Newcastle Olympic defeated 2-1 by Maitland FC in the NPL Reserve Grade Major Semi-Final

Newcastle Olympic will have to battle it out with Cooks Hill United to make the 2025 NPL Reserve Grade Grand Final after going down 2-1 to Maitland FC at the LMRFF on Sunday.

Playing in warm and dry conditions both teams put on a good display for the healthy crowd in attendance. The deciding factor which led to all three goals were slight defensive errors and luck!

Olympic drew first blood in the 19^th minute when Aswin Gurung of Maitland slipped inside the edge of his box when attempting to receive a pass. Oliver Steinerts from Olympic seized the opportunity and upon controlling the ball, unleased a curling shot to the far post which left the Maitland goalkeeper without any chance of saving.

Leading 1-0 Olympic played with confidence but could not find free channels for the attacking moves they are used to enjoying against other teams. Maitland, who usually play a 4-4-2 formation were playing 4-5-1 against Olympic. They overloaded the midfield, outnumbering Olympic 5 to 3, and in doing so reducing their time and space on the ball. Added to this was a consistent movement of the ball and the use of the full width of the field and the match was balanced in both possession and shots on goal.

Four minutes before half time Maitland won a free kick between the half-way line and the Olympic box. Harrison Swan floated a free kick which was deflected back to him and finding no one to challenge him, he lined up a curling drive that ended in the top corner of the Olympic goal!

Both teams went into the half time interval locked at 1-1 and with Maitland having 5 shots at goal to Olympics’ 4.

With the start of the second half Pharrell Trainnor fired a shot from just outside the box on the left which caught everyone by surprise. The ball hit the bar and rebounded back into the six-yard box and to Maitland’s luck, at the feet of Jayden Ritchie who just tapped it over the line!

The match continued with Olympic trying to break the stalemate but finding all the channels blocked by a well-structured Maitland team. Frustration resulted in a total of 8 yellow cards, four for each team but the 2-1 scoreline remained until the end.

Maitland booked themselves into the Grand Final which is scheduled on 7^th September at Darling St Oval while Olympic will have to beat Cooks Hill United next Sunday at Rockwell Automation Park Weston to be able to join them.