Kahibah FC v New Lambton FC
Fred Wright Oval, Saturday 2pm
New Lambton FC head coach John Bennis says his side will take plenty of confidence into Saturday's promotion/relegation play-off series second leg at Fred Wright Oval, despite trailing Kahibah FC by a single goal.
Despite the win, the first leg proved anything but straightforward for Kahibah.
New Lambton defended well for large stretches of the contest, holding a 1-0 lead with just 20 minutes still to play.
Kahibah were far from happy with their first half performance but will take plenty of confidence from the way they responded, scoring twice in quick succession to claim a 2-1 win and hand themselves the advantage heading into Saturday.
It leaves Kahibah needing only a draw at home to progress, while New Lambton must find a way to overturn the deficit on the road if they are to reach the promotion/relegation play-off final.
Despite the loss, Bennis was pleased with his side's effort in a tough opening leg, particularly given the calibre of opposition on the other side of the pitch.
"I thought the game was a tight contest. We knew it was always going to be a difficult task coming up against a Kahibah side that beat the NPL premiers just two weeks prior," Bennis said.
"I only have praise for our players, who produced a good performance. They were disappointed when the game finished, which shows they're hungry to go again for the next leg."
Bennis said his side are relishing the opportunity to test themselves again against top-flight opposition.
"We are looking forward to heading to Kahibah to test ourselves against a team that has produced some big results in the NPL this year," Bennis said.
While New Lambton approached the first leg defensively once they had the lead, there is a clear understanding of what is required away from home if they are to force their way back into the tie.
Still, having proven they can more than hold their own against an NPL side, New Lambton will head into Saturday believing the tie remains well in the balance.
A win or draw for Kahibah would confirm their place in the promotion/relegation play-off final, where they will aim to preserve their NPL Men's NNSW status for another season.
For New Lambton, nothing less than a win would send them through to the final and give them a shot at an immediate return to the NNSW top-flight after last year's relegation.
Wallsend FC v Newcastle Croatia
Ladbroke Gardens, Sunday 2pm
Wallsend FC head coach Chris Gallagher says his side will need to sharpen up defensively if they're to win against Newcastle Croatia on Sunday, after a wild 6-6 draw in the first leg of the promotion/relegation play-off series leaves everything still to play for at Ladbroke Gardens.
The first leg produced 12 goals and enough drama to last a season, with both sides left scratching their heads over how six goals weren’t enough to secure an advantage heading into the return fixture.
Defensively, both coaches will have been left frustrated, with costly errors at the back for each side proving the difference between a comfortable lead and a share of the spoils.
The draw still leaves Wallsend with the slight edge on paper, having equalised in stoppage time and now returning home to Ladbroke Gardens, where they've suffered just one loss all season.
Croatia, though, arrive full of belief of their own, unbeaten in their last five games and having beaten Wallsend 3-1 in the final round of the regular season, a result that will have them fancying their chances.
Despite being displeased with the defensive application, Gallagher was pleased with his side's response after twice falling behind in the second half of the first leg.
"I was impressed with the effort of the boys to come back again in the 90-something minute, which we've started to do quite regularly over the last 12 months," Gallagher said.
"The boys just don't give up, and there's a bit of maturity creeping in; they know they can always get a goal and they're always in the game.
“Considering we played against one of the most experienced squads in [HIT106.9] Northern League One, I thought the boys did really well to step up."
Gallagher was far less pleased with the defensive lapses that allowed Croatia to keep finding a way back into the contest.
"A lot of the goals came from mistakes in key moments, which we've been pretty good at avoiding for most of the season," Gallagher said.
"The last two games it's started to appear a bit, and I can't really put my finger on why. We've got to be better than that defensively."
Looking ahead to Sunday, Gallagher confirmed the message to his players this week has been straightforward.
"We need to be more disciplined defensively and make better decisions in key moments", Gallagher said.
"Everyone seems fresh and good to go; I don't anticipate too many changes, and I'd expect much the same from Croatia too.”
With a spot in the promotion final against the winner of New Lambton and Kahibah on the line, Sunday's fixture promises to be every bit as unpredictable as the first leg, with goals and drama the one certainty spectators can bank on.
A win for Croatia would send them through to the play-off final and cap off their rapid rise through the NNSWF pyramid.
For Wallsend, victory at Ladbroke Gardens would set up a shot at redemption after missing out on automatic promotion, with a place in the NPL Men’s NNSW for 2027 up for grabs.