Match of the Round
Valentine FC 2-0 New Lambton FC
New Lambton FC coach Shane Pryce was disappointed that things aren’t going their way after a 2-0 loss to Valentine FC at Croudace Bay Complex on Saturday evening.
The two sides created multiple chances but it wasn’t until the 50th minute that the deadlock was broken by the home side.
New Lambton thought they had a chance to open the scoring in the 32nd minute when Kent Harrison was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee played on.
Tyrell Paulson beat goalkeeper Shayne Van As to a bomb highball that landed on the edge of the penalty area and hit it on the volley straight into the back of the net.
Paulson struck again six minutes later to double his side’s advantage six minutes later after he ducked and weaved through multiple New Lambton defenders before he pulled the trigger at the edge of the penalty area. The ball flew past Van As and took the final score to 2-0.
Pryce was deflated after Saturday’s match but admitted that there was no lack of trying from his team, they just couldn’t grind out a result.
“Look I couldn’t of asked much more from our players,” Pryce said.
“I am disappointed with the adjudication of the game in some areas. But you grit your teeth and work hard to go again.
“We make a mistake and Valentine capitalised and then that’s the story of the game.
“I am disappointed that we aren’t getting things to go our way.
“I think the overall effort to the game was great. We physically matched Valentine the whole way through.”
The New Lambton coach is brutally honest about where his side stands at this point in the competition but was hopeful they can work their way away from relegation danger.
“For us the position that we are in as a club and the position that the players are in is up to us, we are the only ones that can fight our way out,” Pryce said.
“The group has come a long way but we know the situation that we are in.
“We are the only ones that need to work hard to control our results.
“It’s all internal pressure that we have on ourselves due to the relegation battle that will probably come to a head for us.
“We just need to continue to stay in games as long as we can, especially against some top four clubs and then we have to go and win the games against the teams around us.
“We need to be up for those battles and need to try and win.”
The Phoenix is in fifth position on the table in a hotly contested title race, one point behind Edgeworth FC in fourth. They will be eager to make it back-to-back wins when they host struggling Adamstown Rosebud FC next Saturday.
New Lambton continues to sit 10th and will be desperate to secure some vital points to avoid the relegation zone. But they have two tough tasks ahead of them this week, when they face league leaders Lambton Jaffas on Tuesday night in their round 10 rescheduled match before they prepare to go again against Maitland FC on Saturday.
Charlestown Azzurri 4-0 Adamstown Rosebud
Adamstown Rosebud was unable to snap their losing streak after a 4-0 loss against Charlestown Azzurri at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Despite new signings and a new head coach Rosebud couldn’t get the job done against a strong Azzurri outfit and will continue to search for their first win of the season.
Rene Ferguson opened his side’s account for the afternoon in the third minute with a perfect header that soared into the back of the net.
Dean Pettit doubled the Blues’ advantage in the 56th minute after Adamstown defender Kye Fauchon and goalkeeper Stuart Plant collided and missed the through ball which allowed Pettitt to pounce and tap the ball into the empty net.
Azzurri struck again as Pettit netted his second of the afternoon in the 80th minute with an easy run in behind the Adamstown defence before he sliced it past Plant.
Two substitutes combined when Kyle Munns screamed down the pitch with the ball before Reece McManus put the cherry on top for Azzurri in the final minutes of the match.
Despite the result Adamstown’s new coach Chris Moylan was pleased with his side’s efforts.
“I think there has been a real change in attitude and the desire to want to play and compete,” Moylan said.
“I don’t think yesterday’s scoreline reflected the game. We created chances but we didn’t score.
“The boys were unhappy that we didn’t get something out of the game.
“We are disappointed not to get the points but the boys recognised that we can compete.
“The boys are playing with a smile on their face and enjoying football.”
The Blues continue to sit third on the table and will hope to continue their winning ways when they face Maitland FC on Wednesday night in their round 10 rescheduled fixture before a quick turnaround to face Lake Macquarie City FC next weekend.
Adamstown will be desperate to turn things around and lift themselves off the bottom of the table when they face Edgeworth FC in their round eight catch up match. They will then travel to Croudace Bay Complex on Saturday to take on Valentine FC.
Broadmeadow Magic 3-1 Lake Macquarie City FC
Broadmeadow Magic come from behind to make it four from four after a 3-1 victory over Lake Macquarie City FC at Magic Park on Friday night.
Magic had the chance to go ahead after they were awarded a penalty kick in the 55th minute when William Ingram was brought down inside the penalty area. But Riley Smith’s attempt was denied by goalkeeper Isaac Nyman, who made an impressive save.
But the Roosters opened the scoring in the 57th minute off a quick counterattack. New signing Theodor Skarp broke down the field with the ball before he passes to Jacob Field who struck the ball into the back of the net.
Lakes’ lead only lasted a matter of minutes before Magic struck back through Nicholas Kacev as he nodded the ball past Nyman off a corner kick.
Broadmeadow edged ahead off another corner kick when Thomas Beecham (Not Jeremy Wilson like Squadi) headed the ball into the goal in the 88th minute.
Magic sealed the three points when Smith had his second chance at a penalty in the 93rd minute. But Nyman saved Smith’s shot once again but teammate James Cresnar was able to collect the rebounded ball and slot it into the back of the net.
Broadmeadow remains in second place on the table and will hope to make it five from five wins when they host Cooks Hill United next Friday.
Lakes will be desperate to turn things around when they return home to Macquarie Field to host Charlestown Azzurri.
Maitland FC 0-1 Weston Workers FC
Weston Workers FC snapped a two-game losing streak after a 1-0 win over Maitland FC at Cooks Square Park on Saturday afternoon.
The two sides created multiple goal-scoring opportunities but were unable to capitalise in the first half, locked up at 0-0 at half time.
The deadlock was finally broken by the Bears in the 79th minute with a powerful strike that deflected off a Maitland player.
Paul Sichalwe found himself in front of the goal outside of the penalty box with space and smashed the ball towards the goal. The ball flew into the back of a Maitland defender and past goalkeeper Matthew Trott into the back of the net.
Maitland had the opportunity to equalise in the 83rd minute when James Thompson found himself in front of goal after he beat goalkeeper Gerard Roebuck but hit the post.
The win has moved the Bears up into seventh position on the table and they will look to make it back-to-back victories when they travel to Darling Street Oval to face Newcastle Olympic.
After the loss, the Magpies have slipped down to eighth on the table and will have to quickly regroup before they go again on Wednesday in their round 10 rescheduled fixture against Charlestown Azzurri. Mick Bolch and his side will then need to switch their focus to Saturday when they host New Lambton FC.
Edgeworth FC 4-0 Newcastle Olympic
Edgeworth FC continues to soar after a dominant 4-0 victory over Newcastle Olympic at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Flynn Goodman got the ball rolling for the Eagles and scored in the 16th minute with a strong header into the back of the net off a corner kick.
The home side struck again in the 33rd minute with a tap-in from Ryan Feutz off the back of a team build-up play.
Seth Clark tripled the Eagles’ advantage in the 63rd minute after he ducked and weaved past Olympic defenders before he pulled the trigger. The ball flew past goalkeeper Issac Quinn and into the goal.
Edgeworth put the cherry on top five minutes later when Feutz netted his second of the day as he sliced the ball through the legs of Quinn and into the back of the net.
Edgeworth will hope to make it six from six when they host last-placed Adamstown FC on Wednesday night in their round eight catch-up match. They will then refocus on Saturday when they travel to Arthur Edden Oval to face league leaders Lambton Jaffas.
The loss has snapped Olympic’s unbeaten run as they slip to sixth on the table. They will look to regroup and turn things around when they host Weston Workers FC at Darling Street Oval next weekend.
Cooks Hill United 2-3 Lambton Jaffas
Cooks Hill United was unable to snap the league leaders Lambton Jaffas’ unbeaten streak after going down 2-3 at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field on Saturday afternoon.
Jaffas opened the scoring in the ninth minute after Kale Bradbery ran in behind Cooks Hill’s defence and struck the ball with power into the back of the net.
Reece Papadimitrios extended the visitors’ lead in the 30th minute with a beautiful free kick from the edge of the penalty area that curled past the sea of players and goalkeeper Samuel Esquilant.
Patrick Bond took the scoreline to 3-0 in the 62nd minute after he pinched the ball from his defender and smashed the ball into the goal.
But Cooks Hill clawed one back five minutes later through Cody Nancarrow after he intercepted a poor pass from Riley Mcnaughton to Ben Kennedy to tap the ball into the back of the net.
With the last kick of the game the home side put another past the Jaffas’ with a flick-on from Charlie Buffon but it was too little too late.
Jaffas continue their rein at the top of the table, six points clear of second with 36 points. David Tanchevski and his side will quickly have to switch their focus to Tuesday night when they face New Lambton FC in their rescheduled round 10 fixture before they go again on Saturday against Edgeworth FC.
Cooks Hill remain in ninth position on the table with nine points. They will look to bounce back when they face second-placed Broadmeadow Magic at Magic Park on Friday night.
