Match of the Round
Edgeworth FC v Maitland FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Maitland FC coach Mick Bolch has challenged his side to be better as a group when they travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval to take on Edgeworth FC on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies have had a tough couple of weeks after they suffered a 5-0 defeat against league leaders Lambton Jaffas in their round six catch-up match before they were knocked out of the Australia Cup on Tuesday night with a 2-0 loss against Charlestown Azzurri.
Maitland is in eighth position on the table with 11 points and has two games in hand. But a win could see them move to equal points with the Eagles, which will be an extra motivator to get the win on Saturday.
Bolch was disappointed with the recent results from his side and said his players need to focus on themselves and work together to get their season back on track.
“I thought we competed well with Jaffas for the first 45 minutes but we didn’t come out of the sheds with the same intensity as the first half and they put the game to bed,” Bolch said.
“We need to be better as a group and contribute the things that we can and focus on what we can are doing as a group. At the moment we are not doing that 100 per cent.
“We need to be more consistent and work on our own inconsistencies instead of worrying about not training or playing.
“There are still lots of little things that we still have to fix. We are still playing some good football at times.
“We need to focus on 90 minutes of football. It’s game-by-game for us.
“We just have to concentrate on what we are doing and if we get our part right then we can compete with any team.”
The Magpies coach said he and his side were looking forward to a tough battle against an in-from Edgeworth side.
“It will be an intense game, they (Edgeworth) are on a roll,” Bolch said.
“I am sure the boys will be fired up to go again.
“Any team that can get on a run can put themselves in a good position.”
The Eagles have continued to fly high after they secured their fourth win on the trot with a 2-0 victory over Cooks Hill United last weekend.
They are fifth on the table with 14 points and one match in hand. With three points between them and their opponents in eighth position, a win is crucial.
A victory for Edgeworth could see them jump ahead of Valentine FC into fourth place and close the gap between them and the top three sides.
Seth Clark and Flynn Goodman have begun to hit their prime and the back of the net which is something that coach Peter McGuinness will hope can continue again on the weekend as they look to make it five from five.
Lake Macquarie City FC v Newcastle Olympic
Macquarie Field, Saturday 4pm
Lake Macquarie City FC coach Pete Preston is desperate for his side to pick up points when they host Newcastle Olympic at Macquarie Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Roosters have struggled to secure results so far this season after seven losses and one win.
They sit 11th on the table with three points and suffered their equal biggest loss of the season last weekend after a 6-2 defeat against Weston Workers.
Preston was pleased with how his side improved each game but admitted that they needed to start winning games in order to keep their season alive.
“We are getting better and better every week and building resilience but now we have to start getting the points,” Preston said.
“We might be the youngest team in the competition, but we can’t keep using that as an excuse, we have to secure results.
“From bad decisions and poor play moments that happen against us, we haven't been good enough to survive teams and they are punishing us.
The Roosters’ coach said that the belief of the players is a key element that will help them get across the line.
“What we are trying to do is get our players to try and believe,” Preston said.
“We have to take teams right until the end, try and play through and the results will come.
“For a large part, everything is about moments.
Lakes will also bank on the transfer window that opens next week to secure some extra players to help bolster their squad.
A win for the Roosters could see them move up into tenth if other results go their way which will be an extra motivator to get the job done this weekend.
Olympic have begun to gain some momentum after back-to-back wins against Charlestown Azzurri (3-1) and New Lambton FC (2-1)
They sit seventh on the table with 13 points and are on equal points with Weston Workers FC in sixth.
Paul De Vitis and Neil Owens’ side missed their round 10 fixture against Adamstown Rosebud last weekend as it was postponed due to wet weather. They will be eager to get back on the pitch and secure a win as they look to crack into the top six sides of the competition.
Broadmeadow Magic v New Lambton FC
Magic Park, Friday 8pm
New Lambton will hope to cause an upset when they travel to Magic Park to take on Broadmeadow Magic on Friday night.
The Golden Eagles have struggled to take flight so far this season after one win, one draw and six losses. They sit tenth on the table with two matches in hand.
But in a boost for the side, Shane Pryce has recruited youngsters midfielder Liam Craig and defender Jagger Wholert from Lambton Jaffas who will be eager to shake things up.
Pryce will hope that his side can disrupt Magic and secure an important three points that could see them leapfrog Cooks Hill United into ninth if other results go their way.
Magic bounced back from two straight defeats to secure a 2-4 win over Valentine FC in round 10 and will hope to repeat their performance again at home on Friday.
Jim Cresnar’s side sits second on the table, six points behind league Lambton Jaffas, with one match in hand.
It is still unknown if star midfielder Bailey Wells will play on the weekend after his five-match suspension was appealed and the determination has not yet been finalised.
A win for Magic’s men could help them to close the gap between themselves and the league leaders as well as keep ahead of the pack of teams that are on their tail.
Lambton Jaffas v Adamstown Rosebud
Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
League leaders Lambton Jaffas will look to extend their lead at the top when they host bottom-of-the-table side Adamstown Rosebud at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday.
The Jaffas have continued their unbeaten for nine straight matches this season and sit at the top of the table, six points clear of Broadmeadow Magic in second with a with game in hand.
They will enter Saturday’s fixture with confidence after they beat the other top-four sides and secured a triumphant 5-0 victory in their mid-week catch-up match against Maitland FC last Wednesday night.
David Tanchevski will hope that his side can get the job done once again and make it ten from ten further to extend their rein at the top of the table.
Adamstown has struggled to pick up points in their 2024 campaign as they sit at the foot of the table with two points but have three matches in hand.
Daniel Dawkins will be desperate for his side to make the most of possession, capitalise on their chances and shut down the multitude of attacking threats Jaffas have to return home with points.
A win could see Adamstown jump off the bottom of the table, which will be an extra motivator for the side to get the job done on Saturday.
Weston Workers FC v Cooks Hill United
Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 2:30pm
Weston Workers FC will be eager to get on a run when they host Cooks Hill United at Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears secured their first consecutive victories in 2024 after a dominant 6-1 win over Lake Macquarie City FC in round 10.
They sit in the middle of the table in sixth position with 13 points and have the opportunity to move up as high as fourth with a win this weekend if other results go their way.
Kew Jaliens will hope that his star attackers Aaron Niyonkuru, Blake Archbold and Christopher Hatfield continue their goal-scoring form after they netted 15 of the 20 goals scored by the Bears so far this season.
Cooks Hill have failed to launch so far in the competition with one win, two draws and five losses to their name after eight matches. They sit ninth on the table with five points but have two matches in hand.
Their performances have not reflected their results but they have struggled to hit the back of the net at times, which includes last weekend when they were unable to score despite multiple opportunities against Edgeworth FC.
Defender Daniel Yaxley made his return to first grade last weekend in the second half after he was sidelined with a broken elbow. His presence on the field made an instant impact and he will be a big boost for the Cooks Hill side moving forward.
A win for Chris Zoricich’s side would help close the gap between them and the rest of the competition and break themselves away from the bottom of the pack.
Charlestown Azzurri v Valentine FC
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 2:30pm
Charlestown Azzurri will look to secure back-to-back wins when they host Valentine FC at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues bounced back from a two-match losing streak after a 2-0 victory over Broadmeadow Magic. But they had to miss their round 10 fixture against Maitland FC after it was postponed due to wet weather.
Azzurri sits third on the table with one match in hand and is nine points behind league leaders Lambton Jaffas.
A victory for the Blues would help close the gap between them and Magic to one point if other results go their way.
Valentine will hope to snap their run of defeats after two straight losses to the top two sides Jaffas and Magic.
The Phoenix’s strong start to the season has helped them stay at the top end of the table as they sit in fourth position with 16 points and are four points clear of Edgeworth FC in fifth.
A win for Valentine would see them leapfrog their opponents up into third spot, which will be an extra motivator for Adam Hughes’ side to get the job done on Saturday.
