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Hamilton Olympic surrendered a 2-0 lead to Valentine Phoenix on a damp Darling St Oval pitch and thereby kissed the Minor Premiership goodbye with one round of the season remaining!

Olympic dominated play from the outset against a Valentine side that didn’t look capable of an upset.

The first chance to Olympic came in the 12^th minute when Daniel Bird crossed from the left to find Simon Mooney who forced a finger tipping save by Perry Budden from a thunderous shot from just outside the box.

Three minutes later, Rhys Cooper was on his way with the keeper to beat but was chopped from behind just outside the area with the ensuing free kick going narrowly out.

Andrew Swan then crossed from the left only for a Valentine defender to push the ball for a corner before Kane Goodchild was inches away from burying the ball in the back of the net.

Five minutes before half time, Andrew Swan crossed again and Tommy Spencer volleyed it home for the opening goal 1-0.

Despite the domination of play Olympic was lacking in their final touch which would have enabled them to put the game beyond the Valentine team.

The second half continued at the same tempo as the first with Olympic dominating play in the middle of the park but again lacking in the final touch in front of goal.

On the one hour mark it took four attempts after three rebound saves before Kane Goodchild could head Olympic into a 2-0 lead.

Nine minutes from the end Kane Goodchild had the chance to bury a cross from the left by Grant Brown but instead of finding the back of the net he sent his shot over the cross bar.

Five minutes from time, a momentary lapse in concentration by the Olympic defence enables a Matt Paul to receive the ball inside the box without an Olympic defender anywhere near him and with such a gift, has no problem reducing the score to 2-1.

A few moments later Kane Goodchild was flattened inside the box by the Valentine goalie but the referee waived play on!

In stoppage time Olympic win a penalty after the Valentine goalie flattened another attacking player in the box but the ensuing kick by Kane Goodchild sent the ball into the hands of the goalkeeper instead of the Valentine net!

To add insult to injury, a deep cross from the right finds Brenton Olzomer on the left who squeezes g a shot in before he was smothered by the Olympic defence and 2-2 puts the Major Premiership beyond reach!

Olympic were without injured goalkeeper Danny Ireland and midfielder Jacob Bailey, who is out for the season. Defender Grant Brown picked up a yellow card and will now miss the last round and the first week of the finals.

NPL NNSW Round 17 Results:

Newcastle Jets Youth – Lambton Jaffas 3-0

Hamilton Olympic – Valentine 2-2

Broadmeadow Magic – Charlestown 2-3

Weston – Adamstown 4-1

Edgeworth – Maitland 2-1

TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                         P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Edgeworth                    17    14   1   2       49-18      43
2. Hamilton Olympic       17    11   6   0       46-13    38
3. Broadmeadow Magic  17     8    5   4       47-28     29
4. Maitland                       17     8    5   4       34-21     29
5. Charlestown City         17     7    3   7       29-38     24
6. Newcastle JetsYouth  17      6    3   8      36-46     21
7. Valentine                      17      5    4    8      27-41     19
8. Lambton Jaffas           17      4    4     9     23-34     16
9. Adamstown                  17      3    2   12     20-50     11
10. Weston Workers          17     1    3  13      17-39       6

NPL Youth

Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic

Under 17s lost 4-3
Under 15s lost 1-0
Under 14s lost 2-0
Under 13s won 3-1

source:TomTsamouras                                         

http://hamiltonolympic.com.au/c5/

Hamilton Olympic v Valentine Phoenix                                                                       2.30pm, Sunday 8^th August at Darling Street Oval

Last Meeting: Hamilton 5 Valentine 0 at Cahill Oval, Saturday 28^th May 2016

Ladder: Hamilton 1^st (38) Valentine 6^th (18)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Hamilton – Won Jets 1-0 (h), Drew Magic 1-1 (a), Won Eagles 3-1 (h)

Valentine – Won Magic 2-1 (h), Drew Bears 2-2 (h), Won Jaffas 3-2 (a)

Bottom Line

Hamilton will be missing two of their most important players when they meet Valentine at Darling Street on Sunday afternoon, with the terrible news coming out this week that midfielder Jacob Bailey will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and keeper Danny Ireland is out for anywhere between two and four weeks.

However, if any side has the depth to cover the injuries it is Hamilton. The experienced Andrew Swan or Simon Mooney will come into the side to replace Bailey, while backup goalkeeper Tom Pullin had a full season of the first-grade experience with former club South Cardiff in 2015.

Hamilton will look to the experience of Tommy Spencer in midfield. Spencer has been a revelation this season and looks to have added some creativity to a Hamilton side that struggled to break down Edgeworth in the Grand Final last season and now have beaten them twice this year. The speed and skill of Rhys Cooper will also be key who drops back into Bailey’s midfield role.

While Valentine has been the surprise packet this season, coach Darren Sills never doubted their ability and has set the bar high for the PlayStation 4 NPL Northern NSW newcomers in 2016. While their performances have been outstanding in some matches – such as in last weekends 2-1 win over Broadmeadow – in others they just have only turned up for part of the match, as was the case in their 2-2 draw with Weston the week before.

What the Coaches Said:

Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“Tom Pullin did very well for [South Cardiff] last year and he had had a great year in the u/22s for us this year, so I’m sure he will grab his opportunity with both hands. He’ll be starting this weekend and he did really well when he came on for Danny [Ireland] on the weekend.”

“Valentine have been playing really well. I saw them play Magic on the weekend and they did really well in that game. They are mobile and [Darren Sills] has got them working really hard for each other. I say it every week, but we’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves.”

Sam Griffin (Valentine Assistant)

“Magic had a couple out on the weekend and we made the most out of that so hopefully we can do the same this weekend. The confidence [that win over Magic] gave the players was immeasurable. We’ve beaten three of the sides above us now and knowing that we can compete and take points from these teams in terrific.”

“We’ve got to keep Hamilton quiet this weekend and not give away easy goals. When they have the firepower they do, you can’t give them those easy ones. We played well in the first half against them last time and then didn’t turn up in the second, but we are a completely different team now, both in attitude and the way we are playing so I’m backing us to have a red hot crack at them.”

Key: The loss of Ireland and Bailey opens the door slightly for Valentine. Can they take the opportunity with both hands?

TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                           P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Edgeworth                     16    13   1   2       47-17      40
2. Hamilton Olympic       16    11   5   0      44-11       38
   
3. Broadmeadow Magic   16     8    4   4      45-25      29
4. Maitland                         16     8    5   3      33-19      29
5. Charlestown City          16     6    3    7     26-36     21
6. Newcastle JetsYouth    16     5    3   8     33-46     18
7. Valentine                        16     5    3   8      25-39     18
8. Lambton Jaffas              16     4    4   8      23-31     16
9. Adamstown                     16     3    2 11      19-46      11
10. Weston Workers            16     0    3  13      13-38      3

U22s Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Sunday 7^th August Kick off 12.45pm Darling St Oval.

U19s Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Sunday 7^th August Kick off 11.00am Darling St Oval.

 

PS4 YOUTH NPL ROUND 20:

U13s Hamilton Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic Saturday 6^th August 2016 kick off 10.00 a.m. at Darling St Oval

U14s Hamilton Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic Saturday 6^th August 2016 kick off 11.30 a.m. at Darling St Oval

U15s Hamilton Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic Saturday 6^th August 2016 kick off 1.00 p.m. at Darling St Oval

U17s Hamilton Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic Saturday 6^th August 2016 kick off 2.30 p.m. at Darling St Oval

source:TomTsamouras                                         

http://hamiltonolympic.com.au/c5/

Edgeworth Eagles v Maitland Magpies

2.30pm Sunday 7^th August at Jack McLaughlan Oval

Last Meeting: Edgeworth 3 Maitland 1 at Cooks Square Park, Sunday 29^th May, 2016

Ladder: Edgeworth 2^nd (37pts) Maitland 4^th (29)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Edgeworth – Won Blues 2-1 (a), Lost Olympic 3-1 (a), Won Magic 2-0 (h)

Maitland – Won Bears 3-2 (h), Drew Jets 1-1(h), Won Jaffas 4-1 (a)

Bottom Line

Edgeworth meet a Maitland side who have roared back to life over the end of the season. The Magpies are undefeated in their last five matches and have won four of those five. Their only hiccup was a 1-1 draw with a resurgent Jets Youth side last Wednesday.

However, their second halves in their last three matches haven’t been as dominant as their start the matches. Against Lambton, they led 3-1 at the break and gave Lambton chances to get back into the game. A John Majurovski penalty, which was brilliantly saved by Matt Trott was one of a few chances the Jaffas were given to get back into the match.

Against the Jets Youth they conceded in the 84^th minute to share the points and against Weston, they let in two late goals to give the Bears a final sniff. One thing Maitland cannot afford to do against Edgeworth is fall asleep late in the match. The Eagles are the kings of the final fifteen minutes. This season they have scored 12 of their 43 goals in that period, almost a third of all Edgeworth’s goals have come from the 75^th minute onwards.

Edgeworth also have had the wood over Maitland since they were promoted at the end of the 2014 season. The scorelines haven’t looked good for the Magpies either, as Edgeworth have racked up the goals. Last season the Eagles won 4-1 and 2-0 and earlier this season it was a 3-1 win.

In regards to the table, the top four is now settled but this is a huge match for Edgeworth in the minor premiership race. Their match against Valentine will be their fourth match in 12 days so there will be plenty of tired bodies for the Eagles. Taking on Maitland currently sitting fourth makes it all the tougher however with Carl Thornton, Dean Heffernan and Matt Thompson potentially being rested for this match it could make the job a little easier for Edgeworth.

Make Comerford (hamstring) is out and Ryan Clarke is in doubt with a hamstring injury as well. Josh Evans (work) will miss the match for the Eagles.

What the Coaches Said:

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“We’ll try and rotate and give three guys another break tonight [against Valentine]. We brought in four fresh players on the weekend, and we were able to rest three, so essentially we have seven players ready for Valentine.”

“We want to play on Thursday [against Valentine] because if it gets called off Sunday as well we will have three games in five or six days. Apart from Jim [Fogarty], there will only be a few players they who have played all four games. It comes back to the squad again, we talk four games in 12 days, but not many of them will play all four.”

Reece Thompson (Maitland Assistant)

“I’m hoping they play against Valentine on Thursday, but with the weather it doesn’t look good. Our plan is first and foremost prepare for semi-finals, but we want to go into the semi-finals with a full head of steam. We can still finish 3^rd and that is the plan.”

“The reality is we wanted to make the semis and we’ve achieved that. Now, we want to ensure all the squad is at peak fitness come finals time, but at the back of your mind you also want to finish as high as you can on the table and we will play for that. How we go this weekend, will really determine how we approach Broadmeadow [in the final round].”

Key: If Matt Thompson, Dean Heffernan, and Carl Thornton don’t play, can Maitland’s less experienced players step up to the plate against the 2^nd placed Eagles?

Newcastle Jets Youth v Lambton Jaffas

2.30pm Saturday 6^th August at Arthur Edden Oval

Last Meeting: Lambton 1 Jets Youth 1 at Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 28^th May 2016

Ladder: Jets 7^th (18) Lambton 8^th (16)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Jets – Lost Olympic 1-0 (a), Drew Magpies 1-1 (a), Won Rosebuds 4-1 (h)

Lambton – Won Rosebuds 2-1 (a), Lost Magpies 4-1 (h), Drew Blues 0-0 (a)

Bottom Line

In the opening match of round 17, both sides will be aiming to finish the season as high as they possibly can, with the top four now wrapped up. Both can finish in 5^th spot on the ladder, and that will be their thinking. Lambton’s major goal though will be to get ready for their Westfield FFA Cup tie next week against Devonport. The match being on a Saturday aids the Jaffas cause, giving them some added rest before their trip south.

It will be interesting to see what kind of side Lambton line up with on Saturday, given their aging squad and it seems likely that midfielders, Pete McPherson and Jobe Wheelhouse won’t play the full match on Saturday given with the likely rain this week the pitch will be heavy. John Majurovski is another one of the Jaffas old guards and he too may not see the full 90 minutes on Saturday.

With Lambton focusing on the Westfield FFA Cup midweek, now that finals are no longer a worry, this gives the Jets Youth a chance to continue their strong run of form. If you take out their 10-2 defeat at the hands of Broadmeadow, their form over the last month has been solid. They beat Adamstown convincingly, drew with Maitland and lost 1-0 on the weekend to Hamilton in a match where they deserved at least a goal.

The Jets Youth’s NPL squad of 20 players will be cut to 16 for the National Youth League (NYL) season so there is plenty of motivation for them to put their best foot forward to coach Clayton Zane. Kristian Brymora will also be full of confidence after coming off the bench for the Hyundai A-League Jets on Wednesday night in their Westfield FFA Cup match.

Finn Paris and Jake McGuiness are both in doubt for the Jets after also not playing last weekend while Tyson Jackson may also miss the match.

Michael Sessions remains suspended for the while Ben Hay will return for the Jaffas. Jamie Byrnes is also a chance to return in the u/22s for Lambton.

What the Coaches Said:

Clayton Zane (Jets Youth)

“We’ve had a bit of a trial process this week for the NYL. The last two matches will be the last shop window for boys to try and get selected and bit part of that. Also, we want to build on the last two games, which have been an improvement on the match against Broadmeadow. Against Adamstown, Maitland and Olympic we’ve looked more solid over the pitch.”

“We’ve had a couple of boys who have trained with the Jets this week, but we are pretty settled as a group and we have had some time to do some work with the boys which has been good.”

James Pascoe (Lambton)

“It’s a case of one eye on this week and one eye on the FFA Cup next week. Obviously, the weather will play a part in preparations so I don’t know how much training we will get in this week. Fingers crossed the rain stays away because I would still like to play the game so we can work on some bits and pieces before the Tasmania game.”

“I’m going to use this match to give some of my younger boys a chance so we will be quite young and mobile as well, so I think it will be an even contest from an athletic point of view, it’s just a matter of who on the day plays the smartest game to suit the conditions and who is technically better.”

Key: With two youthful line-ups expected on Saturday, which set of youngsters will take their chance?

Weston Workers Bears v Adamstown Rosebud

2.30pm Sunday 8^th August at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Adamstown 2 Weston 1 at Adamstown Oval, Sunday 29^th May 2016

Ladder: Weston 10^th (3) Adamstown 9^th (11)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Weston – Lost Magpies 3-2 (a), Lost Blues 3-2 (h), Drew Phoenix 2-2 (a)

Adamstown – Lost Jaffas 2-1 (h), Lost Jets 4-1 (a), Lost Magpies 4-2 (a)

Bottom Line

This match won’t change anything in terms of the ladder, but a heap of pride will be on the line this Sunday afternoon at Rockwell Automation Park. Weston are still searching for their first win of 2016 and there is no better time to do it than this weekend in front of the fans who have stuck with the Bears through a difficult season.

It has now ticked over to just over a year since the Bears last tasted victory in the PlayStation 4 NPL Northern NSW, that win was back in round 15 last year against Charlestown at Rockwell Automation Park. Since the Rosebud’s were promoted at the end of the 2013 season the sides have met on five occasions with Weston winning one, Adamstown two and two draws. Weston haven’t beaten the Rosebuds at home since 2007 where they won 7-0.

Adamstown have had a week of turmoil in which coach Graham Law quit the club effective immediately to give them more time to find a replacement. Former Mariner Andre Gumprecht, former Jets Youth and W-League coach of the year Pete McGuinness and Neil Owens who played for Adamstown are all in line for the top job.

On the field, it has been a tough year for Northern NSW’s most successful club, with just three wins in their 16 matches so far. Six red cards also haven’t helped the consistency of the Rosebud’s side with Law constantly having to play with a different squad.

But, draws against top sides Hamilton and Broadmeadow have given the fans some positivity as they head towards a long off-season. Once again the Rosebuds won’t feature at the back end of the season. It will be the 17^th straight year they won’t feature in the finals.

For Weston, Greg Anderson is in doubt with a groin injury, while Lee Ashton is in doubt with a hamstring injury. Ash Balcomb has reinjured his foot and is out for the season while Michael Holt misses the match through suspension.

Dayne Pawlik, Owen Littlewood, and Thom Lino will all miss the match for the Rosebuds as they are still serving suspensions.

What the Coaches Said:

Trevor Morris (Weston)

“Every week is a big chance to get our first win of the year. We’ve got to have a look at the troops this week and see what the injury crisis is like, so we’ll take stock at training and have a look from there.

“I’m approaching these last two matches [of my coaching at Weston] with plenty of enthusiasm, plenty of commitment and plenty of desire. Just like the players. We’re going full throttle, we are still playing for pride and respect and I’ve asked the players to do that every week so nothing will change.”

Chris Dale (Adamstown – Technical Director)

“The decision from Graham came as a surprise for the players and coaches at the club. We understand and respect the reasons for Graham making this decision as he felt is in the best interest of the club.”

“The players were addressed by the coaching staff on Tuesday night and trained very well. We move forward as a club and our focus is now on our next fixture at Weston on Sunday and working collectively to get 3 points.”

Key: Heart and desire. There is not much on the line in terms of the ladder in this one. Weston desperately want a win; Adamstown won’t want to be the side who loses to them. Whoever wants it more will win on Sunday.

Broadmeadow Magic v Charlestown City Blues

2.30pm Sunday 8^th August at Magic Park

Last Meeting: Broadmeadow 4 Charlestown 2 at Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 29^th May 2016

Ladder: Broadmeadow 3^rd (29) Charlestown 5^th (21)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Charlestown – Lost Eagles 2-1 (h), Won Bears 3-2 (a), Drew Jaffas 0-0 (h)

Broadmeadow – Lost Phoenix 2-1 (a), Drew Olympic 2-2 (h), Won Jets 10-2 (h)

Bottom Line

With Charlestown’s finals hopes gone after their loss to Edgeworth on the weekend, and Broadmeadow’s slim chance to claim the minor premiership ended on the weekend, it seems both sides will have little to play for on the weekend. The highest Charlestown can finish is fifth while Broadmeadow will finish the season in either third or fourth depending on how their final two matches go.

But with that all said, the match will be crucial for both squads, with positions on the line for next season. Shane Pryce will be looking at players he will keep for next year, while Broadmeadow coaches Rob Virgili and Bobby Naumov will be looking for their best side for the finals series.

The sides have split their last six matches, with Broadmeadow winning the last two, including their match earlier in the season which Magic won at Lisle Carr Oval 4-2. However, Charlestown haven’t been able to win at Magic Park since 2013, where they won 5-2.

Broadmeadow have been hindered by suspensions of late, with Shane Paul out again this weekend. Michael Kantarovski returns along with Jon Griffths, but if Kantarovski receives a yellow card he well be suspended for two matches, including week one of the finals, while if Griffiths is suspended he will miss three matches and only return for the Grand Final if Broadmeadow make it.

Michael Finalayson returns from a knee injury which he suffered in Magic’s win over Charlestown in round eight. Jayden Barber is in doubt with a knee issue and NPL Northern NSW leading scorer James Virgili is out until the finals.

For Charlestown, leading scorer Rene Ferguson returns as does Jarryd Johnson (foot). Sam Hudson will miss the match with a foot injury.

What the Coaches Said:

 Rob Virgili (Broadmeadow)

“First and foremost getting the squad mentally prepared is important. Because I thought probably last weekend mentally they just weren’t in the right frame of mind. We want a better performance than last weekend.”

“It doesn’t really matter whether we finish third or fourth because we know we will need to beat Broadmeadow or Edgeworth. The boys don’t really mind who we play. We know they are going to be tight games as they have been all year, the only issue we have is that we haven’t beaten either of them this year, so that will be the focus.”

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“Finishing the competition on a positive note is important for us and looking at individual performances within our club and looking for players to step up and show they want to be at the club next year.”

“I thought we were well structured against Edgeworth [on the weekend] and Magic play a similar formation so not much will change for us in the way we set up for the game. They are missing some keys players but I think it will be more about our performance. For me, coaching-wise, it doesn’t matter who we are playing or where we are on the ladder we want to win.”

Key: Charlestown need to keep Broadmeadow’s attacking weapons quiet. While James Virgili is out, Kale Bradbury has scored six goals in his last three games and the Blues will need to watch him.

source:northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic Super Series 6 A SIDE COMPETITION is on again this year during the 2016 off season.

It will be held at Darling St Oval on Tuesday Nights starting on 4 OCTOBER and running though November and December.

To register your interest, please email your contact details to: registrar@hamiltonolympic.com.au or secretary@hamiltonolympic.com.au
For further details or information please contact; Heath Stewart- Registrar on 0437776650 or Con Gounis on 0423221352

source: Con Gounis

The NPL leaders lost both players to injury in the 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets Youth on Sunday. Bailey went down with his knee injury early in the second half and Ireland hurt his ankle midway through the first.

Olympic coach Michael Bolch said Bailey received results of an MRI scan on Tuesday which confirmed their worst fears and the need for surgery.

There are hopes though that Ireland could return. Bolch said Ireland has been told he could miss up to four weeks, giving Hamilton an outside chance of having him on board for the semi-finals, which start August 20-21.

Bolch said Simon Mooney or Andrew Swan could start in a reshuffled line-up with Rhys Cooper moving back to central midfield for Bailey. Tom Pullin, who came on against the Jets Youth, will fill-in between the sticks.

Bolch said he was hopeful of having Ireland back for the finals but the loss of Bailey was a blow.

“He’s our workhorse in the middle of the park and breaks up a lot of the opposition play,” Bolch said.

“He’s a massive loss but we have options with Simon Mooney and Andrew Swan, who have been on the bench. Rhys has been playing wider but we may have to bring him back into the middle with Leo [Bertos]. We might have to change the way we play a bit.”

source:theherald.com.au

Hamilton Olympic FC OLD BOYS DAY vs Valentine

Sunday, 7 August 2016

DARLING STREET OVAL- from 1.30pm Food and drink provided

ALL PRESENT and past players , coaches and committee welcome

Free entry

source:Con Gounis

Without Grant Brown and Daniel Bird who were both suspended, Olympic took on the Jets  desperate for the three points that would keep their chances for the Major Premiership, alive.

Olympic began well, controlled the game but the Jets were very mobile and covered every blade of grass of Darling St Oval.

Olympic probed the Jet’s goal with crosses and through balls but the defence stood their ground in deflecting every attack. The best opportunity in the 16^th  minute when Swan rounded the defence from the left and put in a lovely cross which was cleared desperately for a corner before Kane Goodchild could tap it in for the opening goal.

By 21^st minute Simon Mooney feeds the ball to Tommy Spencer on the left who rounds his marker and plants the ball in the far corner of the Jets goal to open the score 1-0.

A few moments later the first disaster for Olympic struck when Danny Ireland, in an attempt to collect the ball, was clipped by a Jets player, resulting in him spraining his ankle.

Olympic continued to dominate play but the mobility and physicality of the Jets players prevented the creation of clear cut opportunities. Needless to say, the Jets team had little in common with the team that allowed Broadmeadow Magic humiliate them by 10 goals, two weeks earlier!

The second half began with a golden opportunity for the Jets to equalise when Kristian Brymora received a great ball from the left and with the keeper to beat, sent the ball over the cross bar instead of the back of the net.

Olympic took control of the game and began probing the Jets goal but again the Jets players held firm and prevented clear cut goal scoring opportunities.

By the 52^nd minute the second disaster for Olympic occurs when Richardson crashes into Jacob Bailey’s knee very late and after the ball was played! As a result the player was stretchered off with possibly a long term injury. 

On the hour mark Kane Goodchild crossed from the right and Ben Koina darted through the Jets defence, screwing his shot inches above the cross bar!

A few moments later from almost the same position, Tommy Spencer was flattened inside the box in an attempt to block his shot from a Matthew Swan cross.

In the 75^th minute a cross by Tommy Spencer from the left finds the head of Ben Koina in the far post who sends a perfect header, only to be denied by an outstretched Jets goalie.

Three minutes from time Matthew Swan bursts into the Jets box, passes to Kane Goodchild who shoots low and into the corner, only to be denied again by the keeper!

Olympic collected the three points, remain undefeated, and are 1 point in front with two games to go before the end of the season. The attention of the Olympic faithful however will be with the news on the injuries of  Jacob Bailey and Danny Ireland!

NPL NNSW Round 16 Results:

Valentine – Broadmeadow Magic 2-1

Adamstown – Lambton Jaffas  1-2

Maitland – Weston 3-2

Hamilton Olympic – Jets Youth 1-0

Charlestown – Edgeworth  1-2

TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                          P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Hamilton Olympic       16    11   5   0      44-11      38
2. Edgeworth                     15    12   1   2       43-15      37
3. Broadmeadow Magic   16     8    4   4      45-25      29
4. Maitland                         16     8    5   3      33-19      29
5. Charlestown City          16     6    3    7     26-36     21
6. Newcastle JetsYouth    16     5    3   8     33-46     18
7. Valentine                        15     5    3   7      23-35     18
8. Lambton Jaffas              16     4    4   8      23-31     16
9. Adamstown                     16     3    2 11      19-46      11
10. Weston Workers            16     0    3  13      13-38      3

U22s Jets Youth – Hamilton Olympic 2-1

U19s Jets Youth – Hamilton Olympic 2-2

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Emerging Jets
Under 17s drew 2-2
Under 15s drew 2-2
Under 14s lost 1-4
Under 13s lost 1-3

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Wallsend
1st Grade Wallsend won 0-1
2nd Grade Olympic won 4-2

source:Tom Tsamouras

http://hamiltonolympic.com.au/c5/

Hamilton Olympic v Newcastle Jets Youth                                                               2.30pm Sunday 31^st July at Darling Street Oval

Last Meeting: Hamilton 5 Jets Youth 0 at Darling Street Oval, Saturday 21^st May 2016

Ladder: Hamilton 1^st (35pts) Jets Youth 6^th (17)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Hamilton – Drew Magic 1-1 (a), Won Eagles 3-1 (h), Won Bears 3-1 (a)

Jets – Won Rosebuds 4-1 (h), Lost Magic 10-2 (a), Lost Eagles 4-2 (a)

Bottom Line

Hamilton will need to put the disappointment of last weekend’s thrilling draw with Broadmeadow behind them when they take on the Jets Youth on Sunday. After the high of knocking Edgeworth off top spot, the week before Olympic must regroup after a result which handed Edgeworth the initiative in the premiership race.

The Jets Youth will be no pushovers, though, having lost just three of their last ten matches. The back end of the season has been fruitful for the Jets young guns with Cameron Joice, Krisitan Brymora and Cody Carroll leading their attacking charge. At the back, the acquisition of Matt Richardson has steeled up their defence.

However, the Jets must overcome history if they are to win this match. Their last win against Olympic came way back in their first meeting in round five of 2012 when the Youth side won 3-1 on that occasion. Since that day it has been all one-way traffic with Hamilton winning six of their last eight clashes, with two draws which both came in 2014 when the Jets were minor premiers.

In the context of the rest of the season, Hamilton need to win this if they are to have any hope of winning the minor premiership. Unless Edgeworth struggle in their last four matches, it is difficult to see them not getting at least nine points from their remaining four matches. Three wins from their last three get Hamilton to 44 points, and they would be hugely unlucky not to win the minor premiership after getting 44 points.

Back in round seven when these two sides met, the Jets Youth created plenty of chances, but didn’t finish them off and Hamilton made them pay (5-0)! On that afternoon Olympic were clinical in front of goal and coach Mick Bolch will be hoping for much of the same this weekend after a disappointing match in front of goal against Broadmeadow.

 What the Coaches Said:

 Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“The Jets have obviously turned it around after the disaster against Magic, they had a good win on the weekend against Adamstown and a draw against Maitland who have been going well. They are young and sharp and very well disciplined. Zaney [Clayton Zane] has them shutting down very well, so we need to be very careful when we are in possession especially in our own third.”

“We just need to take our chances; we are creating plenty. We are playing some really good football at the moment. It’s just our execution and our end product needs to be a bit better. We need to be a bit more ruthless.”

Clayton Zane (Jets Youth)

“This will be a big challenge for us from the physical perspective. Going forward in the last match they totally outmuscled us. With Edgeworth they are probably the most rounded team in the competition, they are hard to break down at the back, so that physical challenge is there trying got get beyond their back four and also in defence with [Kane] Goodchild up front.”

“Our actual performance against them last time was quite good, we executed the game plan quite well, but it was just the big moments where they outmuscled us, and punished us. These games against Edgeworth, Magic and Olympic, its trying to get through the first 20 minutes and settle into the match. A lot of teams try to put a lot of pressure against us in the opening part of the match.”

 Key: The pressure is on Olympic to get the three points this weekend, while the pressure will also be on the young Jets as they vie for spots in NYL team. Who will respond better?

U22s Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 12.45 kick off at Darling St Oval

U19s Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 11.00 kick off at Darling St Oval

 TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                              P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Hamilton Olympic       15    10   5   0      43- 11      35
2. Edgeworth                     14    11    1   2       41-14       34
3. Broadmeadow Magic   15     8    4   3      44 -23      29
4. Maitland                        15     7    5   3       30-17       26
5. Charlestown City         15     6    3   6       25-34       21
6. Newcastle JetsYouth  15     5    3   7       33 -45      18
7. Valentine                       14     4    3   7      21-34        15
8. Lambton Jaffas            15      3    4   8      21-30       13
9. Adamstown                   15     3     2 10     18-44        11
10. Weston Workers          15     0    3  12      11-35         3

PS4 YOUTH NPL ROUND 19:

U13 Emerging Jets Youth vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 kick off 10.00 a.m. at Lake Macquarie Football Facility

U14 Emerging Jets Youth vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 kick off 11.30 a.m. at Lake Macquarie Football Facility

U15 Emerging Jets Youth vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 kick off 1.00 p.m. at Lake Macquarie Football Facility

U16 Emerging Jets Youth vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 31^st  July 2016 kick off 2.30 p.m. at Lake Macquarie Football Facility

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Wallsend
Saturday at Islington Oval
1st Grade kick off 4.00
2nd Grade kick off 2.15pm

source:TomTsamouras                                          http://hamiltonolympic.com.au/c5/

Valentine Phoenix v Broadmeadow Magic

3pm Sunday 30^th July at Blacksmiths Oval

Last Meeting: Broadmeadow 3 Valentine 3 at Magic Park, Sunday 22^nd May, 2016

Ladder: Valentine 7^th (15) Broadmeadow 3^rd (29)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Valentine – Drew Bears 2-2 (h), Won Jaffas 3-2 (a), Lost Rosebuds 2-0 (h)

Broadmeadow – Drew Olympic 2-2 (h), Won Jets 10-2 (h), Lost Eagles 2-0 (a)

Bottom Line

The real question regarding this match is which Valentine side will turn up on Saturday? The Phoenix have had some outstanding showings this season, knocking off Charlestown and Maitland, both sides who are above them on the ladder, while they also held Broadmeadow to a 3-3 draw last time out.

However, disappointing showings against Weston last outing, Adamstown, and Lambton this season have ensured the Lake Macquarie based side sit ten points outside a finals spot and not within touching distance. This match will be a real test for the Phoenix, with Broadmeadow in red hot form after disposing of the Jets Youth 10-2 a couple of weeks ago and holding rivals Hamilton to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Broadmeadow’s record against the Phoenix is also red hot, with Magic last tasting defeat against Valentine back in round 18 of 2010, by a scoreline of 2-0. Incredibly, the man who scored the two goals for Valentine that afternoon, Shane Paul, would have lined up for Broadmeadow is he wasn’t suspended.

The key to this match lies in Valentine’s ability to keep Broadmeadow’s attack weapons at bay. James Virgili, Kale Bradbury and Peter Haynes were on song last weekend and the first half seems crucial to this match. However, the loss of Virgili will have a significant impact on Broadmeadow’s attacking threat.

Magic have scored 21 of their last 31 goals in the first half of matches. Valentine have the attacking arsenal to break down Broadmeadow as they showed back in round seven, but if they are unable to keep them out it will make things difficult for the home side.

James Virgili is out for Broadmeadow with a shoulder injury sustained last weekend, as is Shane Paul and Michael Kantarovski who are out suspended. Jon Griffiths returns from suspension while Matt Hoole will return from an ankle injury.

What the Coaches Said:

Rob Virgili (Broadmeadow)

“We want to keep winning games so we can run towards the finals in some good form. We were disappointed with our defence last game, we were up 2-0 and it ended up 3-3. We need to score early to open things up, because the longer the game goes without scoring, the harder it is the breakdown a side like Valentine.”

“We are a confidence side and I think we have the confidence there it is just a matter of playing for the full 90 minutes. I don’t look at the matches where we drop points to Edgeworth and Hamilton as the premiership matches, I see the days where we dropped points to Adamstown and Valentine as the ones that cost us when we look back on it.”

Key: Consistency. If Valentine can put two halves of quality football together on Saturday, Magic may be stunned for the second time this year against the Phoenix.

Charlestown City Blues v Edgeworth Eagles

2.30pm Sunday 31^st July at Lisle Carr Oval

Last Meeting: Edgeworth 6 Charlestown 1 at Jack McLaughlan Oval, Sunday 22^nd May 2016

Ladder: Charlestown 5^th (21) Edgeworth 2^nd (34)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Charlestown – Won Bears 3-2 (a), Drew Jaffas 0-0 (h), Won Rosebuds 3-1 (a)

Edgeworth – Lost Olympic 3-1 (a), Won Magic 2-0 (h), Won Jets 4-2 (h)

Bottom Line

A loss for Charlestown in any one of their final three matches will see their finals hopes evaporate, and they couldn’t have asked for a tougher run home if they had tried. Matches against Edgeworth, Broadmeadow and then Hamilton to finish off the trifecta will no doubt make it difficult for Shane Pryce’s men to overcome the 5 -point gap between themselves and fourth-placed Maitland.

Along with Valentine, Charlestown have proved the doubters wrong all year and this presents another chance to do so. Edgeworth will be somewhat more fatigued and tired than they would usually be after an energy-sapping trip up north, and it provides Shane Pryce’s men with an opportunity to pounce.

Recently, it has been the Eagles who have had the upper hand in the matches between the two sides, with the Eagles having won four of their last six clashes. Edgeworth have piled on the goals in the last three matches between the sides, winning those by a combined margin of 12-2. Charlestown’s major challenge sits with keeping the Eagles’ attacking weapons quiet, and they did that for much of their round 7 clash until they conceded four goals in the final 24 minutes of the match to go down 6-1.

The loss of leading goal scorer Rene Ferguson to a hamstring injury will be a huge blow for the Blues in the attacking third. His strength on the ball and goal scoring ability will be sorely missed, but on the positive side for Charlestown, it will give a young player a chance to prove their worth against one of the competition’s top sides.

Along with Rene Ferguson, Billy Gibbons (knee) and Cameron Hughes (thigh) who was going to start against his old club are both out for the weekend’s clash.

What the Coaches Said:

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“Obviously, they are the benchmark of the competition, and hopefully, they will be returning from a victorious FFA Cup game. At the positions they are in on the table, with a game in hand and one point off the lead, I am guessing they won’t be holding back either. It will be on at our home ground for them, we’ve just got to try to spoil the party.”

“The last few weeks the guys have shown in football terms individually who they are and they have reflected who they were in the first five-six weeks of the competition. They have got a bit more confidence and I’m happy with that and I think we have a good group to build on. Hopefully, we can push [Maitland] all the way for the finals spot.”

Damien Zane (Edgeworth)

“Just because of the week we have had it’s a danger game. We’ll bring in a few guys and add a bit of freshness if we get across the line, I think we will be looking good for the rest of the year. The effort the boys put in against FNQ Heat was phenomenal. We won’t be our freshest on the weekend, but its juts one of those games where we need to turn up and grind out a win.”

“We’ve got three games in the next seven days, so the next week is probably going to decide the premiership. It just comes back to the squad we have. I believe we have the best squad in the league, and everyone is going to have to play their part to the end of the year and I’m sure they all will. This is where our depth will really start to shine through.”

Key: Fatigue. The humidity of Cairns will take its toll on Edgeworth, but do they have the fitness in them to ensure that has no impact on Sunday.

 

Adamstown Rosebud v Lambton Jaffas

2.30pm Sunday 31^st July at Adamstown Oval

Last Meeting: Lambton 5 Adamstown 0 at Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 21^st May 2016

Ladder: Adamstown 9^th (11) Lambton 8^th (13)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Adamstown – Lost Jets 4-1 (a), Lost Magpies 4-2 (a), Lost Blues 3-1 (h)

Lambton – Lost Magpies 4-1 (h), Drew Blues 0-0 (a), Lost Phoenix 3-2 (h)

Bottom Line

It is incredible how much can change over the course of a year. Last season at this point both of these sides were pushing for a finals spot, this year they will be aiming to salvage something from the remaining three matches of the season. Both have had no luck with injuries this season, and the Rosebuds have also not been helped by red cards handed out with monotonous regularity.

Lambton’s season seemed to be heading upwards after a slow start to the season when they incredibly upset Hamilton Olympic in the FFA Cup. But, it wasn’t to be and now the Jaffas are slowly forgetting that winning feeling. It will be more than a month since they last won – a 3-1 win against last-placed Weston – when they take the field against Adamstown on Sunday, which doesn’t bode considering they have an FFA Cup clash in less than two weeks.

The smaller pitch of Arthur Edden Oval has seemed to hinder the Jaffas this year, as they have won just one of their home matches this season, funnily enough against the side they play on the weekend. So a trip away from Arthur Edden Oval may be a blessing in disguise. While the Jaffas haven’t won for a month, they haven’t lost away from home in almost two months and that was against Edgeworth.

After a mid-season spike in form, Adamstown have really struggled of late, losing four of their last five matches, and slipping to 9^th on the ladder. It has been a tough year for Graham Law, but this back end of the season provides Adamstown’s coach with a chance to blood some young players in preparation for next season.

This weekend’s match-up also gives Adamstown a chance to beat Lambton for the first time since the Rosebuds were promoted at the end of 2013. In the five matches the sides have played since then it has been all the Jaffas, winning four, along with a 1-1 draw last season.

What the Coaches Said:

Graham Law (Adamstown)

“The difficult part to the back end of the season is coming up with reasons to be motivated, which in itself shouldn’t be a problem. We need to stay motivated, we can still claim three or four places, and it is my job to keep the boys motivated.”

“We have a lot of good players coming through the club, and we will see where we are at the end of the season and some of those boys might get an opportunity.”

James Pascoe (Lambton)

“I think based on facts, our home record is horrendous. It’s the same for both teams when we turn up there, and I have been told the home record has been pretty decent over the last two or three years. We have tried to put our finger on the problem and have adjusted our game at home, and in our eight home games we have had a different approach at times.”

“We haven’t tried to do something consistently which hasn’t worked for us. We’ve tried to vary between defending deep, pressing high and playing out from the back. I think all of those things contribute to a lack of consistency as has having to pick a team based on who is available rather than form.”

Key: Desire. With an NPL season both sides will want to readily forget, whoever has the most heart will win this one.

Maitland Magpies v Weston Workers Bears

2.30pm Sunday 31^st July at Cooks Square Park

Last Meeting: Maitland 3 Weston 0 at Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 22^nd May 2016

Ladder: Maitland 4^th (25) Weston 10^th (3)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Maitland – Drew Jets 1-1(h), Won Jaffas 4-1 (a), Won Rosebuds 4-2 (h)

Weston – Lost Blues 3-2 (h), Drew Phoenix 2-2 (a), Lost Olympic 3-1 (h)

Bottom Line

Weston’s chance to finish with at least one win in season 2016 is running out fast, but, a derby battle with Maitland which normally brings out the best in both sides, regardless of their positions on the ladder, gives the Bears an opportunity to break their duck against their main rivals.

Last season it was a 0-0 draw against lowly Maitland in round 14 which cost the Bears a spot in the finals. In a match Weston were expected to win, and consolidate a top four spot, they were unable to put a valiant Magpies side away. A year later, and history repeats, albeit both sides are in opposite spots on the ladder.

If Maitland win, they will be all but assured of a finals spot. However, if the Bears can spring a major upset, or even share the points with the home side, Maitland could face a nervous final two rounds of the season.

Maitland will be tough to beat, though, and have been outstanding in the final third over the past three weeks. After a slump through the middle part of the season where they lost three of four matches, the Magpies won three straight before their midweek draw with the Jets and scored 10 goals in the process. Matt Thompson the architect, controlling the midfield and playing the best football we have seen from him in his two seasons at Maitland.

For Weston to win this it will come down to their defence. The Bears just don’t have the fire. Maitland have scored nearly three times the amount of goals that Weston have over the 15 matches so far. If the visitors can frustrate Maitland in attack and grab a goal for themselves, we could have a real game on our hands. If Maitland gets away, though, it could be a long afternoon for Bears’ fans.

Ryan Clarke is in doubt for the match against Weston, while Blake Thompson, who missed the game with the Jets could return against Weston on Sunday.

What the Coaches Said:

Reece Thompson (Maitland)

“I think we are probably one win away from securing a finals place, and we would love to do that in the local derby. We’ve played well the last few weeks and a lot of the credit has to go to Matt Thompson and Dean Heffernan and the playing group.”

“We are a really tight-knit playing group, we went out after the Saturday game and it’s just good to get that club culture vibe back. Piggo probably did the hard work at the start of the year getting the structure in place. It’s just been easier for me, and with Matt Thompson and Dean Heffernan around it has really just smoothed things out.”

Trevor Morris (Weston)

“I think [Maitland] are into the finals, personally, I think they will make it. We turn up every week thinking we will win; we have nothing else to lose. I turn up every week expecting to win. I can’t fault the players, they are turning up to training, they are working hard, the spirit is good. It’s just unfortunate it has been the year from hell.”

“It does worry me personally about going through a season with a win. Our last five-six weeks we have been playing some decent football, and the improvement is there. We just need to concentrate on what our team does and we will go out on Sunday and give it a red hot crack.”

Key: Weston’s defence. The Bears’ backline will need to keep the likes of Matt Comerford and Ryan Clarke quiet if they are to take down their rivals.

source:northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic were held to a 1-1 draw at Magic Park, giving match point advantage for the Minor Premiership to Edgeworth whose match with Valentine on Saturday was washed out.

In icy cold conditions Hamilton Olympic showed their intentions as early as the  7^th minute when Rhys Cooper crossed from the right and found the head of Kane Goodchild who headed low and to the corner of the Magic goal, only to have Nicholas Hartnett deflect the ball onto the bar and out for a corner.

Seven minutes after this, Olympic worked the ball well in midfield with fast one touch passes amongst Bailey, Bertos, Spencer and Goodchild who found an unmarked Daniel Bird on the left and whose shot ended up in the Magic goal for a 1-0 lead.

Olympic look composed, are controlling the midfield and look well in control.

The first sniff of an opportunity for Magic doesn’t arrive until the half hour mark when Jayden Barber got on the end of a Luke Virgili cross but Danny Ireland slammed the door shut!

Ten minutes before the interval and Olympic have given Magic more space in the middle of the field and are defending a lot deeper than they were since the beginning of the match.

James Virgili takes on  Kyle Hodges on the right, is unable to go around him, but is able to whip a cross to Kale Bradbery who upon controlling the ball, loses his marker Grant Brown who slips and falls to the ground. With Danny Ireland completely exposed, Bradbery has no problem bringing the score even 1-1.

Within a minute a great combination in the middle of the park by Olympic brings Kane Goodchild on the edge of the box and a beautiful cross screaming across the face of the Magic goal but no head to bury it in the net.

Olympic are on  top again controlling the midfield probing the Magic goal but they can’t apply the finishing touch that will put them in the lead again.

On the 45’ minute, Magic make a rare counter attack through James Virgili and in a 50-50 challenge with Danny Ireland who clears the ball, there are appeals for a penalty but the referee waves “play on”.

Olympic had the better of the first half, looked in control for most of the game and lacked the final touch.

The beginning of the second half found Magic on the attack with Kale Bradbbery beating Grant Brown, advancing into the box and passing to Jayden Barber who fired a shot into Danny Ireland instead of placing it into the right corner of the Olympic goal.

Olympic gain control of the midfield again are moving the ball with ease but lack the killer finishing touch. In the 61^st minute three consecutive shots at the Magic goal by Bird, Bertos  and Swan, fail to send Olympic into the lead.

In the 75^th minute a great through ball by Simon Mooney set up Kane Goodchild with a one-on-one with Nicholas Hartnett but he fired into the open hands for the Magic goalkeeper.

As the minutes ticked away the intensity of Olympic’s play began to increase committing numbers in attack, desperately looking for the goal and the three points.

Seven minutes from time, Leo Bertos crosses from the left into an unmarked Kane Goodchild in the six yard box who took his shot first time and instead of burying it into the Magic net, sent it sky-high!

A few moments later Kane Goodchild turned provider to Simon Mooney who found himself inside the box but was unable to get his shot in before he was swamped by Magic defenders.

With three minutes from time Kale Bradbery appealed for a penalty on behalf of Broadmeadow Magic and seconds later Rhys Cooper did the same on behalf of Olympic.

 The game continued with open end to end play but despite Olympic having the majority of goal scoring opportunities to secure the three points, they were unable to break Magic down

U22s Broadmeadow Magic – Hamilton Olympic 2-0

U19s Broadmeadow Magic – Hamilton Olympic 3-1

PS4 NPL NNSW Round 15 RESULTS:

Lambton Jaffas – Maitland 1-4

Edgeworth Fc – Valentine  p.p.

Newcastle Jets Youth – Adamstown 4-1

Broadmeadow Magic – Hamilton Olympic 1-1

Weston Workers – Charlestown 2-3

TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                   P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Hamilton Olympic       15    10   5   0      43- 11      35
2. Edgeworth                     14    11    1   2       41-14       34
3. Broadmeadow Magic   15     8    4   3      44 -23      29
4. Maitland                        14     7    4   3       24-16       25
5. Charlestown City         15     6    3   6       25-34       21
6. Newcastle JetsYouth  14     5    2   7       32 -44      17
7. Valentine                       14     4    3   7      21-34        15
8. Lambton Jaffas            15      3    4   8      21-30       13
9. Adamstown                   15     3     2 10     18-44        11
10. Weston Workers          15     0    3  12      11-35         3

PS4 YOUTH NPL ROUND 18:

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Valentine
Under 17s Olympic won 2-0
Under 15s Valentine won 0-2
Under 14s drew 0-0
Under 13s Olympic won 7-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Merewether
1st Grade drew 2-2
2nd Grade Olympic won 4-0

source:Tom Tsamouras

Broadmeadow Magic v Hamilton Olympic                                                                2.30pm Sunday 24^th July at Magic Park

Last Meeting: Hamilton 3 Broadmeadow 1 at Darling Street Oval, Sunday 15^th May 2016

Ladder: Broadmeadow 3^rd (28) Hamilton 1^st (34)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Broadmeadow – Won Jets Youth 10-2 (h), Lost Eagles 2-0 (a), Won Bears 1-0 (h)

Hamilton – Won Eagles 3-1 (h), Won Bears 3-1 (a), Drew Jaffas 2-2 (h)

Bottom Line

After some mixed results through the middle of the season, both Olympic and Magic have returned to form in recent weeks.

Magic went through a poor run of form after their loss to Olympic in round six, as they won just two of five matches. Olympic also had a disappointing run of form where they won just one of four matches. Since then Magic have won four of their last five, while Olympic have won three of their last four.

Olympic have dominated this rivalry over the last three years, with Magic’s last win coming back in 2013 courtesy of a late Peter Haynes screamer in a 6-5 victory. Since that moment it has been all Olympic, with five wins and a draw in the last six matches the sides have played.

In fact, it has been their ability to keep Broadmeadow’s attack quiet over that period which has been the most impressive stat. Magic have scored just three goals in their last six meetings with Hamilton, in comparison Olympic have scored 12 in those same matches.

Olympic’s watertight defence this season seems once again to be the important factor in this match, and they will need to be at their best after Magic put 10 past the Jets Youth last weekend. Broadmeadow’s attack will be full of confidence after that performance, but this weekend will be much more of a test.

Just a week and a half ago, Magic struggled to break down an Edgeworth side that Olympic put three goals past on the weekend. If Magic want to prove that they are good enough to beat one of the top two sides in Edgeworth and Hamilton, this is their last chance before the finals to do so.

Olympic defender Grant Brown should play on the weekend after coming off injured against Edgeworth on Sunday with a burner. Shane Paul returns from suspension while Matt Hoole (ankle) may return from injury. Michael Finlayson (medial ligament) is still a couple of weeks away and Alex Kantarovski has re-injured his hamstring and will remain on the sidelines for a few more weeks. Jon Griffiths is also out with a suspension.

 What the Coaches Said:

 Rob Virgili (Broadmeadow Magic)

“First and foremost we have to turn up and compete. I don’t think, to be honest, there is much between the sides. I know that they have probably got it over us, it’s probably the mentality, we just need to believe in ourselves a bit more. We don’t even think about [our recent record against them], it’s not in our camp. It’s just a matter of competing with them.”

“We dominated the first 25 minutes of our first game against them. We scored to lead 1-0, but we conceded virtually straight after that and let them back into the game. After halftime, they came out with their tails up and went on with it. In about 90% of our games in the first 25 minutes, we just haven’t capitalised on our chances. We tend to dominate sides in the first 25 minutes, but we need to capitalise on it a bit more.”

Mick Bolch (Hamilton Olympic)

“It was a great result on the weekend and to get a second win against [Edgeworth] this year was really good. I thought on the weekend we held our composure really well and played for the full 90 minutes which we haven’t been doing all year.”

“I don’t think what has happened [in the head to head] over the last couple of years counts for much. They are coming off a great win – 10-2 – last weekend so they are obviously in the white hot form in front of goals at the moment which is always their danger. Moving Leo Bertos to the centre of the park has really helped us with our shape and our composure, just with that discipline he brings. He and Jacob Bailey have really done well in the middle of the park for us.”

 Key: Broadmeadow’s attack has been disappointing when playing Hamilton of late, and it will need to change this weekend if they are to beat their rivals.

U22s Broadmeadow Magic vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 24^th July 2016 12.45 kick off at Magic Park

U19s Broadmeadow Magic vs Hamilton Olympic Sunday 24^th July 2016 11.00 kick off at Magic Park

 TABLE  FIRST  GRADE:

                                                             P     W  D  L       F – A   PTS

1. Hamilton Olympic       14    10   4   0      42- 10      34
2. Edgeworth                     14     11   1   2       41-14       34
3. Broadmeadow Magic   14     8    4   2      43 -22      28
4. Maitland                        13     6    4   3       25-15       22
5. Charlestown City         14     5    3   6       22-32       18
6. Valentine                       13     4    3   7       21-34       15
7. Newcastle Jets Youth   13     4    2   7     28-43       14
8. Lambton Jaffas            14      3    4   7      20-26       13
9. Adamstown                   14     3     2   9      14-33        12
10. Weston Workers           14     0    3  11      19-30        3

 

PS4 YOUTH NPL ROUND 18:

U13 Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Saturday 23^rd July 2016 kick off 10.00 a.m. at Darling St Oval

U14 Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Saturday 23^rd July 2016 kick off 11.30 a.m. at Darling St Oval

U15 Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Saturday 23^rd July 2016 kick off 1.00 p.m. at Darling St Oval

U17 Hamilton Olympic vs Valentine Saturday 23^rd July 2016 kick off 2.30 p.m. at Darling St Oval

source: Tom Tsamouras

 

Edgeworth Eagles v Valentine Phoenix

2.45pm, Saturday 23^rd July at Jack McLaughlan Oval

Last Meeting: Edgeworth 4 Valentine 0 at Cahill Oval, Saturday 14^th May 2016

Ladder: Edgeworth 2^nd (34pts) Valentine 6^th (15)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Edgeworth – Lost Olympic 3-1 (a), Won Magic 2-0 (h), Won Jets Youth 4-2 (h)

Valentine – Drew Bears 2-2 (h), Won Jaffas 3-2 (a), Lost Rosebud 2-0 (h)

Bottom Line

Both Edgeworth and Valentine will be looking to return to the winner’s circle after a recording disappointing results last weekend. Edgeworth went down to rivals Hamilton Olympic who have now beaten them twice this season, while the Phoenix were held to a 2-2 draw against the last placed Weston Bears.

The head to head between these sides reads heavily in the Eagles’ favour, with Valentine last recording a win over Edgeworth in 2011 – a 1-0 victory at Cahill Oval. Since then Edgeworth have won five straight matches by a combined scoreline of 15-2 so Valentine will need to overcome recent history in this one.

Edgeworth’s attack was kept relatively quiet against Hamilton on the weekend and will be looking to return to form against a side they put four goals past back in round six. The usual suspects of Keigo Moriyasu, Daniel McBreen, Keanu Moore will be asking plenty of questions up front and Aden Gardner has stepped up in a big way over the last few weeks with two goals in his last three games.

For Valentine, they will once again look to former Eagles striker Brenton Olzomer, as well as other attacking signing in 2016 in Matt Paul. After two goals last weekend Paul will be looking to continue his goalscoring form against Edgeworth.

But, as it has been all season Valentine’s backline will be key to the result in this match. They leaked four goals in the last match between the sides and can’t afford that kind of performance at the back if they want to claim an upset win here.

Alex Tserepas (broken ankle) remains sidelined for the Phoenix, but there is hope he may return before the season’s end. For Edgeworth, they remain unchanged from the side that played Olympic on Sunday.

 What the Coaches Said:

 Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“We have set a goal to get 12 points and see what happens. As far as chasing goal difference, the difference is five goals and in four games that is tough to make up. I told the players to concentrate game by game to get the three points. I said to them ‘If you lose the competition with 46 points, you must be the unluckiest side in the history of this competition’.”

“Valentine are a pretty tight unit and they have probably exceeded expectations. A lot of people were saying they would be lucky to win a game when they first came up. Reece Pettit is a good young player and Brenton [Olzomer] I have noticed has been a bit injured of late. Matt Paul has been a big pickup and has been quite dangerous for them.”

Sam Griffin (Valentine Assistant)

“I think because they are so quick everywhere we need to compact them a bit and put more pressure on everywhere because they cut through us too easily last time. So if we can get in tighter and make them go around it might give us a little bit of leeway.”

“From the dead ball this year we have been atrocious. They haven’t been up to the standard that you need and against a side like Edgeworth where we are probably not going to create as many chances as they are when we get corners and free kicks we need to take advantage of it.”

Key: Defence. Both sides conceded too many goals last weekend and need to be on song at the back on Saturday.

 

Lambton Jaffas v Maitland Magpies

2.30pm, Saturday 23^rd July at Arthur Edden Oval

Last Meeting: Maitland 0 Lambton 0 at Cooks Square Park, Sunday 15^th May 2016

Ladder: Lambton 8^th (13) Maitland 4^th (22)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Lambton – Drew Blues 0-0 (a), Lost Phoenix 3-2 (h), Drew Olympic 2-2 (a)

Maitland – Won Rosebuds 4-2 (h), Won Blues 2-0 (a), Lost Phoenix 1-0 (h)

Bottom Line

It’s hard to get a read on the Jaffas this season with seven losses this season mixed with three wins and four draws. They have drawn will Hamilton (1^st), Maitland (4^th), and Charlestown (5^th) in 2016, and had a narrow loss to Broadmeadow (2^nd) in round two. While in other matches they were beaten 5-0 by Edgeworth (2^nd) in round 10, 3-0 by Hamilton in round 3 and Broadmeadow 4-2 in round 11. In reality, it will depend on which Lambton will turn up.

Maitland have put the sacking of coach Steve Piggott behind them with a 4-2 win at home last weekend against Adamstown and have returned to form in the last two weeks with two wins after a five-week stretch where they didn’t win a match.

Based on their ladder positions coming into the game Maitland will start as favourites, however, history is not on their side. Since their promotion in 2014, the sides have played each other three times for two wins to Lambton and a draw, 0-0 in round six. It was a tight and dour affair that afternoon at a windy Cooks Square Park, and better conditions at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday should create a more exciting affair.

Ryan Clarke will be no doubt be a key man for the Magpies who netted his first two goals of the season in the match against Adamstown and Lambton’s defence will need to be on the lookout for both Clarke and fellow Maitland speedster Matt Comerford.

For Lambton, Ben Hay has been a key man for them the last few weeks with the former Jets Youth midfielder one of the shining lights for the Jaffas in what has otherwise been a disappointing NPL season. Joel Wood will also be looking for a big game against his former side.

For the Magpies, Jordan Elphick comes into the side for Jye McKellar who is out of the match with tonsillitis.

 What the Coaches Said:

James Pascoe (Lambton)

“Ryan Clarke is a guy I have a huge amount of respect for and he provides a whole new threat. The last game we played good football against them without having that cutting edge. They are probably in a bit better shape than us in terms of availability of key players. It will be a tight game this weekend, I’ve got no doubt about that.”

“We’ll start to use the remaining few NPL games as preparation for the FFA Cup. Regarding our tactical approach, there will be one eye on the opposition as well as what’s coming down the track and we’ll work on a couple of things we will look to implement in Tasmania.”

Reece Thompson (Maitland Assistant)

“[In round six] we probably didn’t deserve a point out of the game. They completely bossed the game and we sat back and allowed players like Jobe [Wheelhouse] and [Pete] McPherson to have too much ball. Joel Wood and [John] Majurovski got in between the lines of our defence and caused a bit of trouble.”

“This match will be a little bit different with Jobe out and hopefully, we can press and bit more and play more of an attacking style. We won’t be letting them dominate the game again. We need to cut the supply off to John Majurovski and Joel Wood. We’ll try and make them go long and we have some guys at the back who should win the fifty fifties.”

Key: With only one win this season at Arthur Edden Oval, can Lambton send their fans home happy this weekend?

 

Newcastle Jets Youth v Adamstown Rosebud

2.30pm Sunday 24^th July at Adamstown Oval

Last Meeting: Jets Youth 3 Adamstown 0 at Adamstown Oval, Sunday 15^th May 2016

Ladder: Jets Youth 7^th (14) Adamstown 9^th (11)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Jets Youth – Lost Magic 10-2 (a), Lost Eagles 4-2 (a), Won Blues 4-0 (a)

Adamstown – Lost Magpies 4-2 (a), Lost Blues 3-1 (h), Won Phoenix 2-0 (a)

 Bottom Line

Just as the Jets Youth side seemed to be rising towards a top four spot, they have come back to earth with a thud. First, a disappointing last ten minutes against Edgeworth in round 13 saw the drop all three points, before a recording breaking performance for all the wrong reasons against Broadmeadow on the weekend.

Though without five senior players against the 3^rd placed Magic, it was always going to be a tough ask for the young Jets and they will desperately be seeking a strong performance against Adamstown to erase the embarrassment of last weekend.

Rosebud also have their own problems to worry about, as they received their third red card in a row on Sunday when Owen Littlewood was sent off for touching the referee. That follows Dayne Pawlik the previous week and Thom Lino the week before who were given their marching orders. Once again Adamstown were right in the contest leading 2-1 before the red card was given to Littlewood.

Since Adamstown’s promotion at the end of the 2013 season, the sides have met on five occasions for three wins to the Jets and two to Rosebud, however, the Rosebud’s have won two of the last three matches between the sides. Their only loss in those three was in round six this season when they were beaten 3-0 courtesy of a hat-trick from Krisitan Brymora.

Both sides are out of finals contention, with Adamstown 11 points adrift off the top four with just four matches left – mathematically they still have a chance, but it would take a miracle for them to make to finals. The Jets Youth will also not play finals due to their need to prepare for their NYL season, so this could be an entertaining clash.

For the Jets Youth, defender Caio DeGodoy (illness) will most likely miss the match, Cameron Holzheimer (strained calf) could return as could Ryan Ensor (strained calf). Striker Cameron Joice also could return, but Antonee Burke is out for the season with a stress fracture in his foot.

The Rosebud’s will be a missing host of players with Dayne Pawlik and Owen Littlewood both suspended, Hakan Canli (holiday), Jordan Harrison (hamstring), and Scott Carter (thigh) all out of the weekend’s match.

What the Coaches Said:

 Clayton Zane (Jets Youth)

“The squad we put out on the weekend, we never set out to put that there. We played the players we had available. I always try and put out what I think is the best team for that particular game. Part of the challenge for me is certain games I look at it as an opportunity to blood young ones and other games I know I need a more resilient team. Every week we endeavour to put out our best side, and last weekend we had players out for reasons no one at the club could control.”

 “We’ll definitely have a stronger squad this weekend. Although Adamstown didn’t win on the weekend it seems like their game was there to be won. They look very organised and it looks like they have changes their system in recent weeks and they have taken points of Broadmeadow and Olympic. I’m expecting a lot tougher game than we had in round six.”

Graham Law (Adamstown)

“This weekend, it really depends on what team the Jets put out. We are thin on numbers, so I’ll be playing a young side and I’m seriously considering blooding a few youngsters this weekend. For the remainder of the season we just need to be as competitive as we can. This is no reason why we can’t finish fifth. We just need to push on and try and finish as high as we can.”

“I could probably write a novel about hard luck stories this year. But, in first grade, it’s all about results and everything else is irrelevant. You can play terrible for 18 games and win every game and win the competition and it’s a good season.”

Key: Discipline. Adamstown need to get through this match with 11 men on the park or the young Jets will find them wanting.

 

Weston Workers Bears v Charlestown City Blues

2.30pm Sunday 24^th July at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Charlestown 1 Weston 0 at Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 15^th May 2016

Ladder: Weston 10^th (3) Charlestown 5^th (18)

Past 3 Starts (Most Recent First):

Weston – Drew Phoenix 2-2 (a), Lost Olympic 3-1 (h), Lost Magic 1-0 (a)

Charlestown – Drew Jaffas 0-0 (h), Won Rosebuds 3-1 (a), Lost Magpies 2-0 (h)

Bottom Line

If Charlestown want to make the finals this year, it has now come down to winning every one of their final four matches. Coming up against last-placed Weston is a match they really need to win considering their final three matches are against Edgeworth, Broadmeadow and Hamilton. Many would not give them a chance, but the Blues have proven many wrong this season and they shouldn’t be written off.

The Bears have dominated the last four matches these two sides have played winning three of the four and scoring eight goals to three in the process. But, in their only match this season Charlestown scrapped out a 1-0 victory and Shane Pryce’s men will be looking to do the same at one of the toughest away venues in the PlayStation NPL Northern NSW.

In the last month, Weston have threatened to snatch their first win of 2016, and coach Trevor Morris will be desperate for his side’s first win of the campaign. The last side which went through an entire season in a Northern NSW First Grade competition without a victory was Toronto Awaba Stags back in 2010, where they finished the 21 match season with one draw and 20 losses.

Weston went so close last weekend in a 2-2 draw with Valentine and were very unlucky not to a least have grabbed a point at Magic Park a couple of weeks ago. It seems like a win is just around a corner, but it has been goals which have been the issue all season.

They still haven’t reached doubled figures, with just nine goals in their 14 matches, and simply to win matches you need to score goals, which just hasn’t happened regularly enough for the Bears this season. Injuries and players leaving as well haven’t helped the cause, but the emergence of some young talent in Lachlan Rowan, Isaac Peek, and Jake Barner have been shining lights for Weston in an otherwise season to forget.

Trent Partridge return for suspension for the Bears and Jordan Jackson is out with suspension.

 What the Coaches Said:

 Trevor Morris (Weston)

“Our confidence has been good the last five or six weeks. We have played the top four sides and it’s just the soft goals which we are giving away which are hurting us. I can’t fault their effort or commitment, the attitude at training has been great – no one is missing training. The only thing that is missing is a win and a team song. I’m quite proud of what we are doing and how well we are working.”

“Charlestown has got everything to play for, their still a chance of making the semis and we are desperate to earn some respect. We want to make it as hard as we can for them. I’m not worried about what Charlestown can do, I’m worried about what we do. Everyone knows that we are going through a tough spell and I hope that all the fans can see what a breath of fresh air the young boys are who have been promoted.”

 Key: Weston has come so close against in away matches against Valentine and Broadmeadow in recent weeks. Can they conjure up another gallant performance in front of their home fans?

source:northernnswfootball.com.au

Newcastle Jets together with Northern New South Wales Football (NNSWF) are pleased to advise that Wednesday’s friendly between Scott Miller’s Jets and Damian Zane’s PlayStation ® 4 National Premier League Northern NSW Select squad will be streamed live by BarTV Sports.

The Jets and NNSWF have reached an agreement to split the cost of the live stream to enable the friendly fixture to reach as many interested football fans locally, nationally and internationally as possible.

While the Jets and NNSWF certainly encourage as many supporters as possible to make the journey to Magic Park in Broadmeadow to catch the game live at the ground given all gate profits will be donated to Life Without Barriers, fans unable to get to the venue will be able to log on to both www.newcastlejets.com.au and www.northernnswfootball.com.au from 7pm to catch all the action live.

Newcastle Jets Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lawrie McKinna, said that the Jets will also be making moves over the coming days to provide the club’s owners, Ledman Group, with match information and embed codes to promote the game through their vast networks in China.

“When BarTV Sports live streamed our youth team’s 5-0 win over Shandong Luneng’s U19 at Magic Park in June the game was shared through the Ledman Group network in China,” McKinna explained.

“We will be taking the same approach with Wednesday’s friendly and hopefully this results in increased exposure for the Jets, Northern NSW Football, the local PS4 National Premier League clubs, and most importantly the many talented players from both teams that will be on display,” he said.

NNSWF Chief Executive Officer, Mr David Eland, said that his organisation is pleased to be partnering with the Jets for the live stream to ensure that the game between the PS4 NPL Northern NSW Select side and the federation’s Hyundai A-League club can be viewed far and wide.

“PS4 NPL Northern New South Wales matches are streamed live weekly by BarTV Sports, and from their analytics we understand that viewers log on to the games from throughout the region and around Australia,” Eland said.

“It is great that together we will be able to provide a live stream so that fans who may not physically be able to attend the match can still engage with what we hope will become an annual event again,” he said.

Newcastle Jets vs. PS4 NPL Select (Northern NSW)
When: Wednesday 20 July 2016
Where: Magic Park, Broadmeadow
Kick-off: 7:00pm
Gates: 6:00pm
Admission: Gold coin donation (Gate proceeds will be donated to Life Without Barriers)

Live Stream: View the game live on www.newcastlejets.com.au & www.northernnswfootball.com.au from 7pm
Social Media: Join the match conversation on social media using #NEWvNPL

Source: http://northernnswfootball.com.au