Match of the Round
Edgeworth Eagles FC 2-0 Maitland FC
Edgeworth Eagles coach Peter McGuinness commended his side’s reliance after the league leaders defeated Maitland FC 2-0 at Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday afternoon.
All eyes were on how the Eagles would fare in attack following the departure of golden boot leader Ryan Feutz during the week, and they struck off set pieces either side of the half-time break to get the job done.
It was midfielder Jaylen Rodwell who opened the scoring with an accurate header after getting onto the end of a Jackson Brady corner kick in the 29th minute.
Brady provided another assist from a free kick in the 59th minute as striker Flynn Goodman headed home the second goal at the near stick.
The Magpies were unable to pull a goal back in the final half an hour as the undefeated Eagles secured their 13th win in 15 matches and also registered their 10th clean sheet of the season.
“We were pretty solid and very resilient. I thought we defended well,” McGuinness said.
“The pitch was bumpy as, so it was hard to keep the ball for both sides. We turned over a lot of possession in the first half and struggled to really build momentum, but in the second half, we were a lot better with the ball and created a lot more.
“We’ve lost that threat in behind now with Ryan (Feutz) gone. He was really good at getting off the shoulder and in behind and making defences drive back. It’s a little bit of a different style for us now, but it was a good reaction and a good result.
“I thought it was a solid performance and our organisation as a group was really good.”
Maitland’s assistant coach Nick Harmon thought his side played quality football in large patches of the game, but admitted they just weren’t lethal enough in the front third.
“We were great in large parts of the game, but unfortunately, possession does not win you games,” Harmon said.
“We didn’t have enough box entries or enough threats on their goal. I don’t think they threatened our goal much either apart from the two set pieces they scored off. It was sort of a tit-for-tat game.
“Football-wise we competed well, just our final product we lacked.
“You could definitely tell there was some fatigue starting to set in (following Maitland’s 0-0 draw on Wednesday against Broadmeadow Magic), but I don’t think that’s an excuse at this point of the season.
“We just couldn’t get it right tactically to break them down, which I’m not putting on the players. We have to put our hands up there.
“With what we need in the final third areas, we’re just not quite there, but I don’t think we’re far off.”
Edgeworth are still sat first following Saturday’s win. They currently lead Broadmeadow Magic on goal difference but can kick clear if they get a result against Charlestown Azzurri in a rescheduled round 11 contest at Lisle Carr Oval on Wednesday night.
Maitland dropped to sixth following the loss after being overtaken by Newcastle Olympic on Sunday. The Magpies will face Azzurri in round 19 at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.
Newcastle Olympic FC 3-1 Lambton Jaffas FC
Newcastle Olympic coach Paul DeVitis was full of relief when the full-time whistle blew at Darling Street Oval on Sunday night as his men took down Lambton Jaffas 3-1.
It was a result that brought an end to a seven-game winless run and saw Olympic return to the top five as they overtook Maitland FC.
The hosts opened the scoring in the final game of the weekend, and it was a goal of the season contender as Adam Zervas blasted a curling and dipping strike from distance into the top-left corner in the 17th minute.
Lambton equalised 11 minutes later, and it was another stunner that brought the crowd to its feet as Lachlan Griffiths found the bottom-left corner from well outside the box.
The two sides were locked at 1-1 at the break before Olympic regained the lead 25 seconds into the second stanza when Roy O’Donovan tapped in from a metre out after getting onto the end of a perfect Nathan Toby cross.
Toby almost made it 3-1 in the 56th minute but was denied by the woodwork, but Olympic did go further in front a minute later when the Jaffas turned in a Ben Hay corner into their own net.
The visitors pushed hard to get a goal back and give themselves a chance of securing a result, but Olympic were too good and held on to win 3-1.
“It feels so good to finally win again,” DeVitis said.
“It was a tight game and I don’t think the scoreline reflects how close it was. Lambton were very difficult to play against.
“I thought we should have been ahead at half-time, but two wonder goals made it level.
“To come out and score in the first minute in the second half was fantastic, and after that to be fair, we controlled the game pretty well. We dug deep and defended well.”
Next up for Olympic is a trip to Adamstown Oval to challenge Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday.
Lambton’s third loss on the trot saw them drop to eighth on the table, but they can climb into sixth if they can beat Weston Bears in a rescheduled round six clash at Rockwell Automation Park on Wednesday night.
Weston Bears FC 4-2 Belmont Swansea United FC
It was an Old Bears Day to remember at Rockwell Automation Park on Saturday afternoon as the Weston Bears stood tall to defeat Belmont Swansea United 4-2.
It was BelSwans who opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Adam Woodbine pounced on a loose ball in the box and buried it into the bottom-right corner after Weston’s keeper George Stephens had pulled off a brilliant diving save to deny a Kane Woolston header.
Brock Beveridge equalised for the Bears in the 39th minute with a lobbed chip over BelSwans keeper Kye Abrahams after the visitors had turned over possession in their defensive third.
A dominant second half was the catalyst for the home side’s victory after the two teams were locked at 1-1 at half-time.
Weston were denied from the penalty spot five minutes into the second stanza when Abrahams dived the right way to keep out a Chris Hatfield spot kick.
But the Bears finally went ahead eight minutes later when Cooper Buswell slotted in from a tight angle after rounding Abrahams in the box.
BelSwans equalised in the 66th minute when Drew Patterson converted from the penalty spot, but Hatfield fired Weston back into the lead with a powerful strike from outside the box less than three minutes later.
Aaron Niyonkuru sealed the victory with a strike from close range in the 85th minute as the third-placed Bears prevailed 4-2 to stay in touch with the top two.
Weston will now return home this Wednesday night to host Lambton Jaffas in a rescheduled round six clash.
BelSwans are ninth following the loss and will host the Jaffas at Blacksmiths Oval in round 19 on Sunday.
Cooks Hill United FC 1-0 New Lambton FC
Cooks Hill United coach Chris Zoricich said his side are now looking up after securing a vital 1-0 victory against New Lambton FC at the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday.
Cooks Hill took the lead in the 37th minute when Liam Wilson made an overlapping run and charged onto a pass from Josh Benson before burying his strike from inside the 18-yard box into the bottom-right corner.
The Golden Eagles pushed hard for an equaliser in the second stanza, but Cooks Hill held on to win their second game on the trot to climb into seventh place on the table.
They are now just three points outside the top five, and Zoricich said that they can now focus on mounting a finals push after moving clear of the relegation zone.
The Cooks Hill coach thought his side played some impressive football in the first half but thought the second half was a scrap between two sides that were desperate for the three points.
Cooks Hill will host Edgeworth Eagles at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field on Saturday.
New Lambton are still last following the round 18 loss and are now seven points inside the automatic relegation zone after Valentine drew on Sunday.
Shane Pryce’s men will be in action again on Sunday when they travel to Croudace Bay Complex to challenge Valentine.
Adamstown Rosebud FC 0-2 Broadmeadow Magic FC
Broadmeadow Magic extended their unbeaten streak to 15 games when they outscored Adamstown Rosebud 2-0 at Adamstown Oval on Saturday night.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Will Ingram curled in a corner from the right and one of the smallest players on the park met the ball to head it home as Ezra Palombini made it 1-0.
Ingram then doubled Magic’s lead in the 36th minute. The left fullback received the ball unmarked after making a run upfield when his side had won possession deep in their own half, and he unleashed a strike from just inside the box into the bottom-right corner.
That goal made the half-time score 2-0, which was the way it stayed as Magic secured their 13th win in 16 games and kept a seventh clean sheet.
Jim Cresnar commended his side’s performance, labelling it a solid effort in what were tricky conditions, and he thought his entire backline stood tall and impressed once again.
Magic remained second on goal difference after league leaders Edgeworth Eagles also won on Saturday.
The Broadmeadow men will now travel to Rockwell Automation Park this Sunday for a highly-anticipated battle against third-placed Weston Bears.
Adamstown are still 10th following the loss and have now turned their attention to a home clash against Newcastle Olympic this Saturday.
Charlestown Azzurri FC 0-0 Valentine FC
There have now been 93 matches played so far this season, and Charlestown Azzurri and Valentine FC combined for just the fourth stalemate when the two sides failed to fire at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Valentine had the best chance of the first half in the eighth minute when Liam Ryan intercepted an Azzurri pass in his attacking third and played a ball into the box into the path of Dean Pettit, but his one-on-one shot was saved by Jordan Velovski.
Charlestown then had a good chance of their own two minutes later when Matt Hoole floated a cross into the box and Reece McManus headed a shot on target, but it was a simple save for Brodie Volkiene.
The Valentine keeper pulled off an even better save to deny a McManus volley in the 32nd minute to ensure the score remained 0-0 at half-time, and that was the way it remained following an uneventful second stanza.
The point saw fourth-placed Charlestown finish the weekend five points inside the top five. Next up for them is a home game against Edgeworth Eagles when they welcome the league leaders to town for a rescheduled round 11 contest on Wednesday night.
Valentine are still 11th following the draw but are now seven points clear of last-placed New Lambton FC, who they host at Croudace Bay Complex on Sunday.
