a losing side, while Llamas shot stopper Alison Logue remains arguably the best in the competition.
“I think Alison has been the metric for so many years in the competition. I think Ruby has been doing a good job over the past few weeks. It’ll be nice to see a young, up and coming keeper have a crack at the competition’s best,” Jones said.
Merewether also find themselves in a precarious position, perched in fourth position on the table but at risk of losing ground on front-runners Newcastle Olympic, Broadmeadow Magic and Warners Bay.

“We’ve got two games in hand. I’d like to think they’re both going to be wins but you never know. If they’re both wins, we’re top of the table,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.

“We’ve just got to go out and play the way we know we can and continue to build on the development we’re doing.”

Sarah Bergin is unavailable for the clash, while Ellis expects the remainder of the squad to be available for selection.

“I think all the teams are developing and I think the team that comes out on top in the end is the one that is going to be able to continue developing,” Ellis said.
Set down for Arthur Edden Oval, Sunday’s clash will be the second time the sides have met this season. The first was a 3-3 draw at No.2 Sportsground in March.
“When we played them the first time, they were the favourites. Now I think it’s the other way around,” Ellis said.
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WARNERS BAY V BROADMEADOW MAGIC
JOHN STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

Expect end-to-end action when Warners Bay host Broadmeadow Magic on Sunday afternoon, with both sides heading into the clash off the back of strong wins at the weekend.

Broadmeadow were scheduled to play Thornton on Wednesday evening but the game was abandoned due to wet weather.

“It is minimal disruption for Sunday. But the cancellation impacts the schedule for the week after until we replay the game,” Magic coach Jake Curley said.
Broadmeadow have added Gemma Harrison and Erin Wilson to its squad in recent weeks, a move designed to add further depth to an already strong line-up.
“Bringing Gem and Erin in has strengthened the squad. We just need to work on a few things at training, so they understand the system,” Curley said.

Warners Bay head into the clash fresh off a thumping win over Adamstown last weekend. The 5-0 drubbing was another step forward for the side, which has notably improved in recent weeks.

“It’s a good confidence booster for us. We felt that that win was coming for a while, so the girls are definitely keen to improve on that again this weekend,” Warners Bay coach Craig Atkins said.

Jen Hoy was instrumental in the win, which also saw Annika Damico bag a double.

“It was great for [Hoy] to get another full game after missing the week previous with illness. [We’re] definitely looking forward to her getting out on to the pitch again and getting through another 90 minutes. Hopefully [she] can get another couple of goals away.”

Defence will again be critical for the hosts. Magic’s star-studded attack has found the back of the net 18-times this season, including eight goals alone to Lucy Jerram.

“We’ve just got to be tight across the park and keep some of Magic’s key players in check,” Atkins said.
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THORNTON REDBACKS V ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
THORNTON PARK – SUNDAY 3PM

The Redbacks will be looking to push aside a disrupted preparation when they host Adamstown at Thornton Park on Sunday afternoon.

Thornton are yet to record a win this season, with Wednesday evening’s catch-up game against Broadmeadow Magic abandoned due to wet weather.
“We’ll probably have about six changes to what I had planned against Magic,” Thornton coach Alan Primmer said.

Chelsea Gay and Jasmyn Hughes both drew strong praise from Primmer, with the pair likely to hold significant bearing over the result on Sunday.
The last time these two sides met it was played on a synthetic surface at the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility in early March.

“The surface at Speers Point is a little bit different to what they’ll get at Thornton Park, so we’ll probably look to put a lot more pressure on the ball,” Primmer said.

“There’s just a real buzz around at training. The girls are enjoying training, they’re getting stuff out of it. The girls are still loving football.
“We’ll upset someone along the line.”

Adamstown also head into the match searching for form. At the completion of round three, the Buds sat clear at the top of the Herald Women’s Premier League table but have since suffered four straight defeats.

“The girls have had a short week this week as I gave them a few days to freshen up. For this weekend we will keep working hard to improve our ability to take chances when they come,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.

Polish in the final third remains a focus for the Buds, who have struggled to break through opposition defences. Since the competition returned from suspension, Adamstown have conceded 21 goals but only found the back of the net on three occasions.

“Kimmy Trappett and Leia Puxty will be key on Sunday with their attacking from wing back positions to create chances for the team,” Campbell said.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD V NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC
ADAMSTOWN OVAL – TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 8:15PM

Two cross-town rivals collide when Newcastle Olympic visit Adamstown at a rescheduled fixture time of 8:15pm on Tuesday.
Both teams had to withdraw from their fixtures last round due to COVID-19 precautions but the two outfits will be eager to return to the field in another big game.

The Rosebuds haven’t tasted victory since their opening day win over Charlestown and will be chasing a valuable three points to stay in touch with the top five places.

Olympic have had a solid start to the season but will also be looking to notch their second victory of the year with their first coming in round one against Weston.

Olympic achieved a win over Adamstown last season at Adamstown Oval, while the two teams played out a 2-2 draw in the latter stages of the previous year.
The match will have plenty of feel as a lot of players have played for both clubs to add to the build-up of this Newcastle rivalry.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Olympic have announced former Newcastle Jets striker Joel Griffiths as its head coach, with the A-League winner to take over next season in a major coup for the club.

EDGEWORTH EAGLES V WESTON WORKERS
JACK MCLAUGHLAN OVAL – SUNDAY 2:30PM

It will be the red-hot Edgeworth taking on a determined Weston in this week’s enormous match of the round at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Sunday.
The Edgeworth juggernaut has rolled on so far in 2020 with the defending champions continuing to achieve prodigious heights in the NPL NNSW, winning their five opening games to lead the competition after the initial rounds.

The Eagles were dominant in their 3-0 victory over Lake Macquarie last round, putting the Roosters to the sword in the first half while four Eagles players, Pat Wheeler, Keanu Moore, Tyson Jackson and skipper Josh Evans all featured in the NPL NNSW Team of the Week.

Weston is coming off a devastating 2-1 loss to Charlestown having led during the game to blow another lead at Rockwell Automation Park.

Consistency is what Leo Bertos’ men are chasing having achieved huge victories against last year’s premiers Maitland and the highly-favoured Lambton so far this year.

An opportunity to be the first team to beat Edgeworth in 2020 is on offer for Weston, while Edgeworth is on an eight-game winning spree stretching back to last year’s semi-final series.

This fixture always throws up a classic game between these two historic clubs of the region, while the two met in this year’s pre-season Heritage Cup with the Eagles winning 2-1.

The Eagles will look to continue their impressive unbeaten run and player-coach Josh Rose said the recent success was based off the club’s winning mentality while praising one of his staff.

“The big factor through all the changes that happened early in the season, there was always one constant voice and that was Rod Linsley. He’s been a main factor in why it has been a smooth transition,” Rose said.

“I just try to analyse before the game and try to get it right and sometimes on the pitch you can identify things but you also need those eyes in the stands. And I’m learning more from each game.

“[Weston] have got a lot of young boys who bring a lot of energy and they try to play football. I think we have the team to beat them and we’ve got to try and match that energy and hopefully pinpoint some areas to break them down.”

Weston still sit inside the top five and will have huge motivation to achieve another victory this weekend. Bertos said his youthful team was still finding their feet in the top grade but expected a much-improved Bears outfit when fully fit.

“It’s been really challenging but the boys have been working hard and got a few a good results and some forgettable ones as well. But that’s what happens when you have a lot of young guys and it takes time for them to learn how to be consistent in their own game,” Bertos said.

“[Edgeworth] have started the season off with a bang and been in good form, so it will be a good challenge for us.

“There are not too many games remaining now. Points are starting to really matter in the coming weeks.”
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MAITLAND MAGPIES V LAMBTON JAFFAS
COOKS SQUARE PARK – SUNDAY 2:30PM

A colossal clash will take place at Cooks Square Park on Sunday, with heavyweights Maitland and Lambton to go toe-to-toe.

Many have tipped them to finish at the higher end of the table this season, while history paints this affair as a mega battle between the two sides who finished first and second respectively last season.

Maitland have been flawless at their fortress of Cooks Square Park this season, amassing nine goals over the two fixtures so far.

The last start loss to Weston would have hurt the Magpies momentum, while the Jaffas are also looking to rebound from a heartbreaking, final minute loss to Broadmeadow.
Sunday’s match will be a game of fine margins as history suggests. Looking at the last six encounters, both sides have won twice with two draws.

Maitland’s Braedyn Crowley and Lambton’s Matt Thompson will face their former clubs, while Lambton coach James Pascoe said he was wary of Crowley’s capabilities and the whole Magpies team.

“[Crowley] is someone we’ve got to be aware of but so is Nick Cowburn, so is Joel Wood and they’ve got a really good balanced side and so we won’t concentrate too much on Braedyn as it may open up areas for other players to hurt us,” Pascoe said.

“There was a lot of positives [from the Magic game]. A couple of areas to touch up on in defence, and in terms of match fitness and mental sharpness, we’re much better as I think the three games last week really has kicked us on.

“It’s another game against a real contender. The two games against each other last year we couldn’t be split and we’re two very even teams on paper so it should be a great game.”

Maitland will be eager to avoid back-to-back defeats while coach Mick Bolch said he knows the extreme importance of the game in the grand scheme of the season.
“I think neither team can afford to drop any more points if they want to keep pace with the top two,” Bolch said.

“The boys are desperate for three points after ill-discipline cost us last week against Weston. Whilst it was disappointing to not play last weekend, it gave us a chance to re-group and let a few players get over some niggles.

“[Lambton] have quality all over the park but if we can contain their midfield of [Mitch] Oxborrow and [Matt] Thompson, I believe that will go a long way towards securing three points.”
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CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI V VALENTINE PHOENIX
LISLE CARR OVAL – SUNDAY 2:30PM

Charlestown and Valentine will line-up against each other at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday with both teams eager to rise up the ladder.

Azzurri enjoyed a gutsy 2-1 win over Weston last start to earn their first win of the season, holding on with nine men for the final 10 minutes.

The squad was rewarded with four entries into the NPL NNSW Team of the Week with Riley Smith, Matt Tull, Kev Davison and Nathan Archbold all earning a spot.

Valentine is hoping to replicate their upcoming opponent and score their first win of the season this weekend after parting ways with co-coach Darren Sills.
The teams have been two of the lowest-scoring teams so far with Azzurri having only scored one goal more than the Phoenix with four strikes.

Charlestown will be without key attackers Regan Lundy and Jackson Frendo due to suspension for this game so they will be looking to find another avenue of attack.

The Azzurri were dominant against the Phoenix in the previous encounters including a 4-1 triumph at Lisle Carr Oval in the back end of last season.
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BROADMEADOW MAGIC V LAKE MACQUARIE CITY
MAGIC PARK – SUNDAY 2:30PM

The high-flying Broadmeadow Magic will host Lake Macquarie at Magic Park on Sunday.

Magic are coming off a great win over Lambton last round beating the Jaffas with two late goals to seal a tremendous three points.
Broadmeadow sit in second place, five points above third spot and will view this game as an ideal occasion to consolidate their position.

The Roosters were outclassed by Edgeworth 3-0 last round but have moved to four points and put forward some quality performances beforehand.

Lakes are second last after five games and will look to cause an upset against the side with the best attack in the competition so far with 14 goals.

Magic attacker Sam Walker will play against his former club for the first time, while Walker has been in great form with three goals from his last two games.

source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Newcastle Olympic FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Joel Griffiths as Head Coach for the 2021 NPL Northern NSW season.

A former Socceroo and A- League winner with the Newcastle Jets in season 2007-2008, Joel had a distinguished playing career both overseas and within Australia in both the NSL and A-League.

A Johnny Warren Medal winner, as well as A-League Golden Boot winner, this will be his first foray into the coaching ranks.

Having played previously in the NPL Northern NSW, Joel will no doubt bring his years of experience gained playing at the highest level into the local competition as the Head Coach of Olympic.

A warm welcome, Joel, from all at the club.

source: Tom Tsamouras