Match of the Round
Lambton Jaffas 2-1 Charlestown Azzurri
Lambton Jaffas coach David Tanchevski said that his side has gotten their confidence back after a 2-1 victory over Charlestown Azzurri.
The league leaders entered Saturday’s clash at Arthur Edden Oval at a season-low after back-to-back losses that broke their 27-competition game unbeaten streak.
But they were able to bounce back against the Blues with a positive performance that saw them respond and secure three points to remain at the top of the table.
Lambton came out with a point to prove, as they created chance after chance in the first half.
They were rewarded in the 43rd minute when Yuhei Sato received the ball unmarked inside the penalty area. He made no mistake and smashed the ball past goalkeeper Ben McNamara and into the back of the net.
The Blues responded minutes later as Cameron Joice sliced the ball onto the run of Jackson Frendo who struck the ball past Jaffas’ defence and into the goal.
But Jaffas broke ahead once again with an own goal off a corner kick in the 71st minute. Nathan Verity rose the highest to head the ball on target off the kick, which McNamara fumbled into the back of the net.
Azzurri created their own opportunities but were unable to level the score again which handed the points to Jaffas.
Tanchevski said his side was relieved to return to the winner’s circle after a difficult week.
“It has been a frustrating week with results,” Tanchevski said.
“Against Magic, we didn’t have some key players and then we had to regroup for the Olympic game but was unlucky not to come away with anything there either.
“But I was really happy with the performance.
“Against Azzurri, we facilitated and created a lot of chances. It was good to get the points and get the confidence back.”
But Jaffas’ coach said that the losses have helped to refuel the fire in his side and understand the competition better.
“I think to go 27 games undefeated is such a long time and complacency creeps in,” Tanchevski said.
“I think the losses make the boys realise that we have to turn up and play every game and that the competition is really close.”
Azzurri’s assistant coach Scott McCarter led the side on Saturday as head coach James Pascoe was unavailable.
McCarter said he was disappointed not to get the three points but was pleased with the mentality and performance of his side.
“I think it was a pretty balanced game, both teams had some big chances,” McCarter said.
“At the end of the day, they took a moment to get ahead and then won the game.
“It has been unfortunate that in the past few games, moments haven’t fallen for us.
“Our attitude and intensity was good. We have just struggled with the disruptions of game and training.”
The loss was Azzurri’s third straight loss and fourth match without a win but McCarter said his side was confident they could get themselves back on track.
“Now that we have played two weekends in a row, hopefully, we can carry that playing momentum forward and string some back-to-back games together and pick up some results.
“I think you are only one or two results away from being on the other end of a bad run.
“We aren’t overly stressed about where we sit on the table but we know we have some big games coming up against the teams around us.”
The win sees Jaffas continue their rein at the top of the table, one point clear of Broadmeadow Magic, who are desperate to hunt them down.
They will be eager to stay at the top of the competition when they face Valentine FC in two weeks' time. But before that, they will shift gears as they prepare to take on Edgeworth FC in the Men’s State Cup final on Saturday.
Azzurri have continued to slip down the table into fifth position and will be desperate to bounce back against Edgeworth FC in their round 17 rescheduled fixture on Wednesday night to cement their spot in the finals.
Maitland FC 1-4 Broadmeadow Magic
Broadmeadow Magic secures back-to-back wins to stay in touch with the premiership race after a 4-2 victory over Maitland FC on Saturday.
Magic’s men arrived at Cooks Square Park on an all-time high after they shattered Lambton Jaffas 27 competition game unbeaten streak.
The match was a tight tussle in the opening stages before Broadmeadow broke away to secure the win.
Magic got the scoring started through Luke Corcoran in the 14th minute with a stretched tap in.
Maitland struck back three minutes later as Braedyn Crowley showcased his class as he chested down a high ball before he struck it on the volley past goalkeeper Lewis Alvarez.
Broadmeadow edged ahead once again in the 36th minute after Bailey Well’s cross found the head of Benjamin Diamond who made no mistake and nodded it into the back of the net.
The scoreline remained 2-1 as the sides went into the half-time break but Magic continued to put their foot down in the second half.
Jayden Stewardson put his name on the scoresheet after his header on target hit the post and bounced back into the goal and over the line.
Wells put the icing on the cake for Magic in the 94th minute, after he chipped goalkeeper Matthew Trott with a strike from just past the centre circle.
The win sees Magic remain one point behind league leaders Lambton Jaffas in their hunt for the premiership title. They will not get the week off next weekend as they face Newcastle Olympic in their round 17 catch-up match on Sunday, where they will have the opportunity to jump to the top of the table.
Mick Bolch’s Magpies sit in eighth position and will look to keep their finals hopes alive when they travel to Fearnley Dawes Athletics Field to take on Cooks Hill United after the competition break.
Adamstown Rosebud FC 0-4 Edgeworth FC
Edgeworth FC continues to fly high after they defeated Adamstown Rosebud FC 4-0 at Adamstown Oval on Saturday.
Ryan Feutz put on a show as he netted all four of the goals to secure the Eagles a vital three points for their season campaign.
Feutz opened his account for the afternoon in the 33rd minute with a strike on the half-volley that floated into the back of the net.
Edgeworth doubled their advantage 10 minutes later after Feutz ducked and weaved around Adamstown’s defence before his low and hard strike flew past the fingertips of goalkeeper Jarrod Hogan.
Feutz secured his hat-trick minutes into the second half with a header at the back post that glided into the back of the net.
The Eagles put the nail in the coffin for Rosebud’s young side as Feutz netted his fourth and final goal of the match in the 71st minute with a powerful strike.
Peter McGuinness will hope his Eagles side can continue their momentum into their rescheduled round 17 clash next Wednesday against Charlestown Azzurri before they face Lambton Jaffas in the Men’s State Cup final on Saturday.
Adamstown continues to sit 11th on the table, five points clear of Lake Macquarie City FC in last place.
They will be desperate to turn things around and work their way out of the relegation play-off zone when they face Weston Workers FC after the competition break in two weeks.
Lake Macquarie City FC 2-7 Cooks Hill United
Cooks Hill United continued their five-game unbeaten streak with a dominant 7-2 victory over Lake Macquarie City FC at Macquarie Field on Saturday afternoon.
The away side wasted no time in opening the scoring as Cody Nancarrow fired one into the goal in the first thirty seconds of the match.
The Roosters responded in the seventh minute when Jay Swadling received a cross and tapped the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Eisenhauer.
But Cooks Hill put their foot down to score three goals in 11 minutes as Nancarrow, Carter Smith and Campbell Ross all hit the back of the net to take the scoreline to 4-1 at the half-time break.
Substitute Joel Clissold put his name on the scoresheet in the 55th minute with a hard and low strike from outside the penalty area.
Nancarrow secured a hat-trick in the 59th minute to move him into the lead of the competition’s golden boot race.
Kai Bradley put the cherry on top for Cooks Hill in the 68th minute with a strong strike that caught goalkeeper Cobe Preston flat-footed.
Lakes clawed one back in the 73rd minute through Tapuwanashe Goora but it was little too late as they suffered their third straight loss.
The Roosters continue to sit at the foot of the table, as their hopes to escape relegation start to fade away. They will hope to turn things around when they face Edgeworth FC in round 20 in two weeks.
Cooks Hill has moved up the table into sixth position and will hope to continue in their push for the finals after a week off from the competition when they take on Maitland FC in round 20.
Weston Workers FC 3-0 New Lambton FC
Weston Workers FC secured back-to-back wins after they defeated New Lambton FC 3-0 at Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday afternoon.
Christopher Hatfield opened the scoring for the Bears in the 38th minute in spectacular fashion after he whipped the ball in from outside the penalty area. The ball curled around New Lambton’s defence and flew past the fingertips of goalkeeper Shane Van As.
Substitute Liam Wilson doubled Weston’s score in the 83rd minute after he found himself unmarked inside the penalty area in front of an empty goal as Van As was caught at the edge of the box. Wilson made no mistake and slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Hatfield netted his second of the afternoon in the final minute of regulation time to put the cherry on top for the Bears.
Despite the win, they remain ninth on the table but have moved within six points of the top five sides, which keeps their slim finals hopes alive.
New Lambton has been unable to sustain the momentum they built and continues to sit 10th on the table with 14 points. The loss moves Weston eight points ahead of them and keeps them at risk of falling into the relegation play-off zone.
Newcastle Olympic 0-0 Valentine FC
Two sides pushing for finals were forced to share the points after Newcastle Olympic and Valentine FC had a stalemate 0-0 draw at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
Olympic’s goalkeeper Adam Pearce was called into action early in the first half, as the Phoenix threatened to take the lead.
But Pearce continued to deny shot after shot as Valentine continued to create opportunities.
Olympic had their own chances to go ahead but were unable to capitalise.
The two sides continued to push but could not break the deadlock after the 90 minutes was up which saw the points shared.
Olympic sits fourth on the table with 30 points but will be determined to cement their position in the top five when they welcome Broadmeadow Magic next Saturday in their round 17 rescheduled fixture.
Valentine has slipped down to seventh, four points outside of a top-five finals position. Adam Hughes and his side will get the week off as the competition breaks for the Men’s State Cup before they return home to Croudace Bay Complex to take on league leaders Lambton Jaffas.
In good news for the future of the Phoenix, they have appointed young gun Kallum Garbett as their head coach for the 2025 season.