George Tsamouras Football Journey

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Cooper 75’, Swan 87’) defeated Newcastle Jets Youth 1 (Moric 43’) at Darling Street Oval. 

Hamilton Olympic produced another stirring second-half fightback against the Jets Youth, as they scored twice in the final 15 minutes to record an important 2-1 victory.

For the ninth time, this season Hamilton scored in the final 15 minutes, as they begin to develop a reputation as the competition’s comeback kings.

Mark Moric got the Jets off to a dream start, but goals from Andrew Swan and Rhys Cooper in the second half ensured the three points would stay at Darling Street.

The Jets worked the first goal beautifully as Cody Carroll found space down the left edge and hit a chipped pass centrally to Finn Parris who laid the ball off for Moric to drive the ball into the right corner from close range.

The Jets led 1-0 at the break and looked set to record an upset victory.

Enter Andrew Swan.

In his first match for Olympic, Reece Papas whipped in a free kick from 45 degrees on the left edge, and onto the head of Jets defender Kieran Hayes.

It ballooned high off Hayes towards goal and Andrew Swan was too strong in the air, rising above keeper Tristan Esquilant and nodding the ball over the line.

Just as it seemed the Jets Youth would quell the Olympic fightback, Kane Goodchild broke free down the middle of the park.

Charging down the ground, he curled a through ball across to the left, which judging by the groans of the Hamilton faithful, seemed too deep.

But, the experienced Swan ran the ball down just inside the line, darted infield, and squared the ball for Rhys Cooper who tapped home a first-time finish which brought the Olympic fans to their feet.

The comeback kings producing another stunning fightback to claim all three points and consolidate their spot within the four – for this weekend at least.

Olympic coach Mick Bolch wasn’t best pleased with his side describing it as “our worst performance of the season”.

“The old cliché is the sign of a good side is you can win when you are playing bad, but look we were poor. We didn’t string three passes together for the whole first half and we continually turned the ball over.”

Bolch said Andrew Swan’s injection off the bench was a match-turner.

“Andrew Swan probably changed the game. Within two minutes of him coming on, he scored the equaliser and set up the winner.

In contrast, Jets Youth coach Clayton Zane was very happy with his side’s performance saying they were “excellent from start to finish”.

“We dominated the game, we led 1-0. We should have led by more at half-time, we fluffed our lines a few times in front of goals.

“I was always a little bit worried with not taking chances against them. You know they’ve got a bit of steam in their front third when they start throwing things at you.”

Under 20s Olympic won 4-0
Under 18s Olympic won 3-1

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Maitland
Under 16s Olympic won 2-0
Under 15s Olympic won 3-0
Under 14s Olympic won 5-2
Under 13s Olympic won 4-0

Zone League 2
Olympic vs Hunter Simba
Washed out

NET results
Under 12s Olympic defeated Charlestown 2-0
Under 11s Olympic defeated by Adamstown 1-3

Olympic Junior Results
Under 16a Olympic defeated Maitland 6-1
Under 15a Olympic defeated Maitland 5-1
Under 13a Olympic defeated Sth Wallsend 6-1
Under 12b Olympic defeated Adamstown 2-1

Under 7/1 Olympic defeated New Lambton

IN OTHER GAMES:
Edgeworth Eagles 2 (Taylor 6’, Bower 90+2’) defeated Maitland Magpies 1 (Cansdell-Sheriff 12’) at Cooks Square Park. 

Edgeworth young gun Will Bower proved to be the hero for the Eagles as he scored a stoppage time goal to steal three points at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.

The ‘Match of the Round’ could not have been tighter with both Edgeworth and Maitland very evenly matched as they have proved already this season. But, in the moment that mattered, it was Bower who stood tall.

The Eagles flew into an early lead inside the opening ten minutes when Brody Taylor darted down the left edge of the box and finish astutely into the right corner.

Their lead didn’t last long though as the Magpies applied sustained pressure on the Eagles defence. Josh Dutton-Black curled in a free-kick from the left edge and the tall timber of Shane Cansdell-Sheriff nodded the ball on to lock up the scores.

Maitland were swift on the counter-attack and caused the Eagles defence plenty of headaches in the opening half. An injury to Matt Comerford midway through the opening half was a setback for the home side as they searched for the go-ahead goal.

Both sides continued to probe until half-time but neither could trouble the scoreboard as they headed to the sheds lock at one goal apiece.

When they returned, Ben Martin had a golden opportunity to put the Magpies ahead but his shot from close range was well blocked by goalkeeper Nate Cavaliere.

Keanu Moore came off the bench for Edgeworth in his first match back after a stint in Victoria and immediately looked sharp.

With one of his first touches, the speedy midfielder had a chance to nod the Eagles into the lead but headed straight at Magpies keeper Matt Trott.

Trott was brilliant in the second half, pulling off some tremendous saves as Edgeworth pushed hard. The final 15 minutes was all the Eagles as the Magpies seemed to fatigue and in the end, they couldn’t hold them out.

A Kieran Sanders corner was not dealt with by the Maitland defence and Bren Hammel nodded the ball on to Bower who scrambled the ball over the line among a sea of bodies.

There were appeals for offside from the Magpies players, but from replays, it seemed as though power was just onside.

Maitland were left to rue another late fade out, while the Eagles celebrated the fourth victory in a row.

Magpies coach Phil Dando felt his side were slow out of the blocks but was impressed with how they matched Edgeworth for large parts of the contest.

“I thought we were very, very sloppy to start with. But, then we got back into it very quickly and for much of the game, I thought we were on a par with them.

“They’re the yardstick and the best team in the comp and we matched them for large periods of the game.”

Dando said a hectic early season schedule was “certainly a large part of the reason” for his side’s late fadeouts in the last two matches.

The busy schedule ensured they couldn’t build their fitness base after they were “largely underdone” fitness-wise when he arrived.

Adamstown Rosebud 4 (Read 59’, Littlewood 77’, 84’, Tannock 88’) defeated Valentine Phoenix 2 (J. Brown 14’, 23’) at Adamstown Oval.

 Adamstown recorded one of the comebacks of the season as they fought back from a two-goal deficit at half-time to record a 4-2 victory over Valentine.

The Phoenix look set to sew up a finals spot after Jalon Brown struck twice in the opening 23 minutes, but the Rosebud’s came home like a steam train.

With the bye, next weekend, Valentine’s race for a top four spot just got a whole lot tighter.

The day began disastrously for the Rosebuds when Owen Littlewood played a weak back-pass to keeper Riley Hill in the 14^th minute, which Phoenix striker Jalon Brown took full advantage of.

Hill reached the ball first, but it was too late as Brown blocked the clearance and tapped the ball into an empty net.

The afternoon got even worse less than ten minutes later for the home side as Alex Read stuck out an arm out to a Scott McGinley chipped pass.

The defender was rightly given a yellow card and Brown would make him feel even worse seconds later as he whipped a free kick inside the near post to make it 2-0.

Valentine had a chance to make it 3-0 in the 43^rd minute when Scott McGinley was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Jordan Harrison. Valentine’s skipper stepped up and blazed his penalty over the bar.

Less than 14 minutes into the second half and the Adamstown fightback began, as Alex Read made up for his earlier mistake.

Dayne Pawlik’s corner wasn’t punched clear of the box Phoenix keeper Perry Budden and Alex Read hit a strike with venom which powered into the back of the net to reduce the deficit to one.

Rosebuds continued to push on for an equaliser and they got their reward in the 77^th minute.

Ryan Ensor curled in a corner from the right edge with was bundled home by Own Littlewood and the fightback was well and truly in full swing.

If Adamstown Oval had a roof on it in the 84^th minute, it would have been blown off as Pawlik whipped in a free kick from 45 degrees on the right.

It looked as if it had too much power, but no one told Owen Littlewood that as he rose high to head the Rosebuds into the lead.

Justin Tannock put the icing on a memorable comeback in the 88^th minute, after Aaron Niyonkuru headed on an Alex Read clearance.

Tannock was in a footrace with Josh Murray who stumbled and the tall striker took full toll, rounding Phoenix keeper Perry Budden and rolling home his second of the season.

To add further misery to the Phoenix’s afternoon, defender Zac Sneddon was given a second yellow card when he and Pawlik collided.

Pawlik looked to collect Sneddon who clutched at his ankle as he went to ground. The match was called off as he received medical attention and in his final match for Valentine this season he was handed a red card in what looked a strange decision.

Adamstown coach Nick Webb described the comeback as “awesome”.

“The club needed it, the players needed it just to show some real fight. For me, as a coach, it was a really good experience.

“They didn’t follow any game plan I put in the first half. Second half they went out and they completed everything they wanted to do and tore them to bits, to be honest.”

Webb said he talked to his side at half-time about the importance of putting on a quality second-half.

“I wanted them to show some life, show that the shirt means something to them. A few of the senior boys stood up and tore shreds of the other senior boys and that really led the way for the younger boys to realise this is not just a game, this is what it is all about.”

“I’ve nearly had all of them come up to me today and said, ‘I never felt anything like that today’ and it was just amazing.”

Valentine coach Darren Sills was clearly dejected post-match.

“We trained so well this week and really well. I thought we are on fire, we’re right. Then we came out and [Adamstown] didn’t touch the ball the first 20 minutes. Possession had to be up near 80 percent, it was just unbelievable.

“We got in the sheds. They were all buzzing and happy, confident. Then we go out there and fall asleep at a set piece again. It was just a terrible, terrible performance in the second half.

“We got into a dog fight with them and no one wanted to get in the fight with them.”

Lambton Jaffas 3 (J.Griffiths 24’, Verity 33’, R.Griffiths 53’) defeated Lake Macquarie City Roosters 1 (Walker 78’) at Arthur Edden Oval. 

Ryan Griffiths kept up his perfect scoring record in the PlayStation®4 NPL Northern NSW netting his fourth goal in as many matches as Lambton proved too strong for Lake Macquarie. 

His brother Joel got the ball rolling for Lambton when he opened the scoring for in the 24^th minute when the Roosters struggled to clear the ball out of their penalty box.

Luke Remington controlled the miscued clearance on the edge of the ‘D’ and teed up Joel Griffiths on the right who powered home on the volley from close range.

Nathan Verity then headed the Jaffas into a two-goal lead in the 33^rd minute, after Joel Griffiths curled in a pinpoint corner.

Lambton took a 2-0 lead into half-time and when they returned Ryan Griffiths made it four goals in as many PS4 NPL matches.

When the game resumed, Michael Kantarovski played a beautiful pass between the lines to Joel Griffiths, who squared to the top of the six-yard box. Lakes keeper Benn Kelly couldn’t claim the ball, and Ryan Griffiths cleaned up the scraps.

Sam Walker added a late consolation for the Roosters in the 78^th minute when Lambton defender Liam O’Dell’s clearance could only find Tom Walker who headed a pass to his brother Sam who finished expertly.

It was a much needed three points for Lambton after a disappointing loss last weekend to Valentine. The Jaffas ensuring they will stay top of the table at the end of the weekend.

Lakes coach Anthony Richards conceded they were beaten by a better side.

“They were just too good in that top third, they took their chances when they came. We didn’t really help ourselves with injuries today. Brad York hurt his knee early, Dean Holt got caught at work in Dubbo and Tommy Smart had to come off early.

“Having said all that, the boys created some really good chances. But, they are a good side, they are well organised and they’ve got quality around the park.”

Broadmeadow Magic 2 (J. Virgili 24’, Oxborrow 80’) defeated Charlestown City Blues 0 at Magic Park. 

Broadmeadow Magic ensured their finals hopes are alive and kicking in a huge way as they secured a 2-0 victory over 8^th placed Charlestown.

Goals from former Hyundai A-League players James Virgili and Mitch Oxborrow bookended the win for Broadmeadow, with a red card for defender Scott Robertson the only sour note.

Charlestown striker Rene Ferguson caused some early headaches for Magic’s defence, but it was James Virgili who opened the scoring for Broadmeadow in the 24^th minute.

After some quality build up from Dino Fajkovic, Oxborrow chipped a pass to Virgili who darted down the right edge of the box and finished superbly past Nathan Archbold in the Blues goal.

Josh Piddington almost doubled the lead for Broadmeadow minutes later, but his header was brilliantly saved by Archbold.

Magic took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break and when they returned Nathan Archbold continued to thwart the home side. First, James Virgili found space down the right and Archbold pushed his cross away from danger.

Then, Dino Fajkovic couldn’t find a way past Archbold twice. Fajkovic weaved into the box and powered his shot towards goal. Archbold parried the initial strike back to the strong front man who headed another effort on goal which Archbold jumped to his feet to grab.

For the second time this season against the Blues, Magic were reduced to ten men when Scott Robertson was sent off after a receiving a second yellow card for what looked to be referee abuse.

Charlestown had a late chance to lock the match up with a goalmouth scramble, but couldn’t force the ball across the line.

Magic were good enough down a man to seal the three points when Oxborrow played a wonderful one-two with Kale Bradbury and finished expertly across Archbold from the left side of the box.

Broadmeadow ending the round in fifth place on the ladder, just a point outside the top four.

Magic coach Ruben Zadkovich was hugely impressed with his side’s showing.

“We thoroughly, thoroughly deserved to win. We pretty much battered them, to be honest. Chance after chance after chance after chance.

“Their coach has come out and said their keeper was their best player and he was by a long shot. Our football was very good, our attitude was very good and the boys are getting their rewards.”

Zadkovich said his side could have won by a lot more, if not for Archbold.

“To be honest, if the scoreline was 8-0, I think it would have been a fair result. Then again, that’s football you don’t expect them all to do in.

“So more realistic, it should have been five or six nil. I’m stoked we are creating all the chances and keeping a clean sheet as well.”

Source: sportstg.com

Newcastle Jets Youth v Hamilton Olympic
2.30pm Saturday 1^st July at Darling Street Oval

Last Meeting: Round 5, 2017: Hamilton 4 Jets Youth 1 at Darling Street Oval.

Ladder: Jets Youth 10^th (9), Hamilton 4^th (22)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Hamilton – Drew Magpies 2-2 (h), Won Rosebud 3-0 (h), Lost Jaffas 2-3 (a)
Jets – Lost Blues 0-4 (a), Lost Magpies 1-6 (a), Won Rosebud 3-2 (a)

Bottom Line

After pulling three points out of the fire last weekend against Maitland, Hamilton knows that a win and nothing less is the requirement in what shapes as a fascinating finals race.

Olympic started strongly against Maitland, with Rhys Cooper the stand out as he cut swathes through the Magpies defence.

However, when a couple of chances went begging for Hamilton, Maitland made them pay and for an hour it seemed like the visitors would stroll to victory.

But, as Olympic have shown on countless occasions this season, they never say die. Scott Smith and Sean Pratt salvaged a point and almost three for their side.

This weekend provides a different challenge and a danger game for Hamilton, against a Jets Youth outfit who have leaked goals with monotonous regularity of late.

In their last two matches the Jets have conceded ten goals and with the likes of Pierce Clark and Cameron Joice missing for the Youth side on the weekend, it was always going to be a tough ask.

The final 15 minutes seems to be the key in this match. Hamilton have scored a league-high eight goals in the last 15 minutes of matches this season, while the Jets Youth have conceded a league-high 13 in the same period.

Olympic have won eight of the last ten between the sides and based on their form, they will be red hot favourites to make it nine of their last 11.

In intriguing news, Newcastle Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna will take over the coaching reigns at the Jets Youth for the foreseeable future. Labinot Haliti will be his assistant.

In a boost for Hamilton, former Jets Youth skipper Reece Papas has joined the club for the remainder of the season.

What the Coaches Said:

Mick Bolch (Hamilton)

“They are obviously a very young group, getting punished for mentally not switching on for 90 minutes. I’d say would be the best way to put it. I watched them against Maitland and that was sort of the case. They still play some good football and move the ball around well. They just switch off at times defensively.”

“It’s the same old same old with us, we’ve got to take our chances. After the result last weekend, every game is a grand final for us now. Complacency just can’t come into whatsoever. It really to me is not something I need to stress. The boys all know after the weekend Magic is one point behind us and Maitland is right behind us. Every game is vital for us now.” 

Key: Under new coach Lawrie McKinna, can the Jets Youth turn around their recent form?

U20s Hamilton Olympic – Jets Saturday 1^st July kick off 12.30 pm Darling St Oval

U18s Hamilton Olympic – Jets Saturday 1^st July kick off 10.45 am Darling St Oval

NPL YOUTH: ROUND 16

U13s Maitland vs Olympic Saturday 1^st July kick off 10.00 am at Cook Square park

U14s Maitland vs Olympic Saturday 1^st July kick off 11.30 am at Cook Square park

U15s Maitland vs Olympic Saturday 1^st July kick off 1.00 pm at Cook Square park

U16s Maitland vs Olympic Saturday 1^st July kick off 2.30 pm at Cook Square park

IN OTHER GAMES:

Maitland Magpies v Edgeworth Eagles
2.30pm Sunday 2^nd July at Cooks Square Park

Last Meeting: FFA Cup, Round 7: Edgeworth 1 Maitland 0 at LMRFF.

Ladder: Maitland 5^th (21pts), Edgeworth 3^rd (27)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Maitland –  Drew Olympic 2-2 (a) Won Jets 6-1 (h), Drew Blues 1-1 (h)
Edgeworth – Won Rosebud 3-0 (a), Lost Jaffas 0-2 (h), Won Magic 3-0 (a)

 Bottom Line

After a week off, Edgeworth returns to action against a Maitland side who know that anything less than a victory could put their finals hopes in jeopardy.

Last weekend the Magpies were cruising to victory at Darling Street, leading 2-0 with less than 12 minutes on the clock. They were just about to jump Olympic and enter pole position in the race for the top four.

But, within three minutes the sides were level again. Scott Smith and Sean Pratt producing stunning strikes to silence the visitors and ensure the race will be as tight as ever to make the finals.

While it was a draw which would have felt like a defeat for Maitland; they are playing the best football they have all season with just one loss in their last five matches since the disappointing defeat at Adamstown.

Edgeworth have been as consistent as ever recently having lost one of their last 14 matches in all competitions.

A break after a difficult Westfield FFA Cup weekend, followed by a trip to Adamstown came at the perfect time for the Eagles which allowed them to recharge their batteries.

It will be the last weekend off that the Eagles have before a frenetic final two months of the season where they will have PlayStation®4 NPL NNSW and Westfield FFA Cup commitments.

While the Magpies haven’t beaten Edgeworth since at least 1997, the last five matches between the sides have been almightily close. The Eagles have won three of those five by only a goal, and the other two have been drawn.

The defending champions have lost just twice all season and deserve to be favourites in this one. But, a Magpies side with the likes of Matt Comerford, Ryan Clarke and Matt Thompson to name a few will push the visitors to the limit.

What the Coaches Said:

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“They are the yardstick for everyone. You measure yourself against them and they are very, very good and they are very tidy. Their rotations, particularly in the midfield is good, so they manage to find a lot of space which creates problems for you. They’ve got the pace of Sanders up front and the experience of [Daniel] McBreen. They are good defensively and well organised. They are everything that you want your own team to be.”

“We’ve matched them. We’ve been close. There’s only been one goal between us in the two games, so we’re not far away from them. We’ve got to make sure that we play as well as we did for large parts of the game on Sunday.”

Damian Zane (Edgeworth)

“They are impressive. I think they are going to miss Ryan Broadley as far as depth goes and the other boys. They should of won [against Hamilton], I think. In the end, they could have lost it but they were really impressive. I’ve definitely spotted some things that they do which are very impressive. They are as good as anyone up front.”

“I think Keanu [Moore] coming back and all of a sudden adding a bit of depth could be a bit of a factor on the weekend. First session this week. The boys come back. Wow. That’s probably one of our best sessions of the year. They see there was a signing. One signing can mean a massive battle for spots.”

Key: Maitland have conceded their last three goals in the final 15 minutes of matches. Is fitness an issue?

Adamstown Rosebud v Valentine Phoenix
2.30pm Saturday 1^st July at Adamstown Oval

Last Meeting: Round 5, 2017: Valentine 2 Adamstown 0 at Cahill Oval.

Ladder: Adamstown 9^th (10), Valentine 2^nd (28)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Adamstown – Won Bears 3-0 (a), Lost Eagles 0-3 (h), Lost Olympic 0-3 (a)
Valentine – Won Jaffas 2-1 (h) Lost Magic 1-3 (h), Won Roosters 1-0 (h)

Bottom Line

Valentine’s third victory in a row over Lambton has put themselves within touching distance of a first finals appearance in Northern NSW’s top flight since 2010 and a win this weekend could all but seal a spot for the Phoenix.

A trip away from Cahill Oval for the first time in the PS4 NPL NNSW since the second weekend in May is sure to please head coach Darren Sills with the lush pastures of Adamstown Oval a stark contrast to the Phoenix’s home ground.

After two straight defeats to Broadmeadow, including a disappointing 3-1 defeat in round 14 Valentine looked to be out of sorts, but they proved that thought wrong on the weekend with a stunning fightback to claim a 2-1 victory over Lambton.

Adamstown also returned to form on the weekend against Weston after three straight defeats and claimed just their second clean sheet of the season in the win.

Nick Webb’s side were well-structured at the back and seem to have turned over a new leaf. Following up last weekend’s result with another good performance this weekend is key for the Rosebuds as they look to escape the cellar.

Since Valentine’s promotion at the end of 2015, the sides have met on three occasions with Adamstown winning twice last season 2-0 and Valentine winning 2-0 in round five earlier this year.

Valentine will head into the match as favourites, but Adamstown seemed to have turned a corner and should give the Phoenix a real test.

What the Coaches Said:

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“A clean sheet was the objective [on the weekend]. I told them everything else would take care of itself if we can keep that. Again, that’s obviously got to be our main focus; being really tidy in the central areas and hopefully score some goals as well. It’s obviously a key part of our game that we have to fix and we took a massive step last week to doing that.”

“We are working with those guys [up front] and rotating a few players through that area. Ryan Ensor played up top last weekend and got a goal and should have had another one in the first ten minutes. We are rotating that area with some attacking midfielders so they’ll be a fair bit of combination play happening which is a slow process, but it’s getting there.”

Darren Sills (Valentine)

“They’ve got to have their tails up after a win against Weston so it is going to be a hard game. The main thing I’m looking forward to is getting away from Cahill Oval. We’ve had five home games in a row there, the boys are jaded so it’s going to be good for us to get away and play somewhere different.”

“Finals football is not what we are after. We want to win the minor premiership. [It would mean] everything. It would be an amazing thing for the club. It would be a great story for individual coaches, players the like. For all the people who have been at the club a long time, it would mean the world. It would mean the world for me a Sam Griffin as coaches, also the players who have come from other clubs that were not seen as first-grade footballers, who have been given an opportunity at the club.”

Key: Adamstown were rock solid at the back last weekend. They’ll need put in a similar performance against the third best attacking side in the competition.

Lambton Jaffas v Lake Macquarie Roosters
2.30pm Saturday 1^st July at Arthur Edden Oval

Last Meeting: Round 5, 2017: Lake Macquarie 0 Lambton 4 at Macquarie Field.

Ladder: Lambton 1^st (29), Lakes 7^th (16)

Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Lambton – Lost Phoenix 1-2 (a), Won Bears 5-0 (h), Won Eagles 2-0 (a)
Lakes – Lost Magic 0-3 (h), Lost Phoenix 0-1 (a), Won Bears 2-0 (h)

Bottom Line

Both Lambton and Lake Macquarie are coming off disappointing results in round 15 and will aim to bounce back in style.

After leading 1-0 at half-time against the Phoenix on Saturday, Lambton conceded two unanswered goals in the second half to fall 2-1 to the Phoenix. The Jaffas third loss in as many matches against their bogey side.

But, after defeats this season the Jaffas have responded in fine fashion. In all competitions, Lambton has lost just four matches. The three matches played after defeats thus far have resulted in 4-0, 3-2 and 5-0 victories.

Once again, Lakes have the unenviable task of playing the Jaffas after they have had a defeat so they will have their work cut out for them on Saturday.

After a strong start to the season where the Roosters lost just one of their first six matches, they have now won just one of their last seven to fall from the top of the table to seventh.

Lake Macquarie’s biggest concern comes in the front third, scoring just four times in their last five outings and they have been kept scoreless in their last two matches.

The goals have also dried up for striker Sam Walker who scored seven times in the Roosters first eight matches. Since then he has managed just one goal in his last six outings.

With the Roosters in a bit of a slump, top-of-the-table Lambton will be favourites to make it four wins from four following defeats in 2017. 

What the Coaches Said:

Anthony Richards (Lakes)

“Obviously, they are riddled with talent. I guess over all the games we have played this year that first 45 minutes [against Lambton] is the only time we have been blown off the park by any side. The second half was a lot better. It was 3-0 at half-time so we were gone at half-time in that game.”

“We are looking to improve on our start on the weekend and try and stay in the contest a bit longer. If we can stay in the contest a bit longer we will give ourselves a chance. I think we showed way too much respect last time. Jobe [Wheelhouse] pretty much controlled the entire game in that one. I know he’s missing this time so that might help us this time control the game a bit better.”

Key: The bounce-back effect. Can Lambton continue their strong record after suffering defeat?

Broadmeadow Magic v Charlestown City Blues
2.30pm Sunday 2^nd July at Magic Park

Last Meeting: Round 5, 2017: Charlestown 1 Broadmeadow 0 at Lisle Carr Oval.

Ladder: Broadmeadow 6^th (21), Charlestown 8^th (15)

Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Broadmeadow – Won Phoenix 3-1 (a), Won Bears 4-1 (a), Lost Eagles 0-3 (a)
Charlestown – Won Jets 4-0 (h), Drew Magpies 1-1 (a), Lost Phoenix 1-3 (a)

Bottom Line

Seemingly out of contention for the finals series a month ago, when they were humbled 3-0 by Edgeworth on their home patch, Broadmeadow Magic have roared back to life since and are now within touching distance of the top four.

Since the Edgeworth defeat, Broadmeadow have won five matches straight in all competitions and have racked up the goals.

Magic have now scored 17 goals in their last five matches, which is in stark contrast to the mere 14 goals they scored in their first 11 PS4 NPL NNSW matches this season.

The signing of former Jets and Glory midfielder Mitch Oxborrow has certainly helped raise the confidence of the squad, with the front third of Dino Fajkovic, James Virgili and Kale Bradbury all firing in recent weeks.

Charlestown returned to form in style on Saturday as they put four past a disappointing Jets Youth outfit.

Striker Rene Ferguson has gone from strength to strength this season and is now equal first in the golden boot standings after scoring twice on the weekend.

With the news, this week that Scott Smith and Kane Goodchild will return to the Blues in 2018, his combination with the experienced front men is sure to be a mouth-watering prospect from the Charlestown faithful.

Back to the present, and Joel Steward scored his first goal in the top grade for the club against the Jets which will provide a huge boost to his confidence going into the weekend.

Charlestown won a tight contest earlier in the year, with Josh Maguire scoring a stunning free-kick after Broadmeadow keeper Niko Giantsopoulos was sent off.

If the Blues bring their best on Sunday it will provide a tough test for Magic who are the favourites to take all three points in this contest.

What the Coaches Said:

Ruben Zadkovich (Broadmeadow)

“We didn’t really play our best [last time against Charlestown] if I remember correctly, but we still probably did enough to get something out of the game. It was one of them ones like most games in the first round where not much went our way and then we lost our goalkeeper with a red card and then the boys put it in the top corner from a free-kick. We’ll know what they offer, they’ll compete and work really, really hard for each other. It’ll be a tough game for sure for my boys.”

“I’ve felt that all year [we had confidence in front of goal], it just didn’t really happen. The way we play, we want to create plenty of chances, we want a lot of the ball, we want to be dynamic and it’s nice to see it coming together. Sometimes to change a style of football in a team, and also change a mindset it takes time, so it’s nice to see it’s slowly reaping some rewards.”

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“I think the guys’ performance on the weekend after two/three weeks off was commendable although Magic at home is a different story. They’ve got some confidence now, so I’m actually looking forward to the contest. There’s some guys that are starting in their second first-grade game and the actual test will be against a confident Magic side who are looking to scrape into that fourth spot.”

“I just think it’s a lot more settled side [for Magic] and Zadkovich has probably settled on selections a lot more and probably found what he thinks is going to work for them. I think they’ve been a consistent side when they’ve just had the same sort of starting side and they’ve bought a player that played a high level in Oxborrow.”

Key: Magic have won just two of six home games this season. Can they turn it around against the Blues?

Source: sportstg.com

Hamilton Olympic welcome back Reece Papas!!

After stints at Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners all at Olympic are happy to see Reece back in the blue and white.

source:Tom Tsamouras

Hamilton Olympic 2 (Smith 79’, Pratt 81’) drew with Maitland Magpies 2 (Comerford 32’, M.Thompson (p) 49’) at Darling Street Oval.

Hamilton Olympic pulled a point out of the fire and could have stolen all three in the ‘Match of the Round’ as they produced a stunning rear-guard action, scoring two goals in the final 11 minutes against Maitland.

Olympic were down by two goals heading towards the final ten minutes, but a stunning strike from Scott Smith and a vicious volley from Sean Pratt ensured honours were even after 90 minutes.

The home side started the game on the front foot as Rhys Cooper – in his third match back from injury – wreaked havoc in the attacking third.

Cooper’s first chance burst through the hands of Magpies keeper Matt Trott and into the goal and minutes later Cooper had a wonderful chance to break the deadlock from inside the box on the right, but he slid his shot wide to the left.

Matt Comerford made Olympic pay for missing their earlier chances in the 32^nd minute after an intricate interchange of passing between himself and Matt Thompson.

Comerford played a one-two with the former Newcastle Jets Captain and chipped Tyler Warren in the Hamilton goal to make it 1-0.

After conceding Hamilton struggled to make any headway with the Magpies controlling much of the ball as they headed to the break with a one-goal advantage.

When then returned after the interval the visitor’s dominance continued with Comerford darting down the left edge and having too much pace for Olympic defender Marcus Duncan.

Duncan dove in on Maitland’s speedster and gave away a penalty, which Matt Thompson duly converted to make in 2-0 in the 49^th minute.

For the next 30 minutes, the Magpies appeared comfortable, sniffing out any half chance which Olympic created. That was until Tommy Spencer came onto the ground and Olympic began to find some space in the front third.

First, Spencer put his header from close range over the bar. It seemed that was the moment for Olympic. However, the chances continued to flow for the home side.

When Scott Smith turned on the edge of the box and curled a left-footed strike into the top left corner the match was back on.

Two minutes later and Olympic were level when Sean Pratt hit a searing volley from the right side of the box into the top right corner, sending the home fans into raptures.

The chances weren’t gone for Olympic though. Smith played Spencer through the heart of the Magpies defence in stoppage time and went one-on-one with Trott. Maitland’s keeper made a brilliant one-on-one save, sticking out his left boot to save the day.

The draw leaves just one point separating fourth from sixth on the PlayStation®4 NPL NNSW ladder with Hamilton, Maitland and Broadmeadow looking to fight it out for the last spot over the next seven weeks.

Olympic coach Mick Bolch thought his side were too inconsistent over the 90 minutes to win the match.

“I thought we were really good for the first 20 minutes. We probably deserved to be up by two, Rhys Cooper had three one-one-ones.

“Last 20 minutes I thought we were really good and ran over the top of them. Middle 40 minutes, [we were] terrible.”

“We could have won at the death there with Tommy Spencer. Did we deserve to win it? Probably not. I’m happy to get out of jail.”

While disappointed with conceding two goals in the final 15 minutes, Magpies boss Phil Dando didn’t feel like “we threw three points away.”

“They’ve gone away, they slipped away,” Dando said.

“We knew it would be an arm-wrestle. We knew it would be a tight contest. I thought we did really well absorbing their pressure early one and then we played some good football.”

Looking back on the result, Dando was pleased to take a point.

“If you would have said before the game, there is a point, we probably would have taken it. The biggest surprise to me was that we were so dominant for such a large period of the game. I just thought it would be an arm-wrestle all the way through.

“That’s credit to our guys, they’ve worked their socks off and probably didn’t quite get what they deserved today.”

Source:sportstg.com

Under 20s Olympic won 5-0
Under 18s Olympic won 5-0

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Lambton Jaffas FC
Under 16s Lambton 0-5
Under 15s Olympic won 1-0
Under 14s Lambton won 1-3
Under 13s Olympic won 6-0

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

NET results
Under 12s Olympic defeated Lambton 3-2
Under 11s Olympic & Sth Wallsend drew 1-1
Under 10s Olympic & Sth Wallsend drew 2-2

Olympic Junior Results
Under 16a Olympic defeated Magic 4-2
Under 15a Olympic & Kotara drew 3-3
Under 13a Olympic defeated Charlestown 4-1
Under 12b Olympic defeated Kahibah 4-0

Under 8/2 Olympic defeated Medowie
Under 6/1 Olympic defeated Cooks Hill

Hamilton Olympic v Maitland Magpies

2.30pm Sunday 25^th June at Darling Street Oval

Last Meeting: Round 4, 2017: Maitland 0 Hamilton 2 at Cooks Square Park
Ladder: Hamilton 4^th (21pts), Maitland 5^th (20)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Hamilton – Won Rosebud 3-0 (h), Lost Jaffas 2-3 (a), Won Magic 2-1 (a)

Maitland – Won Jets 6-1 (h), Drew Blues 1-1 (h), Lost Rosebuds 1-3 (a)

Bottom Line

Top four ambitions will go on the line in this weekend’s ‘Match of the Round’ when Maitland meet Hamilton at Darling Street Oval.

Just a point separates the sides with both having played 12 matches, and three points on Sunday could make all the difference in the race for the top four.

Hamilton come into the fixture fresh from the bye, and having missed the Westfield FFA Cup weekend, Olympic will not have played a competitive match in three weeks.

It has given Mick Bolch’s side the chance to freshen up and get over any niggles or injuries as they gear up for a huge eight matches to end the regular season.

After a run of three straight matches in the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NNSW without a victory, Maitland has grown in confidence following a competitive performance against Edgeworth in the Westfield FFA Cup where they pushed the Eagles all the way in a 1-0 defeat.

The Magpies have taken that good form back into the league season where they dismantled the Jets Youth on Sunday in style, winning 6-1.

Josh Dutton-Black scored his first PS4 NPL goal for the club and seems a key for Maitland over the final two months of the competition, along with new recruit Chris Fayers who has arrived mid-season from Edgeworth.

While Maitland have only tasted victory once in their last five matches against Olympic, they have proved to be somewhat of a bogey side for the men from Hamilton. They drew twice with them last season and had a win each in 2015. Earlier this season Hamilton were too strong in a 2-0 win at Cooks Square Park.

It’s a match which shapes as a tight one and only home ground advantage tilts the scales in favour of Olympic.

What the Coaches Said:

Michael Bolch (Hamilton)

“They have trained really well in the last couple of weeks so hopefully they will be focused. It will be a big game, so I’m sure they will be up for it. It’s crucial for every team [the next eight weeks]. There are about four or five teams that are chasing those [top] four spots, so it’s a big eight weeks coming up for all teams.”

“[Maitland] have had a couple of good results the last few weeks. They put the Jets to the sword on the weekend and scored some really good goals. If we take the chances we are creating I’m sure we’ll be right in the game. Rhys Cooper is a bonus being back for us. He did really well in his 60 minutes against Adamstown three weeks ago and his combination with Kane Goodchild and Scott Smith is only going to get better over the next eight weeks.”

Phil Dando (Maitland)

“We thought maybe we had done enough to get something out of it [against Olympic in round four]. We started off sloppy and they tend to play a bit more direct and we didn’t deal with it. They imposed themselves early on and got on top of us. We failed to match them in the intensity I suppose, so we need to ensure we do that.”

“We’ve just got to play at our best. We have some really good games in us but there are occasions when we switch off and I don’t know if the belief has been there. I keep telling them that they are as good as anyone going around and on our day, we are as good as anyone going around. I don’t know if they always believe me. They’ve just got to take that belief into games and they should do now after the good win the other day. We knocked the ball around well on a muddy pitch [against the Jets].”

Key: How will Hamilton start after three weeks without a match in the PS4 NPL?

U18s  Hamilton Olympic vs Maitland 10.45 am Sunday 25^th June at Darling Street Oval

U20s  Hamilton Olympic vs Maitland 12.30 pm Sunday 25^th June at Darling Street Oval

NPL YOUTH:

Hamilton Olympic vs Lambton Jaffas Saturday 24^th June at darling Street Oval

U13s kick off at 10.00am

U14s kick off at 11.30am

U15s kick off at 1.00pm

U16s kick off at 2.30pm

IN OTHER GAMES:

Charlestown City Blues v Newcastle Jets Youth
2.30pm Saturday 24^th June at Lisle Carr Oval

Last Meeting: Round 4, 2017: Jets Youth 1 Charlestown 4 at Lisle Carr Oval.
Ladder: Charlestown 8^th (12), Jets Youth 9^th (9)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Charlestown – Drew Magpies 1-1 (a), Lost Phoenix 1-3 (a), Lost Bears 0-3 (a)

Jets – Lost Magpies 1-6 (a), Won Rosebud 3-2 (a), Won Jaffas 2-1 (a)

Bottom Line

Two sides in need of three points meet at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday, with the Blues looking to win for the first time since April and the Jets Youth eager to erase last weekend’s defeat from their minds.

After two straight victories in the PS4 NPL NNSW, it seemed the Jets Youth would climb up the table over the back half of the season. However, on Sunday those hopes seemed to take a dive as Maitland provided the young Jets with a reality check.

The Magpies put six past them on a sodden pitch which didn’t suit the Jets’ style and with heavy pitches expected to be a feature of the final eight rounds, it may get tough for the Jets Youth.

Coach Clayton Zane has conceded the loss of striker Kristian Brymora is a significant one for his side, with Brymora bringing a physical presence, which is crucial against sides of which most bring greater size than the Jets.

While their opponents Charlestown have brought in some youth over the previous weeks, the experienced core of their squad remains the same with Matt Tull and Dan Casciaroli the important cogs in the midfield along with the attacking prowess of Rene Ferguson in the front third.

Charlestown haven’t won in six matches, but their last result was a positive step forward after consecutive defeats.

They drew with Maitland at Cooks Square Park at the start of the month and after missing the match with Lake Macquarie on Sunday, the Blues may come into this one a little rusty, while also eager and excited to be back on the park.

The greater physical presence of Charlestown makes them slight favourites on Saturday, although it is very rare that the Jets put in two disappointing performances in a row.

What the Coaches Said:

Shane Pryce (Charlestown)

“It’s an up and down season for them. It’s tough, they didn’t have their number one keeper in there [on the weekend]. It’s a reflection of them being in the comp for a while now. They either go really well one week, and they are bad another. I guess with young players it is consistency that they struggle with. I don’t think [the match] will be near what it was the first match against them. We played really well and they might have some changes in personnel as well.”

“Not much has changed in my mind, the feeling that I’m not going to be at the club next year. I’ve had a chat to the players and it’s really important for them that they put their best foot forward for the best of the season. I don’t want to finish the season where we roll over and die. I don’t think that’s in the character of some of the players and it’s definitely not in my character.”

Key: Can the Jets Youth respond to last weekend’s thumping handed out by Maitland?

Valentine Phoenix v Lambton Jaffas
2.30pm Saturday 24^th June at Cahill Oval

Last Meeting: Round 4, 2017: Lambton 2 Valentine 3 at Arthur Edden Oval
Ladder: Valentine 3^rd (25), Lambton 1^st (29)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Valentine – Lost Magic 1-3 (h), Won Roosters 1-0 (h), Won Blues 3-1 (h)

Lambton – Won Bears 5-0 (h), Won Eagles 2-0 (a), Won Olympic 3-2 (h)

Bottom Line

After their loss to the Jets Youth in round ten Lambton have returned to form in style, scoring ten goals in three matches since the defeat and going two points clear at the top of the PS4 NPL NNSW ladder.

The Jaffas thumped the Bears on Saturday, and what was even more impressive was their ability not to rely on one source for their goals with four different Jaffas’ players scoring on the weekend.

The visitors will be eager to beat their bogey side of late who have won their last two matches against them. Valentine won 3-2 last year in round 13 and won 3-2 earlier this season against the Jaffas.

For Valentine, Saturday’s match marks the end of five consecutive matches at Cahill Oval in the PS4 NPL NNSW. The Phoenix had an unblemished record on the ground this year, before their defeat to Broadmeadow Magic on Saturday.

While Valentine had won three straight matches before the game against Magic and looked set to secure a spot in the finals, a loss in the Westfield FFA Cup, followed by the loss on the weekend just seems to have shaken the Phoenix.

They were sitting eight points clear of fifth-placed Maitland before last weekend, but after both the Magpies and Magic won that gap has been reduced to five. A win this weekend is crucial for the Phoenix to ensure they keep the chasing teams at bay.

After their recent form, Lambton head into this match as favourites, but it will be tight, with Valentine aware of the importance of at least getting a point out of the match.

What the Coaches Said:

Sam Griffin (Valentine Assistant)

“We got it wrong tactically against Magic. We thought we should try and negate their pace by sitting off and picking out wide and deciding where to engage them. It probably worked to an extent, but not as well as we would have hoped and they got in behind more easily. You can’t concede three goals and let them get behind as easily as they did and expect them to win too many games.”

“There’s probably 11 battles going on out there [against Lambton]. I spoke to Sillsy [Darren Sills] today about trying to pick where their weakness is and it was a bit of a short conversation because there aren’t many. I think we can’t really worry about them too much, we’ve just got to make sure that we are better than what we were last week.”

Key: After two losses in a row, can the Phoenix turn it around against a Lambton side who has struggled against them recently?

Lake Macquarie Roosters v Broadmeadow Magic
2.30pm Sunday 25^th June at Macquarie Field

Last Meeting: Round 4, 2017: Broadmeadow 1 Lake Macquarie 4 at Magic Park.
Ladder: Lakes 7^th (16), Broadmeadow 6^th (18)
Past 3 Starts (most recent first):

Broadmeadow – Won Phoenix 3-1 (a), Won Bears 4-1 (a), Lost Eagles 0-3 (a)

Lakes – Lost Phoenix 0-1 (a), Won Bears 2-0 (h), Lost Eagles 1-2 (h)

Bottom Line

Broadmeadow will look to make it a hat-trick of wins in the PS4 NPL NNSW for the first time in 2017 when they meet Lake Macquarie on Sunday afternoon.

Magic have piled on the goals in their last two matches in the league scoring four in their victory over Weston in round 13 and three on the weekend against Valentine.

Broadmeadow’s two PS4 NPL NNSW victories have bookended two strong performances in the Westfield FFA Cup when they racked up four and three goals respectively in their round six and seven fixtures.

They seem to be playing with greater width, allowing James Virgili and Kale Bradbury more space on the flanks and it certainly showed against the Phoenix, with Virgili scoring twice.

Lake Macquarie come into the match fresh from a three-week break, with byes and wet weather affecting their schedule.

Lakes have gone loss, win, loss over their last three matches so if you believe in that trend a win is due this weekend.

They were dogged in their last start against Valentine, but just couldn’t get the job done with Matt Toohey sent off in the second half and Jalon Brown scoring a late goal for the Phoenix.

The Roosters will bring plenty of belief into the clash after their wonderful showing in round four where they took down Broadmeadow 4-1 at Magic Park. They will be looking for more of the same this weekend.

With Broadmeadow having won four straight in all competitions they enter this match as favourites against a Lakes side who have been a little inconsistent of late.

What the Coaches Said:

Ruben Zadkovich (Broadmeadow)

“We are going alright, just putting a few wins together is nice. We know it will be a tough game, especially out there. Like most teams, they will rise to play against us. We are really looking forward to it. The boys have got a good bit of vibe going at the moment and teams spirit which is good, but we’ll just take it as it comes. Really looking forward to the weekend.”

“There were four or five games in that first round where we played some really good stuff and didn’t get rewarded. We didn’t take our chances and coughed up penalties at crucial times and conceded poor goals. It was kind of like Murphy’s Law, that along with some key injuries and a couple of suspensions and silly red cards. We were a bit unlucky there when we did play some good stuff and didn’t get any rewards from it, so I was always quite confident that it would turn around.”

Anthony Richards (Lakes)

“I’m tipping it’s going to be a massively tough game for us on the weekend. The Magic boys are flying at the moment. They are playing well and scoring goals and progressing through to the FFA Cup, so they are really confident and they picked up a really good player in Mitch Oxborrow.”

“I don’t think getting going is going to be the problem [after three weeks without a match]. The boys are buzzing. They are busting to get a game and you could see that on the weekend in the warm-up when everyone had gone, we were still training and having a kick at the ground there and then even started some diving headers in the mud. The boys were keen, they were right to play and they were really disappointed they didn’t get on, on the weekend.”

Key: Can Broadmeadow’s front third continue their strong form against Lakes?

Weston Bears v Adamstown Rosebud
2.30pm Sunday 25^th June at Rockwell Automation Park

Last Meeting: Round 4, 2017: Adamstown 3 Weston 3 at Adamstown Oval.
Ladder: Weston 10^th (7), Adamstown 11^th (7)
Last 3 Starts (most recent first):

Adamstown – Lost Olympic 0-3 (a), Lost Jets 2-3 (h), Won Magpies 3-1 (h)

Weston – Lost Jaffas 0-5 (a), Lost Magic 1-4 (h), Lost Roosters 0-2 (a)

Bottom Line

For the second season running Weston and Adamstown are in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon, and while there are still plenty of matches left in the season a win this weekend for either club could go a long way to ensuring they finish the season strongly.

The Bears will be looking to for a strong performance at home after a difficult week which included a 5-0 defeat at the hands of the ladder leading Lambton Jaffas.

Weston have been unable to get themselves going again after a heart-breaking last minute defeat at Valentine in round 11.

The weekend before Weston put in one of their best performances of the season in a 3-0 win over Charlestown but have since lost four straight.

Since the round 10 victory, the Bears have conceded 13 goals in four matches – including nine in the past two – and a return home could be just the boost they need.

Like the Bears, Adamstown put in one of their best performances of the season against Maitland in round 11 and have struggled since.

Last weekend the Rosebuds went down 3-0 to Edgeworth who are going through a solid run of form.

The loss to the Eagles was Adamstown’s third straight and they have leaked three goals in each of those three defeats. Coach Nick Webb will aim to tighten up their defence this weekend.

Earlier in the season, the sides couldn’t be separated after a 3-3 draw, however, it was a match Adamstown would have felt like they had lost after racing to a 3-1 lead inside 16 minutes.

There is very little between the two sides, with Weston going into the match slight favourites at Rockwell Automation Park.

What the Coaches Said:

Steve Piggott (Weston)

“We had a 3-all draw with them last time and gave them a big head start and mowed them down. It will be a battle of the bottom two and a bit of pride at stake I suppose. After last week’s pretty poor effort defensively we’ll have to be a lot better. They’ve got some threats, a couple of guys that can score goals, Alex Read and the like. They haven’t been going well either so it will be a battle of two teams probably both looking to boost confidence.”

“There’s a few games in the first round that we let slip and Adamstown is probably one of them. We gave them a big head start and probably should have gone on and won that match. Ten games later from that game you would think both teams would have matured a bit. But, again I can only talk for us, we’ve conceded nine goals in two weeks and that is way too many and we’ve had to look pretty closely at the defence this week and hopefully, we can improve.”

Nick Webb (Adamstown)

“I think that is the biggest challenge. Part of the thing that I will be talking to them about this week, is that I am the coach. I am not a caretaker, I’m not just making sure they are all feeling good and I’m here to coach. That’s the biggest point I want to make to the club. I’m the coach and I want to prove that I want to be here next year as well.”

“The next couple of weeks are going to determine that, so I’m looking for them to push hard on their confidence side of it and the senior players step up and show the younger boys how it is done and that starts with body language and attitude. I’m looking to prove a point to them and show that I do want to coach this side next year as well.”

Key: Can Adamstown tighten up at the back, after conceding three goals in each of their last three matches?

source:sportstg.com

• WHEN:  FRIDAY 21 July 7.00pm for a 7.30pm START SHARP
• WHERE: Greek Community Hall, Skelton Street Hamilton (Close to St Francis Xavier, off Parkway Avenue)
• COST:  $15 per player
• AGES- 16 YEARS AND UP
• FANTASTIC RAFFLE PRIZES
• BRING YOUR OWN NIBBLIES
• BYO ALCOHOL as the premises are not licenced.
• Coffee/ tea and cakes provided on the night
• BOOK YOUR TABLES (maximum of 10 players)  BY CONTACTING CON on 0423221352,

0r Heath on 0437776650 or by emailing secretary@hamiltonolympic.com.au

In his first start back from injury, Rhys Cooper returned to the scoresheet at Darling Street Oval in Hamilton’s 3-0 demolition of Adamstown.

Reeling from the sacking of former coach Peter McGuinness during the week the Rosebud’s struggled against an Olympic side inspired to end their coach Michael Bolch’s final season at the club on a high.

Cooper opened the scoring in the 23^rd minute after the intricate build up from Olympic. Andrew Swan played in his brother Matt down the left edge who squared to Cooper. Cooper rushed into the box and hit his shot first time, into the right post and the ball deflected in to make it 1-0.

Just two minutes later and Olympic were up by two. Cooper turned provider on this occasion curling in a cross from the right onto the head of Smith who made no mistake from point blank range.

Hamilton took their 2-0 advantage into the sheds and pushed on in the second half through Smith. The build-up was brilliant once more as Tom Davies crossed in from the right edge to Sean Pratt.

Pratt squared to ball back to Tommy Spencer, who chipped over the top to Kane Goodchild. Goodchild was tackled by Rosebud defender Alex Read, however, the ball sat up for Smith who powered home from close range.

The win moves Olympic to within five points of top spot and keeps them in fourth on the ladder.

Olympic coach Mick Bolch felt two of his returning stars were crucial to the win.

“We played some good stuff today and knocked the ball around really well.

“We got into some good areas and Coops made a difference, scored the first, set up the second, but even having Andrew Swan back at left fullback, he and his brother engineered the first goal down the left-hand side.”

With Olympic now having a three-week layoff before their next match, Bolch says how they return will be crucial to their finals aspirations.

In his first match in charge of the Rosebuds caretaker coach Nick Webb said the result “was a bit of a learning curve.”

“Overall, it was a little disappointing, but obviously, there is a bit of work to do.”

After only taking his first training session on Friday it would a very short build-up for Webb who admitted there wasn’t a lot he could change in the short period.

“I just wanted to have a look at them [on Friday]. We had a bit of a game against the 20s so we could see some shape and set up how I wanted to set up in defence, which wasn’t far off how they have played this year. I didn’t want to do too much with them.”

Webb will get two weeks to work with his squad before their next match against Edgeworth, while Olympic has a three-week break before they next play in the PS4 NPL, against Maitland.

source: sportstg.com

Under 20s Olympic won 2-1
Under 18s Olympic won 3-1

NPL Youth
Olympic vs Adamstown
Under 16s drew 1-1
Under 15s Olympic won 3-0
Under 14s drew 3-3
Under 13s Olympic won 4-2

Zone League 2
Olympic vs New Lambton
1st Grade New Lambton won 0-1
2nd Grade Olympic won 1-0

NET results
Under 10s Olympic drew with Jaffas 2-2
Under 11s Olympic defeated by Jaffas 2-3
Under 12s Olympic defeated Magic 3-0

Olympic Junior Results
Under 16a Olympic defeated New Lambton 1-0
Under 15a Olympic defeated Jaffas 4-2
Under 13a Olympic defeated by Maitland 1-2
Under 12b Olympic defeated South Wallsend 2-1

Under 9/1 Olympic defeated Lambton
Under 9/2 Olympic defeated by New Lambton
Under 8/1 Olympic defeated South Wallsend
Under 8/2 Olympic defeated New Lambton
Under 7/1 Olympic defeated South Wallsend
Under 6/1 Olympic drew with Mayfield
Under 6/2 Opposition forfeited
Under 6/3 Olympic defeated Newcastle Grammer

Source:Tom Tsamouras

Hamilton Olympic Football Club is proud to announce that Peter McGuinness is to return to the Club as Head Coach from the commencement of the 2018 NPL Season.

“We are truly excited that one of our ‘old boys’, multiple Premiership winning player and coach, Pete McGuinness is returning to our Club. During his first stint here, he enjoyed great success as a three-time 1st Grade Grand Final winning player and lower grade Premiership and Grand Final winning coach. Coupled with his continued success and development as a coach, puts Pete well-placed to lead our football teams into the future” said Mr. Sofianos.

Pete McGuinness served Hamilton Olympic with distinction during his seven years at the Club from 1998 to 2004. In that time he:
won 3 consecutive 1st Grade Grand Finals as a player – 1998, 1999, 2000;
coached our Under 23s to 2 consecutive Grand Finals wins in 2003 and 2004;
coached our Under 23s to 2 Under 23 Premierships in 2001 and 2004;
as a player and coach contributed to 3 Club Championships in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Since then, Pete has continued to develop and succeed as a coach, winning two more 1st Grade Premierships and two 1st Grade Grand Finals. He has been a W-League and NNSWF Coach of the Year, coached the NNSW Men’s Representative team and the Newcastle Jets W-League team.

“Olympic are one of the ‘powerhouse’ clubs in this region. I am honoured they have asked me to rejoin the Club where I started my coaching career. I am excited at working with the players, coaches and committee to build on the Club’s success both on and off the field.” said Mr. Mc Guinness.

Pete has also demonstrated a strong commitment to youth development over many years. He has coached at the NNSW Institute of Sport, the Emerging Jets, NNSW Boys’ representative teams and during 2015 was coach of the Newcastle Jets Youth team.

“Beyond his success as a senior coach, Pete’s commitment to youth development was a critical factor in our decision as it aligns with the strong commitment our Club has always had to youth development.” said Mr. Sofianos.

source: Tom Tsamouras