George Tsamouras Football Journey

THORNTON REDBACKS V NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC
THORNTON PARK – SUNDAY 3PM
Fresh off a 6-0 thumping of Adamstown, Newcastle Olympic will head to Thornton this weekend hoping to continue the form that has seen them mooted as the team to beat in 2020.
The women from Darling Street Oval currently sit atop of the Herald Women’s Premier League table, having scored three wins from four starts.
On paper, this weekend’s clash would seem nothing more than administrative, but Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill does not share that view.
“This week we will continue to build momentum for our game against Thornton,” she said.
“They will again pose a physical threat and our ability to work our way into the match will be critical.”
Stacey Day is the only Olympic player under an injury cloud ahead of the match at Thornton Park.
“We are waiting scan results for Stacey at this stage. We will know the outcome of this [on Thursday],” Attwill said.
Attwill said she had been impressed by a number of Olympic players so far this season.
“It is so difficult to choose one player. We have so much depth and strength across the park,” she said.
“Jemma House has performed with two hat-tricks since the recommencement of the season.
“On the other hand, our midfield consisting of Laura Hall, Imogen Tusek and Keely Gawthrop continually works hard to deliver quality in attack and defence.
“Defensively we haven’t conceded since the second match against Merewether which highlights the strength of our backline.”
Sunday afternoon’s clash presents a difficult task for a Thornton side yet to find its best form.
“We’re not that far off… the girls have given their all both weekends but the combinations are just off knowing where to be to best help each other,” coach Alan Primmer said.
Injuries and unavailable players will make for a tough weekend for the Redbacks. Celeste Edward, Bella Wetzel-Morrison and Chelsea Gay are all under some level of doubt but will be given every chance to prove fit for Sunday afternoon’s clash.
“Hopefully the girls are excited for it. Two of our better games last year was against the premiers New Lambton,” Primmer said.

NEW LAMBTON EAGLES V WARNERS BAY PANTHERS
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – SATURDAY 3PM
Elodie Dagg is expected to return for Warners Bay this Saturday as the Panthers round out a tough seven days with a road trip to Arthur Edden Oval to take on last season’s premiers New Lambton.
The Panthers had a narrow loss to Broadmeadow on Wednesday evening, going down 2-1 thanks to a late Magic goal. New signing Jen Hoy scored for Warners Bay.
“We just probably didn’t play smart enough. I thought we could have done a few things differently,” Warners Bay coach Craig Atkins said.
“We went away from our structure. We stopped playing out from the back and we need to address that.”
Saturday’s game will likely be the first time Jen Hoy and Elodie Dagg combine in the final third for the Panthers, a proposition Atkins is looking forward to.
“With Jen coming in she’ll only get better and lift the girls around her… she played a full game tonight [Wednesday]. She’s trained the house down but she’s not match fit yet,” Atkins said.
“The girls now have a couple of days off. They need a break, it has been hectic.”
New Lambton will be without Toria Campbell for an extended period after she was injured at the weekend, while goalkeeper Ruby Jones is likely to miss Saturday’s game.
“[A] few battered and bruised bodies in the camp, so it’s just a matter of writing those wrongs this week and putting out a performance that we know we are capable off,” New Lambton coach Brad Jones said.
As to who Jones believes will fill the leadership role left vacant by Campbell, the first-grade coach has no shortage of quality options.
“I think in terms of on-field presence, her and Lisa were sharing that responsibility. That’s now going to fall wholly on Lisa’s back in terms of the on-field communication,” Jones said.
“I think from the back, Kaitlin Radstaak, she’s just a cool, experienced head who the girls really respond to.
“We need to be able to execute our game plan… I just think if we can contain that attacking threat [Elodie Dagg and Jen Hoy] and we can play to our potential I think we’re in good shape to take the three [points].”

ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD V BROADMEADOW MAGIC
ADAMSTOWN OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM
Adamstown will need to be close to their best when they take on Broadmeadow Magic on Sunday.
The Rosebuds were left battered and bruised by a dominant Newcastle Olympic side last weekend, while Magic will be buoyed by a late win over Warners Bay on Wednesday night.
“Thursday and Friday, we will ramp it up moving towards the weekend,” Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.
“[The] girls are a bit sore at this stage. Tuesday night we had a very light session.”
According to Campbell, this week’s focus has been around defence with goal difference likely to prove critical at the end of the regular season. Adamstown have so far conceded eight goals in four games, including last week’s 6-0 thumping at the hands of Olympic.
“This week we will be focusing on ourselves and ensuring that we get back to our best, especially defensively,” Campbell said.
Rosebud keeper Olivia Sneddon remains in significant doubt for the clash after she was injured in a nasty collision at the weekend.
“Olivia is still in a lot of pain and waiting on further information,” Campbell said.
“All other players are fit and available for this weekend at this stage, which is great and gives me lots of options to choose from in order to put on our best performance.”
Broadmeadow Magic are fifth on the table with six points but still have a game in hand against Thornton. That game will be played in August.
The women in red looked strong against Warners Bay on Wednesday, with Lucy Jerram again a standout. Maggie Quinn, Kobie Ferguson and Chelsea Lucas were all solid in their performances.
A win on Saturday would see Magic move into the top four. Pending other results, Adamstown could slip as far down the ladder as fifth.

MID COAST V MEREWETHER UNITED
WAYNE RICHARDS PARK, PORT MACQUARIE – SUNDAY 3PM
Mid Coast will be looking to make it three in a row when they take on Merewether at Port Macquarie on Sunday.
The home side are fifth on the table, with a goal difference of minus three, six goals better positioned then when the competition was suspended in mid-March.
“I think we’ve got pretty good comradery… everyone’s pretty happy and keen to keep going forward and see what we can achieve,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.
The trip north is never an easy one for visiting sides, with Merewether set to field an understrength side due to player unavailability.
United coach Scott Ellis was tight lipped on the final makeup of his side but did admit there would be some fresh faces in the match day squad.
“I still think we can get the job done but the trip up there is never particularly easy… we’ve got enough players to fill the gap,” Ellis said.
“We had a really good session on Tuesday night … really just focusing on getting ourselves working on our own performance and game plan and getting everyone onboard with that.”
The focus for Ellis was as much about Sunday’s clash as it is the next few weeks.
“The games coming up, hopefully will help us settle some things in place, settle our patterns of play down, give everyone some confidence in the overall game plan,” Ellis said.
“The game plan I sort of had in mind…. I watched a lot of football over the weekend, that really helped me crystallise my thoughts and reinforce what I want to do with the team.
“I think we’re probably three or four weeks away from getting to where I’d like us to be.”
Grass will not be reading much into the final makeup of his opponents.
“It’s just another game for us. I think what we’ll find for Merewether is they’ll have key players who can turn the game individually… if you want to focus on them you could be leaving yourself open in other areas, so we’ll just be focusing on ourselves,” Grass said.
Courtney Anderson is expected to be fit for the clash against her former club, despite an ankle injury. Anderson, alongside Jess James has been critical to the resurgence of Mid Coast in recent weeks.
“We’re playing a full field game… we don’t place ourselves around one player, or a couple of players,” Grass said.
Wet weather is forecast for the weekend, with a lingering east coast low likely to make for a heavy track at Port Macquarie’s Wayne Richards Park.
“We’ll see what happens, fingered crossed we get a game in,” Grass said.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V BROADMEADOW MAGIC
DARLING STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 2.30PM

After an enthralling opening two rounds to start the National Premier League NNSW season, the league is ready to turn the dial up with this weekend’s showcase fixture being the biggest derby in Newcastle football between Newcastle Olympic and Broadmeadow Magic.
The two cross-town rivals have had fast starts after the first lot of games, adding further intensity to this round’s clash with first spot potentially on offer.
Olympic fought back from another deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Valentine with the last kick of the game in their latest match, all the while with 10 men for a large majority of the fixture.
Broadmeadow kept the ball rolling in the previous round, knocking over Charlestown with an impressive 3-1 victory on their return to Magic Park.
In the history of this clash, the two rivals have met on 49 occasions with each club remarkably winning 20 games apiece, with the other nine games having been draws, highlighting the fine margins within this colossal battle.
The blue of Newcastle Olympic won their most recent encounter against the red of Magic, a 3-2 triumph at their home ground in the second half of last season, while Broadmeadow won the previous battle earlier last year with a 1-0 victory.
Broadmeadow have assembled another strong side that will be invested in downing their arch-rivals. Coach Anthony Richards said he was eagerly awaiting another massive derby game.
“I’ve been a part of one as a player and now as a coach and they’re great fun. It’s really important for the committee, the spectators and all the volunteers and our guys just love the atmosphere,” Richards said.
“They’re a really good side [Newcastle Olympic]. Alex Tagaroulias has taken over and he’s known those boys since they were kids and been a part of that whole development program and the reason they’ve been able to finish as strong as they have been is because they’re a really good young team.
“You can’t get too emotional with these games and we have a few experienced guys who will set the tone for the game.”
Olympic have been very pleased with their ability to rescue games over the first rounds and interim coach Tagaroulias said his side would be up for the fight again.
“We spoke about the first game and how they came back and then they did it again [last week] up against even stepper odds. It was very pleasing as the guys really showed a lot of courage and determination,” Tagaroulias said.
“We’ve been rivals [with Broadmeadow] since we started in the lower divisions in the 70s and at the time we were all new Australians, so the rivalries were personal and cultural and it’s given Newcastle a dead set local derby.
“The players on both sides will feel the passion, hopefully the football will be entertaining, Broadmeadow have a quality side and quality individuals but I hope we give a good account of ourselves.”

LAKE MACQUARIE CITY V ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
MACQUARIE FIELD – SUNDAY 1.45PM
Lake Macquarie will host Adamstown in another massive fixture, with the two outfits desperate for the three points.
The Roosters have played some great football with nothing to show for it from their opening games. The side are coming off a tough 4-1 defeat to Maitland last round, blowing an early lead to go down to the premiers away from home.
Adamstown were defeated by a strong Edgeworth line-up 3-1 last start but the previous season’s bottom finishers will be buoyed by their start with the youthful Rosebuds showing glimpses of real promise and have three points on the board.
The Roosters will be out to avoid three straight defeats to start the campaign and will take confidence from the fact they beat Adamstown twice last season.
Adding to that, Lakes have not lost to the red and green since their return to the top-flight in 2017 with five wins and a draw.
The home side won’t have it all their own way at Macquarie Field with Adamstown showing far more resilience this season and will want to put an end to their poor record on the Roosters home turf.
With plenty to play for, Lake Macquarie coach Josh Rufo said he expected a hard-fought encounter.
“[Adamstown coach] Shane [Cansdell-Sherriff] has done a great job there. They have got a lot of young players and have improved but we’re only interested in winning and controlling what we can control,” Rufo said.
“We can compete, we did that against Maitland and Lambton and when we get it right we’ll look to compete for the full 90 minutes.
“No game will be easy and we anticipate it will be our toughest game yet.”

VALENTINE PHOENIX V LAMBTON JAFFAS
CB COMPLEX – SUNDAY 2.30PM
Two sides coming off heartbreaking results in the previous round will meet this weekend at CB Complex.
Valentine let go of an early two-goal lead against Newcastle Olympic to finish with a last-minute draw but showed they are much better than their 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Broadmeadow two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Lambton were left deflated after another late goal saw them beaten by Weston at home.
The beauty of football is you get another 90 minutes to get back to your best and that is exactly what will be on the agenda for the Phoenix and the Jaffas.
Lambton have a far superior record over Valentine in recent seasons and will look to reassert themselves with the three points.
On the other hand, the Phoenix are yet to register a victory and with points at a high-premium this early in the season, Valentine will be more than desperate to defeat Lambton.
Valentine co-coach Sam Griffin said he was pleased with the turnaround last week but knows his side have to take the next step.
“It was good for us to know that first week we just weren’t ready and we’ve got better in us but we still can play better [than last Saturday] obviously. From a coaching point of view it’s great but from a team point of view we really need to win,” Griffin said.
“We need to learn to put games to bed. Bailey Garland is out injured at the moment who was our top goal scorer last year so that doesn’t help, so we need to be more ruthless.
“It will be interesting to see how [Lambton] react but you can’t let good players have too much time to do what they want so we need to make it hard for them.”

EDGEWORTH EAGLES V CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI
JACK MCLAUGHLAN OVAL – SUNDAY 2.30PM

Two teams who have had differing starts to their seasons will take to the field this weekend with battling Charlestown Azzurri to play the high-flying Edgeworth Eagles.
Edgeworth have picked up where they left off, making it two wins from two matches so far, following a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Adamstown last round.
Charlestown endured back-to-back defeats against Broadmeadow Magic and will want to achieve a big result this weekend to stay on track and not fall too far behind.
The Eagles enjoy plenty of depth in key areas while new recruit and striker Kristian Brymora has produced four goals in two games for his new club.
Meanwhile, Charlestown have an extensive injury and suspension list but welcomed back their own off-season recruit in Regan Lundy last start.
The Azzurri will look to their brilliant showings of last season as they did the double over the Eagles, including a 2-1 victory over Edgeworth at their stomping ground of Jack McLaughlan Oval.

WESTON WORKERS V MAITLAND MAGPIES
ROCKWELL AUTOMATION PARK – SUNDAY 2.30PM
Round three shapes up as a mammoth weekend in the context of the season and will also feature the latest instalment of the ‘El-Clasicoal’ derby between local rivals Weston and Maitland.
This rivalry has grown into one of the standout games in the NPL NNSW calendar, with the two line-ups sharing a history of producing a quality spectacle.
Weston shrugged off their first-round defeat to come from behind twice against Lambton to defeat the Jaffas away from home achieving their first points of the new season last weekend.
Maitland also put their first points on the board with a dominant 4-1 win over Lake Macquarie, with goal scorers Braedyn Crowley and Joel Wood notching doubles.
The two sides could not be split in last season’s derby games, earning wins against each other.
Weston were jubilant after their previous performance against Lambton earning head coach Leo Bertos a maiden win. Bertos said he looked forward to the prospect of facing another class line-up.
“I look forward to every game we play and I’m sure it will be a good game between two good teams. Maitland have quality players and are coming off a successful season last year so it will be a great challenge for us,” Bertos said.
“I was very happy with the performance and effort last weekend. The players stuck to their structures and scored some good goals against a quality opposition.
“We are hoping to improve our performance as individuals and as a team. If we are successful at this then we’ll be very happy.”
Maitland got back to winning ways last start and coach Mick Bolch said he knew his team had to keep that consistency and produce another top performance.
“Our ball movement and decision making was a lot better [against Lakes] especially in the front third,” Bolch said.
“It’s a massive game this weekend against Weston. A win puts us right back in the mix where a loss could see us drop six points off the lead already.
“Derbies are always tight, torrid affairs and I don’t expect this one to be any different and both clubs are coming off good results.”

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

NPL SENIORS:
On Sunday 26th July Newcastle Olympic are at home to Broadmeadow Magic at Darling St Oval in Round 3 of the competition.
U18s kick off at 10:15AM
Reserves kick off at 12.15PM
First Grade kick off at 2:30PM

WPL:
On Sunday 26th July Newcastle Olympic WPL teams are away to Thornton Redbacks at Thornton Park.
U14s kick off at 9:00AM
U17s Kick off at 10:50AM                                                                                         Reserve Grade kick off at 12:50PM
First Grade kick off at 3:00PM

YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic take on Valentine in Round 5 of the season at Cahill Oval on Saturday 25th July.
U13s kick off at 9:00 AM
U14s kick off at 11:00 AM
U15s kick off at 1:00 PM
U16s kick off at 3:00 PM

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic Zone League teams play Garden Suburb on Saturday 25th July at Islington Park.
Reserve Grade kick off at 1:00PM
First Grade kick off at 3:00PM .

SAP/NET:
U9s White kick off at 9:00AM at Johnstone Park vs New Lambton, Sunday 26th July U9s Blue kick off at 9:00AM at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field vs Cooks Hill on Sunday 26th July
U10s White kick off at 9:00AM at Wallarah Oval vs New Lambton, Sat. 25th July U10s Blue kick off at 9:00AM at Wallarah Oval vs New Lambton, Sat. 25th July
U11s White kick off at 4:45PM at LMRF vs Broadmeadow Magic on Sat. 25th July U11s Blue kick off at 4:45PM at LMRF vs Broadmeadow Magic on Sat. 25th
U12s NET kick off at 12:45PM at Stevenson Park 2 vs Mayfield Junior on Saturday 25th July

OVER 35s:
Newcastle Olympic Over 35s were to kick off at 7:00 PM at Islington Park vs Wallsend on Friday night 24th July but Wallsend have forfeited the match.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors play Round 4 of the season on Saturday 25th July.
U6s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Stevenson Park 3 against Mayfield Junior.
U6s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Stevenson Park 3 against Mayfield Junior.
U6s/03 kick off at 8:30AM at Stevenson Park 3 against Mayfield Junior.
U7s/01 kick off at 9:30AM at National Park MiniRoos against Cooks Hill.
U7s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at National Park MiniRoos against Cooks Hill.
U8s/01 kick off at 11:30AM at National Park MiniRoos against Cooks Hill.
U8s/02 kick off at 12:45PM at National Park MiniRoos against Cooks Hill.
U8s/03 kick off at 11:30 AM at National Park MiniRoos against Cooks Hill.

source: Tom Tsamouras

The club would like to wish Greg Asquith, our current Under 10 SAP Coach, all the very best in his new position at the prestigious Scots College in Bellevue Hill, as the Assistant Head of Preparatory School.

Greg, with partner Alison and son Jack will make the move in September, and head down to work and live in Sydney.

The Asquith family have been an integral part of the Olympic family over the last few years. Greg was an essential part of our Senior Coaching squad, and coached our Under 20s squad for a number of years, winning the title during his time with the club. Son Jack played with the club from Under 7s, and his effervescent personality has seen him a much loved boy around Darling Street, often attending training with his dad, and interacting with all so eloquently.

Good luck Asquiths in your future down in the “big smoke.” You will always be welcome back to Olympic.

Source: Tom Tsamouras

Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell described her as “the difference” and Newcastle Olympic mentor Harmonie Attwill declared she could play for the Jets after Jemma House produced her third hat-trick in four games with a seven-minute goal blitz at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.

House’s first was on the counter attack. Attacking player Laura Hall had plenty of time to carry the ball up field before releasing a perfectly weighted pass through Adamstown’s back line for House to pick up in space and charge towards the box with only Young to beat. Her left-footed shot was low and hit the far post before going in.

The second came after House won the ball off an Adamstown defender and slotted in a one-v-one situation. The third came on the counter with Georgia Amess running the ball on the right, drawing a defender and passing to an unmarked House for another left-footed strike.

Hall made the most of a defensive error to score a goal of her own in the 40th minute.

House also scored hat-tricks against Mid Coast in round one and Warners Bay in round three.

Olympic moved to nine points with the win, two clear of Adamstown in third and one ahead of United.

“They’re a physical side and what our girls showed was a lot of maturity,” Attwill said.

“We did have a game plan. We stuck to it and … did everything right. We probably could’ve scored more. We created a lot of opportunities but we had to work hard for it.

“They obviously had a pretty serious injury and that definitely changed the game unfortunately for them.”

Campbell said the six-goal rout would prove “good learning” for his young side.
“They were better than us. They deserved to win. They were probably more powerful than us,” Campbell said.

“There were signs of it last week where the girls don’t 100 per cent think that they can compete with those teams.

“It was good learning for us and, I said to the girls, one day can’t affect the whole season. Our main focus this week will be trying to be a bit more resolute and not get caught where we give away too many chances.”

Adamstown opened the season with wins over Thornton and defending champions New Lambton before drawing 0-0 with league heavyweights Merewether in round three. They face Magic in round five.

“I said to the girls if we want to get results, we need someone to step up like [House] does because individuals make a big difference,” Campbell said.
“Tara [Andrews] scored 40-odd last year and Jenna [Kingsley] 30 the year before. If it’s going to be close, you need to have someone who dominates the comp.”

Ellie Brown scored a double as Warners Bay came from behind to beat Thornton 3-1 at Thornton Park on Sunday. The Redbacks led early after Taleah Mountford scored. The match was locked 1-1 at the break.

Tomeeka Davies was the other scorer for the Panthers, who back up Wednesday night against Magic before rounding out a tough seven-day period by playing New Lambton at Alder Park next Saturday.

Warners Bay were without experienced defender Airlie Davies due to injury on Sunday but coach Craig Atkins hoped she would be cleared to play Wednesday night and was also still sweating on an international clearance for American Jen Hoy.

“We gave Thornton the first goal and it was another soft goal that we conceded, so that’s something we really need to work on,” Atkins said.

“It could have easily been eight or nine-one, so we’ve got a bit of work to do in the final third to make sure we capitalise on all of our chances.”
Defending champions New Lambton are still yet to win a match this season after losing 3-0 to Mid Coast at Alder Park on Sunday. All three goals came in the second half and Mid Coast coach Michael Grass said: “In the end I think we were probably just the fitter team.”

Jess James scored twice and Layni Fens also got on the scoresheet as Mid Coast notched their second win of the season and moved to six points, level with Warners Bay.

The Eagles suffered a blow before kick-off when goalkeeper Ruby Jones was taken to hospital after sustaining a leg injury in the reserve-grade match. They then lost co-captain Toria Campbell around 20 minutes in to a knee injury and were without utility player Kaitlin Radstaak due to injury.

New Lambton coach Brad Jones was happy with what he described as “an arm wrestle” of a first half but said in the second half “we were just not up to scratch”.
“[After the first goal] our heads dropped, and I guess that’s the difference between having a team full of experienced players and a team, well both grades last year, that didn’t have to pick themselves up usually,” Jones said.

“Then we lost our composure and, to Middies credit, they felt that. They weren’t three goals better but we gave them three goals and they were good enough to finish them so they deserved it.
“For us, it’s just a lesson. The girls have got to understand that they’ve got to maintain their composure. I’ve asked for a response this week and that’s what I expect we’ll get.”

Pointscore: Olympic 9, Merewether 8, Adamstown 7, Warners Bay 6, Mid Coast 6, Magic 3, New Lambton 1, Thornton 0.

Round 4 results
Merewether 4 (Tamara Nash, Katy Gray, Ellie Butler, Jamee Ellis) defeated Broadmeadow 3 (Adriana Jones 2, Lucy Jerram) at Arthur Edden Oval on Friday night. Half-time: 3-3.
Olympic 6 (Jemma House 3, Stacey Day, Georia Amess, Laura Hall) beat Adamstown 0 at Darling Street Oval on Sunday. Half-time: Olympic led 2-0.
Warners Bay 3 (Ellie Brown 2, Tomeeka Davies) defeated Thornton 1 (Taleah Mountford) at Thornton Park on Sunday. Half-time: 1-1.
Mid Coast 3 (Jess James 2, Layni Fens) beat New Lambton 0 at Alder Park on Sunday. Half-time: 0-0.

Source: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au

NPL SENIORS:
On Saturday 18th July Newcastle Olympic took on Valentine at Darling St Oval and recorded two victories and a draw.

1st Grade drew 2-2
Goals: Kent Harrison 2 (2 pens)
Reserve Grade Olympic won 2-1
Under 18s Olympic won 6-0

WPL:
On Sunday 19th July Newcastle WPL teams played against Adamstown Rosebud at Darling Street Oval and recorded emphatic wins.
1st Grade Olympic won 6-0
Goals:
Jemma House 3, Stacey Day, Georgia Amess, Laura Hall.
Reserve Grade Olympic won 6-1
Under 17s Adamstown won 0-1
Under 14s Olympic won 3-1

YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic took on Lake Macquarie in Round 4 of the season at Macquarie Field on Sunday 19th July and won in all four age groups.

U16s Olympic won 3-1
U15s Olympic won 8-1
U14s Olympic won 16-0
U13s Olympic won 13-0

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic Zone League teams were scheduled to play Merewether Advance on Saturday 18th July at Jesmond Park but both games were washed out.

SAP/NET:
SAP u9s, u10s and u11s as well as NET u12s continued this weekend with our teams playing at LMFF, Johnston Park and Islington Oval against Wallsend, Jets Girls, Charlestown, Edgeworth and Maitland with all teams playing well and continuing their development.

OVER 35s:
Newcastle Olympic Over 35s kick were to play at Croudace Bay Complex2 vs Valentine on Friday night but this game was washed out.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors played Round 3 of the season on Saturday 18th July at Darling St Oval against Meryland Fletcher, South Wallsend, Hamilton Azzuri and Fletcher and recorded great performances in all the matches played.

source: Tom Tsamouras

MATCH OF THE ROUND
NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD
DARLING STREET OVAL – SUNDAY 3PM

It will be a case of youth versus experience at Darling Street Oval on Sunday as the star-studded Newcastle Olympic face off against a young Adamstown, with Rosebud top spot of the Herald Women’s Premier League table.
A win to Olympic on Sunday would see them jump Rosebud at the top but Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill said it was not something her side were putting too much focus on.
“At this point the focus is just on us,” Attwill said.
“Looking at the situation, we’ve only got a number of sessions under our belt and one or two games tackling and playing in our desired style so I wouldn’t say we’re focusing too much on anyone else, other than just trying to execute the things we’ve been working on at training.”
Olympic are expected to be without changes for the top of the table clash. Georgia Little had been under an injury cloud early in the week but has since been given the all clear to take the field.
The inclement weather earlier this week has proved a challenge for both sides in the lead up to the match, though neither coach believed it would impact the quality of play come Sunday.
“The weather has made it difficult to do any real tactical preparation leading into the weekend,”Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell said.
“We are still training our three sessions but only one of those we will get area to do larger scale tactical work.”
Rosebud appeared well structured against an experienced Merewether side at the weekend, with Campbell predicting a similar performance from his young squad.
“This weekend we are aiming to be more composed in possession in order to progress with the ball,” he said.
“Last week we were rushed at times which meant that we turned over the ball too often in dangerous areas.
“All players are fit and ready to go for the weekend which is great… it gives me lots of options in relation to the starting 11.”
Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm.

MEREWETHER UNITED V BROADMEADOW MAGIC
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – FRIDAY 8PM

WPL football makes a return to Friday night this weekend as Merewether do battle with newcomers Broadmeadow Magic at Arthur Edden Oval.
United head into the showdown having recorded just the one outright win across the first three rounds of the competition alongside two draws including last weekend’s scoreless clash with Adamstown.
“I’m pretty keen to go up against Magic and see where they’re at… I don’t think they’ve played any of the teams we’ve played yet, so it’s a little bit unknown,” Merewether coach Scott Ellis said.
The wet weather has done little to impact the Lammas preparations, despite the shorter than usual turnaround.
“We didn’t train on Tuesday. We had an indoor session on Wednesday. I think we’re going to be fine for Friday,” Ellis said.
“The girls as a whole are at a pretty good fitness level. We didn’t really have anyone who struggled through the game on Sunday… [we’ve had] no injuries and we’ve got a pretty strong bench.”
Friday’s match will be Merewether’s first visit to Arthur Edden Oval in season 2020, as the side switches match-days from its traditional home at Myamblah Crescent.
“Arthur Edden is a fantastic venue and the Jaffas have been great in helping us out,” Ellis said.
Meanwhile, Broadmeadow Magic will be buoyed by the return of Kalista Hunter as they look to make it two-in-a-row following their late win over New Lambton in round three.
“Kalista will be back this week after suspension which will strengthen the depth of the squad,” Magic coach Jake Curley said.
As for what to expect from the women in red, Curley said they would not change the formula which saw them defeat New Lambton 2-1.
“Similar to our performance on the weekend, good defensively and hopefully we create scoring opportunities,” he said.
“I have watched a replay of their game [Merewether v Adamstown] on the weekend looking for things we may be able to capitalise on. They look to be a strong team.”
Friday night’s clash is the first in a hectic 10-day window for Magic, who play Warners Bay in a deferred round one fixture next Wednesday, before heading to Adamstown to take on the Rosebuds the following Sunday.
“The girls have a big schedule coming up but they will have this weekend off which will give them a good rest in preparation for the upcoming weeks,” Curley said.

NEW LAMBTON V MID COAST
ALDER PARK – SUNDAY 3PM

Mid Coast will look to continue its strong form when they travel to Alder Park on Sunday to take on a New Lambton side hurting after a narrow loss to Broadmeadow Magic.
“Whilst the girls were hurting on Sunday afternoon, no one likes to lose in the 89th [minute]… I take a lot of positives from that,” New Lambton coach Brad Jones said.
“We did a recovery session in the gym on Monday night. There was a fair few battered and bruised bodies.”
The focus for the Eagles ahead of the clash with Mid Coast will be ensuring polish in the final third.
“I think we were pretty good. I’ve watched the game back. The chances we created were good, we just at the end of the day [rued] our finishing,” Jones said.
“We won’t change our approach. The football we played was good.
“We should be [unchanged]. [A] couple of girls [are] still a little bit sore but I expect everyone to be okay.
“We’ve got individual roles for our midfielders and a group task for the midfielders… so those guys have got to do a job there.”
Mid Coast head into the clash full of confidence despite a week interrupted by wet weather.
“We got washed out on Tuesday night… it cuts down the time we get together during the week. Wednesday will be it basically,” Mid Coast coach Mick Grass said.
“I don’t know how New Lambton are going to set up… it’s basically us concentrating on us.
“Getting our style, our processes. Get that right, we’ll be right.”
Courtney Anderson netted four goals for Middies at the weekend, with Grass confident she would have a similar impact this weekend.
It presents another challenge for young Eagles keeper Ruby Jones, who last week looked right at home matched up against Magic strike-weapon Adriana Jones.
“One of the things Rugby’s got is she is very quick over 10 metres, which is nice to have as a goalkeeper. If someone tries to put a ball through, we know she can get up and out really fast,” Jones said.
Heading into the clash New Lambton sit seventh on the table, while Mid Coast sit two points clear of the defending champions in sixth.

THORNTON REDBACKS V WARNERS BAY
THORNTON PARK – SUNDAY 3PM

Thornton will look to bounce back from a disappointing result at the weekend when they host Warners Bay on Sunday afternoon.
Mid Coast outclassed the Redbacks at Taree but coach Alan Primmer was not reading too much into the result given the shortened preparation.
“Everyone’s a little sore after the weekend, understandably. You can do lots of ball work and running [at training] but games are completely different and by following the rules we had only really had 10 days to properly prepare,” Primmer said.
Thornton will also be without Susan Randall and Thysje Hattaway.
“We will again try and knock the football around and get good numbers forward like last weekend. We have to remain alert at the back though, so we do not get countered like last Sunday,” Primmer said.
Thornton face a Warners Bay side also out to improve after a disappointing clash against Newcastle Olympic.
“We had a good indoor session on Tuesday and everyone’s pulled up okay and looking forward to making amends this weekend,” coach Craig Atkins said.
“The focus is still on us. We played some really good football last weekend so hopefully looking to build on that and just fix a few little areas.
“We know those areas we need to work on and looking forward to hopefully working on that on Thursday night.”
Star signing Jen Hoy is yet to receive an international clearance but Atkins is hopeful the 29-year-old will be able to take the field come Sunday.
“She’s training with us… she looks extremely fit and extremely sharp,” Atkins said.
“We want her out there and she wants to be out there playing.”
Sunday’s clash will be the first of three games in seven days for the Panthers, who face Broadmeadow Magic on Wednesday, before they meet New Lambton the following Saturday.
“Hopefully we’ll look to do some sort of recovery session next Tuesday, nice and light in preparation for the Wednesday night fixture,” Atkins said.
“It’s going to be a pretty hectic seven days.”

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

NPL SENIORS:
On Saturday 18th July Newcastle Olympic are at home to Valentine at Darling St Oval.
U18s kick off at 10:15AM
Reserves kick off at 12.15PM
First Grade kick off at 2:30PM

WPL:
On Sunday 19th July Newcastle WPL teams play against Adamstown Rosebud at Darling Street Oval.
U14s kick off at 9:00AM
U17s Kick off at 10:50AM
Reserve Grade kick off at 12:50PM
First Grade kick off at 3:00PM

YOUTH NPL:
Newcastle Olympic take on Lake Macquarie in Round 4 of the season at Macquarie Field on Sunday 19th July.
U13s kick off at 9:00 AM
U14s kick off at 11:00 AM
U15s kick off at 1:00 PM
U16s kick off at 3:00 PM

ZONE LEAGUE:
Newcastle Olympic Zone League teams play Merewether Advance on Saturday 18th July at Jesmond Park.
Reserve Grade kick off at 1:00PM
First Grade kick off at 3:00PM .

SAP/NET:
U9s White kick off at 8:45AM at LMFF Field 2B vs Wallsend, Sunday 19th July U9s Blue kick off at 8:45AM at LMFF Field 2A vs Jets Girls on Sunday 19th July
U10s White kick off at 3:15PM at LMFF Field 2B vs Wallsend, Sunday 19th July U10s Blue kick off at 3:15PM at LMFF Field 2A vs Jets Girls on Sunday 19th July
U11s White kick off at 12:00PM at Johnston Park vs Charlestown on Sat. 18th July U11s Blue kick off at 12:00PM at Johnston Park vs Lake Edgeworth on Saturday 18th July
U12s NET kick off at 9:00AM at Islington Park vs Maitland on Saturday 18th July

OVER 35s:
Newcastle Olympic Over 35s kick off at 8:00 PM at Croudace Bay Complex2 vs Valentine on Friday night 17th July.

Community Juniors:
Newcastle Community juniors play Round 3 of the season on Saturday 18th July.
U6s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval 1 against Meryland Fletcher.
U6s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against South Wallsend.
U6s/03 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against South Wallsend.
U7s/01 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Hamilton Azzuri.
U7s/02 kick off at 8:30AM at Darling St Oval against Hamilton Azzuri.
U8s/01 kick off at 10:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Hamilton Azzuri.
U8s/02 kick off at 9:30AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Hamilton Azzuri.
U8s/03 kick off at 8:30 AM at Darling St Oval MiniRoos against Fletcher.

source: Tom Tsamouras

Newcastle Olympic FC Under 14 YOUTH NPL, that currently sit on top of the Youth NPL 14s ladder, have a vacancy in their current 2020 team due to a recent long term injury.

If any player/ players are not committed to another NPL club, and interested in joining a very competitive, well coached team, please contact either the Technical Director Alex, ( 0497897716) or Ass. TD and Under 14 Team Coach George on ( 0403420425) for any questions and further enquiries.

source: Tom Tsamouras

NEWCASTLE OLYMPIC V VALENTINE PHOENIX
DARLING STREET OVAL – SATURDAY 2:30PM

Two clubs who got off to differing starts last round will collide for the first NPL match at Darling Street Oval for the new season.
Newcastle Olympic fought back from a goal down and a missed penalty to down Weston on their home turf 2-1, with Blake Green grabbing both goals in a match-winning performance.
New head coach Alex Tagaroulias enjoyed the fruits of an opening day win and will look to replicate that showing in front of the Olympic faithful on Saturday.
With so much optimism in the air surrounding Valentine, the Phoenix suffered a disappointing 5-0 defeat at the hands of Broadmeadow Magic to deflate some expectations with a poor defensive performance.
But the orange and navy will be desperate to atone for their previous showing and shake off the defeat with a victory this weekend.
Olympic introduced new signings Anthony Marenghi, the Fajkovic brothers and Nate Cavaliere in their win over Weston, while recruits Danny Ireland, Adam Hughes and Alex Read all featured for Valentine.
In the previous encounter between the two sides, Newcastle downed Valentine 4-0 in the final round of last season, although the last two meetings at Darling Street Oval have been tense affairs with the games ending in draws.
The order is more of the same from Tagaroulias as the new coach was highly impressed with his side’s previous effort.
“It was fantastic [against Weston last week]. I had very little time with the guys before the game and the manner of the victory, to go 1-0 down and there was chances for us to lose the battle. But the guys stepped it up even further,” Tagaroulias said.
“The boys do have some fight in them. I think [last week’s result] will hold them in good stead for the weeks to come.
“It’s very good to be back at Darling Street and Valentine have some great experience and you can’t deny their line-up and be very wary of them.
“I would like to see the same kind of fight and stick to whatever game plan we come up with. I think we’re in with a chance.”
The bounce back factor will be on the agenda for Valentine to quickly rebound from their opening loss and co-coach Sam Griffin said he believed his side was more than capable.
“I think we realised we had been effected by the break a bit more than we thought. Obviously the scoreline doesn’t help but it wasn’t all doom and gloom as we found some positives,” Griffin said.
“We’re aiming for a bit of success and the players want to show that what happened on the weekend doesn’t represent them properly. The loss wasn’t what we’re about and prove to themselves they’re up for the competition.
“Hopefully nice and flat conditions and we play without any fear, so we need to turn up and play to our capacity.”

LAMBTON JAFFAS V WESTON WORKERS
ARTHUR EDDEN OVAL – SATURDAY 2:30PM
After a scintillating return of football last weekend, NPL Northern NSW football is back for round two with a huge clash between Lambton and Weston the highlight. Many have touted the Jaffas as a premiership contender this season and the side, who placed second last year, enjoyed an opening round 1-0 win over Lake Macquarie.
The side registered 12 shots on target during the game but could only register the sole goal through a fantastic Kale Bradbery effort to seal the all-important three points, while introducing new faces Mitch Oxborrow, Matt Thompson and Bradbery to the line-up.
Weston on the other hand were leading for a period in their opening encounter against Newcastle Olympic only to eventually fall to two late goals and come up short in coach Leo Bertos’ first game in charge.
The Bears were without a couple of key players including late recruit Marcus Duncan but will be eager to get off the mark on Saturday.
Chris Hurley scored an incredible solo goal in their narrow loss to Olympic and will be a danger again in this fixture while new signings Connor Heydon, Aaron Niyonkuru and Jarryd Sutherland all featured in a new-look Weston attack last week.
Bradbery and Hurley were included in the opening round’s Team of the Week due to their notable performances and goals for their sides, which shapes as an intriguing contest in this fixture.
Arthur Edden Oval isn’t a happy hunting ground for the Bears having not won on the Jaffas’ home patch since 2014, the year the two clubs featured in the grand final when Lambton came out on top.
Lambton have had a great record against Weston in recent seasons while they could not be split last season in their two fixtures, with both teams winning their home games against each other respectively.
It will be the first opportunity for Lambton to run out at Arthur Edden Oval this year and coach James Pascoe said looked forward to the occasion.
“Pre COVID, we had some severe issues with our ground that forced us to play all of our pre-season games away from home, so it really has been quite a long time,” Pascoe said.
“We had a lot of individual unforced errors [last week] from very good footballers in my team so I don’t think I’ll see that two weeks in a row. So I expect to see an improvement, although in saying that I think we had 12 shots to three last week so I think there will be a natural improvement.
“I saw that after four or five rounds last year [Weston] were going to be really competitive and they were a pleasure to watch. I think Leo Bertos has the potential to do the same sort of thing for them, so I expect it to be a real tough game.
“Hopefully it pans out to be a good game for people to watch.”
After a disappointing loss and a surprise home defeat, Bertos and his side will be hungry to chalk up their first points of the season.
“I think it will be good to get our starting line-up on the field this weekend which is something we didn’t get to do for round one,” Bertos said.
“The opposition doesn’t get any easier with Lambton with the quality they have. A very proven, all-round defence and some lethal attackers backed up by some great midfielders that can dictate the game. So it will be a great challenge for us.
“We didn’t keep the ball as well as we would of liked [against Olympic] and our defensive structure needs to be more disciplined as we need to give them as few chances as possible.
“I think they had the best defence of last season so we need to take advantage of our opportunities.”

ADAMSTOWN ROSEBUD V EDGEWORTH EAGLES
ADAMSTOWN OVAL – SUNDAY 2:30PM
Adamstown will be tasked with toppling the high-flying Edgeworth Eagles but will be optimistic after their positive opening round win.
Both sides acquired the three points in their first outing, although it could be said Edgeworth’s giant 4-1 victory over premiers Maitland was a massive statement of intent.
The Eagles were in fine goal scoring form in the grand final rematch with four different goalscorers getting on the scoresheet including off season recruit and former Newcastle Jet, Kristian Brymora.
Captain Josh Evans also grabbed a goal to be announced in the Team of the Week but was accompanied in the opening round 11 by Rosebud defender and skipper Luke Rutledge, who was instrumental at the back for Adamstown.
The red and green held on for a clean sheet against Charlestown Azzurri which is something they failed to do during the entire 2019 season.
The last time Adamstown kept a clean sheet was round nine of 2018, intriguingly against upcoming opponent Edgeworth.
The result was a huge step moving forward for the side who finished last in 2019 and Sunday’s opponent, being the reigning champions, will be a great test to see where the Rosebuds are at.
The two historic clubs met in the annual Heritage Cup at the start of the year, with the Eagles running out 4-1 victors on that day to lift the pre-season silverware.
Adamstown were not flashy against Azzurri however ground out a result but coach Shane Cansdell-Sherrif said the side can go to another level.
“My approach has always been one game at a time. Last week, although a great win, it wasn’t a great game and we weren’t at our best so this week we will try to get that right and be firing,” Cansdell-Sherrif said.
“Edgeworth are a good team and club and we will show them their respect. We have a game plan but my focus is on more about what we do.
“The boys are excited to play at home. Let’s hope the weather has not affected the pitch too much.
“We invited as many of the local fans as possible to come down and support the boys.”
Edgeworth are a team all about consistency and interim coach Keelan Hamilton said the team would not get carried away with their latest outing.
“I think it’s going to be a different type of match for us this week. Obviously with the grand final rematch and everything surrounding the week, I think this week will be a standard match week and our mentality and approach will be key,” Hamilton said.
“We definitely have to improve. The result was great [against Maitland] but the performance probably wasn’t as good as we would of liked particularly around retaining possession in key areas.
“Last week was a physical match so there is a few little knocks but we’ll see how they come up and go from there.
“As a young coach it’s hard to get opportunities and the pathway for young coaches who didn’t have a big profile as a player is twice as difficult. So it’s exciting to get an opportunity [with Edgeworth]. Over the next couple of weeks I want to prove that I’m more than capable to do a job at this level and successfully.”

MAITLAND MAGPIES V LAKE MACQUARIE CITY ROOSTERS
COOKS SQUARE PARK – SUNDAY 2:30PM

Lake Macquarie will travel to play Maitland at Cooks Square Park, with both clubs looking to get on the board with points and kickstart their 2020 campaign.
Last season’s premiers, Maitland, suffered a tough 4-1 defeat to Edgeworth on opening day although showed positive signs with a handful of chances in attack but a couple of lapses in concentration at the back cost the black and white.
The Magpies introduced new signing Braedyn Crowley against the Eagles and last year’s Golden Boot winner showed glimpses of the damage he can cause defenders this season in his new colours, scoring a remarkable backheel goal to open his account for the year.
On the other hand, Lake Macquarie went down narrowly to Lambton 1-0, but certainly had their own moments to win the game with a couple of one-on-one opportunities.
Stuart Plant was monumental in goal for Lakes pulling off some impressive saves to earn an entry into the Team of the Week while the Englishmen and the entire Roosters defence will need to be on their game against Crowley, Joel Wood, James Thompson and co.
Maitland boast a tremendous record at their home ground remaining undefeated at Cooks Square Park on their way to their maiden premiership last season, which is a stat they would love to maintain this weekend.
It is a new look side for the Roosters this year under head coach Josh Rufo but Lakes showed their defensive nous to almost come away with a draw against Lambton.
Maitland will be keen to make amends for their opening day defeat and coach Mick Bolch said the Maitland side will be raring to go.
“We’ve got to compete more in the contest. We created enough chances against Edgeworth,” Bolch said.
“I think [Lakes] will be hard to break down which I expect from Josh as he sets his sides up fairly well and we’ve got to be patient and have a bit of composure on the ball.
“That was our best starting eleven ([ast week] and we’re happy with that. One bad result shouldn’t change a great deal and I’m sure if anything it will galvanise the boys and give them a point to prove this weekend.
“The boys enjoy playing [at Cooks Square Park] so it will be good to have the young guys and the youth up there watching to spur the boys on again this week.”
It doesn’t get any easier for Lakes to take on a wounded Magpies team on their home turf but Rufo said if his side stick to their guns, they can walk away with their first points of the year.
“NPL realistically every team is a challenge. Obviously Maitland are one of the top teams around but every week will be challenging and an exciting one,” Rufo said.
“To win stuff you have got to beat the good teams so that’s the mentality we have.
“In terms of the setup and principles of play nothing will change. We’ve just got to make sure we’re prepared to work harder than the opposition.
“Every game our work rate and attitude needs to be no different to what we put in against Jaffas. We do that every week we’ll score a goal and win a game.”

BROADMEADOW MAGIC V CHARLESTOWN AZZURRI
MAGIC PARK – SUNDAY 2:30PM

It will be the form side of round one in Broadmeadow Magic playing host to a wounded Charlestown Azzurri looking for a shot at redemption this weekend.
With both clubs vying for a coveted top four spot last year, it came down to the final match day between these two clubs and it was Magic who ended Charlestown’s season with a 1-0 win over Azzurri to move into the playoffs and end the blue and white’s hopes of a semi-final shot.
This season, the red and yellow are hot off a 5-0 thumping of Valentine and are excited for their return to Magic Park for the first time in 2020.
James Virgili hit the ground running scoring a double against the Phoenix while new recruits Sam Walker and Mitch Rooke also slotted straight into the line-up, with Rooke scoring a debut goal and earning a spot in the Team of the Week alongside the Virgili brothers and Jon Griffiths.
Along with the blow of losing their opening game against Adamstown, Azzurri will be without proven NPL goalscorers Scott Smith and Kane Goodchild for an extended period of time, while pre-season recruit Regan Lundy is still a couple of weeks away from a return.
Smith was the leading goal scorer in the league in 2013 while Goodchild has won that award three times and picked up the Player of the Year in 2016.
The significant losses won’t deter a determined Charlestown side who have had to blood a couple of younger players but will be desperate to show their quality and knock over Magic this weekend.
It will be tough though with Magic scoring over two-thirds of their league-best 46 goals last season at Magic Park, a stat they would love to reproduce this year.
Broadmeadow would have been jubilant with their opening showing and coach Anthony Richards knows the sign of a great side is to reproduce it the next week.
“That’s the challenge with the young team that we’ve got to back up a good result week in, week out and that’s our challenge to get to that level,” Richards said.
“It’s a terrific venue [Magic Park]. It is really good to play there, even for a visiting team it’s always good to play there.
“They’re a good side [Charlestown] Don’t be fooled by round one. They’ve got some good experienced players in Matt Tull, Rene Ferguson and Nathan Archibold. They will be tough to beat.
“We’ll have the same squad. We might try and rotate it this week but everyone got through last week injury free so we should be good to go.”
After a tough start to open the season with injuries and a loss, Charlestown coach Graham Law said he thoroughly believed his squad had enough quality to still compete.
“The guys are going to have to share the load. We’ve lost two of the most prominent goalscorers in the league, so we need to be able to replenish that across the park,” Law said.
“I’ve got a lot of belief in this squad. I know what they’re capable of and there is still a strong squad there and we’ll give it a crack.
“I will look to the youth and give these guys a chance over this year.
“There is an expectation for Magic to take the game to you [at home] and we’ll plan accordingly. And if we compete at our potential we can get a result.”

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au