Minor Semi-Final
Lake Macquarie City FC 1(4)-1(5) Broadmeadow Magic
Broadmeadow Magic coach Jason Konjarski believed his side deserved a goal in regulation time after taking Lake Macquarie City FC all the way to penalties before prevailing 1(5)-1(4) at Macquarie Field on Sunday afternoon to keep their finals series alive.
Lakes came out firing and quickly took the lead inside the opening two minutes after Magic’s Ava Lidden was penalised for handball inside the penalty area. Larissa Ryan stepped up to the spot and calmly converted to give the Roosters an early advantage.
The Roosters maintained their high intensity throughout the first half and continued to enjoy large periods of possession. They came close to doubling their lead in the 33rd minute when Alyssa Togo-Paragalli launched an effort from range, with an awkward bounce appearing likely to catch Malli Blanch off guard.
But Blanch managed to get a hand to the ball, tipping it over her head and onto the crossbar before it bounced back down.
Magic continued to search for an equaliser, with a strong run down the pitch by Jessica Wallace creating an opportunity, but her shot was directed straight at goalkeeper Morgan Ross as Lakes took a 1-0 lead into half-time.
The sides continued to battle in the second half, with Broadmeadow appearing to have found an equaliser in the 61st minute when Wimberley Wright headed the ball into the net, only for the goal to be ruled offside.
Lakes came close to extending their advantage in the 73rd minute when Kiera Bainsfair played the ball to Holly Vitnell inside the penalty area. Vitnell sent an effort towards goal, but a goal-line clearance from Wallace denied her.
Broadmeadow’s persistence finally paid off seven minutes into stoppage time when a failed clearance by Caitlin McMahon fell to Wright, who followed the loose ball and volleyed it into the bottom-right corner underneath Ross to send the match into extra time at 1-1.
The sides continued to battle through extra time, with Lakes dominating possession while Magic continued to create moments in front of goal. Neither side could find a winner, sending the match to a penalty shootout.
Lillie Young stepped up first for Magic but was denied by Ross, while Lakes’ Jacinta Johnston converted her attempt.
Ava Bjorkman-Tracy and Wright then found the back of the net for Magic, while Sunny Mitchell and Bainsfair converted for Lakes.
Magic’s Megan Janikowski stepped up needing to score to keep her side in the contest and did just that, before Brooke Summers stepped up for Lakes but was denied by Blanch.
Cate Spranger then converted for Magic, while Lakes’ Keziah White also found the back of the net.
With the shootout reaching sudden death, Madalyn Campbell stepped up for Magic and calmly converted before McMahon took Lakes’ next penalty and sent her effort over the crossbar.
Magic prevailed 1(5)-1(4) to book their place in the preliminary final.
“I feel good, mainly relieved. I hate penalties when I'm watching. It was good to fight all the way to grab that goal late to force it to extra time,” Konjarski said.
“I feel as though we deserved something out of those 90 minutes. We kept pushing, pushing, pushing. We probably had better chances, but it was good to get something that we deserved, and to force extra time was pleasing.
“It was so, so relieving that we finally got what we deserved, which was that goal towards the end.”
While Konjarski admitted he would have liked to get the job done in regular time, he was thrilled to see the togetherness of the group.
“It would have been nice to get it done in 90 minutes, but you take what you can get. So super proud of the girls, super proud of everyone that played a part today,” Konjarski said.
“It's not just the 11 that started, it's the staff, it's everyone that helps, the supporters, the girls coming off the bench doing a job.
“There's a real good togetherness around this group, and I'm just pleased that we're still in it for another week.”
Lake Macquarie coach Gabrielle Blanch believed her side had been the better team across the 120 minutes but was proud of the way they tested themselves and stepped up when it mattered.
“I think it's a tough way to lose a game. I think our girls were the better of the 120 minutes and it's just a disappointing way for a game to be decided, but what can you do?” Blanch said.
“But I'm really proud. We had to test our depth today and it was tough.
“We lost players during the week due to various reasons, and it was just a real test of our depth not just today, but for the whole year and I'm proud of the girls.”
Magic will now meet New Lambton FC in the preliminary final as they look to secure the final spot in the 2026 grand final.
Major Semi-Final
Maitland FC 5-1 New Lambton FC
Maitland FC coach Ben Horgan said his side ensured they would not be caught on the counterattack as they defeated New Lambton FC 5-1 at Cooks Square Park on Saturday afternoon to secure their place in the 2026 grand final.
The Magpies demonstrated why they have been undefeated at home this season, taking control early against a Golden Eagles side determined to rewrite the script at Cooks Square Park.
Maitland opened the scoring in the 11th minute when an unmarked Willow Neal received the ball well outside the penalty area before launching an effort towards goal and chipping goalkeeper Isabella White.
The Magpies quickly doubled their advantage in the 17th minute when Sophie Nenadovic got on the end of a long ball from Tahlia Gossner and lifted her effort from just outside the penalty area over White and into the net.
White denied Maitland a third in the 33rd minute when Elodie Dagg unleashed a shot from the edge of the box, but the goalkeeper was able to tip the effort away.
Maitland continued to press and extended their lead to 3-0 in the 38th minute when Renee Pountney beat two New Lambton players before sending a powerful effort from the top of the box over White and into the back of the net.
New Lambton clawed one back in the 42nd minute when Cassidy Davis delivered a free kick from outside the box. As Tara Andrews appeared set to head the ball, it instead bounced between the players and into the goal to send the Golden Eagles into the sheds trailing 3-1.
The Golden Eagles came close to reducing the deficit moments into the second half when Andrews rounded several Maitland players in front of goal, but her attempt went just wide and clipped the side of the post.
Maitland refused to let New Lambton’s momentum derail them and restored their three-goal advantage in the 51st minute. Josie Morley found Georgia Amess in front of goal, with Amess volleying the ball into the net.
New Lambton’s Lauren Allan attempted to spark a comeback in the 69th minute when she charged down the wing and sent an effort towards goal, but Maitland goalkeeper Annabella Thornton stretched to make the save.
Maitland put the result beyond doubt in the 80th minute when Ceanna Frost beat Josie Fisher before slicing her effort underneath a diving White from outside the box and into the net to seal a 5-1 victory and book the Magpies’ place in the grand final.
Horgan said Maitland were determined not to make the same mistakes they had made in their previous meeting with New Lambton.
“We got caught last time we played them just through being a little bit open and not sort of prepared for that counterattack. They’re really good at that with Lauren [Allan] and the pace that they have,” Horgan said.
“We were a lot more aware this time of the need to make sure, even when we’re in possession, even when we were attacking from our own set pieces, that we were prepared for that.
“Liz Clowes in particular was unreal. She put in such a good performance, she was just clever with her positioning, challenged everything and she got a foot in or a head on everything.
“We were just super aware. We got caught last time, and we wanted to make sure we didn’t get caught that same way again.”
With Maitland now safely through to the grand final, Horgan believes the early qualification will provide both a confidence boost and valuable time for his players to recover.
“It’s good for confidence and it’s good for the legs. Everyone is really believing in what we’re doing and has trust in one another,” Horgan said.
“To go in knowing that you’ve got your squad for the most part fully fit, apart from Leah O’Hagen. We had Charlie O’Connor sick yesterday, but she’ll be right in a couple of weeks’ time. So to have everyone fresh and fit and feeling confident, it’s great, especially with the performance yesterday.”
New Lambton will now have a second chance to reach the grand final when they face Broadmeadow Magic in the preliminary final, while Maitland can turn their attention to preparing for the decider on Saturday 13 September.