Match of the Round
Lambton Jaffas v Charlestown Azzurri
Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 2.30pm
Lambton Jaffas captain Ben Kennedy said his side must regroup ahead of their clash against Charlestown Azzurri at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday.
Lambton’s 27-match unbeaten streak in the competition finally came crashing down last week after they lost in a 6-0 thrashing to second-placed Broadmeadow Magic.
Things then went from bad to worse for David Tanchevski’s side after they suffered their second loss in five days when they went down 2-1 in stoppage time to Newcastle Olympic in their rescheduled round 16 match on Wednesday night.
Kennedy said their recent results hurt but the experienced Lambton would not panic as they remain at the top of the table, one point clear of second.
“I think the losses hurt but also show you how hard the league is. If you don’t turn up on the day anyone can beat anyone,” Kennedy said.
“Magic put six on us on the weekend and then we lost again against Olympic but we will regroup.
“I guess you never want to lose games. It has been an amazing effort this year and last year to be unbeaten in 27 competition games. But now it lets us regroup and refocus.
“We are still at the top of the table. It’s not panic stations. Things are still positive.”
The veteran former A-League goalkeeper hoped that the defeats would fuel his side to bounce back in a big way against a physical Azzurri outfit.
“It puts a bit of fire back into the belly as we push on into the back end of the season and into the finals,” Kennedy said.
“[Azzurri] are a good side. It is always tough playing against them.
“Any side that is coached by James Pascoe you know will be well set up. They have quality players all over the park.
“We just have to regroup and go again on Saturday.”
In a further blow to the Jaffas, star midfielder Reece Papadimitrios will miss this weekend’s clash and the majority of the back end of the season after he was served a six-match suspension for match official abuse in the defeat to Broadmeadow.
Kennedy said that Papadimitrios’ absence had already impacted the side but was positive that they could fill the hole until his return.
“Papas is a quality player that if you take that type of player out of any side you struggle,” Kennedy said.
“We now have to adapt. We know that he will be out for a while but we have the depth to cover and wait until he gets back.”
Veteran former A-League defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley will also continue to be sidelined as he recovers from a foot injury, though Kennedy returned for the clash with Olympic having missed the Magic defeat following the birth of his first child.
Lambton will have Pat Bond available after serving a one-match ban against Olympic through yellow card accumulation, though Jaffas will lose Riley McNaughton for the same reason against Azzurri.
Charlestown will also be without key players on Saturday as striker Harrison Frendo serves a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards and Taylor Regan serves his final match from a three-match ban.
The Blues have struggled to pick their momentum back up in recent weeks with a lack of positive results as well as games due to wet weather.
They also enter the clash off back-to-back losses and a draw which has seen them fall to fifth with 28 points.
Pascoe will hope that they can pick themselves back up and return to winning ways as they now fight for survival to stay in the top five.
A win for the Blues could see them move back up to third if other results go their way and help cement their finals place as the season winds down.
Maitland FC v Broadmeadow Magic
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 2.30pm
Broadmeadow Magic coach Jim Cresnar says Saturday’s clash against Maitland FC is a must-win game for his side when they go head-to-head at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.
Magic’s men will want to keep the good times rolling after they were the first side to beat league leaders Lambton in spectacular fashion 6-0 last weekend and break Jaffas’ 27-competition unbeaten streak.
The win saw them move one point behind Jaffas to put them right into the premiership race.
Cresnar knew the importance of returning home with three points against the Magpies to help keep in touch in the premiership race.
“We need to keep the momentum going again this weekend against Maitland,” Cresnar said.
“It is really important that we can come home with a win.”
Magic dominated Jaffas all over the park, with five different goal scorers putting their names on the scoresheet.
Cresnar was pleased with the attacking efforts from his side but was more focused on his side maintaining their strong defence to shut down Maitland’s threats in attack this weekend.
Broadmeadow will hope Jaffas' winless run continues and that they can overtake them to claim top spot on the table.
Maitland continues to pick up points with three wins from their last four matches.
They are sixth on the table with 24 points and will be determined to crack their way back into the top five in time for the finals.
Captain Braedyn Crowley continues to pull strings for the Magpies and sits equal second in the golden boot race.
When the two sides met at Magic Park in round eight, Broadmeadow were victorious with a 2-0 win.
Maitland’s coach Mick Bolch will be determined for his side to settle the score back on home turf.
The two sides will be without key players with Callum Bower from Maitland and Magic's James Cresnar each serveing one-match suspensions for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Adamstown Rosebud v Edgeworth FC
Adamstown Oval, Saturday 2.30pm
Edgeworth FC will look to make it three from three when they travel to Adamstown Oval to face Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday.
The Eagles have flown up the table in recent weeks after four wins from their last five matches to sit third on the table.
Peter McGuiness’ side will be eager to get back out on the pitch after their round 18 match was postponed due to wet weather.
With 10 points separating third and ninth position, a win for Edgeworth is crucial to help cement their position in finals as the season begins to wrap up.
The last encounter between the sides saw Edgeworth dominate with a 7-0 thumping over the young Adamstown side.
Rosebud sits 11th on the table with nine points which places them in the relegation play-off zone.
Adamstown will continue to be without their captain and top goal scorer Dino Fajkovic as he serves a six-match suspension.
But Chris Moylan will hope that his side can turn their momentum around and pick up some vital points with an upset over the Eagles as they attempt to chase down 10th-placed New Lambton.
Lake Macquarie City FC v Cooks Hill United
Macquarie Field, Saturday 4pm
Lake Macquarie City FC will be desperate to secure a vital three points for their season when they host Cooks Hill United at Macquarie Field on Saturday.
Crunch time is fast approaching for the Roosters as they sit in the automatic relegation zone at the bottom of the competition table with four points.
They trail Adamstown Rosebud in 11th by five points and will need to start picking up some points if they are to catch them and give themselves a chance to stay in the competition for another year.
Cooks Hill holds the bragging rights over Lakes after a 4-1 win at Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field in round eight.
But Pete Preston will hope that his Lakes side’s fighting spirit can help them get over the line and keep their season alive with home-ground advantage.
Cooks Hill has gained momentum into the back end of the season with three wins and a draw in their last four games.
Cody Nancarrow will hope to hit the back of the net, as he sits second in the golden boot race by one goal.
Chris Zoricich will be eager for his Cooks Hill side to continue to build on their form as they are now in finals contention, six points outside the top five.
Weston Workers FC v New Lambton
Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 2.30pm
Two sides will hope to secure back-to-back wins when Weston Workers FC welcomes New Lambton FC to Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday.
It will be a battle between ninth and 10th positions on the table as the two sides look to finish their seasons on a high.
The Bears are ninth and will hope to build on their 1-0 win over Valentine to keep their slim chances of finals alive.
They will be without Cooper Sargent, who is suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards.
The last time these two sides went head-to-head, two goals in one minute secured the win for the Golden Eagles.
Kew Jaliens will hope his side can try to build on their momentum, which is something that they have struggled to do so far this season.
New Lambton sits 10th on the table, five points behind Weston but also five points clear of the relegation zone.
They will enter the clash with some newfound confidence off the back of three wins from their last four matches.
New Lambton will be well rested after they missed out on their round 18 game against Edgeworth due to wet weather and will be itching to get back out on the pitch on Sunday.
Shane Pryce will be keen for his side to return home with all three points to extend their gap from the bottom two sides and ensure that they stay in the competition in 2025.
Newcastle Olympic v Valentine FC
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 2.30pm
Valentine FC will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Darling Street Oval to face Newcastle Olympic on Sunday.
The Phoenix have failed to take flight in recent weeks with two losses and a draw in their last three matches.
They sit seventh on the table, five points outside the top five and will hope to get their season back on track.
Adam Hughes will hope that Valentine can put their recent results behind them and return home with a crucial three points for their 2024 campaign.
The last time these two sides faced off saw Olympic secure a 2-0 win which Valentine will hope to reverse on Sunday.
Olympic have hit their stride in the last few weeks with four wins from their last five matches and have sprung up the table into fourth position.
They will enter the contest off the back of a gritty 2-1 win over league leaders Lambton Jaffas on Wednesday night.
Coaches Paul DeVitis and Neil Owens will want their side to make it four from four against the Phoenix and further cement their place in the top five as the season enters the final stages.