Newcastle Olympic FC take on Maitland FC in Round 16 of the Northern NSW NPL competition on Sunday at Darling St Oval. Unlike the past two outings, Maitland will be a much tougher opponent for both First and Reserve Grades.
Newcastle Olympic Reserve Grade have had an incredible 10 weeks in which they have won 10 consecutive games. The momentum of the team has been disrupted by 4 weeks of wash out games and they have only just picked up from where they left off against opponents from the bottom half of the points table.
Maitland FC are not such an opponent and despite being 11 points behind Olympic, they are in 4th place on the points ladder, just 2 short from 2nd spot! In the Round 5 fixture at Cook Square Park, the boys in blue had to wait until the 87th minute to come away with a 1-0 victory. The match on Sunday will be no different.
Whilst Olympic have won their past 10 games, Maitland have had three wins and two losses in their past five. In their most recent match against Weston, the local derby of the coalfields, Maitland lost 3-1 at Cook Square Park and will be seeking to avenge this against Olympic!
Olympic have won in their past two matches since the interruption from the wash out matches but have not shown the same fluency they demonstrated in their play as before the break. Injury, the departure of one player plus the promotion of a few others to First Grade may also have some impact on this fluency.
Will Olympic be able to make it 11 consecutive wins on Sunday against a very tough Maitland FC side, or will the Magpies be the team to stop Olympic and edge closer to 2nd spot on the ladder themselves?
Kick off at 2:30pm at Darling St Oval on Sunday 22nd June 2025
Newcastle Olympic First Grade have been winless in their past five matches having lost two and drawn three! Maitland have won three, two against Lambton Jaffas and Charlestown Azzurri, drawn one and lost their most recent game against Weston.
In the Round 5 fixture at Cook Square Park Olympic had no problem finding the back of the net, winning 5-3! Since then, they have had difficulty in their finishing and Maitland have tightened their defense, having conceded just 5 goals in their last 5 outings.
Olympic occupy 5th spot on the points ladder and while the first two positions look like being reserved for Edgeworth and Broadmeadow until the end of the season, they are only 5 points away from 3rd spot. Maitland is in 8th position, three points behind Olympic!
A win for Olympic edges them closer to 3rd spot on the ladder, a defeat will could send them to 8th spot on the ladder with a mountain to climb for a top 5 birth.
Kick off at 4:30pm at Darling St Oval on Sunday 22nd June 2025
Source: Tom Tsamouras
George Tsamouras Football Journey 