Match of the Round
New Lambton FC v Adamstown Rosebud FC
Alder Park, Saturday 2:30pm
New Lambton coach Shane Pryce said his side will be treating this weekend’s clash against Adamstown Rosebud FC as a grand final.
The two teams will go head-to-head at Alder Park on Saturday in what will be a must-win for each club.
The Golden Eagles have built some momentum after an impressive 1-1 draw against league leaders Lambton Jaffas and then a 2-1 win over Cooks Hill United on Wednesday night.
They sit tenth on the table and will hope to continue their run of results with another three points at home on Saturday.
But Adamstown's first three points of the season after a huge 3-1 win over Lake Macquarie City FC in their mid-week clash has taken this Sunday’s clash to a whole new level.
The win for Rosebuds lifted them off the bottom of the table and put them three points behind New Lambton.
Pryce said he expected a tough battle against the young Adamstown side but hoped his side could continue their form and get the job done.
“I am just hoping that we make a true account of ourselves with the momentum that we have got,” Pryce said.
“We are going to go into the game with some confidence but also knowing that we have to respect the opposition.
“We know Adamstown will be high on confidence after their win.
“It’s a big game and you need big players to step up and give it a red-hot crack.
“It’s like an early grand final for both teams.”
The Golden Eagles coach was pleased with how his squad has progressed over the season but was realistic about where they stand in the competition and how important three points this weekend is to the club.
“I have been impressed with the attitude from players and we are seeing a bit more depth on the roster which is nice,” Pryce said.
“The importance of this game being down the bottom with each other. We want to be able to get away from the relegation battle. That is our main aim and concern. If we don’t we will still be back down fighting it out.”
“We are under no illusion of where we sit in the competition but we are happy to be where we are at and are still alive and kicking.
“There is still a long way to go in the competition.”
Adamstown will be full of life and hungry to make it back-to-back wins after their first victory of the season.
The club has seen some recent shake-ups with a new head coach and new recruits injected into the squad. The changes look to be making a difference with a gutsy win over a young fit Lakes side to lift them off the bottom of the table.
But with the Roosters hot on their trail, two points behind them a win is crucial to help them avoid automatic relegation at the end of the season.
With so much on the line, it is expected to be a hotly contested match that could decide the fate of both sides’ futures in the competition.
Edgeworth FC v Broadmeadow Magic FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 2:00pm
Edgeworth FC coach Peter McGuinness said his side are looking to continue their run when they host Broadmeadow Magic at Jack McLaughlan Oval.
The two sides were not afforded a break over the long weekend, as they each played in round six of the Australia Cup on Saturday before they advanced to round seven which was played on Wednesday night.
The Eagles were victorious over Newcastle Olympic with a 1-0 win to move through to the round of 32, while Magic hopes were dashed after they went down to Lambton Jaffas and were knocked out of the Cup.
The first time these two teams went head-to-head, Magic was victorious with a 3-1 win.
McGuinness was excited for another tough match-up and hoped his side could continue their form.
“We are in good spirits and are on a good run which is something we are looking to continue,” McGuinness said.
“We are just taking one game at a time.”
“We are looking forward to the weekend and the opportunity to play another in-form team in the competition.”
The Eagles coach praised his players and believed the club’s depth would be their key to success this season.
“It’s been a big focus for us to have a lot of depth. This year we have a lot of players putting their hand up every week, putting in good performances,” McGuinness said.
“Look, it’s a good problem that you want to have because basically if you haven’t got depth, you don’t have any sort of sustainability in performances.
“There is a lot of wear and tear with how you are feeling mentally and physically. It plays a big part in how you perform.”
Magic will be eager to bounce straight back from their Australia Cup defeat and continue their unbeaten streak in the competition.
Jim Cresnar’s side sits second on the table with 36 points, one point behind league leaders Lambton Jaffas.
A win over the Eagles could see them shoot to the top of the table if other results go their way for the first time this season.
Maitland FC v Newcastle Olympic
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 2:30pm
Two sides will be after a crucial three points when Maitland FC hosts Newcastle Olympic at Cooks Square Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies have found themselves in eighth position on the table with 15 points and two matches in hand.
They have not secured a win in three matches with a loss to Broadmeadow Magic (2-0), draw to Charlestown Azzurri and
Maitland FC also announced this week that they would be parting ways with head coach Mick Bolch at the end of the season.
The Magpies will be eager to put the off-field distractions aside and are in desperate need of a win to keep their finals hopes alive.
The last time these two sides met in the competition in round four, the Magpies flew away with a 3-0 win.
But Olympic will be eager to even the score on Saturday after a busy schedule of games. The side was knocked out the Australia Cup on Wednesday night by Edgeworth FC in round seven.
Paul De Vitis and Neil Owens’ side sit sixth on the table with 17 points. They train Valentine in fifth by two points but have Weston Workers FC (16 points) and Maitland FC (15 points) hot on their trail.
A win could see them move up into fifth position and help to cement their finals hopes.
Lake Macquarie City FC v Valentine FC
Macquarie Field, Saturday 4pm
Lake Macquarie City FC will be desperate to upset Valentine FC when they go head-to-head on Saturday at Macquarie Field.
The Roosters fell to last place in the competition during the week after they lost 3-1 to Adamstown Rosebud FC in their bottom-of-the-table rescheduled round six match-up.
The score was deadlocked at 1-1 before Adamstown broke away in the final 20 minutes of the match to leave the young Lakes squad heartbroken at the final whistle.
With the new threat of automatic relegation now hanging over their heads, coach Pete Preston will hope that his young side can respond after the disappointing result and cause an upset with a home crowd advantage.
When these two sides last met in round four, Valentine secured a dominant 5-0 victory which they will hope to repeat on Saturday.
Valentine FC enters Saturday’s match having snapped their five-game losing streak in their last competition match with a 2-0 win over New Lambton FC in round 13.
The Phoenix is fifth on the table with 19 points and with the race for finals positions heating up, a win will be vital to keep them within the top six.
Adam Hughes’ side trails Edgeworth by four points and has Newcastle Olympic a win away from overtaking them, which heightens the need to secure three points on Saturday afternoon.
Weston Workers FC v Lambton Jaffas
Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 2:30pm
Weston Workers FC will look to secure back-to-back wins when they welcome league leaders Lambton Jaffas to Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday.
The two teams were unable to play their round 14 matches as they were postponed due to wet weather, with the Bears itching to get back out on the pitch again this weekend.
But the Jaffas have kept their schedule busy, progressing through to the Round of 32 in the Australia Cup after they defeated Newcastle Croatia FC last weekend and Broadmeadow Magic on Wednesday night.
Weston has struggled to get on a roll so far this season with five wins, one draw and seven defeats after 13 matches. Kew Jaliens’ side sits seventh on the table with 16 points and is one point off Newcastle Olympic in sixth but also just one point clear of Maitland in eighth.
A win for the Bears would help them to
Jaffas' last competition match saw them drop points for the first time this season after a 1-1 draw to New Lambton FC.
David Tanchevski’s side resides at the top of the table, one point clear of Broadmeadow Magic but have one match in hand to extend their lead at the top.
The last time these two sides met it was a tight battle that saw Jaffas snatch a 2-1 win with another hotly contested match predicted again on Sunday.
Charlestown Azzurri v Cooks Hill United
Lisle Carr Oval, Sunday 2:30pm
Cooks Hill United will be eager to crack into the top eight when they travel to Lisle Carr Oval to face Charlestown Azzurri on Sunday afternoon.
Chris Zoricich’s side secured a crucial win against Lake Macquarie City FC in their round eight rescheduled game last weekend to put the three points behind Maitland FC in eighth position on the table.
As Cooks Hill has the better goal difference, a win against Azzurri and a loss for Maitland would see them move into the top eight and put them in a prime position to chase down a finals position. But a 2-1 loss to New Lambton has meant that they will have to secure a big win to keep in touch with the rest of the competition.
Charlestown enters the match-up off the back of a hard-fought 2-2 draw with the Magpies and was knocked out of the Australia Cup in round six last weekend by Newcastle Olympic with a 2-0 loss.
They continue to sit third on the table with 28 points and trail Broadmeadow Magic in second by eight points.
The Blues will hope to bounce back and return to the winner’s circle on Sunday and extend the gap between them and the rest of the pack.
James Pascoe will be without key defender Taylor Regan as he serves a three-match suspension for serious foul play and violent conduct from an incident against Maitland FC.
