Monthly Archives: September 2020

NPL SENIORS:
On Sunday 13th September Newcastle Olympic contested Round 10 with Maitland FC at Cook square Park, and won both in reserves and first grade!

First Grade won 1-0
Goal: Jared Muller

Reserve Grade won 2-0

On Saturday 12th September
U18s Newcastle Olympic defeated Weston 2-0 at Darling St Oval

HERALD WPL:
On Sunday 13th September Newcastle Olympic took on Thornton Redbacks in Round 12 of the competition at Darling St Oval and won in every age group!

First Grade won 6-0
Goals: Jemma House 3, Jacinta Johnston, Tulia Palozzi, Laura Hall

Reserve Grade won 13-0
U17s won 3-0
U14s won 6-1

NPL YOUTH:
On Saturday 12th September Newcastle Olympic NPL Youth teams returned to Darling St Oval in Round 13 of the competition against Maitland and won all age groups in style.

U16s won 7-1
U15s won 9-0
U14s won 8-0
U13s won 4-0

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic zone teams took on Garden Suburbs in Round 11 on Sunday 13th September at Lance York Oval.

First Grade won 4-1
Reserve Grade lost 2-1

Over 35s:
Newcastle Olympic O35s took on Wallsend in Round 11 of the competition at Wallsend 2 on Friday 11th September and won 5-2.

SAP/NET:

U9s, 10s, and 11s SAP teams played at Darling St and LMRFF over the weekend against Lake Macquarie, Weston, Macquarie Girls and HV Girls and played very well.

U12s NET played at Islington Park against Mayfield Junior and were beaten 3-0.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors played Round 11 of the season on Saturday 12th September at Darling St Oval against Mayfield Junior, and Cooks Hill and achieved great success.

source: Tom Tsamouras

NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V THORNTON REDBACKS
DARLING STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

Newcastle Olympic will hope for a more complete performance when they host Thornton on Sunday afternoon.

Olympic were lucky to escape with the three points against Adamstown last weekend, with their round 12 clash with the Redbacks an opportunity to reset after a busy fortnight of football.

“We had a bit of a regroup on Tuesday night at training and just had some time to talk through a couple of things that as a squad we weren’t quite happy with from the Adamstown match,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said.
“It was a really good time to sit back and reset and get everyone’s opinion on our progress and think about where we’ve come.

“Other people tipped us to win the competition but we never came in thinking that was what we were going to do.”

Having been rested against Adamstown, Sophie O’Brien will again miss this weekend’s match with hamstring tightness, while Georgia Little remains sidelined with a groin muscle strain.

Little has scored three goals in two weeks for Olympic but came from the field nursing muscle tightness midway through the side’s win over Rosebud.
Second on the table, Olympic are equal on points with Broadmeadow Magic. The all-important battle for second place is likely to be decided next week when the sides meet at Magic Park.

The two teams who finish first and second on the table will play off in a non-elimination semi-final in week one of the finals series. The loser of that game will then play the winner of third versus fourth.

Sunday’s clash is a daunting one for Thornton, who have conceded 29 goals in their last four games. The Redbacks also have a growing injury list with Tuesday’s training session a gathering of the walking wounded, though as far as coach Al Primmer was concerned his side can still pull off an upset.

“Like when we played them in round one we need to try to limit them getting in behind us but can’t fall into the trap of sitting too deep so we leave our front girls isolated,” Primmer said.
“Olympic like getting numbers forward, so if we can maybe hit them on the counter, similar to round one.”

Primmer will hope to see Anais Moore, Madi Galligos and Jaz Hughes return for the Redbacks, while Celeste Edwards, Kirstie Power and Ainsley Childs remain in doubt.

WARNERS BAY V NEW LAMBTON
JOHN STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

Warners Bay coach Craig Atkins will call on his side to lift to another level this weekend when the Panthers face New Lambton at John Street Oval.
“The girls know that we need to keep stepping up. That semi-final spot is in our hands, so we need to lift again this weekend,” Atkins said.
“The quality of football we played last weekend [against Thornton] was fantastic. But we still had that little patch where we just went away from our game plan.”
Warners Bay round out the regular season with matches against Merewether and Adamstown, with the Panthers in the position where a loss this weekend could open the door for either Rosebud or Mid Coast FC to move within striking distance of finals qualification.
“I said to the girls last week that we pretty much need to be playing with the intensity like we’re playing finals football anyway,” Atkins said.
“Elodie Dagg has been getting on the ball a lot more which is brilliant for us, that obviously supports Jen [Hoy]. Ryley Field as well, when she gets on the ball she controls a lot of our play.
“I’m definitely looking for those two again to keep the ball moving for us.”
New Lambton will look to see out the last three rounds of the Herald Women’s Premier League season by snatching points from some of the competition’s highflyers. The Eagles run home includes matches against fourth-placed Warners Bay on Sunday, Thornton the following week and Newcastle Olympic in the final round.
Despite being winless in their past five starts, interim head coach Cas Wright said team cohesion was working well despite a raft of serious injuries to key players including Sophie Stapleford and Lisa Cochrane.
“[We] just keep looking forward and take the positivity from last game that we had good creative play and more opportunity than the Olympic game,” Wright said.
“[I’m] very proud of all the squads stepping up and allowing us to be competitive each week, from under-14s, 17s and the seniors.”

Warners Bay will present a tough challenge for the young New Lambton side, with striker Hoy proving a handful for opposition defences in recent weeks. The mid-season signing scored five goals against Thornton last weekend.
“Warners Bay have a few key players we need to be aware of. They won’t be taken lightly, they are currently in good form,” Wright said.
________________________________________
BROADMEADOW MAGIC V ADAMSTOWN
MAGIC PARK – SUNDAY 3PM

Broadmeadow Magic will look to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to top-of-the-table Merewether United when they host Adamstown Rosebud at Magic Park.
“The squad is looking good. The session was good on Wednesday and the girls are positive,” Magic coach Jake Curley said.
Magic struggled to find the back of the net against the Llamas, with Curley of the opinion his side will need to limit Adamstown’s time with the ball.
“Adamstown are a good side to watch who try and play football. Our emphasis this week is on how we play knowing they will try and control possession,” Curley said.
At the other end, Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell believes his side has what it takes to knock over the third-placed Magic but will need to be at their best if they are to walk away with the three points.
“Overall, I believe limiting chances for their front three to get in behind our defence will be key. I am hoping that we can keep a clean sheet in order to make it easier to win the game,” Campbell said.
Sixth on the table, Rosebud remain in contention for finals football but will need to claim points this weekend if they are to remain in the hunt.
“All games at this stage are must win and we are focusing on getting results as we know we will not get there if we don’t win every match until the season is finished,” Campbell said.
Adamstown are expected to be unchanged for the clash, with Ella Spicer cleared of any injury. Spicer came from the field during the side’s narrow loss to Olympic last weekend.
Following the clash with Magic, Adamstown face Mid Coast FC before they meet Warners Bay in the final round of the regular season.
Magic round out the season with matches against Newcastle Olympic and Mid Coast.
________________________________________
MEREWETHER UNITED V MID COAST FC
MYAMBLAH CRESCENT OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

Merewether United can move four points clear at the top of the table if they edge out Mid Coast FC in a gruelling double header this weekend.
The two sides will meet at Taree Zone Field in their rescheduled round five fixture on Saturday. Just 24-hours later the sides again face off in their round 12 clash.
“The girls have just got to be a little more aware about their bodies and recovery. We’ll try and shuffle some people around but we don’t really have excess players,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.
The Llamas’ win over Magic last weekend sent them clear at the top-of-the-table, with the minor premiership now Merewether’s to lose.
“Rhali [Dobson] and I talked about that [minor premiership] at training on Tuesday night. Her point was she did not want anyone to slack off. We have come this far, we need to make sure we finish it,” Ellis said.
“I re-watched the game [against Magic]. The way we play often tends to leave the other team with more possession than we have but I’m not particularly worried about that as well as it doesn’t get into dangerous areas too often.”
Merewether will be without strike-weapon Jamee Ellis for the weekend, with Lori Depczynski likely to shift into the midfield. Sunday’s game also sees the return of Herald Women’s Premier League football to Myamblah Crescent Oval, a ground the Llamas have turned into a fortress in recent years.
Mid Coast will need to be at their best if they are to claim points from the highly rated Merewether, with Saturday’s clash their best opportunity in the mind of coach Mick Grass.
“As I have always said, it is one game at a time. I know we’ve got two games this weekend but the first will be all important. That is when we are going to be fresh,” Grass said.
“We’ll go into Saturday and give it our best shot and whatever happens after that will probably be up to fate.”
Courtney Anderson is expected to return for the clash having missed last weekend’s win over New Lambton, while Rosie Newman will likely miss the remainder of the season after she suffered a broken collarbone against the Eagles.
“We had a really good session on Tuesday night, a heavy session. Thinking about it this morning, I actually called tonight’s session [Wednesday] off,” Grass said.
“We’ve got a little bit of stiffness and a few niggling injuries in the squad.”
Middies remain a mathematical chance of finals qualification but will need to win at least one, if not both, games against the Llamas.

source: https://georgetsaourasfootballjourney.wordpress.com

MAITLAND FC V NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC
COOKS SQUARE PARK, SUNDAY 2:30 PM

Maitland will play host to Newcastle Olympic at Cooks Square Park on Sunday with little to separate the two sides on the table.

The match will be an intriguing fixture with only a point separating the two outfits, with an important three points on the line.

Maitland will be out to avenge their latest showing against Olympic when they were beaten 4-0 at Darling Street Oval midway through this season.

Olympic put in a clinical second half performance on that night and remain in red-hot goal scoring form having defeated Lake Macquarie 6-2 last round.
Kent Harrison, Jarred Muller, Dino Fajkovic and Jacob Cresnar all featured in the Team of the Week due to the impressive performance which saw them rise to third on the table.

Maitland will look to return to the winner’s circle after their last start loss to Charlestown in which they went down 2-1, ending their incredible unbeaten run at Cooks Square Park.

Maitland have plenty to play for after slipping out of the top five while this match looms as another exciting battle between two sides looking to feature in the finals at the end of the season.

LAMBTON JAFFAS V CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL, SATURDAY 2.30PM

With the 10 NPL clubs drawn into their respective pools, teams will be ready to fire heading into the final rounds of the NPL NNSW season.
Starting the final rounds will be a battle between two potent line-ups with Lambton Jaffas and Charlestown Azzurri to collide at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday.
Lambton snapped a poor run of form to beat table-toppers Edgeworth 3-1 last round and will fancy themselves to build momentum heading into the next few games.
The Jaffas’ impressive result saw four of their squad placed into last round’s NPL NNSW Team of the Week with Ben Kennedy, Riley McNaughton, Michael Sessions and Mitch Oxborrow all included.
Charlestown have been one of the form teams of the competition winning their last three games which included a stellar 2-0 victory over the Jaffas two rounds ago.
Goals from Riley Smith and Regan Lundy got them home on that occasion which will provide a wealth of confidence to try and repeat the result and continue their great run of form.
The Azzurri’s most recent result was a 2-1 victory over Maitland with Rene Ferguson scoring a 90th minute winner to earn Charlestown another valuable three points.
Charlestown are shaping up to be a dark horse of the competition and coach Graham Law said he was holding this game up as a massive fixture in the context of their season.
“It showed how big of a result it was [to beat Lambton] as they went and beat Edgeworth the following week. So it shows the magnitude of the games we’re winning right now but we’re quite happy to play the underdog,” Law said.
“My boys are honest and they are starting to realise we can win games as a team and that’s our whole philosophy.
“[Lambton] have got the best squad in the competition and we know how good they are.
“This game is very big for us and we’re treating this game as a grand final because we don’t play next weekend. We don’t want to let the work rate drop.”
________________________________________
EDGEWORTH EAGLES V VALENTINE FC
JACK MCLAUGHLAN OVAL, SATURDAY 2:30 PM

Edgeworth and Valentine have been drawn in Pool A and will meet at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday.
The Eagles are five points ahead at the top of the table and a win would see them edge closer to a record-breaking 13th premiership.
The side suffered a setback going down 3-1 to Lambton last round although the loss featured one of the goals of the season from Eagles attacker Will Bower.
Valentine has clawed their way back into finals contention and will be ruing a missed opportunity against Weston last round.
The Phoenix led 2-0 but conceded two successive goals to leave CB Complex with a draw to sit two points away from a finals spot.
The two sides played against each other in round seven with Edgeworth running out 2-0 winners with Bower scoring two that day.
Valentine will view this an ideal challenge to test their metal against one of the premiership challengers and prove their worthiness of playing finals football.
Edgeworth have their mind fixed on returning to winning ways and player-coach Josh Rose said the defeat to Lambton hurt the playing group.
“This week has been about reiterating to the boys sometimes you do lose and it’s about trying to get back on track as they were very disappointed last Sunday which for me is great to see,” Rose said.
“Skip [Josh Evans] will be back this week and I have recovered well, so I’ll be back in there so we pretty much have got everyone back now and ready to go.
“We only played Valentine a few weeks ago and they were a tough team to break down. It’s about doing our job and we’re playing at home and it wouldn’t matter who we played at home we expect to turn up and get the job done.”
________________________________________
BROADMEADOW MAGIC V WESTON WORKERS
MAGIC PARK, SATURDAY 2:30 PM

Broadmeadow will host Weston in a match that is sure to provide another entertaining spectacle when they play at Magic Park on Saturday.
The two teams played out a thrilling 3-2 encounter in round eight with the Bears winning thanks to a great performance.
The match will pit second against fourth showcasing a top-four battle while Weston sit five points behind Magic and a win for the Bears could bridge the gap to two.
Broadmeadow regained their winning formula against Adamstown last round with a dominant 3-0 victory which instilled them in second spot.
Weston fought back from a two-goal deficit against Valentine last round to draw 2-2 away from home in what could be a crucial point come the end of the season.
Magic sit top in the goal scoring department with 21 goals so far this season while Weston boast some exciting attackers of their own.
Broadmeadow coach Anthony Richards said his side were solely focused on a solid performance against the Bears.
“The draw doesn’t bother us and every team that is in our [pool] we struggled with in the early rounds so I think it will be good for us,” Richards said.
“[Weston] were too good for us and defended well [last game]. We do get another opportunity and we’re going to have to be better.
“I though the energy levels were up [against Adamstown] and it was a lot more controlled. And it was pleasing to bounce back. The boys who will take to the park will be ready to go.”

Lake Macquarie City (Pool A) and Adamstown Rosebud (Pool B) have the bye.
Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

NPL SENIORS:
On Sunday 13th September Newcastle Olympic contest Round 10 with Maitland at Cook square Park, Maitland.

First Grade kick off at 2.30PM
Reserve Grade kick off at 12:15PM

On Saturday 12^th September
U18s kick off at 6:00PM vs Weston at Darling St Oval

HERALD WPL:
On Sunday 13^th September Newcastle Olympic take on Thornton Redbacks in Round 12 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

NPL YOUTH:
On Saturday 12^th September Newcastle Olympic NPL Youth teams return to Darling St Oval in Round 13 of the competition against Maitland.

U16s kick off at 4:00PM
U15s kick off at 2:00PM
U14s kick off at 12:00PM
U13s kick off at 10:00AM

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic zone teams take on Garden Suburbs in Round 11 on Sunday 13^th September at Lance York Oval.

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

Over 35s:
Newcastle Olympic O35s take on Wallsend in Round 11 of the competition at Wallsend 2 on Friday 11^th  September. Kick off is at 8:00PM

SAP/NET:
U9s Blue kick off at 9:00AM at Darling St Oval vs Lake Macquarie Gold, on Sunday 13th September.                                                                                                 U9s White kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St Oval vs Lake Macquarie Blue, on Sunday 13^th September.

U10s White kick off at 12:00PM at Darling St Oval vs Weston Black, on Sunday 13^th September.                                                                                                              U10s Blue kick off at 1:30OM at Darling St Oval vs Weston White, on Sunday 13^th September.

U11s White kick off at 9:30AM at LMRFF vs Macquarie Girls on Sunday 13^th September.                                                                                                                              U11s Blue kick off at 10:30AM at LMRFF vs Hunter Valley Girls on Sunday 13^th September.     

U12s NET kick off at 9:00AM at Islington Park vs Mayfield Junior on Saturday 12^th Sept..

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors play Round 11 of the season on Saturday 12^th September.

U6s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St against Mayfield Junior
U6s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St against Mayfield Junior
U6s/03 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St against Mayfield Junior
U7s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St against Cooks Hill
U7s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St against Cooks Hill
U8s/01 kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St against Cooks Hill
U8s/02 kick off at 9:30AM at Darling St against Cooks Hill
U8s/03 kick off at 8.30AM at Darling St against Cooks Hill

source: Tom Tsamouras

Newcastle Olympic 6-2 Lake Macquarie City

Newcastle put six past Lake Macquarie with a brilliant attacking display at Darling Street Oval to win 6-2 on Sunday.

The result was the equal biggest margin of victory for Olympic this season and moved them into third spot on the table.

Dino Fajkovic opened the scoring after fantastic build up play and a pin-point cross from Kent Harrison.

Olympic would have a second in the 36^th minute with Blake Green scoring in similar fashion off another Harrison cross while after the break Jared Muller hit a well-timed volley to make it 3-0.

Michael Bru would peg two goals back for the Roosters before Muller would score his second of the day after superb individual work from Fajkovic.

Jed Horney scored two goals of his own in the last 20 minutes to post an emphatic victory for Olympic, their fourth of the season.

Lake Macquarie are still rooted to the bottom of the table with the defeat their fifth in a row.

Olympic were left to savour a huge victory while interim-coach Alex Tagaroulias said he was impressed with the immense attacking performance.

“I always thought once we get enough troops we believe we have a competitive enough squad to make the top three and to score six goals was fantastic,” Tagaroulias said.

“I would have taken a 1-0, one goal win just to take three points but what was pleasing was the manner of [victory] but it wasn’t easy and if you aren’t on it, [Lakes] can punish you.

“The boys are very hungry and the whole club is buzzing. We’re in a good position and it gives the boys some momentum.

“Dino Fajkovic was outstanding, Muller scored a couple and Kent Harrison was dynamite. Blake [Green] came back from injury and got an important goal too.”

Maitland FC 1-2 Charlestown Azzurri

A late Rene Ferguson goal earned Charlestown Azzurri an incredible 2-1 victory over Maitland in a scintillating Match of the Round at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.

The result ended Maitland’s remarkable two-year unbeaten streak at their home ground while it was Azzurri’s first win at Maitland since the early 2000s.

Nathan Archbold was forced into a good save early denying Joel Wood a goal in the first half with the sides even at half-time.

Maitland took the lead in the 75^th minute with striker Braedyn Crowley continuing his form in front of goal with James Thompson finding the attacker unmarked and with an open goal.

Charlestown would respond quickly and were awarded a penalty in the 79^th minute which Ferguson tucked away to level the scores.

Ferguson would send the Azzurri into raptures scoring a 90^th minute winner with a header off a corner to leave Cooks Square Park with an important three points.

Charlestown have been in tremendous form to notch their third win on the bounce while growing the belief to challenge for honours after defeating the premiers on their home turf.

The loss saw Maitland drop out of the top five and now equal with Charlestown on 13 points but ahead on goal difference in sixth spot.

Charlestown are showing quality signs heading into the pointy end of the season and coach Graham Law said he was thrilled with how his team were playing.

“The attitude and desire they’re showing as a squad is giving us these opportunities in games. We just have gelled now and I’ve been around a while and you feel when a team starts to gel,” Law said. “I thought we’ve played better than that but I felt we matured as a team. We lost a goal but we didn’t lose our shape and it’s the second time we’ve been behind in a game and won, which is a good sign.

“It was awesome to see Scott Smith come off the bench for a couple of minutes, because he’s a club legend and adds a bit more depth to us now.

“We’ll take anyone on in the draw and now the next stage is believing we are a top four team.”

Lambton Jaffas 3-1 Edgeworth Eagles

Lambton ended Edgeworth’s unbeaten start to the season with a resurgent 3-1 victory at Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday.

The Eagles’ 11 game winning streak – which stretched back to last year’s finals series – has now finished while the Jaffas achieved a much-needed victory and moved back into the top five.

Edgeworth appeared on track for another victory when Will Bower scored an amazing goal in the ninth minute hitting a sweet volley from distance to loop Ben Kennedy in goal to stake a claim for goal of the year.

Lambton would equalise through Kale Bradbery shortly after with the attacker finding the back of the net after taking advantage of a fumbled ball.

The Jaffas would put away two more goals before the break in a devastating first-half performance with Matt Thompson scoring the second before Mitch Oxborrow hit a stunning free-kick to double the home side’s lead.

The 3-1 win for Lambton was a massive result for the Jaffas while sending out a strong message to the rest of the competition.

Edgeworth remain five points clear at the top of the table while the Jaffas’ fourth win of the season saw them return to the top five in a congested middle part of the table.

Lambton viewed the game as pivotal towards their season and coach James Pascoe said he was proud of his squad in rising to the occasion to knock over the high-flying Eagles.

“Apart from the most important stat which is the scoreboard, the majority of the rest of the games we’ve played we’ve won every [other] stat and so I wasn’t surprised as we’ve got a good group of players,” Pascoe said.

“Belief has always been there. I know what my players are capable of and I’ve felt, over the last month or so, if we can get our fair rub of the green that we’re capable of going on a really good run and hopefully today is the start of that.

“It was a disciplined team performance from the whole group. You always run the risk saying it’s a must-win game but the message was pretty close to that and we needed to do everything we could.”

Valentine FC 2-2 Weston Workers

Weston fought back from two goals down to earn a vital point finishing 2-2 with Valentine at CB Complex on Sunday.

After a goalless first half, Valentine came out of the sheds quickly scoring two goals through Josh Murray and Ben Hay to put themselves in a commanding position.

Cooper Buswell scored the first for Weston in the 79^th minute with a clinical finish after great skill by Aaron Niyonkuru to find the goal scorer.

Niyonkuru would come back to haunt his former club shortly after to score the equaliser after a deadly ball from Jarryd Sutherland found the attacker at the back post.

Both sides fought hard for the winner in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t find the elusive goal, left to take away a point each after a riveting contest.

Weston still sit in fourth place on 14 points while Valentine are on 11 points, two points outside the top five.

Broadmeadow Magic 3-0 Adamstown Rosebud

Broadmeadow returned to the winner’s circle with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Adamstown at Magic Park on Sunday.

Sam Walker pounced on a ball in the box in the 18^th minute to open the scoring for the home side to notch his fifth goal of the season.

After the break, Jon Griffiths scored the second with a header off a Cody Carroll cross while Jarred Baker sealed the result three minutes from full-time with a cool finish to secure the three points for Magic.

The win sees Magic move to 19 points on the table, five points above third spot and five points away from Edgeworth at the top.

Adamstown remain in a scrap at the bottom of the table with four points but sit above Lake Macquarie on goal difference.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Adamstown Rosebud 1-2 Newcastle Olympic

Newcastle Olympic were lucky to escape with all three points after an enthralling battle with Adamstown on Sunday afternoon.

In the end a late penalty to Olympic was all that could split the two sides, with the win moving Olympic up one spot into second. The women from Darling Street are equal with Broadmeadow Magic on points but have a far superior goal difference.

“It was a pretty big battle towards the end. For us it wasn’t a pretty game, we just had to hang in there and we ended up getting a penalty in the last minute of the game,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said.

“It’s been a pretty big week. We’ve had three games in a week so the fact that a few players might have been a bit mentally tired was understandable.”

The visitors were first to find the scoresheet in the battle between third and fifth thanks to the boot of Georgia Little. She was later substituted as a precaution with hamstring tightness.

With Olympic choosing to rest Sophie O’Brien and Imogen Tusek, Adamstown pushed hard for an equaliser.

The breakthrough came thanks to a spectacular effort from Kimmy Trappett, her shot from outside the 18-yard-box edging past the fingers of the Olympic keeper.

The match-winning moment came in the 89^th minute when Jemma House was fouled in the box. The competition’s leading goal scorer made no mistake from the spot.

Adamstown now find themselves in the unenviable position where they will need to win at least two of their remaining three games, while hope other results fall in their favour if they are to qualify for finals football.

“The girls are very disappointed with the result. The week ahead we just focus on us and how we can be effective in the game,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.

Leia Puxty and Trappett both drew praise from Campbell, while there will be a nervous wait to find out the extent of an injury suffered by young striker Ella Spicer who came from the field midway through the fixture.

Adamstown next face Broadmeadow Magic on Sunday, while Olympic host Thornton.

Broadmeadow Magic 0-2 Merewether United

Merewether moved into first place on the Herald Women’s Premier League table after an entertaining win over the now third-placed Broadmeadow Magic on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Alison Logue was monumental in the win, which saw the Llamas move a point clear of Magic. United still have a game in hand against Mid Coast FC next Saturday.

The experienced keeper not only saved a penalty in the first half but was crucial in keeping the home side scoreless despite a number of attacking opportunities from the women in red.

“[Logue] pulled off some incredible saves. [It’s a] cliché but the big players stand up in the big games. She stood up and had a massive game,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.

“[Broadmeadow] presented us with different challenges to what we’ve had. We started with a 4-4-2 formation. To be honest it didn’t really work against them. We changed to 4-5-1 in defence in the second [half] and 4-3-3 in attack.”

Rhali Dobson and Tamara Nash combined for the Llamas opening goal, with Nash on the receiving end of a pin-point cross from the W-League striker.

Merewether doubled the advantage shortly after the break when Lori Depczynski found the final touch on a scrappy contest close to goal.

Saturday’s clean sheet was the fifth this season for Merewether, who have conceded just five goals since the resumption of the season. The performance of Ellie Withers also drew strong praise from Ellis, who described the result as an “ugly win.”

“They’re a good side. [There was a] midweek game for us [against Thornton]. It was noticeable. The legs were a little bit heavier than I would have liked,” Ellis said.

Broadmeadow Magic coach Jake Curley remained upbeat despite the result noting the “outstanding” performance of Merewether keeper Logue, which he believed was the difference between the two sides.

“We’ve lost two games this year. Both games were like that and there’s nothing I can say to say anything we need to fix,” Curley said.

“It’s not as if we didn’t create chances. It’s not as if we didn’t have five or six opportunities to win.

“[Merewether] took the chances that they had and we couldn’t take the chances we had.”

Magic next face Adamstown on Sunday, before a mouth-watering clash with Newcastle Olympic on 20 September. The result of that game is likely to determine who scores a second chance in week one of the finals series.

Warners Bay 9-0 Thornton

Warners Bay increased the margin between them and fifth-placed Adamstown with a nine-goal win over last placed Thornton on Sunday.

Jen Hoy led the way for the home side with five goals, while Elodie Dagg bagged a brace and Ellie Brown and Georgia Cook added to their season tally.

“It was a pretty simple message in the sheds. We wanted to be ruthless and get back to the way we play. I thought the girls did that extremely well,” Warners Bay coach Craig Atkins said.

“We probably had a 10 minute period there in the first half, after we scored a few goals, where we just dropped off a little bit. But the intensity then lifted. A clean sheet was nice as well.”

The Panthers now sit five points clear of Adamstown but Atkins knows his side can’t afford to slip up if they are to be there come week one of the finals series.

“We’re sort of treating each week like a semi-final. We have to,” Atkins said.

“It’s in our hands. If we want to make it, we have to win those games. Good intensity today but we’ve got to improve again next week.”

Four goals in less than 15 minutes left Thornton reeling, with the side forced to chase the game from the opening whistle.

Thornton coach Al Primmer was also forced to substitute a number of players at the break due to injury concerns.

“A lot of it is the heads went down and while the heads are down, we concede a goal and then another goal again,” Primmer said.

Despite what was a tough day for the Redbacks it was an important one for goalkeeper Danielle Redding who chalked up her 100^th appearance in the Herald Women’s Premier League.

The Redbacks now turn their focus to next weekend’s clash with Newcastle Olympic, with Primmer hopeful his side can find points in the remaining three rounds of the competition.

“I don’t want that every week. We don’t deserve to be finishing like that every week so hopefully the girls can find something and try and get something,” Primmer said.

Mid Coast FC 3-1 New Lambton

Mid Coast FC made it two in a row as they heaped more pain on a struggling New Lambton at Taree Zone Field.

Middies remain well in contention for finals football but will need to secure points against top of the table Merewether in next weekend’s double header if they are to move towards the final four.

Chelsea Hall, Jess James and Layni Fens all found the back of the net for the home side, who hit the front late in the first half.

“First half [New Lambton] threw a lot of energy at us. To be honest the first half was reasonably even. We had a couple of chances and jagged one before half-time,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.

“It was a real team performance. I didn’t think there were too many players who stood out from the rest, everyone got in and did their job.

“It wasn’t the perfect performance but in saying that we probably should have scored three or four more.”

It wasn’t all good news for the home side who lost Rosie Newman to a suspected broken collarbone. Courtney Anderson and Tash Ruge also missed the game but are both expected to be on deck for next weekend’s gruelling double header with Merewether.

The two-goal defeat marked the end of a tough eight days for New Lambton, who were battered by Magic last Saturday, parted ways with coach Brad Jones on Tuesday and left reeling after a loss to Olympic on Wednesday.

And while the score would suggest the performance was disappointing, interim coach Cas Wright was impressed by her side’s tenacity given they were forced to pull players from reserve grade and under-17s in order to field a team.

“Considering everything that has gone on, the girls really stood up and challenged Middies,” Wright said.

“With the injuries and the players we had out, I think the girls had a lot of opportunities. Our structure was good in the second half.”

Sunday’s clash marked Kaitlin Radstaak’s 100^th appearance in the WPL, while Nikki Clifton made her debut for the Eagles.

Adriana Jones missed the game due to illness, while Ruby Jones has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with injury.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

NPL SENIORS:
On Sunday 6th September Newcastle Olympic contested Round 9 with Lake Macquarie at Darling St Oval and provided fans with a goal feast.

1st Grade won 6-2
Goals: Jared Muller 2, Jed Hornery 2, Dino Fajkovic, Blake Green

Reserve Grade won 7-0
Under 18s drew 0-0

HERALD WPL:
On the same day Newcastle Olympic WPL took on Adamstown  Rosebud in Round 11 of the competition at Adamstown No1 Oval and won in all four age groups!

1st Grade won 2-1
Goals: Georgia Little, Jemma House

Reserve Grade won 2-1
Under 17s won 3-0
Under 14s won 2-1

NPL YOUTH:
On Saturday 5^th September Newcastle Olympic NPL Youth teams traveled to Taree for Round 12 of the competition against Mid Coast.

Under 16s won 7-0
Under 15s won 10-0
Under 14s won 8-1
Under 13s lost 4-0

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic zone teams took on Merewether Advance SFC in Round 10 on Saturday 5^th September at Islington Park.

First Grade won 3-1
Reserve Grade won 3-2

Over 35s:
Newcastle Olympic O35s took on Valentine in Round 10 of the competition at Islington  Park on Friday night and won 6-0

SAP/NET:

U9s, U10s and U11s SAP teams played Adamstown and New Lambton at Darling St Oval on Saturday and put on some outstanding performances.

U12s NET took on Maitland at Cook Square Park and defeated them by 7-0!

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors played Round 10 of the season on Saturday 5^th September at Kurraka Oval, Walker Field, Smith Park and Federal Park against Maryland Fletcher, South Wallsend, Hamilton Azzuri and Fletcher. Our young Olympians put on some great performances and continue their football journey with a lot of promise.

source: Tom Tsamouras

Round 1 of the 2020 NPL Youth season was completed last week and the four Newcastle Olympic teams dominated their respective age groups. From the scheduled 11 matches, two were not played due to COVID-19 rulings.

During this period the four Newcastle Olympic teams occupy 1st place in u13s, u14s, and u16s and 2nd place in U15s. They only sustained 2 defeats between all four age groups, scored 198 goals and conceded 20!

U16s:
Coached by Harry James and assisted by Barry Park, the U16s team has won every game in Round 1 having conceded only 2 goals and scoring 36. Their leading scorers are Jameson Oakley McLean and Kai Karaka with 9 goals each. Apart from dominating their age group, during a recent “friendly” with the u16s Jets, they a played out a 2-2 draw. A great achievement so far with more success in Round 2 of the season to come.

U15s:
Coached by Alex Tagaroulias and Reece Fellas the u15s occupy 2nd place on the ladder and have won every game but one! They scored 48 goals and conceded 7! Their leading goal scorers are Jesse Fitzgerald 13, Wil Southcombe and Shiwa Dul with 10 goals each. In a recent “friendly” against the u15s Jets, this team won 5-1! A great achievement in Round 1 of the competition and more success expected during Round 2.

U14s:
Coached by George Fellas and assisted by Eddie Abramovich the u14s team are in 1st place on the ladder, have won every game they have played and scored an incredible 64 goals in 9 matches! If firepower is a strength in this team, guess again! In these 9 matches they have only conceded 1 goal and that was in the first game of the season! Their leading goal scorers are Seth Anderson with 34 and Charlie Stevenson with 10 goals respectively.

U13s:
Coached by Reece Fellas and assisted by Luke McGuiness the u13s team also occupies 1st place on the ladder, winning every game but one! Like their U14s counter parts, they have a lot of firepower, scoring 50 goals in only 9 matches but have depth and strength in all areas. Their leading scorers are Oliver Steinerts with 13 goals and Jonah Reed with 10. A great achievement so far with more to come.

source: Tom Tsamouras

Adamstown Rosebud v Newcastle Olympic

Adamstown Oval – Sunday 3pm

Adamstown will be out to score an upset when they face the highly-rated Newcastle Olympic at Adamstown Oval on Sunday.

The Buds are expected to be unchanged for the clash which, while not a must win for Adamstown, three points would strengthen their chances of securing fourth spot.

“The points are very important and it is our responsibility to go out and get them,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.

“The girls are keen and excited for the weekend. They are quite disappointed with the way the game [against Merewether] ended on the weekend after such a bright start.

“The message will be to be aggressive and show belief in our style of play and in their own ability.”

It is a difficult run home for Adamstown, who face Broadmeadow Magic, Mid Coast and Warners Bay to round out the regular season following their clash with Olympic.

“We are looking to keep working on ourselves and making sure that we eliminate lapses of concentration so that we give ourselves the best chance of success,” Campbell said.

Newcastle Olympic head into the clash full of confidence after two comprehensive victories. Olympic left Warners Bay reeling with a dominant 7-2 performance on Sunday, while the women from Darling Street added another five to their season tally on Wednesday as they defeated New Lambton.

Jemma House led the attack with four goals, while Georgia Amess also found the back of the net.

“Defensively we were also strong. The girls are looking better in terms of just doing their role,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said after the game.

Just six points split Adamstown and Olympic on the table, with the Buds likely to prove another tough challenge for Olympic.

“We just have to stick to our principles and that is to be patient, to pick our time to go forward and if it is on it is on, if not just sit back and relax,” Attwill said.

And while much of the talk over the next fortnight will be around the race for the premiership, it is not a discussion that interests the Olympic coach.

“The goal is just to win every week. We’ve never really been focused on the minor premiership or anything other than making the semi-finals,” Attwill said.

“We did well at the start of the season. I think we probably plateaued halfway through and now I think we really need to keep that upward trend otherwise anything can happen in finals football.”

Broadmeadow Magic v Merewether United

Magic Park – Saturday 3pm

It will be a battle of the heavyweights at Magic Park on Saturday in what could well be the most important game of the season in the race for the premiership.

Broadmeadow Magic are two points clear of Merewether United on the table, though the Llamas still have a game in hand against Mid Coast FC.

“The girls are excited about the game on the weekend. Our approach is the same, we work on our structure and the way we play,” Magic coach Jake Curley said.

Merewether walked away winners in an end-to-end seven-goal epic at Arthur Edden Oval the last time the two sides met. Since then, Magic have added the experience of Gemma Harrison and Erin Wilson.

It has been a disrupted month for Magic, with the week gone the first full schedule of training the side has had in some time.

“The focus has been structure. With our busy schedule we haven’t really trained,” Curley said.

Merewether head into the clash off the back of what coach Scott Ellis described as his side’s “most complete performance so far this year.”

The Llamas thumped Thornton 8-0 on Wednesday night, with the focus now switched to Saturday’s top of the table clash.

“Most of the bits and pieces we’ve been working on pretty much dropped into place [against Thornton]. It sets us up well for Saturday,” Ellis said.

“[Broadmeadow] are a good team and to beat them it has to be a pretty complete performance.

“We’ve evolved as a team since we last played them. My message to the girls will be it is going to be hard, it’s going to be tough but it’s there for us to win.”

“If someone is going to come and watch a game this year, I think this will be one of the best ones.”

Both sides are expected to be unchanged for the clash.

Warners Bay v Thornton

John Street Oval – Sunday 3pm

Warners Bay will be out to make amends for last weekend’s disappointing loss at the hands of Newcastle Olympic when they host Thornton on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers were left reeling after Olympic dismantled their defence in a dominant display at Darling Street Oval, with coach Craig Atkins commenting post game his side lacked “intensity” in the second half.

“I just said to them at training on Tuesday I want to see them respond from the performance or that 20 minutes on the weekend,” Atkins said.

“We were well and truly in the game and I just wanted to see a response from each girl at training.”

Warners Bay are expected to be unchanged for the clash with Thornton, which doubles as another important three points in the race for the last finals place.

“It’s just about that intensity, focus and communication because as I’ve said we’re trying to build that consistent performance,” Atkins said.

“We’re not quite there yet. Fingers crossed we can put a solid performance together this weekend.

“[The girls] need to believe in themselves. Communication is a huge factor and we just need to focus for the 90 minutes.”

Thornton head into the clash off the back of a loss to high-flying Merewether on Wednesday, though despite the eight-goal defeat coach Al Primmer walked away impressed with the tenacity of his side.

“The girls continue to try and find something for me. We lost two girls during the afternoon before kick-off, so it was a mad scramble to change a few things around but the effort was huge,” Primmer said.

“We lost it last night in transition. Merewether scored four goals straight after we pushed forward.

“We need to stay in the game.”

Thornton are likely to field a somewhat different side to the one that faced Merewether for Sunday’s clash with Warners Bay, although the message before kick-off is expected to be the same.

“Normal message to the girls will be play happy football, make it fun not a chore,” Primmer said.

Mid Coast FC v New Lambton

Taree Zone Field – Sunday 3pm

Football returns to Taree Zone Field this weekend when Mid Coast FC host New Lambton in what is a crucial clash for the home side if they are to remain in the hunt for finals football.

Middies coach Mick Grass said his side was capable of playing deep into the finals but needed to lift for each of their remaining five fixtures.

“They’ve got to lift. Every game now becomes key for us. Our next loss is probably the end of our chances for finals,” Grass said.

“All the girls understand that they’ve got to lift for every game.

“We’ve got to take chances. Last week [against Thornton] we probably had 20, we got three and got the win  but we probably should have put more away.”

As for the key to ensuring three points on Sunday, Grass said it was a matter of sticking with the same formula.

“Stick to the processes we’ve been sticking to all year. We had a good run when we came back from [the COVID-19 suspension] and the process proved to be successful,” Grass said.

It has been a tumultuous week for New Lambton, who announced on Tuesday they had parted ways with head coach Brad Jones.

“In what has been a disrupted season and with the numerous challenges that presented, it became clear that it was in the best interest of the players and the club to recalibrate our WPL program, to finish 2020 on positive note and reset now for the 2021 season,” the club said in a statement on social media.

Less than 48 hours later, the Eagles were outclassed by a rampant Newcastle Olympic in their round seven catch up game. The 5-0 loss compounded by a hamstring injury to goalkeeper Ruby Jones.

Having stepped into lead the side against Olympic, New Lambton’s technical director Cas Wright said post game her focus was “keeping the group together and keeping it positive.”

“It was just unfortunate that we weren’t able to capitalise [on chances] but I think going from last week’s game to this week’s game there’s lots of positives to take out of it,” Wright said.

The trip north is never an easy one for visiting sides, with the challenge compounded by a growing injury list for the Eagles.

“We didn’t even have the bare 11 [against Olympic]. We only had 10 and reserve grade was light on as well,” Wright said.

“It’s a numbers game for us at the moment, just making sure we’ve got 22 fresh starters.”

source:https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Newcastle Olympic v Lake Macquarie City

Darling Street Oval, Sunday 2:30pm

Newcastle Olympic will play host to Lake Macquarie City at Darling Street Oval on Sunday with both teams looking to bounce back into the winner’s circle.

Olympic went down 2-0 to Edgeworth last round but remain inside the top five with 11 points and will want to maintain their spot with Lambton, Charlestown and Valentine breathing down their neck.

Lakes slumped to their sixth loss of the year last round going down 1-0 to Valentine to leave them in last spot with time running out on the Roosters season.

The away side will be eager to snap their losing streak and gain traction on the teams above them with five regular season games remaining.

The two outfits will be without their respective captains due to suspensions with Olympic’s Kyle Hodges and Lakes’ Corey Fletcher serving time on the sideline this weekend.

Olympic have a great record against Lakes in recent times and coach Alex Tagaroulias is looking to add to their recent performances.

“The guys are coming along nicely. They’re putting in the work in training and on match day so I can’t complain and if they put in the same effort as they did against Maitland and Edgeworth than we’ll win more,” Tagaroulias said.

“There’s a logjam there between third and eighth and only a couple of points separating all of us. So we’ve got to try and keep winning and if we don’t win this weekend, several teams could leapfrog us.

“Jed Hornery and Tom Curran look like they are out again this weekend, so a couple of changes to make.”

Maitland FC v Charlestown Azzurri

Cooks Square Park, Sunday 2:30pm

Two sides looking to strengthen their position on the table will do battle in an eagerly-awaited Match of the Round with Maitland hosting Charlestown at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.

The defending premiers are third with four wins and have yet to taste defeat at home this season.

Maitland won their first game on the road in 2020 last round with comeback 2-1 win over Adamstown thanks to two late goals from James Thompson and Braedyn Crowley.

Michael Bolch’s men will be looking for their first back-to-back win of the season against Charlestown.

Consecutive wins were Charlestown’s breakthrough feat last round downing Lambton 2-0 with a convincing performance while star forwards Regan Lundy and Riley Smith earned a spot in the NPL NNSW Team of the Week along with goalkeeper Nathan Archbold.

The Azzurri are now seventh on 10 points, while a win in this fixture would see them climb level with Maitland.

The match will pit one of the best attacking teams in Maitland – who have recorded 14 goals in eight games to sit fourth for goals scored – against one of the best defences in Charlestown. The Azzurri have only conceded nine goals which is the equal second best in the competition.

Maitland has a superior record over their Charlestown winning four of the last six encounters having scored eight goals in the last two games between the sides at Cooks Square Park.

The Magpies will want to keep a foothold on third place and Bolch said his side was raring to go and would welcome back a familiar face to the line-up.

“We’re getting Ryan Clarke back this week so I expect everyone to be on board for the game and if we can get three points it really sets us up going into the next rounds,” Bolch said.

“We’ve just got to be more efficient in the front third. We’re creating plenty of opportunities but it’s just about ready to click.

“I think it goes back to 2018 the last time we lost a game [at home] so it has been a really good run so hopefully it continues on the weekend.

“If you look down [Azzurri’s] spine, there’s plenty of first grade experience there. They’re working well and the young guys feed off that.”

Charlestown will aim to build on their current form to end the premiers’ lengthy unbeaten streak at Cooks Square Park. Coach Graham Law said he was excited about the prospect of facing his former club.

“It’s the premiers we’re playing this weekend. You don’t win a league with a lucky team and we will give them the utmost respect but we’ll put our best foot forward and challenge them,” Law said.

“There’s a lot of teams in the same position as us but we know how we’re going to play and as a coach I pride myself on being able to provide my team with an analysis on how we’re going to play.

“I’ve never lost a game at Maitland, both as Maitland coach and not, but something’s got to give this weekend.

“We’re starting to get a bit of consistency and learning how we play due to our smaller squad and Maitland on their home ground can be quite daunting but we believe the longer we stay in the game the more positive we become.”

Lambton Jaffas v Edgeworth Eagles

Arthur Edden Oval, Sunday 2:30pm

Lambton and Edgeworth will take to Arthur Edden Oval on Sunday in a match that is sure to provide a spectacle given the incredible recent history between the two clubs.

The two sides are accustomed to playing each other in big games with the Eagles edging past the Jaffas in the last two finals series’ while Lambton defeated Edgeworth in the 2017 grand final.

The teams will put it all on the line due to the nature of the rivalry and with plenty still to play for in 2020.

Edgeworth are aiming for an ‘invincible’ season having remained undefeated so far this campaign with eight wins from eight, with the Eagles eight points clear at the top of the table.

Their latest result was a 2-0 victory over Newcastle Olympic last round while the Jaffas endured a tough 2-0 loss to Charlestown.

Lambton are going through a poor run of results having only won one of their last four games to slip outside the top five.

The home side will take confidence from the fact they were the last team to beat the Eagles in the final round of last season and will be desperate to attain an important victory for their season while aiming to end Edgeworth’s perfect run.

Eagles player-coach Josh Rose said his side had to be wary of a determined Jaffas side.

“They’ve got a fantastic squad so it’s definitely going to be a tough match and plus they really need points so it will be a dangerous game for us. So we need to be switched on but a good game to test ourselves,” Rose said.

“We look at one game at a time and if it does so happen that we wrap up [the premiership] early than fantastic and ideally the championship is always a big one as well so the focus will still be there.

“It was good to get a big load [of work] in last week and now we can freshen up and finish of well.”

Valentine FC v Weston Workers

CB Complex, Sunday 2:30pm

Valentine will take on Weston at CB Complex on Sunday with the two sides coming off confidence boosting results last round.

The Phoenix defeated rivals Lake Macquarie with a hard-fought 1-0 victory to build on their great recent showings and bolster their chances of finishing in the top five.

The orange and navy are eighth, a point away outside the top five and only three behind Weston.

The Bears came from behind and held on with 10 men to earn a fantastic result against Broadmeadow last round which has seen them cement themselves in fourth place.

Nathan Morris, Aaron Niyonkuru and Zac Sneddon all featured in the NPL NNSW Team of the Week following stellar performances in the win while the side will be searching for a third straight victory.

Weston defeated Valentine in the most recent outing between the two sides although the teams fought out a draw last time out at CB Complex to set up an intriguing contest between the in-form outfits.

Broadmeadow Magic v Adamstown Rosebud

Magic Park, Sunday 2:30pm

Two sides at opposite ends of the table will collide when Broadmeadow and Adamstown face-off in a cross-town rivalry at Magic Park on Sunday.

Magic sit comfortably in second spot but are a lofty eight points behind Edgeworth in the fight for the premiership.

Broadmeadow also lost their latest outing, going down 3-2 to Weston away from home albeit scoring two sublime goals including another Mitch Rooke stunner which saw him feature in the NPL NNSW Team of the Week.

Adamstown is in a scrap with Lake Macquarie at the foot of the table. Rosebud are equal with the Roosters on four points and have lost five games in a row.

The side led for most of its recent showing with Maitland but conceded two late goals to go down to the Magpies at home.

The Rosebuds will look to cause an upset on their close rivals and keep in the fight for the remainder of the season.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au