Herald Women’s Premier League Round 5 Thornton vs Newcastle Olympic
1st Grade Olympic won 6-2
Goals: Brooke Summers 2, Laura Hall 2, Danielle Nicol, Keely Gawthrop
Reserve Grade Olympic won 12-4
source: Tom Tsamouras
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James Virgili and Sam Walker starred as Broadmeadow overcame a spectacular strike from rookie Tim Stewart to beat Newcastle Olympic 3-1 in their Northern NSW NPL catch-up game on Wednesday night.
Walker scored twice and Virgili converted from the penalty spot, after earlier setting up a goal, in the second half at Darling Street Oval in the round three fixture.
Magic looked the better side early, threatening in the third minute with a shot across the face of goal from Virgili. Cody Carroll’s 26th-minute header was knocked onto the woodwork by Olympic keeper Nate Cavaliere.
However, it was Olympic who struck first with an amazing 30-metre strike from Stewart. It was the teenage midfielder’s first NPL goal in just his fourth top-grade game.
Olympic striker Dino Fajkovic went close twice to doubling the lead early in the second half but Walker was next to score in the 54th minute. Virgili found space and delivered a cross which was spilled by Cavaliere, who then blocked a follow-up shot from Carroll only for Walker to knock home the rebound.
Rooke was brought down on the edge of the area in the 64th minute and Virgili slotted in the penalty.
Walker delivered the finishing touch for Broadmeadow in the 76th minute when Olympic failed to clear a rebound from another Carroll free kick. Olympic, who were already without Kyle Hodges, Blake Green and Tom Curran, lost striker Kent Harrison to injury moments earlier. Magic had Alex Kantarovski leave the field with a groin strain in the 13th minute.
The win took Magic to nine points and eased the pain of a 1-0 loss to Edgeworth on Sunday. Coach Anthony Richards was most pleased his side’s sound defence, which was breached only by Stewart’s wonder goal.
“I think that’s only the time our coaching staff have clapped a goal from the opposition, it was amazing,” Richards said.
He said Carroll, Rooke and Jeremy Wilson, who came on for Kantarovski, were among his side’s best.
“That was Jeremy’s first game back from illness and he was terrific,” he said. “Cody has been a bit quiet but he was back to his best tonight and Mitch was good again I thought.”
Also last night, Lambton Jaffas defeated Valentine 4-0 at Edden Oval, Lake Macquarie scored their first win of the year, downing Adamstown 2-1 at Macquarie Field, and the Bears beat a 10-man Maitland 1-0 at Weston Park.
Maitland lost James Thompson to a straight red card for referee abuse in the 37th minute.
Weston scored through Lukas Straker in the 69th minute off a cross from Chris Hurley.
Kale Bradbery scored in the fifth minute and in first-half injury time to set up the Jaffas’ victory over last-placed Valentine.
Kaleb Cox (68th) made it 3-0 and Scott Pettit scored from the spot in the 73rd after a handball from Phoenix.
Chris Berlin was the hero for Lake Macquarie against his former club, scoring in the sixth minute with a header and in the 33rd with a quality long-range strike.
Tallan Martin pulled one back for Adamstown in the 70th minute and Lakes lost Michael Bru to a second yellow card in the 83rd but the Roosters hung on to win.
Round five on the weekend features Jaffas against Magic at Edden Oval and Olympic versus Maitland at Darling Street Oval on Saturday. On Sunday, Lake Macquarie host Edgeworth, Valentine welcome Adamstown and Charlestown travel to Weston.
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Newcastle Olympic take on Thornton Redbacks in the deferred Round 5 match which was washed out recently by washed by rain.
Thornton vs Newcastle Olympic
Tomorrow, Wednesday 5 August at Thornton Park
1st Grade kick off 8.00pm
Reserve Grade kick off 6.00pm
source: Tom Tsamouras
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The deferred Round 3 fixture between Newcastle Olympic and Broadmeadow Magic will be held mid-week.
NNSW NPL Round 3 Olympic vs Broadmeadow Magic FC
Tonight, Tuesday 4 August at LMRFF
Reserve Grade kick off 6.00pm
Tomorrow, Wednesday 5 August at Darling St
1st Grade kick off 7.00pm
source: Tom Tsamouras
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Lambton Jaffas 2-2 Newcastle Olympic
Newcastle Olympic is quickly earning a reputation in becoming the comeback kings of the NPL NNSW, overturning another two-goal deficit, this time to draw 2-2 against Lambton Jaffas.
Olympic have had a horror record against the Jaffas in recent seasons and the match began to play out true to history’s form, with Lambton scoring two early goals.
Scott Pettit earned his side a penalty and calmly dispatched the spot-kick to open the scoring.
Pettit was again involved in the second, this time playing a dangerous ball into the box which was poorly cleared by Newcastle and lethal attacker Kale Bradbery, pounced to make it 2-0.
It looked plain sailing for Lambton in the opening stages but true to form, Olympic wasn’t going down without a fight.
The blue and white drew one back with a great ball whipped in by Jacob Cresnar and Jared Muller produced a fantastic, glancing header at the near post to beat Ben Kennedy in goal.
Olympic had the momentum as the second half began and Dino Fajkovic was looking dangerous going forward.
And it was Fajkovic who would level the scores with a thumping drive on the edge of the 18-yard-box to complete the turnaround for Newcastle.
Olympic continued to probe and finished the game strongly with a couple of half-chances but couldn’t get the all-important third goal to only settle with a draw.
The result leaves the Jaffas with a win, a draw and a loss from their opening games while Olympic remains unbeaten with a win and two draws.
Charlestown Azzurri 1-1 Lake Macquarie City 1
Charlestown and Lake Macquarie shared the points in a tense match of the round with the two clubs languishing at the bottom end of the table and looking to find match-winning form at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday.
Lakes were fast out of the blocks and were rewarded with veteran forward Chris Berlin grabbing his first goal in Roosters colours for the new season.
Tyrell Paulson made a great effort through the centre of midfield before playing in Berlin who beat Nathan Archibold to the ball to open the scoring.
The away side was filled with confidence by the early goal and continued to create chances in the final third but could not capitalise to make it two.
Just before half-time Charlestown landed a sucker-punch as they equalised with Riley Smith producing a powering run down the right-wing before slipping in Jackson Frendo who put it past Stuart Plant to make it 1-1.
After the break, Lake Macquarie were still looking the more likely to take away the three points while Azzurri looked dangerous on the counter-attack with pace in behind, drawing the Roosters defenders into a few yellow cards.
Roosters midfielder Michael Bru had an excellent chance to put his team in the lead but flew his shot over the bar midway through the second half while shortly after Berlin went in on goal again but his touch let him down to squander another opportunity.
Lake Macquarie’s Ghanaian recruit Iman Akram had the best chance of the second half though going through one-on-one with the keeper before trying to lob Archibold but the ball narrowly went over the crossbar.
Riley Smith was continuing to be the main threat for Azzurri going forward while Lakes defender Beau Wilkins was shown a second yellow card leaving the Roosters to battle it out with 10 men for the final 10 minutes.
But 1-1 was how it would finish with the two outfits earning a draw, their first points of the season.
The two sides will feel a sense of relief to get their first point while Lake Macquarie coach Josh Rufo said he believed his side should have taken away more.
“I thought we dominated the game from start to finish. Even with 10 men, we had clear cut chances so it’s disappointing we didn’t get the three point. But a point away from home gets our season started,” Rufo said.
“It was probably the most consistent performance [out of the three games so far]. The difference today was we stuck to it for 90 minutes but we still didn’t win so when we do win, I’ll call that our best game.
“We’re trying to be more aggressive with our football and I think we look a lot more competitive and most people when they play us this year will know they’re in for a game. But still a long way to go.
“We’ll take all the positive out of that and move onto Wednesday [against Adamstown].”
Adamstown Rosebud 1-1 Weston Workers
Adamstown and Weston fought out at a 1-1 draw at Adamstown Oval with the Bears playing the majority of the second half with 10 men.
The Rosebuds got on the scoresheet first through Tyson Cummings who drove home a shot after Weston keeper Scott Carter parried the ball from a wide free-kick.
Weston couldn’t be kept quiet, knocking on the door for a goal and it was livewire Aaron Niyonkuru who notched his second goal of the campaign with an equaliser in the 47th minute.
Bears defender Jordan Jackson was shown a red card shortly after for a challenge on Adamstown’s Flynn Goodman leaving the away side a man short with a large chunk of the second half to play.
Rosebuds skipper Luke Rutledge and Niyonkuru both had excellent chances late in the game but the two sides would salvage a point.
The two clubs now sit on four points from their opening games ahead of midweek fixtures with Weston facing a red-hot Maitland and the Rosebuds taking on Lake Macquarie.
Maitland Magpies 5-1 Valentine FC
A second-half blitz from Maitland blew Valentine off the park as the Magpies recorded another significant 5-1 victory at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.
The first half was a scrappy affair with neither defence breached in the opening exchanges.
Maitland soon found their grove with Joel Wood opening the scoring in the early stages of the second half after clever work from James Thompson found the talisman in the box.
The striker would have a second soon after with Nick Cowburn finding the attacker in the box and Wood beat Danny Ireland to the ball to make it a quick-fire 2-0.
Valentine would draw one back with Ben Higgins getting on the scoresheet, tapping home from close range to give the Phoenix a fighting chance.
But it was all one-way traffic from then on as the reigning premiers flexed their muscle as the game opened up.
Clinical goalscorer Braedyn Crowley would have his goal as Mathew Swan played Crowley in on goal and he made no mistake, burying his opportunity.
Wood rounded off a brilliant hat-trick soon after while youngster Sam Webb put the icing on the cake to make it five in the 90th minute.
Maitland now look to be back to their best, amassing nine goals in their last two games while the loss for Valentine leaves them on the bottom of the table after three games.
Broadmeadow Magic 0-1 Edgeworth Eagles
A late Edgeworth goal was the sole difference in a titanic top-of-the-table clash at Magic Park.
The clubs sat first and second leading into this affair and it was a war of attrition in the first half with the two defences resolute allowing only one shot on target in the opening stages.
After the break, Edgeworth hit the ground running and looked likely to score, only to be denied twice by a couple of stunning Lachlan Watson saves.
Kristian Brymora had the best chance with the ball finding him in the box before the striker looked destined to score based on current form but Watson produced a massive save.
Edgeworth started to dial up the pressure, while Watson pulled off another top save pushing a Brymora header onto the bar.
But Edgeworth wasn’t to be denied with the champions recapturing that championship-winning formula to find a way to win.
Outgoing grand final hero Daniel Fabrizio struck a sweet shot with five minutes remaining to again score the winner in another massive game for the red and black.
The victory was the first for new interim player-coach Josh Rose in an extremely hard-fought battle between two quality teams.
Rose said it was a relief to get the first win in such a big fixture.
“[To win] especially against such a big rival and in such a big game is a really good feeling and it’s good to get that first win,” Rose said.
“When I took on the role last week I said to the boys my hardest job will be the starting line-up each week. We’ve probably got a good group of 14 or 15 that could easily start each week but all in all everyone wants to play every week.
“The boys have been fantastic, I thanked Keelan [Hamilton] for the smooth transition. Results are the biggest thing in this environment and he got us three from three and to now go from four from four sets us up for a good year.”
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Newcastle Olympic 2 -2 Broadmeadow Magic
It was a debut of a different kind at Darling Street Oval on Sunday afternoon as Newcastle Olympic hosted Broadmeadow Magic for the first time in the Herald Women’s Premier League.
The traditional derby didn’t disappoint either, with the bruising encounter finishing in a 2-2 draw.
Early momentum favoured visiting Broadmeadow as Lucy Jerram put Magic in front within the opening 10 minutes before Kobie Ferguson doubled the advantage from the penalty spot.
“I thought the girls were excellent in the first half and fought hard in the second half,” Broadmeadow coach Jake Curley said.
The momentum quickly altered however as Kalista Hunter was sent from the field just a matter of minutes shy of the break for a professional foul.
“It changed the game completely but I was happy with how the girls stood up and continued playing,” Curley said.
The second half was vastly different to the first as Newcastle Olympic turned up the intensity.
Georgia Amess provided the perfect service for Brooke Summers to move the home side back into the contest before Jemma House showed why she is the competition’s leading scorer with a cracking goal from a free kick.
“We sort of underperformed in the first half… but credit to the girls they continued to work hard and get themselves back in the match,” Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said.
“The quality of our first half we were just turning the ball over too quickly. We weren’t really making the most of any opportunities we had.
“We would have loved to win but to be 2-0 down at half-time and to work hard enough to come back and sneak away with a point [was pleasing]. We’ve had a couple of tough games but nothing like what we got today.”
Both sides now switch their focus to mid-week fixtures. Olympic are scheduled to play Thornton on Thursday, while Magic take on Adamstown on Wednesday.
“[We’ve got] only one session before the mid-week game to work on a few things and to give the girls a break,” Curley said.
Thornton Redbacks 0-5 New Lambton
New Lambton recorded its first win in season 2020 buoyed by the debut of Adriana Jones in Eagles colours on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles were too good for Thornton in a performance coach Brad Jones believes is just a sign of things to come from his young squad.
“We’ve identified a few elements to our game that we consider that we’re really good at. Our passing game is good, our player movement is good, we’re just concentrating on that all the way up the park,” he said.
“I was so pleased for the girls that this week they can actually see an outcome. They can see that what we’re doing actually works.”
Sophie Stapleford bagged a brace for the home side while Taylah Bryde, Tahlia Gossner and Ellie Jones also found the scoresheet.
“The football was good. We were fluid, we executed… I think our midfield combination of Lisa Cochrane, Tahlia Gossner, Emmeline Pepper was really good.”
Up 4-0 at half-time, the Eagles had a number of strong chances in the second half but could only manage the one goal past Thornton keeper Danielle Redding.
The proposition of a clash with leaders Olympic on Sunday is one that Eagles coach Brad Jones is looking forward to.
“I’m actually excited that we’ve got Olympic next week. At the end of the day they’re the headlines, they’re the ones expected to be winning this comp. We take confidence from a good day’s football into a game that we have no pressure,” Jones said.
Despite the result, Thornton coach Alan Primmer drew a number of positives from the clash. But the loss of noted attacker Susan Randall to a knee injury inside the opening 20 minutes proved another blow in what was a tough day in the office.
“Jaz Hughes worked her butt of as usual. Luci Maddison did a great job on AJ and Danielle Redding in goals kept the score down,” Primmer said.
“[Randall] was looking threatening and had gotten in behind a couple of times already.”
Thornton next face Olympic on Thursday, before they host Merewether on Sunday.
“We have training tomorrow night. [We] have to change a couple of things as we’ve lost Susan [Randall] for a while and a couple of girls have work,” Primmer said.
Mid Coast FC 4-2 Adamstown Rosebud
Mid Coast made it three wins in a row on Sunday afternoon as they came from behind early to defeat Adamstown at Taree Zone Field. The win moves Middies into third on the ladder.
“There’s a lot of belief in the girls now… after three in a row, it’s been a while since the club’s had three in a row in first grade, so the girls are really believing in what they’re doing right now,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.
Adamstown were first to find the scoresheet in the entertaining fixture but quickly relinquished the lead as Mid Coast asserted a level of dominance over the visiting Rosebud.
“Mid Coast showed a lot of energy and effort and they made it really tough for us. And they took their chances really well,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.
“We didn’t play poorly… it was one of those games you couldn’t get any rhythm or momentum, because the game kept stopping over and over.
“They were probably just a bit more clinical when they got their chances at key moments.”
Courtney Anderson bagged a brace for the home side, who according to Grass scored the 4-2 win off the back of a strong performance from his midfield.
“I thought our midfield were excellent today. Nicki Learoyd in the middle of the park, I thought she was great… they all stood up and did a really good job,” Grass said.
“Our ability to keep pressure on the ball was what got us home.”
The thought of testing his side against the top-rated teams in the competition does not daunt Grass, who now turns his attention to Sunday’s clash with Broadmeadow Magic. The following week Middies play top of the table Newcastle Olympic.
“They’re some of the top teams [Magic and Olympic] and we’ll gauge ourselves off them. We play Broadmeadow next week, so we will really see where we’re at then,” Grass said.
For Adamstown it was once again a case of lacking polish in the final third. Rosebud now shift their focus to Wednesday’s catch up game against Broadmeadow Magic.
“We’re doing quite well from a competitive point of view and a playing point of view but we’re not necessarily taking our chances when we get them,” Campbell said.
“We just prepare as normal. We’ve just got to get a little bit of confidence from somewhere.”
Warners Bay 0-2 Merewether United
Sunday afternoon’s much anticipated clash between Warners Bay and Merewether may not have lived up to the high-scoring affair many had expected but proved just as exciting for the small crowd on hand at a warm John Street Oval.
Tamara Nash continued her strong run of form for the llamas. She opened the account for the visitors within minutes of the kick-off. Nash’s goal was one of few genuine chances in the opening half as both sides struggled to execute in the final third.
“The first half we had a lot of opportunities that we didn’t take. We were camped on the edge of Warners Bay’s box for quite a while but we just couldn’t find the finish,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.
“To be honest it was a bit of an ugly win.”
Warners Bay looked the more likely to score after the break but, without striker Jen Hoy who was ruled out late due to illness, the Panthers couldn’t make it count where they needed.
“I thought the girls dominated large parts of that match but as you know you’ve got to score goals to win matches,” Warners Bay coach Craig Atkins said.
“Lots of positives… I can’t really fault the girl’s performance bar the final third. We’ve still got a lot of work to do there.”
Merewether closed out the result late as Nicki Jones combined with Rhali Dobson to extend the margin to two goals.
“Rhali hasn’t scored yet but she’s had a massive impact on just about everything,” Ellis said.
The final third is set to remain the focus for both sides as the competition nears the halfway mark.
“We’re lacking that anticipation… instead of watching the ball, we need to be looking forward and anticipating its going to there and make those runs,” Atkins said.
“We’ve just got to back ourselves that little bit more.”
For Ellis, the Merewether coach was adamant there was more improvement to come from his squad.
“Even though we won it felt like a draw. That’s because the girls thought the result could have been better,” Ellis said.
“We’ve still got a long way to go to get to where we want to be and I’m starting to see glimpses of it.”
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NPL SENIORS:
On Saturday Newcastle Olympic took on Lambton Jaffas at Arthur Edden in Round 4 of the competition and came away with two victories and a draw.
1st Grade drew 2-2
Goals: Jared Muller, Dino Fajkovic
2nd Grade Olympic won 2-1
Under 18s Olympic won 2-1
WPL Herald Women’s Premier League:
On Sunday Newcastle Olympic WPL teams met Broadmeadow Magic at Darling St Oval and came away with three emphatic wins and a draw!
1st Grade drew 2-2
Goals: Brooke Summers, Jemma House
Reserve Grade Olympic won 4-1
Under 17s Olympic won 7-1
Under 14s Olympic won 12-0
YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic travelled to Weston in Round 6 of the season and had no problem returning with four comfortable wins.
Under 16s Olympic won 6-0
Under 15s Olympic won 5-2
Under 14s Olympic won 10-0
Under 13s Olympic won 6-0
ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic Zone League teams played New Lambton on Saturday at Islington Park but suffered two losses!
1st Grade lost 3-0
2nd Grade lost 3-2
OVER 35s:
Newcastle Olympic Over 35s played at Chapman Oval No2 against Swansea on Friday night and had no difficulty winning 3-1.
SAP/NET:
Newcastle Olympic SAP U9s, U10s, and U11s played West Wallsend, Cooks Hill, Charlestown, HVF Girls and Jets girls over the weekend and played some outstanding football as well as recording some very high scoring wins.
Newcastle Olympic U12s NET met Adamstown on Saturday and had no problem earning a 7-0 victory.
Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors played Round 5 of the season on Saturday against South Wallsend, Adamstown, Medowie and Stockton. Our young Olympians produced some great displays, and entertained their coaches, parents and themselves.
source: Tom Tsamouras
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NPL SENIORS:
On Saturday 1st August Newcastle Olympic travel to Arthur Edden Oval to play Lambton Jaffas in Round 4 of the competition.
First Grade kick off at 2:30PM Reserves kick off at 12.15PM U18s kick off at 10:15AM
WPL:
On Sunday 2nd August Newcastle Olympic WPL teams are at Darling St Oval against Broadmeadow Magic.
First Grade kick off at 3:00PM Reserve Grade kick off at 12:50PM U17s Kick off at 10:50AM
U14s kick off at 9:00AM
YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic take on Weston in Round 6 of the season at Rockwell Automation Park on Saturday 1st August.
U16s kick off at 3:00 PM U15s kick off at 1:00 PM U14s kick off at 11:00 AM
U13s kick off at 9:00 AM
ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic Zone League teams play New Lambton on Saturday 1st August at Islington Park.
First Grade kick off at 4:30PM Reserve Grade kick off at 2:30PM
SAP/NET:
U9s White Blue off at 9:00AM at Darling St Oval vs West Wallsend, Sunday 2nd August. U9s White kick off at 10:30AM at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field vs Cooks Hill on Sunday 2nd August.
U10s White kick off at 12:00AM at Darling St Oval vs Charlestown, Sunday 2nd August. U10s Blue kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St Oval vs Charlestown, Sunday. 2nd August.
U11s White kick off at 10:30AM at Turner Park vs HVF Girls on Sunday 2nd August. U11s Blue kick off at 9:15AM at LMRF vs Jets Girls on Saturday 1st August.
U12s NET kick off at 9:00AM at Islington Park 2 vs Adamstown on Saturday 1st August.
OVER 35s:
Newcastle Olympic Over 35s kick off at 8:00 PM at Chapman Oval No2 vs Swansea on Friday night 31st July.
Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors play Round 5 of the season on Saturday 1st August.
U6s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against South Wallsend
U6s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Adamstown
U6s/03 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Adamstown
U7s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Adamstown
U7s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Adamstown
U8s/01 kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Adamstown
U8s/02 kick off at 9:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Medowie
U8s/03 kick off at 8:30 AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Stockton
source: Tom Tsamouras
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LAMBTON JAFFAS V NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – SATURDAY 2.30PM
A Newcastle-football rivalry will start round four action with Lambton playing host to Newcastle Olympic at Arthur Edden Oval.
After missing out on a game last weekend the squads will be determined to put in a strong performance to get back into winning form.
The Jaffas have had a mixed start with a win and a loss to start the season while Olympic has started positively with a win and a draw.
It will be an interesting match-up on Saturday, with Lambton and Newcastle both having high expectations for the year while adding to the competitiveness of a cross-town rivalry.
The home side will be without key attacker Luke Remington due to suspension from the Weston fixture while Olympic will be missing captain Kyle Hodges who is also facing time on the sideline.
Olympic has a poor record against Lambton, with the blue and white having only won one out of the last 10 fixtures against the Jaffas.
Lambton is a team looking to rebound from their last result and coach James Pascoe said he knows his team will have to contest for the entirety.
“The Weston defeat was a tough pill to swallow… if you take the individual errors out of it we could have won the game by a couple of goals so the message is to stay positive and be resilient,” Pascoe said.
“I think it’s a pretty stock standard 4-4-2 [Newcastle Olympic are] playing. It provides good cover and balance across the whole pitch both with and without the ball, so I don’t expect them to change a whole lot from their first two games.
“It will be a 95-minute game. They won’t take a backward step, it will be a close one and we need to do everything we can to get the three points.”
CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI V LAKE MACQUARIE CITY
LISLE CARR OVAL – SUNDAY 2.30PM
A timely win will be on offer in round four’s match of the round with Charlestown Azzurri and Lake Macquarie to collide at Lisle Carr Oval.
Two clubs who find themselves winless and at the bottom of the ladder after two full rounds of football will be desperate to notch an important three points, adding to Sunday’s must-win fixture.
Charlestown almost pulled off their first result of the season in their rescheduled round three match against Edgeworth on Monday, eventually going down 1-0 to a late Eagles goal.
The Azzurri will take some confidence out of the game against the defending champions as they head into their showdown with the Roosters, feeling they should have taken away something from the match having had a high volume of chances.
Due to the round three washouts, Lake Macquarie’s latest result was a 4-1 defeat to Maitland while their round three match against Adamstown will be played on 5 August.
The Roosters will also look to counteract their poor away record having only won one game in their last 10 matches on the road.
Charlestown dominated the fixtures in the previous two clashes, including a 4-1 victory over the Roosters at Lisle Carr Oval, although both teams look vastly different from this time last year.
Charlestown coach Graham Law said a breakthrough result was on its way.
“All three games we’ve been in and were all winnable which gives me confidence and this young team, along with the experience we still have, are good enough to win games and turn the corner,” Law said.
“We just didn’t take our chances [against Edgeworth] and against the good teams you are likely to get punished.
“I think it’s more about us getting on the front foot on what we can do this weekend and none of my teams will take anyone lightly.”________________________________________
ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD V WESTON WORKERS
ADAMSTOWN OVAL – SUNDAY 2.30PM
Weston will travel to Adamstown Oval to face Adamstown Rosebud on Sunday in a match-up between two exciting teams.
The youthful Rosebuds have started positively with an opening day win but followed it up with a tough 3-1 loss to Edgeworth in round two.
The Bears however will be looking to pick up where they left off, downing Lambton Jaffas 3-2 in a thrilling round two encounter.
It was Leo Bertos’ first win in charge of his new team, who will now be hoping to build on that huge result with another three points against the Rosebuds.
Weston defeated Adamstown twice last season, which comprised of a 4-2 triumph at Adamstown Oval.
The two sides boast electrifying, young attackers who can change a game in an instant, therefore the game may come down to the best defensive outfit on the day.
________________________________________
Maitland Magpies v Valentine Phoenix
Cooks Square Park – Sunday 2.30pm
Maitland will do battle with Valentine on Sunday with the visitors hoping to spring an upset on last season’s premiers.
The Magpies were imposing in their 4-1 win over Lake Macquarie last start to continue their sensational unbeaten home record which has stretched to 13 games in a row.
Valentine was left to rue a golden chance to gather their first three points of the new season after conceding a late goal to draw 2-2 with Newcastle Olympic away from home in round two.
Maitland did the double over Valentine last season as the two finished at opposite ends of the table. Maitland are fourth on the table, with the Phoenix eighth.
The orange and navy’s last win at Cooks Square Park was in 2017 when they won 4-0.
________________________________________
Broadmeadow Magic v Edgeworth Eagles
Magic Park – Sunday 2.30pm
A battle of two premiership heavyweights will take place at Magic Park on Sunday with Broadmeadow to take on Edgeworth in a top-of-the-table clash.
This encounter is always a huge match-up in the National Premier League NNSW calendar combining the two previous championship-winning clubs – Broadmeadow in 2018 and Edgeworth in 2019.
The Eagles have a new interim coach at the helm with player Josh Rose taking over the role from Keelan Hamilton who departed the club only three games into his tenure.
Hamilton’s last game in charge of the Eagles was a 1-0 win over Charlestown on Monday which saw them remain unbeaten and climb to the top of the ladder due to a late goal from striker Kristian Brymora.
On the other side, Broadmeadow has impressed in their opening two games and continued their perfect start to the competition with a 3-1 victory over Azzurri in round two.
Magic’s attack has been in fine form notching eight goals in two games but will be up against a strong Eagles defence who have kept back-to-back clean sheets.
This titanic clash will certainly throw up some intriguing storylines and key individual battles across the park. While it is still only early days in the new season, first spot will still be on the line.
The two line-ups will know the significance of a massive result on Sunday while Broadmeadow Magic coach Anthony Richards said he knows his team will be ready for a big game.
“Edgeworth has been one of the better sides of the competition for the last 10 years. It will be good for our young guys to test themselves against probably the best side in the competition,” Richards said.
“We’ll back ourselves to do well. Everyone’s fit, ready to go and excited.
“We’re under no allusion it will be a tough game and hopefully it will be a great game to come and watch as a spectator.
“It is only three points. We don’t see it as a six-point game or nothing like that but we’ll be trying our best to take them.”
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NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V BROADMEADOW MAGIC
DARLING STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM
It is a traditional derby we are not used to seeing in the Herald Women’s Premier League but one we can expect to be a high quality and entertaining fixture.
Each time Newcastle Olympic and Broadmeadow Magic meet in the NPL Northern NSW, it is a match previewed in cafes by footballing pundits and well attended by long-term supporters.
Expect Sunday afternoon’s Herald Women’s Premier Leagues match to be no different.
“I expect the girls to step up against [Newcastle Olympic],” Magic coach Jake Curley said.
“The squad seems to be in a great headspace, competitive and focused. They’ve proven they can fight to come back from behind, this week. I want to see them fight to maintain a lead.”
As reported by the Newcastle Herald earlier in the week, Adriana Jones has parted ways with Broadmeadow Magic. Her loss, while significant, will provide further opportunity for a number of other rising stars, including Lucy Jerram.
“I expect the girls will step up to face them. They’re competitors and love a challenge. Although, now they have a few games under their belts, I think they will fight for each other,” Curley said.
Sunday afternoon’s clash will be the first of five in 15 days for the women in red. Curley believes the side is well equipped to deal with the successive fixtures.
“Preparation and balance is key, altering our schedule to suit the workload,” Curley said.
“Recovery sessions, using physios and changing training should manage the risk of injury. There’s more on our plate but it’s business as usual.”
Newcastle Olympic sit on top of the Herald Women’s Premier League table, equal with Warners Bay on points but with a far superior goal difference of +17.
The women from Darling Street Oval also have a game in hand against Thornton, which has been rescheduled for Thursday, 6 August.
It is not all good news for Olympic however, with Stacey Day set to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury suffered against Adamstown in round four.
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NEW LAMBTON EAGLES V THORNTON REDBACKS
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM
When you take a look at round six, each and every game has significance.
Whether it be the fight for the lead, a scramble not to slide out of the top four or, in the case of this match, a battle to stay within striking distance of finals qualification.
New Lambton and Thornton sit seventh and eighth respectively on the table but, according to Eagles coach Brad Jones, it is not through a lack of determination or desire.
“I think there was a lot to like about what we did [against Warners Bay on Saturday]. In my opinion we were the far better side without getting a result,” Jones said.
“There’s positive in the fact that the girls can see that what we’re doing is working. And they can understand there’s a few things we’ve got to improve on.”
The final third has proved frustrating for Jones, who believes goals will come for his young side.
“The fact that the way that we’re playing, we’re only missing that one element which is pleasing to me, given the age of the squad we’re actually using,” Jones said.
“I’ve got a tremendous bunch of girls and I just think we’re missing that final killer instinct as far as the final third is concerned.
“That’s just got to be something you’ve got to be patient and develop over time… they’ve got to pick that moment and back themselves.”
New Lambton and Warners Bay were the only two sides to see action last weekend, with the Eagles fortunate to now avoid a run of catch-up fixtures.
There was so such luck for Thornton, who will back up from Sunday’s fixture to take on Newcastle Olympic on Thursday, before three more games in quick succession.
“Five games in two weeks will test depth but for us it’s the old cliché of Sunday is the only game that is important at the moment,” Thornton coach Alan Primmer said.
“New Lambton will be well drilled. We need to concentrate on our first touch which was poor against Warners Bay and second efforts will be a key.
“We did a bit of watching for a result against Warners Bay as well, instead of making it happen and fall our way.”
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WARNERS BAY V MEREWETHER UNITED
JOHN STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM
Sunday’s match-up between old enemies Warners Bay and Merewether shapes as an early contender for match of the season.
A quick look back through the archives and it is hard to avoid the enthralling battles held between these two sides over the last four years.
“We’ve got a few girls who have been there over the years and been a part of those battles with Merewether and we always tend to lift for the clash,” Panthers coach Craig Atkins said.
Warners Bay is expected to be unchanged for the game at John Street Oval after they came off a torrid run of three games in seven days, culminating in a win over New Lambton on Saturday.
“We just went and did a body balance and Yoga session last night…. obviously after the hectic week last week we just wanted to have a lighter session,” Atkins said.
“It’s going to be a tough contest. It always tends to be close and there always seems to be lots of goals.”
Jen Hoy will once again start for the home side as she settles into the local competition.
“We’ve still got combination work to be done with Jen and the players around her,” Atkins said.
“We’re focusing on some things we need to improve on and that’ll be the target for Sunday.”
A loss for Merewether could see them slip out of the top four. Heading into round six, they are just one point clear of fourth-placed Adamstown.
“It’ll just be really important for us to get a win against Warners Bay. If we don’t, we’re in danger of dropping out of the top four… we want to stay near the top,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.
“We’re really looking forward to playing Warners Bay.”
Midfielder Sarah Bergin will miss the clash for the Lammas, who like everyone have had a disrupted week on the training pitch due to rain.
“We got a session in on Tuesday at an indoor facility. A little bit of stretching the legs,” Ellis said.
“The group as a whole are all pretty fit…. I’m pretty confident that if we end up needing to play a few games in quick succession we’ll be able to deal with that.”
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MID COAST FC V ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
TAREE ZONE FIELD – SUNDAY 3PM
Mid Coast will be hoping to move into the top four when they play fourth-placed Adamstown at Taree Zone Field on Sunday.
Middies sit sixth on the table but are just one-point shy of Rosebud.
“I anticipate that we’ll play very similar types of football,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.
“We’ve worked on the way that we want to get results. As far as I’m concerned in football the journey is as important as the destination, so it will be stick to the process.
“Hopefully at the end of that we’ll get the result as well.”
Mid Coast are expected to be full strength for the clash, which Grass believes will be won or lost in the midfield.
“I’ll be looking to our midfielders. We’ve got a very young midfield, I think they’re all 16, so I’ll be looking to the midfield to really step up and control things,” Grass said.
“I think we will be all sweet. [We’ve got] a couple of niggly injuries but nothing that’s going to keep anyone out of the weekend.”
Sunday’s clash will be the first of three in quick succession for the Buds, who had their weekend match against Broadmeadow rained out.
“I think the girls are excited to get back playing and looking forward to having three games coming up in a short amount of time,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.
Olivia Sneddon will miss the game due to an ankle injury suffered against Newcastle Olympic almost a fortnight ago, while Campbell has identified Kimmy Trappett as a player to watch this weekend.
“I am hoping that Kimmy Trappett can step up this weekend in a tight game and make a difference to the score line as I don’t think we have seen her best yet so far since we have returned from COVID,” Campbell said.
“She is a player I have a lot of confidence in.
“I will just ask the girls to go out and make a statement to the other teams in the competition with what they do in the game.”
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George Tsamouras Football Journey 