Match of the Round
West Wallsend 6-1 Thornton Redbacks
West Wallsend secured a sensational 6-1 victory over a struggling Thornton Redbacks side on Sunday.
A sensational hat trick by Kane Goodchild within the first 54 minutes helped West Wallsend get over the line.
The win comes on the heels of an impressive week for Westy, having defeated Wallsend last Sunday and clinched victory against table-toppers Toronto Awaba in their round 10 catch-up match last Wednesday, accumulating a total of 11 goals.
West Wallsend’s coach Bailey Cox sees these three victories as a turning point for the team.
"I feel we have finally started hitting the back of the net and that has gone wonders for our overall performance," said Cox.
"We all know our formation well and everyone knows their roles but overall, we are just clicking together as a squad on and off the field.
"The whole feel and vibe of the club at the minute is tremendous and everyone is showing up for each other in defence and attack.”
With nine points from the last three matches, Westy have surged up the table, now third on 19 points.
However, there is no time for complacency as Westy’s coach immediately shifts his focus to the upcoming midweek fixture.
"Super happy with the lads and we want to keep that momentum going into Wednesday's game at Cessnock,” said Cox.
Singleton Strikers 2-1 Belmont Swansea
The Singleton Strikers claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belmont Swansea on Sunday afternoon.
With this crucial win, the Strikers have accumulated a total of 22 points, placing them in a strong position to challenge the current leaders, Toronto Awaba, who currently sit on 23 points and have a game in hand.
In a tightly contested match that could have swung either way, it was the commanding presence of midfield general Jackson Cox that ultimately made the difference for the Singleton Strikers. His two goals with the assistance of Joel Barner were pivotal to the team's success.
Striker’s coach Mich Jarvis was impressed with how his team was able to grind out a win in a tight contest.
"Tough end-to-end battle with two sides not giving an inch," said Jarvis.
"Two quality finishes from Jackson Cox. First from some tidy work around the box from Joel Barner playing in Coxy the second an absolute bomb from outside the box.
BelSwans player Cameron Lodge was forced to leave the field in the final minutes with a knee injury.
Kahibah 2-1 Cessnock City Hornets
A spirited home crowd at Kahibah Oval on 'Old Boys Day,' helped the home side to a 2-1 victory over the Hornets.
Jenson Hunt shone in the number 10 position for Kahibah, delivering an outstanding performance that earned him the well-deserved title of 'Old Boys' Player of the Match.'
Reflecting on the match, Kahibah’s coach Mat Moncrieff acknowledged the team's slow start but commended their resilience in turning the tide of the match.
"We got off to a poor start again today our first 40 minutes we were very average but the last 5-10 minutes of the first half we got into the game had our chances but were still lucky to be only down 1-0 at halftime,” Moncrieff said.
The team responded positively in the second half, displaying a marked improvement, creating numerous scoring opportunities.
"We didn't change anything at halftime but were much better second half and created plenty of chances none of which went in. We got a very lucky equaliser and then a very scrappy winner with not long to go,” Moncrieff said.
Moncrieff acknowledged the strength of their opponents, Cessnock, despite being short on players.
"Cessnock, I know, were down on troops, but they were very good, and their attack is as lethal as anyone's in the competition."
With little time to revel in the victory, Kahibah have had to swiftly switch his focus to the upcoming fixture against Wallsend, scheduled for Wednesday.
"We now get ready for our midweek trip to The Gardens,” Moncreiff said.
This result leaves the Hornets in eighth place on the table and Kahibah in third.
South Cardiff 1-1 Wallsend
South Cardiff and Wallsend had to settle for a hard fought 1-1 draw at Ulinga Oval on Sunday.
Both coaches walked away believing they created enough chances to win the game. Wallsend’s coach Michael Gatt was disappointed that his side could not hold on to the lead.
"It was a tough one to take as we dominated the first half leading 1-0 at half time thanks to a Matty Williams goal and missing two sitters to make the lead a lot better,” Gatt said.
"Second half the game opened right up with Jamie Subat scoring just after halftime making it 1-1 both teams had many chances to take the points both teams hitting the posts," said Gatt.
"We will take the point but we need to be a lot more clinical in front of goal if we want to keep in finals contention. Obviously a very hard week coming up with Kahibah on Wednesday night and Singleton on Saturday.”
South Cardiff’s coach Perry Mellon was pleased with his team’s determination to turn it around after going 1-0 down.
"Well contested match, the lads did well to fight back from a goal down at half time," Mellon said.
"Frustrating result considering the chances we created but didn't finish off, on another day we score four or five goals. Big week for all teams in the comp with three games in seven days.
“Looking forward to testing ourselves against BelSwans mid-week, a tough place to go but we are excited."
Toronto Awaba
Bye