George Tsamouras Football Journey

Congratulations to our Over 35 Friday Night Division A team, who were crowned Premiers last weekend.

It’s the first time we have entered a team in this “age level.” There are many familiar names in the team, with most having played Seniors with Olympic, including  Dimis x 2, Austin, Grenell, Thodas, West, James, Nicola, Safouris, Blakey, Scott, Devitis and Griffiths x 2. The team will play second placed Nelson Bay this coming Friday, 16^th August in the Major Semi- Final at 8.00pm at Seaham/ Bowthorne, with the winner progressing straight through to the Grand Final, whilst the looser has another chance the following weekend to get into the decider.

All the best to our Under 12A team, who finished as runners up, in their Major Semi- Final on Saturday, 17^th August at 9.00am at Tilligery. Coached by Peter Dimis, the boys will face Lambton, and will progress to the Grand Final with a win. Do your best, boys!

source: Tom Tsamouras

Expressions of Interest for our 2020 NPL (13-14-15-16s) – NET (12s) – SAP (9-10-11s)

The trial dates are as follows, and the times will be 5.30pm for a 6.00pm start:

⚽️Tue 13 Aug ​NET 12s ​​(Islington Park)
​⚽️Mon 02 Sep​ SAP 9s​​ (Darling St Oval)
⚽️Mon 23 Sep NPL 13s​​ (Darling St Oval)
⚽️Tue 24 Sep ​SAP 10s ​​(Darling St Oval)
⚽️Wed 25 Sep​ SAP 11s ​​(Darling St Oval)
⚽️Mon 14 Oct​ NPL 16s ​​(Darling St Oval)
⚽️Tue 15 Oct​ NPL 15s ​​(Darling St Oval)
⚽️Wed 16 Oct​ NPL 14s ​​(Darling St Oval)

Trials for the SAP 9s teams will be open, but you will need to register by submitting an EOI and confirming your attendance.

Trials for the remaining SAP, NET, and NPL teams will be by invitation after EOIs are registered.

To submit an EOI for any of the above, please go to the Hamilton Olympic FC home page or go to this link:
https://hamiltonolympic.com.au/npl-net-and-sap-team-trials/

Please note that EOIs for each team will close one week prior to the relevant trial date except for the U12’s NET.

source:Tom Tsamouras

The last NNSW NPL Catch-up Round takes place this weekend and there are massive games that all have implications on the tight premiership race, top four chase and wooden spoon scrap, including  the derby between Hamilton Olympic and Broadmeadow Magic from Round 14.

This Sunday is also our Old  Boy’s Day. Any Old Boy from any era of Olympic will be given free entry on this day. Whether you were a player, coach, manager or committee member you are more than welcome.

Sunday 11 August, at Darling St Oval

1st Grade kick off 2.30pm
Under 20s kick off 12.40pm
Under 18s kick off 10.55am

YOUTH  NPL:                                                                                                                Hamilton Olympic’s youth NPL teams take on Newcastle Jets on Saturday 10 August at Darling St Oval.

U13s kick off at 10.00am

U14s kick off at 11.40am

U15s kick off at   1.20pm

U16s kick off at    3.30pm

source:  Tom Tsamouras

Growing up, Reece Papadimitrios (Papas) quickly became a name full of promise and was widely regarded by many as one of the most talented players around, and it was that talent that took him to all parts of the world including trial stints at major English Premier League clubs Liverpool, Aston Villa and Stoke City and selection in the U/17’s Australian Joeys team.

Since then, Reece has starred and progressed through the Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners Youth Academies but has now found himself back where it all started, Hamilton Olympic. NPL Northern NSW league correspondent Quentin, caught up with Reece, who were actually former rivals on the field when they were young kids, to learn more about his incredible journey so far and whether he still has ambitions of progressing on.

Where and when did you start your junior career and how did you progress into senior football?

I started at Hamilton Olympic at the age of five and played there until I was 10. From there I progressed through the Northern NSW Football development programs and finished off in the Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners Youth teams before coming back to play senior football at Olympic. I’m now in my third season back at the club but I’ve been involved with the club all my life due to family connections.

What do you like to do in your spare time when you’re not playing football?

I work as an air conditioning and refrigeration mechanic. With work and football, it doesn’t leave too much spare time but every chance I get I like to socialise and have a few drinks with mates, spend time with the girlfriend and just chill out really.

What player has been one of your favourite players to play with and you have admiration for? Why?

I’ve been lucky enough to play with a number of good players but the one that sticks out for me would be our captain Kyle Hodges. His attitude and desire to play for the club and the shirt is second to none. He’s always giving 100% for his team-mates – that’s what sticks out most for me.

Which player is the hardest to play against? And why?

I’d say Micheal ‘Beanhead’ Kantarovski, he’s always a tough competitor. He’s always full of energy and in your face. He’s also not too bad with his feet too I suppose.

At a young age, you trailed overseas in England – what were some of the clubs you spent time at and what was that experience like? What did you learn from it all?

I was lucky enough to have trial stints at Aston Villa, Bolton, QPR, Stoke and Liverpool. The experience was unreal and was a real eye opener to see how far behind Australia is in football development. From the training facilities to the support staff, to the fans involvement and just the money pumped into the game over there, nothing compares to here.

The biggest thing I learnt is that the pool of top-quality players over there is a lot higher than here. Yes there is a population difference, but there are definitely greater opportunities for players over there than young players here. There is less politics in the sport over there as they give everyone equal opportunity – something Australian football could learn from.

You’ve spent a lot of time playing at elite levels with the Jets and Mariners Youth, and what was it like playing at that level for so long?

It was good to be involved in professional environments like that. It really helped me develop as a footballer and a man. Without those opportunities, I wouldn’t be the player I feel I am today.

What was the reasoning behind coming back to Hamilton?

I came back to Olympic when I reached a bit of a hurdle in my life. My time at the NYL level had come to an end and I had a choice to continue chasing the footballing dream or to find myself a job/career where I could build myself a future. At the time I felt that moving into the workforce was the best decision for me. I didn’t want to be finishing a footballing career and have nothing to fall back on. I feel I made the right decision.

Do you still have ambitions of potentially playing in the A-League or at a professional level?

At this stage no I don’t, I’m enjoying what I’m doing now. I’ve just bought a house so that and work is my main focus at this stage. In saying that who knows what the future holds.

What’s the most memorable moment(s) of your career so far?

I’ve been lucky enough to have plenty of memorable moments. The 2014 season where the Jets Youth won the premiership would be up there. Also, being involved and named in the Central Coast Mariners A-League squad was another thing I won’t forget.

But the two that stick out for me would be playing for my country at the U/17’s level and playing a game for Stoke City against Chelsea in the U/20’s Premier League.

Who’s the most influential person in your career?

I’d probably have to say influential ‘people’ as it’s been a team effort. Without the support of Mum, Dad & Paupau (pop) I wouldn’t have had the opportunities that I’ve been lucky enough to have. So those three are easily the most influential people in my career and life.

What are you hoping to achieve for this year’s season? Individually and as a team?

We don’t really have much to play for now as we’re out of the contention for finals, but I think both individually and as a team we are going to give everything to finish off the year strong and start to build a good foundation for 2020.

What’s your plans for the future of your career? Where are you hoping to progress?

I’ve got no real plans at this stage. I’m enjoying what I’m doing both on and off the park, so I think more of that is what you can expect from me.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au/

Maitland FC 3 (M. Swan 4’, Clarke 69’, Cowburn 85’) def. Hamilton Olympic 0

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, Cooks Square Park

Concluding what has been one of the biggest weeks in Maitland’s club history, the Magpies put on a solid display to shut-out Hamilton and stake their claim at both playing finals once again, but also at a chance to win their second-ever premiership.

In the reverse fixture, Olympic put on a clinic to win 4-0, but this time around, the hosts were focused on getting on the offensive early and it led to a goal in the first five minutes after some delicate passing being finished off with a Matt Swan header from close range thanks to a pinpoint cross from Ryan Clarke.

The visitors struggled to gather any momentum that resulted in chances in the final third as the Magpies’ strong defence kept them at bay throughout the first half.

In the second stanza, the hosts looked to pile on the pressure for their opponents and James Thompson proved to be a constant threat, as was Clarke who, after having a golden chance saved not long earlier, had his persistence pay off weaving his way onto a bouncing through ball and popping into the top of the net to double the lead.

Nothing was working out for Olympic and it was typified in the play that saw Rhys Cooper’s rocketing volley only kept out by some desperate defending from Maitland captain Carl Thornton who threw his body in front of the ball to keep a clean sheet.

The Magpies would seal the game not long later through their former Newcastle Jets star Nick Cowburn who curled a shot in the bottom corner of the goal to pick up his first since linking up with the Coalfields club mid-season and extend their winning margin to three.

Maitland now move into third place on the table despite playing a game or two less than their fellow top four compatriots and are beginning to firm as potential favourites to take out the premiership title if they can continue their red-hot form.

Magpies’ coach Mick Bolch was impressed with his team’s performance following an challenging midweek battle against the Central Coast Mariners.

“I couldn’t be happier with the effort today. I thought we were pretty comfortable,” Bolch said.

“We were pretty banged up after the Wednesday night’s game. There were a lot of sore boys and it’s probably hard to get up the next day after playing in front of a crowd of 3,000 in that sort of atmosphere.

“Olympic have nothing to play for except to spoil a few sides in the semis, so for me it was a big banana-skin type of game.”

With the side sitting in the drivers’ seat for an incredible premiership run, the former Hamilton coach admitted the team weren’t getting ahead of themselves and instead were putting in the effort to make sure no points slipped especially in their important game coming during the week.

“We’re starting to get a lot stronger across our squad now,” he said.

“The group are putting a lot of pressure on themselves. They’re fighting for semi-finals spots so there’s a lot of competition amongst themselves.

“There’s plenty of experience that keep the boys with level heads.

“For me, realistically, our game against Jaffas on Wednesday night is massive. Whoever wins Wednesday night has a massive foot in the door.”

For Hamilton, they continue to squander well below the top six in eighth and will finish their year in a mid-table position in what can only be described as a lacklustre year for the boys in blue, however, they do have a chance of creating a highlight in their season when they take on arch-rivals Broadmeadow Magic in the Red and Blue Derby next weekend.

Under 20s Olympic won 2-0
Under 18s Olympic won 7-1

NPL Youth
Maitland vs Olympic
Under 16s Olympic won 2-0
Under 15s Olympic won 3-2
Under 14s drew 0-0
Under 13s Olympic won 13-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Merewether
1st Grade Merewether won 2-3
2nd Grade Olympic won 2-0

IN OTHER GAMES:

Lambton Jaffas 2 (Sutton 67, Crowley 90+1’) def. Broadmeadow Magic 0

Saturday 3 August, 2:30pm, Arthur Edden Oval

Lambton have made a major impression on the top four and premiership race after taking down Broadmeadow in a terrific match where both goalkeepers shined.

Jaffas’ keeper Brad Swancott proved why he’s still getting starts despite the arrival of former Newcastle Jets gloveman Ben Kennedy, stopping two early shots from Magic’s James Virgili and Josh Piddington from inside the box.

His side weren’t able to create many worthwhile opportunities in the first half, but in the second, the hosts came alive.

Josh Sutton was looming as a threat on the right-hand side, as was Braedyn Crowley in the middle, however down the other end of the field, Swancott was once again called upon to save a shot from James Virgili, before Will McFarlane showed some desperation to clear the rebound off the line.

Moments later, it looked like the breakthrough would come when the Jaffas were awarded one of two penalties of the game. Crowley stepped up, but his shot was well-parried by Paul Bitz to keep the game level although there would be nothing he could do on a later play that led to the first goal.

A goalmouth scramble where multiple clearances were attempted landed at the feet of an unmarked Sutton who blasted it into the bottom corner of the net.

The Magicians continued their barrage on goal looking to equalise, but were constantly met by the brilliant hands of Swancott denying Kristian Brymora, and Virgili twice more.

As stoppage time ticked over, a desperate Broadmeadow sent a large number of bodies forward looking for their goal, and it left a gaping defence of which Crowley exploited, dashing past tired legs and burying it past Bitz in goal.

As was the trend of the day, a very late penalty for the visitors looked as though it may spell at least one goal for the day, but Lambton’s veteran goalkeeper had other ideas, saving Virgili’s shot from the spot expertly.

Although Lambton still sit on the outside of the top four, they are now just two points away from Broadmeadow above them but have a game in hand and in addition to that, sit just five points away from the current league leaders Edgeworth who they have two games in hand of.

The defending Grand Final winners are still within a shout of the premiership despite experiencing just their third loss of the year, but, exemplifying how close the competition is this year, they also are at strong risk of missing out on finals if they aren’t able to bounce back.

Newcastle Jets Youth 1 (Petratos 2’) drew with Adamstown Rosebud 1 (Keogh 16’)

Saturday 3 August, 2:30pm, Adamstown Oval

For the third game in a row, Adamstown have picked up points this weekend getting a tight draw against the young Newcastle Jets Youth.

The game didn’t start in the hosts’ favour though as Maki Petratos let loose with a long shot that found its way past Daniel Eisenhauer in goals and into the back of the net after 90 seconds of football.

The Rosebuds weren’t fazed by the early deficit though and worked their way back into the game as Finn Beasley came close to scoring, before Mat Keogh got his second goal for the year with a strong, looping header to equalise.

Petratos continued to trouble the defence of Adamstown, but Eisenhauer was fit for the task pulling off multiple saves to deny Petratos and his teammates.

That continued to be the case in the second half as Eisenhaur was called upon again for his side, even making three saves in rapid succession to deny Petratos, Joey O’Connor and Jack Simmons, all from close range.

Neither side were able to find the killing blow to their opposition leaving both with a frustrating draw as the season nears an end.

The Rosebuds are still in the dogfight going on to avoid the wooden spoon and currently sit in equal last-place but are ahead of their low-tabled rivals on goal difference.

The Jets continue to squander in mid-table obscurity for 2019 and can only finish in seventh or eighth over the last few games.

Valentine Phoenix 3 (Garland 45+1’, Pearson 90’, Paul 90+1) def. Edgeworth Eagles 1 (Rose 78’)

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, CB Complex

In arguably the biggest upset of the season, Valentine pulled out two late goals to overcome an in-form Edgeworth side in their hopes of avoiding a second consecutive wooden spoon.

As many would have expected, the Eagles took the ascendancy early with the majority of possession and created two golden opportunities in the first half.

The first came from a goalmouth scramble that ended with Josh Rose having his shot saved and cleared off the line by Perry Budeen, Valentine’s goalkeeper, before Aden Gardner then had his hit headed over the bar by Josh Murray stopping a certain goal.

Despite the large time the Phoenix spent defending the league-leaders, the first goal of the game actually came courtesy of the hosts on the brink of half-time following a huge goalkeeping blunder by Josh Low that gifted Bailey Garland an easy finish into an open net.

Trailing in the second-half, Edgeworth’s task would only get more challenging as the team fell to 10-men after what can only be considered a brain-snap by key forward Oliver Smith who was shown his second yellow card for a reckless challenge, and just seconds later, proceeded to head-butt Jacob Bailey as he left the field – an action that could see him missing from the side for some time.

In famous Edgeworth fashion though, the visitors didn’t give up hope despite the numbers disadvantage and with just over ten minutes left in the game, the Eagles notched up an equaliser through their veteran defender as Rose skilfully controlled a cross from Gardner and clinically tucking it into the side of the goal.

The drama at Croudace Bay wouldn’t stop there though, as Valentine youngster Kaleb Pearson provided an epic twist in the tale, latching himself onto a through ball that saw him in acres of space, before beating a defender and toeing it into the bottom of the goal right on the stroke of stoppage time.

One of the hosts’ star men Matt Paul put the cherry on top just a minute later, striking the ball from distance past Low to seal one of the most surprising results of the year as the Phoenix knocked off the defending premiers.

The victory for Valentine snaps a seven-game losing streak as well as a 12-game losing run against Edgeworth, but more importantly puts them within a chance of avoiding the dreaded last-place as they enter the last few weeks of the competition.

Coach of the Phoenix Sam Griffin, was over the moon with the major upset and stating the result was a compensation for the effort the team had been putting in over the year.

“It’s been a very tough year… but I’m just so happy for them because they deserve it – they deserved some reward for what they’re putting in,” Griffin said.

“We needed everything to go right to beat them, and it did.

“There’s obviously some luck there as well, but that’s the game. We took our chances, and they didn’t.”

“We definitely matched them physically and in parts were dominant in that way.

“We’ve threatened to do this in so many games that it’s not a surprise but when they scored an equaliser in the last ten minutes, we’ve been guilty of giving it away previously, so to have the mental fortitude to say ‘no, we’re not going to let it happen again’… I couldn’t fault any of the boys today.”

Near the top of the table, with the two teams below them dropping points over the weekend, the Eagles will be kicking themselves after missing out on the chance to put one hand on the premiership trophy, and now, the title is once again anyone’s to take.

Weston Bears 2 (Morris 18’, Tjien-Fooh 86’) drew with Charlestown City Blues 2 (Goodchild 26’, Ferguson 72’)

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, Rockwell Automation Park

Going by the purple patch in form from these two sides heading into this match, there didn’t look to be anything that would separate them and that’s exactly how it turned out as Weston and Charlestown traded leads to finish all square.

The Bears were the first to get onto the scoresheet thanks to their captain Nathan Morris who made a searching run forward from the backline and ended up smashing in a volley low into the goal, but their early lead wouldn’t stay around for long.

Charlestown defender Riley McNaughton made a strong, sliding challenge and the rebound fell perfectly for an on-running Kane Goodchild who made no mistakes slotting it into the side of the goal scoring his fourth of the year and equalising the game.

The second half saw much of the same frantic football that was displayed in the first, and both sides went close to nabbing the lead early on. Rio Nishuira launched a shot from distance that was saved, then Jason Tjien-Fooh had his volley denied by the woodwork.

Both teams were knocking on the door but it would be the visitors who found the second-half breakthrough after some lovely work by Rene Ferguson who did well to chest down a cross and smack a volley on his turn high in the goal over the head of Weston goalkeeper Tristian Esquiliant.

The Blues looked in control and had two great chances to double their lead and possibly seal the game, but Esquiliant pulled off two terrific saves – one from point blank range to deny Ferguson of a double.

With the game looking in favour of Charlestown, up stepped the Bears’ Dutchman, as Tjien-Fooh showed some skill and class to beat a defender and smash home a goal into the bottom corner with just under five minutes remaining.

Drama continued to ensue at Bear Park though as the two teams traded goal-scoring chances in the five minutes of stoppage time.

First Tjien-Fooh was denied of a second goal by the feet of Nate Archibold in goals and seconds later, the ball was cleared off the line by defender Kevin Davison, while down the other end, a last minute free-kick from McNaughton looked destined to perch itself in the top corner had it not been for a diving effort from Esquilant.

Fans were able to finally breathe as the full-time whistle sounded, but both coaches will feel they could have taken all three points in one of the more exciting games seen this season.

Charlestown’s finals hopes have taken a slight hit, but they are still well and truly in the fight for a top four spot and are only six points off the top with two games in hand of the top two teams, while for the Bears they’ve let a golden opportunity slip.

A win for Weston would have seen them take first place back from Edgeworth, but instead they remain stuck behind by one point and locked in a six-way battle for the ultimate prize.

Lake Macquarie City Roosters had the bye.

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com

Maitland FC (4th) vs. Hamilton Olympic (8th)

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, Cooks Square Park

Maitland host Hamilton this weekend coming off the back of their huge FFA Cup match where they lost to Central Coast Mariners and will need to return their focus to the league if they want to continue challenging for the premiership.

When the two met last time out though, Hamilton put on a terrific display defeating the Magpies 4-0 in what has been one of their best performances to date, but since then their opponents have experienced a great run of form having only downed once in eight games.

Additionally, Olympic have been the only team who have managed to keep Maitland scoreless this season, but when playing at home at Cooks Square Park, the Magpies have been formidable.

They still are yet to be defeated at their home, and have scored 19 of their 31 goals there, while on the flip side, Hamilton have only managed to win one game when playing away which came all the way back in Round 1.

Joel Wood has been a man that has continue to shine for the black and white and sits on 11 goals for the year, just one off from being the Golden Boot leader, but he’ll have his work cut out for him when he meets a rather strong defence including the likes of Marcus Duncan and Kyle Hodges.

Olympic look to be cemented in a mid-table position for the rest of 2019, however Maitland sit right on the precipice of potentially challenging for top spot or tumbling out of the top four altogether making this match of extreme importance this weekend.

U18s kick off at 10.55 am on Sunday 4^th August at Cook square Park Maitland.

U20s kick off at 12.40 pm on Sunday 4^th August at Cook square Park Maitland.

YOUTH NPL

Maitland vs Hamilton Olympic on Saturday 3^rd August at Cook square Park

U13s kick off at  9.30

U14s kick off at 11.10

U15s kick off at 12.50

U16s kick off at  2.30

IN OTHER GAMES

Lambton Jaffas (6th) vs. Broadmeadow Magic (3rd)

Saturday 3 August, 2:30pm, Arthur Edden Oval

2017’s NPL NNSW champions meet the 2018 champions this weekend as Magic travel to Lambton in a game that could significantly damage one another’s season goals toward the top of the table.

As has been the incredible trend of this year’s tight competition, despite their mid-table position, just eight points is the difference between the Jaffas and Edgeworth in first, but their main priority will be to make sure they find themselves inside the top four as the season comes to an exhilarating close.

Broadmeadow are in a back-and-forth race for the premiership and will continue to push the two teams above them all the way in what has been a brilliant title race thus far.

The Magicians could find themselves at the equal-top of the league after this match, while Lambton could also work their way into the top four, however, a loss for either could ruin their hopes of achieving either of those objectives.

A deflected Matt Hoole strike was all that separated the two sides last time out as Magic won the Elders Charity Shield and continued their undefeated run against the Jaffas that has now run since July 2015.

This 2019 Lambton side has been enjoying playing at home this year though having only dropped four points from their eight matches played there, and in recent weeks, their form has been strong as they boast four wins from their past five matches with three of those being clean sheets.

In contrast, the Magic men have struggled away from Magic Park with only two wins next to their name seven outings they’ve had, but they haven’t tasted defeat in the league in over two months and in fact, have lost only twice this year which is the best in the league.

Braedyn Crowley and James Virgili will be obvious players to watch out for given they’ve both scored 11 times this year, but a real battle to watch will be how midfielders Michael Kantarovski (Lambton) and Mitch Oxborrow (Broadmeadow) can manipulate the contest.

Newcastle Jets Youth (7th) vs. Adamstown Rosebud (10th)

Saturday 3 August, 2:30pm, Adamstown Oval

Adamstown have managed to accrue four points from their past two matches and will be hoping they can continue that trend when they come up against the Jets Youth who have struggled in that area recently.

The young Jets side have gone down in their last three matches and in two of those appearances they failed to score – a statistic that had only occurred once prior.

The Rosebuds have one of the worst attacking records in the competition however, and when playing at home, they haven’t scored in any of their past five games.

Jack Simmons was the only goal-scorer in their 1-0 win earlier in the year over Adamstown and it’s been almost four years since his side has lost to this weekend’s hosts.

With a slight edge of form on the side of the Rosebuds, factors may also be that little bit harder for the Jets considering they took on Lakes during the week where they went down in a high-scoring 4-3 affair.

While the Jets look to be stranded in mid-table limbo for the rest of the year, Adamstown are still within touching distance of the dreaded wooden spoon and with just two games left to play in their season, anything but a win will put them at risk.

Valentine Phoenix (11th) vs. Edgeworth Eagles (1st)

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, CB Complex

It’s been a tough run of results for Valentine and things only get tougher this weekend when they meet the table-topping Eagles.

The two have experienced completely opposite form that’s seen Edgeworth take full points from their last six games, which includes their FFA Cup Round of 32 fixture against Darwin Olympic, while contrastingly, the Phoenix have lost all of their past seven.

The hosts have now fallen to the bottom of the table in past weeks and face the unwanted prospect of collecting a second straight wooden spoon while the visitors have continued to etch themselves in the running for a historic premiership.

It’s been 12 straight wins for the Eagles when they’ve faced Valentine which includes their FFA Cup Round 7 match back in June that saw the defending premiers pull off a big 5-0 victory.

That defensive lapse has continued through the league since then having conceded a huge 24 goals in just seven games, plus they’ve still not kept a clean sheet this year and it’s a trend coach Sam Griffin knows they need to turn around this weekend if they’re a chance to defeat the Eagles.

“Obviously defensively is where we’ve struggled and that’s across everyone,” Griffin said.

“There’s been twice where we haven’t scored goals. That’s a good thing, but because we’re trying to play and score goals, were leaving ourselves vulnerable so we need to find the right balance.

“Realistically, for us to beat Edgeworth, everything has to go right so that has to be the mentality for us. We have to be pushing to do everything right. We don’t have opportunities to sit back or relax and not do the little things.

“There’s no opportunity for anything other than our absolute best because we know that’s what it’s going to take to beat them.”

Despite the team enduring another disappointing season, Griffin admitted he was proud of the way his side continue to fight for points and hoped that the return of Ben Hay and Josh Carroll could spark them back into life.

“I can’t fault the guys’ attitude. We’re still getting terrific numbers at training, it’s pouring down rain, but they still want to get stuck in,” he said.

“They’ll [Hay and Carroll] be in there in some capacity… they’ll have a role to play at some stage.

“Ben is one of the best players in the league and there wouldn’t be a team in the league who wouldn’t be affected by losing that kind of quality.”

Weston Bears (2nd) vs. Charlestown City Blues (5th)

Sunday 4 August, 2:30pm, Rockwell Automation Park

Two of the in-form sides of the competition go toe-to-toe this weekend as Charlestown, who have won five of their last six, come up against a Weston Bears outfit on the prowl for an underdog premiership.

Not many touted the coalfields club as one to be at the top of the table at this point in the season, but the Bears have continued to attain results having only lost one game from their past 10.

The hosts have just three matches remaining in the season, with their next game coming against the league-leading Edgeworth Eagles and if they want any chance of toppling the defending premiers in that one, a win against the Blues this weekend is a necessity.

The visitors have their own goals they’re chasing though and sit currently right just on the outskirts of the top four and although their main focus will be on capturing a top four finish for the first time since 2014, if their next few results go their way, they could be in-line for a premiership challenge themselves given how tight the table is.

Charlestown still have games in hand of the teams above and are just five points away from this weekend’s opponents, but they’ll be wary of the danger Weston bring considering their 2-0 loss in the reverse fixture earlier in the year.

A first half red card to Tom Smart changed the complexity of that match, and coach David Tanchevski will be hoping that a disadvantage like that doesn’t hinder them again but will have been boosted with confidence given their recent run in defence that’s seen them concede in just two of their past five games.

Regardless of that, Tanchevski admitted his side were expecting to have a tough game on their hands.

“Weston are probably one of the form teams of the competition, so we know how dangerous they can be,” said Tanchevski.

“It’s been a pleasing run from the boys over the past couple of weeks.

“If we can beat Weston, and then win our two games in hand, that potentially puts us in the premiership race… If we lose this weekend, it makes it very hard to catch Weston, but a win puts us in a very strong position.”

With the Blues knocking on the door of the top four, Tanchevski confessed his side were feeling confident and securing a place in the finals and knew their fate is completely in their hands.

“We’re flying a bit under the radar,” he said.

“We’re thinking we probably need to win three of our last games to play semis.

“All we can do is focus on ourselves and just keep winning.

“It’s exciting times for the neutral, not so much if you’re a coach,” he jokingly concluded referring to the closeness of this year’s league.

Lake Macquarie City Roosters (9th) have the bye

Source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic 2 (McGuiness 33’, Kawachi 90+1’) drew with Adamstown Rosebud 2 (Heydon 43’, 44’)

Saturday 27 July, 5:00pm, Darling Street Oval

Hamilton have made a habit of leaving it late to draw level with sides below them on the table, having done so again on Saturday night in their match with Adamstown to deny the Rosebuds the three points.

The first third of the game was a rather cagey affair as both looked to build supremacy over the other with the majority of possession swaying to Hamilton and it created a chance for Scott Pettit who placed his early shot just wide of the goal.

His team would find the breakthrough not long later though when Jake McGuinness pulled the trigger from the corner of the box with his shot seemingly being aided by a bobble to beat Daniel Eisenhauer in goals.

The visitors’ would completely turn the game around on its head right on the stroke of half-time thanks to a Connor Heydon double.

The first came from a well-placed shot delivered from the edge of the box after a nice cut-back from Manoli Papas, but his second was courtesy of all his own work after holding off a couple of defenders and launching a shot from long range to chip Jez Murray in goal with style.

The second half was again tense and guarded as Adamstown tried to find the nail in the coffin, but Olympic continued to hold on and make chances for themselves, and the fourth goal of the game occurred in the dying minutes.

As the clock ticked over into stoppage time, a Hamilton cross wasn’t cleared by the Rosebud defenders and it left Shinichi Kawachi to belt the ball into the roof of the goal from close range to steal a point out from under the noses of their opposition.

Olympic remain in eighth place without much room to move either up or down on the table for the rest of the season, while for Adamstown though the draw will hurt considering their current spot on the table leaving them in the scrap for the wooden spoon.

U20s Olympic won 2-0
U18s Adamstown won 0-1

NPL Youth
Mid North Coast vs Olympic
U16s Olympic won 6-0
U15s Olympic won 2-0
U14s Olympic won 8-1
U13s Olympic won 3-0

Over 35s
Olympic 5-1 Stockton

IN OTHER GAMES:

Weston Bears 1 (Lundy 39’) drew with Broadmeadow Magic 1 (Oxborrow 34’)

Sunday 28 July, 2:30pm, Rockwell Automation Park

It was a game that could have decided who was going to be Edgeworth’s biggest competition in the premiership race, but instead neither Magic or Weston could not trump one another leaving the top three all still within a chance of achieving top spot.

It was a brilliant back-and-forth affair at Bear Park and it was the home team’s Jason Tjien-Fooh, who looked like he had bagged the opener on two early occasions.

Within the first ten minutes, the Weston forward fired away a deflected shot that knocked into the upright and dribbled on the wrong side of the goal-line before being cleared. Then not long later, after some good defensive work by Regan Lundy inside the oppositions’ box, a rebound fell nicely for the Dutchman who put it into the back of the end but was recalled for offside.

The visitors slowly worked their way into the game and it looked like Cody Carroll had found a surprising first goal jumping on the end of a cross and some sloppy defending, but his shot was met by an incredible reflex save from Tristian Esquilant in goals to keep the game level.

There was nothing the Bears’ keeper could do when Mitch Oxborrow came knocking though – the former Hyundai A-League midfielder dived onto a cross from wide, slamming it into the goal for the lead, but it didn’t last long at all.

Lundy had proven to be dangerous for the first quarter of the game and after some nice work from Chris Hurley, turned that danger into a goal, slotting it low into the goal to equalise the game before half-time.

The second half saw the hosts looked to seize control and they create multiple opportunities, but just couldn’t find a second, winning goal.

Lundy continued to be a threat, as did Liam Wilson and Mark Offeh, but all their efforts were met by strong saves from Paul Bitz, and in the end, there wasn’t anything else to separate the sides.

Weston’s coach Kew Jaliens confessed he felt his side deserved just the one point but praised his team for their resilience throughout the match.

“In the end, I think a draw might be the right result,” Jaliens said.

“We both could have won the game, and we both could have lost the game. We both had multiple chances to score a goal.

“We made multiple mistakes which caused them to score their goal, but we regathered ourselves and kept going.

“We need to learn from the mistakes that lead to the goal against us.”

Broadmeadow continue their unbeaten streak and stretch it now to six matches, but the Bears still remain in second spot just two points behind Edgeworth and one in front of their opposition, however they’ve played one more game.

Maitland FC 3 (Read 23’, Wood 36’(P), 85’) def. Lake Macquarie City Roosters 2 (Charlesworth 59’, Walker 90+1’)

Friday 26 July, 6:30pm, Cooks Square Park

Maitland will go into their FFA Cup fixture on Wednesday night with form under their belt after collecting the three points against Lake Macquarie at home and keeping their name amongst the premiership contenders list.

James Thompson has been a name of note with his contributions in the last few weeks for the Magpies, and he almost found his way onto the scoresheet once more, but his shot agonisingly found its way into the path of the upright instead of the back of the net.

Minutes later though, Thompson would step up as a facilitator instead, beating his defender down the sideline and placing a spectacular cross in to the feet of Alex Read who slotted it coolly.

The hosts kept up the pressure and it lead to a penalty decision going in their favour just before the break and it was their consistent scorer Joel Wood who successfully converted it from the spot to double the lead.

The Roosters didn’t go away without a fight though and early in the second half Nick Charlesworth found himself on the end of a delicious through ball from Sam Walker, and with one touch, the youngster buried it in the bottom corner giving his side a bit of life.

Maitland weren’t rattled by the Lakes goal though and in the last few minutes of the game, Wood seemed to have put the result beyond all doubt smashing the ball past the Roosters’ keeper Stuart Plant from a rather acute angle, but there still a late twist supplied by the visiting team captain.

Just as stoppage time ticked over, Sam Walker managed to work his way in behind the Magpies’ defence and delivered a pinpoint shot that used the post to find the goals, but the side weren’t able to pull off a miraculous comeback and the three points went the way of the home side.

Maitland will now turn their attention to their home FFA Cup match against Central Coast Mariners in their first-ever appearance in the Round of 32, while Lakes continue to sit just above their Lake Macquarie rivals Valentine in the wooden spoon battle.

Lambton Jaffas 3 (Sutton 30’, Parris 81’, 84’) def. Newcastle Jets Youth 0

Saturday 27 July, 2:30pm, Arthur Edden Oval

Over what has been a tough and difficult couple of recent weeks for the Lambton players, staff and fans following the tragic passing of team manager Rob Etheridge, the Jaffas pulled out a strong performance to down the Jets Youth and keep their finals hopes alive and kicking.

The Jets’ young star Maki Petratos troubled the hosts’ goal early on with a long-range shot being parried over the bar by Ben Kennedy, but the opening goal came from a counter-attacking move of the Jaffas as Braedyn Crowley skipped away from the defenders before playing in Josh Sutton to score from easy, close range.

Even without their captain and key defender Michael Sessions, the Lambton defence held strong against the Jets attack with the only major threat in the second half coming from Sam Donnellan who’s shot was stopped by Kennedy.

In the late stages of the match, the hosts extended their slim margin following two goals from Finn Parris – the first being a skilfully volleyed effort from a cross, and the second being a goal-mouth scramble.

Lambton remain in sixth position on the table but are still within touching distance of the top four just three points behind Maitland in fourth and possess a superior goal difference compared to the other sides around them.

For the Jets Youth, they look like they’ll once again end their season in a mid-table position after picking up their second straight loss, and their fifth in their past seven games.

Charlestown City Blues 4 (McNaughton 6’, Smith 8’(P), Lewis 20’, Ferguson 87’) def. Valentine Phoenix 1 (Garland 36’)

Sunday 28 July, 2:30pm, Lisle Carr Oval

Charlestown have continued their quest for a top four finish with their fifth victory in six games thanks to an early onslaught over Valentine at home.

The hosts began the game in frantic fashion with goal-scoring opportunities for Lachlan Pasquale and Scott Smith, and after just six minutes, Riley McNaughton broke the deadlock curling in a terrific long-range free-kick.

The lead for the Blues would be doubled only a couple of minutes later after the side were awarded a penalty, and their trusty forward Smith, stepped up to the plate and easily slotted it home.

Next up on the scoresheet for Charlestown was Cal Lewis who was played in behind the defence well, and although his initially touched looked like it would be snatched up by Perry Budden in goals, it somehow trickled past the keeper and into the net for a third goal.

Just as they did in the reverse fixture earlier in the year after going down by three goals early on, Valentine bounced back and did so through their prolific striker Bailey Garland from just inside the box.

The Phoenix tried their best to find a way back into the game, with the best chance of the second half coming from Kaleb Pearson, but in the end, Charlestown sealed the deal late on with a Rene Ferguson goal set up perfectly by Rio Nishiura when one-on-one with the visitors’ goalkeeper.

The win now sees the Blues remain two points behind Maitland and only four points away from Broadmeadow in third, keeping their finals hopes well and truly alive.

For Valentine, their loss continues a disappointing run of form having now lost their last seven games straight and keeps them anchored to the bottom of the table.

 Edgeworth Eagles had the bye.

source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Hamilton Olympic (8^th) vs. Adamstown Rosebud (9^th)

Saturday 27 July, 5:00 pm, Darling Street Oval

For the first time in over two months, Hamilton finally got back a victory and their upcoming opponents Adamstown will be hoping they can display that same kind of fight they showed to win the reverse fixture back on Anzac Day.

The Rosebuds had only been able to manage six points from two wins this season, and since that day they beat Hamilton, they had only scored two goals in eight matches. That was until their Wednesday night fixture against Valentine where they produced two very late goals to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Last weekend Rosebuds were toppled by Lakes for the second time this year and were kicked down to last-place on the table before defeating the Phoenix, and now, if they can manage a victory over Olympic, they’ll be four points clear of their wooden spoon rivals.

Having built their squad on the strength of their defence, Hamilton has struggled in that area since the halfway point of the season but last week managed to keep their first clean sheet since mid-May and as a result, took all three points.

Scott Pettit scored once again in that match and featured as part of the NPL NNSW Team of the Week, as did fellow goal-scorer Reece Papas and defender Marcus Duncan and goalkeeper Jez Murray for their efforts.

For Adamstown, Liam Ryan has been the standout in an otherwise disappointing last few weeks, and if they want to avoid claiming the wooden spoon for 2019, he and his side have to continue to scrape together results as they did during the week.

Hamilton Olympic vs Adamstown Rosebud

First Grade Saturday 27 July, 5:00 pm, Darling Street Oval

U20s Saturday 27 July, 3:10 pm, Darling Street Oval

U18s Saturday 27 July, 1:25 pm, Darling Street Oval

YOUTH NPL ROUND 22:

North Coast Football vs Hamilton Olympic at Taree Zone Field on Sunday 28^th July 2019.

U13s kick off at  9.30 am

U14s kick off at 11.10 am

U15s kick off at 12.50 pm

U16s kick off at 2.30 pm

Weston Bears (2^nd) vs. Broadmeadow Magic (3^rd)

Sunday 28 July, 2:30 pm, Rockwell Automation Park

Magic travel to Weston this weekend for a match that may just be the catalyst for how the premiership race turns out and which team is going to be challenging Edgeworth for the top title.

Both sides picked up narrow victories last round to continue their hopeful chase but will compete in their most important match yet as the Bears look to get revenge after losing to Broadmeadow at their last outing, 5-3 at Magic Park.

Weston has managed to turn their form around since that loss, back in Round 8, having only lost one match since along with seven victories, however, the visitors’ run has also been impressive having managed a five-game unbeaten streak.

Attack has been the key for the defending champions scoring 37 so far from their 15 matches and it’s been the same for the Bears who are the only team in the league who are yet to kept scoreless this year.

James Virgili was able to work his way onto the scoresheet again, earning himself a spot in the NPL NNSW Team of the Week, and now sits in second on the Golden Boot tally, while the Dutchman Jason Tjien-Fooh will need to be accounted for by Broadmeadow’s defence.

Weston’s defence will be without Zac Sneddon who will be missing for most of the regular season due to a suspension, but the hosts will feel comforted after the top performance shown by Jordan Jackson last weekend to hold out Lambton.

Bears’ assistant coach Craig Stoker said he and coach Kew Jaliens were impressed and proud of the way the side grinded out a victory last weekend with 10-men.

“I said at the start of the year I thought the Jaffas were one of the best sides in the comp, so to be able to do that against them is massive for us,” said Stoker.

“Sneddo [Zac Sneddon] has been one of our best defenders and is having a great year so the way they responded was great. A lot of the times, you can lose your key defender and the game can go the other way, but they fought out the win and it was great to see.

“They play for each other and they gutted it out.”

Although there is so much riding on this encounter with Broadmeadow, Stoker said the side aren’t looking too far ahead at the possibilities of this season and admitted that each week’s game is their most important from here on.

“Last week was like that [their most important] and I think every game leading into finals will be like that,” he said.

“The boys don’t really talk about winning the premiership or anything – they’re just enjoying their football.

“Edgy have the upper hand with the goal difference and the points on the board, but if we keep winning, you never know what could happen.

“They’re just focused on each game to game.”

Maitland FC (4^th) vs. Lake Macquarie City Roosters (10^th)

Friday 26 July, 6:30 pm, Cooks Square Park

Before their big FFA Cup fixture, Maitland will host a Lake Macquarie side who after picking up just their second win of the season last week, jumped to tenth on the table and momentarily away from the dreaded wooden spoon position.

The Roosters completed the double over Adamstown while Maitland went down for the first time in over two months and will need to return to the winners’ circle rapidly if they want to continue fighting for a premiership spot, or even their finals position.

They mustered a two-goal victory last time out against Lakes despite conceding early on and haven’t lost since 2010 when both were playing in the second division.

The visitors kept their first clean sheet of the season when they held out the Rosebuds however their opponents have been strong in front of goal and have only been silenced to no goals in one game this season.

If the Magpies don’t manage to defeat the Roosters this Friday, they’ll face the prospect of being knocked out of the top four depending on results, however, a win for the side would propel them back into the premiership contention.

Maitland coach Mick Bolch confessed last week’s result was hard to take, and that his side would need to be better for this game against Lakes without looking too far ahead.

“They were pretty disappointed on the weekend,” Bolch said.

“I thought we were a bit flat. We had plenty of possession without creating a great deal.

“They need to be switched on for this game. Realistically, if we don’t take three points on Friday night, we might be slipped down to sixth place and although it’s great being in the FFA Cup, we’re probably not going to win the cup, while they’re got a chance to go and win a premiership or a Grand Final or something this year.

“We’ve got to get this game out of the way before we can start worrying about Central Coast.”

While the Magpies retain a whole lot of possession when facing Edgeworth, Bolch admitted the side struggled to create many quality chances in front of goal and it’s an area they’re focusing on for tomorrow’s game.

“Our composure on the ball and our final product wasn’t good enough,” said Bolch.

“We had chances to get in behind with Ryan Clarke and Jimmy Thompson but either the run or the ball wasn’t timed right – just that little bit of execution wasn’t right against Edgeworth.

“We need to be better taking our chances. We’ll create plenty, we always do, it’s just a matter of being clinical in the final third.”

Lambton Jaffas (6^th) vs. Newcastle Jets Youth (7^th)

Saturday 27 July, 2:30 pm, Arthur Edden Oval

The Jaffas and the Jets Youth will be keen to turn their luck when they meet at Lambton’s home ground after experiencing close defeats last weekend.

The young Newcastle Jets side went down at the hands of Hamilton while a late penalty goal for Weston sunk Lambton and halted them from entering the top four.

Last time around, this week’s hosts were sitting in the first place and undefeated but now sit in sixth and are dependent on other results if they want to sit in a finals spot.

The Jets won 3-1 in that game and it was their superstar forward Maki Petratos who did most of the damage and Lambton will know they need to shut him down if they are to collect any points.

Lambton will be missing their captain Michael Sessions, as well as attacker Luke Remington who both picked up red cards in their last outing, but a major focus will need to be placed on a man who is currently averaging a goal a game for the Jaffas, Braedyn Crowley.

It’s expected their opponents will still be missing top starters Angus Thurgate, Pat Langlois and Mat Barkho as they prepare for the national Y-League, and with the side being unable to feature in semi-finals, the rest of the side will be fixed on being a part of that upcoming squad.

Charlestown City Blues (5^th) vs. Valentine Phoenix (11^th)

Sunday 28 July, 2:30 pm, Lisle Carr Oval

It’s been a discouraging past few weeks for Valentine as they have dived down to the bottom of the table after losing their past six matches, and they’re coming up against a side who are determined to take all three points in their fight for semi-finals football.

Charlestown held on for an entertaining 3-2 victory of the Phoenix last time out and will be fresh off the bye although played a friendly match midweek against Central Coast Mariners.

Their opponents also had midweek action as Valentine went down in a thrilling battle with Adamstown Rosebud and are facing the very real possibility of ‘winning’ the wooden spoon for the second year in a row.

The Phoenix have been unable to stop goals from leaking in this season sitting with 48 goals conceded next to their name (over three a game), and although the Blues’ attack hasn’t been lighting the world on fire this season, their strength at the back cannot be doubted especially with the return of Tom Smart who comes back from a three-game suspension this weekend.

If the hosts win, they could find themselves inside the top four come the end of the round and coach David Tanchevski confessed that if they don’t take all three points in their upcoming games against lower-tabled opponents, they can wave their finals hopes goodbye.

“We understand the importance of these games,” Tanchevski said.

“Our next two games are Valentine and Lakes and we know that they’re potential ‘banana skin’ games for us and we know we can’t afford to be dropping points against teams lower than us on the table.

“If we look back on our season and we drop games against Lakes, Valentine and Adamstown, and we’ve already dropped one to Adamstown, we crucify ourselves.

“We treat every game the same. Three points is three points. We’re cautious that whether we’re versing Edgy or a team down the bottom, we have to be up for it.”

Charlestown boasts one of the better defensive records in the competition so far this year, keeping three clean sheets over their past four games, and Tanchevski said it’ll be another area of focus for this weekend.

“We’re a lot more defensively sound now with Hughesy [Adam] at the back and we get Smarty [Tom] back too…I think it’s the first time since Round 2 or 3 that we’ve had a full-strength backline to choose from,” he said.

“We had a good performance against Adamstown midweek last week and beat them 3-0, so we want to do that again and have a nice, solid performance defensively and hopefully bang in a few goals.

“Our boys have more awareness this year and there’s a sense of belief at the moment. They know we can play when we turn it on.”

Edgeworth Eagles (1^st) have the bye.

source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Newcastle Jets Youth 0 def. by Hamilton Olympic 2 (S. Pettit 49’, Papas 88’)

Saturday 20 July, 5:00 pm, Darling Street Oval

After a disappointing run of form for Hamilton, the side finally re-entered the winners’ circle once again for the first time in over two months after getting the better of the Newcastle Jets Youth for the second time this season.

Olympic midfielder Rhys Cooper had an early chance to take the lead but had his shot saved by the Jets Youth keeper, Noah James, while down the other end, Joey O’Connor and Jack Simmons both went close to scoring with their shots, but the hosts were able to survive.

In the second half though, a breakthrough was finally found coming from Hamilton’s Scott Pettit who managed a nice header from a floating Reece Papas corner.

Papas would again play a vital role in sealing the three points just minutes before half-time as he incredibly curled home a free-kick directly into the top corner to double the lead and the winning margin.

Hamilton’s coach Pete McGuinness said that it was extremely pleasing to see the side get the victory after such a long string of unfortunate results.

“It’s been a bit of a tough run for the last few weeks. We’ve been in games, but just haven’t been good enough to win them,” McGuinness said.

“In the second half, I thought we went on with it.

“It was great for them to get a clean sheet… First part of the year, our defence was our backbone, but if you look at the season as a whole, we haven’t scored enough goals. We’ve created enough chances, we just haven’t taken them.

“Ultimately if you’re not banging them in at one end, things can start to go wrong at the other.”

McGuiness said that although their finals hopes have been dashed recently, the team were still focused on ending the season on a high and determined to play some good football.

“When things aren’t going to plan, little things that go wrong get amplified and can divert the course of the ship,” he said.

“With finals out of the picture, it’s about playing for the club, playing for themselves and finishing the season on a good stretch.”

NPL Northern NSW Round 18
Olympic vs Newcastle Jets Youth
Saturday at Darling St Oval

1^st Grade Olympic won 2-0 (Scott Pettit, Reece Papas)

U20s – Jets won 3-0

U18s – Olympic won 1-0

NPL YOUTH

Olympic vs Broadmeadow

U16s Olympic won 3-0

U15s drew 2-2

U14s Broadmeadow won 3-2

U13s Olympic won 2-0

Zone League 2

Olympic vs Maitland

1^st Grade – Maitland won 2-1

2^nd Grade – Maitland won 4-2

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Broadmeadow
U16s – Olympic won 3-0
U15s – drew 2-2
U14s – Broadmeadow won 2-3
U13s – Olympic won 2-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Maitland
1st Grade – Maitland won 1-2
2nd Grade – Maitland won 2-4

1st Grade Olympic won 2-0
(Scott Pettit, Reece Papas)

U20s – Jets won 0-3
U18s – Olympic won 1-0

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Broadmeadow
U16s – Olympic won 3-0
U15s – drew 2-2
U14s – Broadmeadow won 2-3
U13s – Olympic won 2-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Maitland
1st Grade – Maitland won 1-2
2nd Grade – Maitland won 2-4

_______________________________________________________

Edgeworth Eagles 3 (Cawley 25’, Smith 67’, 82’) def. Maitland FC 1 (J. Thompson 59’)

Saturday 20 July, 3:30 pm, Jack McLaughlan Oval

Edgeworth have edged themselves one step closer to their historic premiership after defeating fellow top four and FFA Cup Round of 32 side Maitland at home to momentarily retain their spot at the top of the table.

Eagles’ youngster Adam Cawley was the first name on the scoresheet after finding himself on the end of a dangerous Aden Gardner cross from wide, slotting it low into the goal. The hosts were able to keep their lead for most the match until the Magpies worked their way back into it in the second half.

A Maitland corner was initially cleared away by the Edgeworth defence, but the rebound fell for James Thompson who’s battering shot found its way through the multitude of legs and bodies into the back of the net.

The scores weren’t level for long though as Oliver Smith pulled off a brilliant solo effort curling a shot from outside the box into the bottom corner of the net to regain the lead for his side.

It wasn’t too long later that he was able to jump on the end of a Daniel McBreen through ball, beat Matt Trott in goals, and place it into the side of the goal, winning the game in the process and collecting all three points.

The victory now puts them eight points ahead of Maitland and three points clear of Weston in second place which sees them continue to stay at the top.

Edgeworth’s coach Damian Zane confessed it was a tough game and attributed the win to a strong showing from his defence and substitutes.

“There were definitely some hairy moments,” Zane said.

“We felt the cup was a bigger percentage chance than the premiership, so we thought we’d give a few guys a bit of a freshen up and start them on the bench, but if we stayed in the game we could use them as an impact, and in the end, it worked.

“Our defensive display was really good. I was really pleased with it.

“A big part of the win was holding them to one goal.”

The Eagles will now turn their focus to their upcoming Wednesday night FFA Cup clash away with Darwin Olympic and Zane said the team is confident and ready to go.

“As soon as that game [vs Maitland] finished, they were in the ice baths and their focus is switched straight on the cup,” Zane said.

“They’re a great group like that. We’re not thinking too far ahead, just thinking about each game.

“If we can advance in the cup, well I guarantee we’ll be ready for the run home. We’ll be on a high.

“It’s an exciting time coming up, and this is when our boys are all up and going and are keen as.”

Adamstown Rosebud 0 def. by Lake Macquarie City Roosters 1 (Bower 49’)

Sunday 21 July, 2:30 pm, Adamstown Oval

Having spent the majority of the season down in last place, Lakes have jumped two places into ninth after collecting their second victory of the year, and second of the season against Adamstown.

The first goal of the game came in the second half of the game but there were multiple chances for both teams in the opening stanza including one early one-on-one attempt from Sam Webb that was saved by Daniel Eisenhauer, as well as a blocked free-kick from Judd Duncan.

It was the Roosters’ central defender that ultimately made the difference between the two sides as Callum Bower knocked in a header from a corner to take the lead

Bower troubled the goals once again in the second half as did Chris Berlin from close range forcing a strong save from Lakes’ goalkeeper Stuart Plant.

The visitors were able to hold on to take all three points taking them to a total of eight for the year seeing them overtake both the Rosebuds and Valentine.

Nick Webb, Roosters’ coach, was ecstatic with how his team strangled out the victory, especially after keeping their first clean sheet of the season.

“We did well. We defended really well and at the end of the day it was about grinding out a win,” Webb said.

“It’s very, very pleasing and the boys were very, very happy about it.”

Webb made a special mention to some of his key players who put in strong performances to lift the team, including one who has recently completely changed positions.

“Mitchell Hunter is playing left centre back now, and he’s been a striker most his life, but he was outstanding today. He and Cal Bower are working out a really good combination,” he said.

“I thought Daniel Minors was brilliant in the midfield, and Sam Walker worked his freckle off up top. Our spine did really well today, and everyone worked well around them.

“Hopefully we can keep putting in performances like we did today and continue to be resolute.”

Valentine Phoenix 1 (Garland 66’) def. by Broadmeadow Magic 2 (Oxborrow 31’, J. Virgili 81’)

Sunday 21 July, 2:30 pm, CB Complex

Broadmeadow has kept up their charge for the premiership with a tight victory over Valentine away from home which has seen the hosts fall down a position on the table as well as now faces a strong risk of finishing in the last place for the second year in a row.

The Magicians pushed on early looking to stamp their dominance and take an early lead; it didn’t take long for James Virgili to get in behind the defence, but his shot swerved wide of the goal.

Minutes later, John Majurovski also went close to scoring when Luke Virgili placed a hard cross into the box for his striker, but Majurovski, last year’s Man of the Match in the Grand Final, put his reactive shot from close range over the bar.

The pressure applied by Broadmeadow looked to have finally paid off when Mitch Oxborrow won a penalty following a foul from Phoenix goalkeeper Perry Budden, but James Virgili’s shot from the spot was expertly saved by Budden, diving to his left to stop it.

The visitors continued to trouble the Valentine goal and finally the breakthrough came when Oxborrow lofted a shot from distance in over the head of Budden, scoring his fifth of the year.

Following a dominant first-half performance, it seemed Magic would continue on for a victory, but midway through the second stanza, disaster struck for the defending champions as a misshaped clearance from goalkeeper Paul Bitz allowed Bailey Garland to practically run the ball into the back of an empty net to equalise the game.

With just under ten minutes to go, James Virgili would get his looming goal, striking a rebounded ball neatly into the bottom corner of the net which proved to be the vital match-winner and his eleventh of the year.

Broadmeadow remains in the third spot on the table but are just four points off Edgeworth in first, and one behind Weston however still have games in hand of both sides above them.

Weston Bears 1 (Morris 88’ (P)) def. Lambton Jaffas 0

Sunday 21 July, 2:30 pm, Rockwell Automation Park

Lambton has missed a golden opportunity to work their way into the top four after going down narrowly to Weston in a hard-fought contest.

Former Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Ben Kennedy featured for his new Jaffas side for the first time, but neither keeper were really tested in the first parts of the game as a cagey battle waged on with both sides fighting for supremacy.

Luke Remington had a free-kick that whistled over the crossbar, while some scrambling defence down the other end stopped the Bears.

The complexion of the match completely changed just before half-time though as an aggressive incident between Remington and Zac Sneddon resulted in both men being shown red cards and their marching orders from the field.

With more space on the field in the second half, both sides attempted to utilise the extra room but still failed to find the finishing touch, the closest each came were skied shots from Mark Offeh and Bren Hammel, before Kennedy was called into action tipping a skewed shot from Chris Hurley over the crossbar.

The decider of the match came in the final minutes as Jackson Burston was fouled in the box leaving his captain Nathan Morris to calmly slot home the winning goal from the penalty spot to take the three points and continue their impressive run towards finals and maybe even the premiership.

The Bears sit just three points away from the league-leading Edgeworth Eagles and still have a game in hand while the Jaffas continue to trail both Charlestown and Maitland by a slim margin in their quest to scramble a spot into the top four.

Charlestown City Blues had the bye.

source: https://northernnswfootball.com.au

Newcastle Jets Youth (7^th) vs. Hamilton Olympic (8^th)

Saturday 20 July, 5:00pm, Darling Street Oval

After starting out strong and looking like a finals contender, it’s been a disastrous second half of the season for Hamilton as they now sit closer to the bottom of the table than the top four while the Jets Youth have begun finding their groove again.

The young Jets came within a whisker of gaining victory last week against Weston but conceded a late, stoppage-time goal, but before that, slammed Valentine and put in decent showings against Maitland and Edgeworth.

For Olympic though, they drew with last-placed Lakes and extending their winless streak to six games (their most recent victory came in early May) but do have the wood over their weekend opponents having beaten them 2-0 earlier in the season.

A strength of Hamilton’s that saw them taste early success in the first half of the year was that of their solid defence as they only conceded 11 goals in the first 11 games, however in contrast, since Round 12 the side has leaked in 14 goals in 5 outings.

In the final third have been where the Jets have performed well and young star Maki Petratos has been a major standout in that area, as has Sam Donnellan in recent weeks since his debut in the top grade, but the only team that has kept the youth side scoreless is the club their facing on Saturday.

Both sides don’t have all too much to play for other than pride now, but given that there’s no pressure now, it may prompt the two teams to go for gold.

1st Grade kick off 5.00pm
Under 20s kick off 3.10pm
Under 18s kick off  1.25pm

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Broadmeadow
Sunday at Darling St Oval
Under 16s kick off 2.30pm
Under 15s kick off 12.50pm
Under 14s kick off 11.10am
Under 13s kick off 9.30am

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Maitland
Saturday at Islington Oval
1st Grade kick off 3.00pm
2nd Grade kick off 1.15pm

In other games:

Edgeworth Eagles (1^st) vs. Maitland FC (4^th)

Saturday 20 July, 3:30pm, Jack McLaughlan Oval

The two FFA Cup Round of 32 participants from Northern NSW will face off this weekend not only looking to create a bit of momentum heading into their national stage games in the next coming weeks, but more importantly, trying to push their way closer to the top spot and premiership.

Both sides have been on terrific runs since gaining progression in the FFA Cup – Edgeworth have picked up four wins in as many games, while Maitland haven’t been defeated in their past six outings – and sit just five points away from one another on the table however the Magpies have played three less games.

Although the Eagles have currently played more matches than every other team in the league, they’ve put the pressure on the sides below them who are fighting in the premiership race to keep up with wins, and in recent weeks, their attack has been firing and their defence has been rock-solid.

In the past four weeks, Edgeworth have managed to score 10 goals, and have only conceded two in that same time, and possess both the best offensive and defensive records in the competition.

While Maitland haven’t been as good at the back, their form in front of goal has been strong having managed to score 14 over their past five, and they’ve only been kept scoreless on one occasion this season.

Drama of the latest fashion ensued in the previous meeting between the two sides which saw the Magpies scored two goals in stoppage time to overcome a 1-0 deficit and steal all three points.

Maitland coach Mich Bolch echoed the enormity of the match describing it as a “real six-pointer” and that it was vital his side bring their best.

“It’s a huge game,” Bolch said.

“If they win, they open up an eight-point gap on us, and if we win, we move two behind with three games in hand.

“They are the side I respect the most. They are very well coached and organised and I’m sure Zaney [Damian Zane] will have them primed for this weekend.

“The boys are looking forward to the clash. These are the games you want to be involved in.

Although the last encounter between these two sides will probably be in the minds of their opposition, Bolch suggested it wouldn’t be so for his team and that they needed to focus on their game-plan but also shutting down some of Edgeworth’s key attackers.

“We got lucky with the win against them in our first encounter with a keeper error handing us the late winner,” he said.

“We were very good in the second half against Charlestown last week and we need to take that form and intensity into this game.

“We will need to shut down Smith and the old fox McBreen and that will go a long way to winning.

“We just need to concentrate on getting our game right. If we do that, we can compete with anyone in the comp.”

Adamstown Rosebud (10^th) vs. Lake Macquarie City Roosters (11^th)

Sunday 21 July, 2:30pm, Adamstown Oval

When Adamstown and Lakes met in Round 7 this year, they were both sitting in the same spot on the ladder as they are now showcasing how frustrating and difficult of a season these two have encountered.

Only one point separates the two at the bottom of the table and with Valentine not too far away from them in ninth place, the battle for the wooden spoon is still alive making this match crucial for both in their attempt to avoid the ‘prize’.

Both have demonstrated some top-quality football in patches yet have struggled to close-out matches and attain any points to their name.

The Roosters’ only victory of the season came in the correlating fixture at home, while the Rosebuds have knocked off Charlestown and Hamilton but are currently on a six-game losing streak.

The attack of the two teams (both 14 goals scored) is clear as the worst in the league while in defence they’ve struggled to as neither have been able to muster a clean sheet yet.

Since their return to the NPL NNSW, Lakes are still undefeated when facing Adamstown – a statistic the hosts this weekend will need to end if they don’t want to be looking down the barrel of the dreaded last place position.

Coach of Lakes Nick Webb confessed his side were disappointed they couldn’t hold on late for a victory over Hamilton last weekend but that the team were confident of being able to do the double over the Rosebuds.

“The boys have been doing really well,” Webb said.

“We were gutted not coming away with the Hamilton win.

“[This weekend] it will be two desperate teams smashing it out, so we are confident but also cautious.

“Our focus is concentrating for the full 90 minutes.”

Valentine Phoenix (9^th) vs. Broadmeadow Magic (3^rd)

Sunday 21 July, 2:30pm, CB Complex

Coming off the back of the bye, Broadmeadow will be fresh and ready to continue their push for the premiership and they meet a team this weekend who they trounced in the earlier fixture, 9-1.

Valentine have been winless over their past five games and are currently in danger of finding themselves with a second wooden spoon in as many years if they can’t manage to turn their form around.

They’ve struggled defensively over the course of the year having conceded 43 goals already (three less than their total goals conceded last year) and in their past four matches, they’ve let in a massive 15 goals.

In addition to that, when playing at home, the Phoenix have leaked 20 from their 6 encounters at Croudace Bay and while their opponents haven’t been brilliant in defence either, the attack of the Magicians has been one of the best in the league – boasting a current total of 35.

The Phoenix will be focused on making sure what happened last time against Broadmeadow doesn’t happen again at home this weekend, but with the premiership well in the sights of Magic, they’re going to be hard to stop.

Weston Bears (2^nd) vs. Lambton Jaffas (6^th)

Sunday 21 July, 2:30pm, Rockwell Automation Park

Weston will host the in-form Lambton Jaffas this Sunday knowing that a loss will strongly affect their chances of holding onto a finals place and also ruin their hopes of a surprising premiership.

The Jaffas have pulled off three consecutive victories to pressure the five sides that sit above them on the ladder and sit just five points away from the Bears with two games in hand.

Weston have only lost one game from their past eight though – which includes six wins – and have been electric in front goal having scored 34 so far and are the only team in the league who have been kept scoreless in a match so far.

While the hosts have proven that they possess goal-scorers right across the park, they’ll need to give special attention to the man proven to be the best in the league, Lambton’s Braedyn Crowley, who sits at the top of the Golden Boot race with 11 goals despite only playing 10 games.

In the earlier matchup between the two, the Jaffas successfully and impressively held onto a 2-1 lead with ten men for 70 minutes to collect all three points and it’ll be a wrong that the Bears will be looking to right.

Weston’s coach Kew Jaliens noted after last week’s draw with Jets Youth that his side needed to show higher intensity right from the first whistle.

“We need to be sharp from the start,” Jaliens said.

“The slow start cost us the penalty and all the chances we had against us.”

Jaliens highlighted though that the confidence amongst the squad was still high but that their focus wouldn’t be aimed too far away.

“The feel around the team is good,” he said.

“We have had some good results, but there is still a long way to go.

“We try to take it a game at a time and start fresh every week with an opportunity to win three points.”

Charlestown City Blues (5^th) have the bye.

source:northernnswfootball.com.au