Match of the Round
Charlestown Azzurri 2-0 Broadmeadow Magic
Charlestown Azzurri coach James Pascoe was encouraged by his side’s 2-0 win over Broadmeadow Magic at Lisle Carr Oval.
The Blues entered Sunday’s clash off the back of back-to-back defeats and served Magic their second consecutive loss of the 2024 campaign.
The two sides put up a strong battle and created chances early in the match.
Magic almost took the lead in the 15th minute after a shot from William Ingram rattled the crossbar.
Azzurri suffered a blow in the 32nd minute when veteran defender Taylor Regan was forced from the pitch with a hip injury.
But momentum shifted in Charlestown’s direction in the second half when Rene Ferguson opened the scoring in the 53rd minute.
Captain Nigel Boogaard nodded the ball from the goal line back off a free kick onto the head of Ferguson and then into the back of the net.
Charlestown scored again in the 74th minute with a thunderous strike from Tyran Cousins. The attacker turned his defender inside out before he unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area that flew past goalkeeper Lewis Alvarez and into the goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Magic in the 84th minute when Bailey Wells was shown a straight red card after he pushed the referee.
Broadmeadow continued to create opportunities but could not capitalise, with the three points handed to the home side.
Pascoe credited his side’s efforts to bounce back from disappointing results and get the job done on the day.
“To do what we did on Sunday was encouraging,” Pascoe said.
“The performance was good, we controlled the game in a way we knew we had to against a young mobile team.
“I think our discipline was impressive and we held that for 95 minutes. We scrambled well when we needed to.
“We had a plan going into the game which worked well. It only works if players buy-in and execute the plan, so hats off to them for doing a good job.
“It was a real team effort.
“We never get overly excited when we go on a winning streak and we don’t get down in a losing streak. We just stick to our core values and tend to find our way eventually.”
The Blues coach was pleased to not only secure three points but to keep a clean sheet against Magic’s strong attack
“It is a bit uncharacteristic to be a bit leaky in goals conceded, so that was just as pleasing as the results,” Pascoe said.
“The clean sheet was as needed as the result for us.
“There are no easy teams in our competition. Magic are real contenders.
The win moved Azzurri up the table into third and are on equal 18 points with second-placed Magic.
The Blues will hope to build on their form when they travel to Cooks Square Park to face Maitland FC.
Magic remains second on the table but extends the gap between them and league leaders Lambton Jaffas to six points.
Jim Cresnar and his side will be desperate to turn things around and return to the winners’ circle when they travel to Croudace Bay Complex to face Valentine FC on Saturday night.
Adamstown Rosebud FC 0-2 Weston Workers FC
Adamstown Rosebud coach Daniel Dawkins was pleased with his side’s performance despite going down 2-0 to Weston Workers FC on Thursday.
The Bears were able to snap a two-game losing streak and returned home with the three points from Adamstown Oval
The two sides tussled and created multiple opportunities, but it wasn’t until the 61st minute when Christopher Hatfield opened the scoring for the Bears.
The striker was able to head the ball into the back of the net after consecutive corner kicks to put his side in front.
Hatfield struck again seven minutes later to double his side’s advantage with a spectacular strike into the top right corner of the goal that soared past the fingertips of goalkeeper Stuart Broad.
Dawkins was let down by the result but was happy with the efforts of his team.
“I guess we were always disappointed with a loss, but we were much happier with the performance compared to previous games,” Dawkins said.
“We were impressive as a group to press and win the ball and develop our play into the top third.
“Very impressed with the team’s effort this week. The boys that came on did well for us as they backed and believed in themselves.”
Rosebud’s coach was realistic on the areas his side needs to improve upon but said it was important that they keep the faith and the results will come.
“We need to be more clinical in the top third. There were too many chances missed,” Dawkins said.
“Across the park we are creating opportunities in multiple positions but we have got to put the ball in the back of the net.
“We’ve created a lot of chances in our game with good football. It's one thing to be creating a lot of chances but it’s another to be finishing them.
“We need to keep focused and stay positive.”
Rosebud remains at the bottom of the table with two points. They will hope to brush themselves off and go again on Wednesday night when they travel to Macquarie Field to face Lake Macquarie City FC in their round six catch-up fixture before they head to Darling Street Oval to take on Newcastle Olympic on Saturday.
The Bears sit eighth on the table and will look to continue their form when they return home to Rockwell Automation Park to host Lakes on Sunday afternoon.
Lambton Jaffas 3-2 Valentine FC
Lambton Jaffas continue their rein at the top of the table after they secured a 3-2 victory over Valentine FC on Saturday afternoon.
Bailey Newton opened the scoring for the home side in the ninth minute after a high team press forced a turnover from Valentine. Newton received the ball inside the penalty area before he smashed it hard and low into the back of the net.
Kale Bradbery doubled Jaffas’ advantage in the 23rd minute after he sliced the ball on the half volley past goalkeeper Brodie Volkiene and into the goal.
The Phoenix pulled one back in the 27th minute after Tyrell Paulson sprinted towards the goal. His first shot was denied by Ben Kennedy, but he made no mistake with his second and stuck it into the back of the net.
James Oates extended Jaffas’ lead once again before half-time after he headed a rocket of a ball into the goal off a free kick.
Nicholas Martinelli clawed one back for Valentine in the 86th minute but they were unable to find the equaliser, with all three points handed to the league leaders.
Jaffas remain at the top of the table, two points clear of Broadmeadow Magic and Charlestown Azzurri. They will be eager to continue their undefeated season when they travel to Alder Park to face New Lambton FC.
The Phoenix have slipped to fourth on the table but will look to respond next weekend when they return home to Croudace Bay Complex to host Broadmeadow Magic.
Lake Macquarie City FC 1-4 Edgeworth FC
Edgeworth made it three from three after they defeated Lake Macquarie City FC 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Roosters fought hard against the Eagles at Macquarie Field, but the visitors ran away with the game in the final ten minutes of the match.
Keanu Moore opened the scoring for Edgeworth in the 22nd minute after he sliced the ball back across the face of the goal and into the bottom right corner.
But Lakes got themselves back in the game and equalised minutes before half-time with a strike from William Thurlow.
Tapuwanashe Goora used his speed and strength to beat multiple Edgeworth defenders before his shot was denied by goalkeeper Ben Conway. But the ball fell to the feet of Thurlow, who made no mistake and smashed the ball into the back of the net.
The two sides continued to create chances, but it was the Eagles who capitalised in the 80th minute after they were awarded a penalty.
Joseph Melmeth was taken down inside the penalty area, which Flynn Goodman stepped up to convert and put his side ahead for the second time in the match.
Two minutes later Edgeworth struck again, with a wonder strike from Seth Clarke from outside the penalty area that curled into the top right corner of the goal.
The Eagles extended their lead to 4-1 another two minutes later with a brilliant goal from substitute Sam Ford.
Edgeworth is seventh on the table and will be eager to make it four consecutive wins when they travel to Fearnley Dawes Athletic Field to take on Cooks Hill United.
The Roosters will look to turn things around when they face Adamstown Rosebud on Wednesday night in their round six catch-up match before they travel to Rockwell Automation Park to face Weston Workers FC.
Maitland FC 2-2 Cooks Hill United
Maitland FC and Cooks Hill United were forced to share the points after a 1-1 draw at Cooks Square Park on Saturday afternoon.
Carter Smith opened the scoring for Cooks Hill with a spectacular strike from outside the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
Maitland equalized in the 48th minute after Isaac Collins outran his defenders to get in behind them and be one-on-one with goalkeeper Daniel Eisenhauer before he sliced the ball into the back of the net.
Cooks Hill edged ahead once again with a 63rd-minute strike from Brock Beveridge after Smith found him unmarked inside the penalty area to smash the ball into the goal.
But the Magpies clawed one back again six minutes later to put the score square at 2-2. Regan Lundy sprinted with the ball towards goal before he unleashed a low and hard ball that sped past the fingertips of Eisenhauer.
The two sides continued to create chances, but neither was able to capatlise, each taking a point from the match.
The draw sees Cooks Hill remain in ninth, five points away from Weston Workers FC in eighth.
They will hope to continue to build on their momentum when they return home to Fearnley Dawes Athletic Field to host New Lambton in their round six catch up fixture on Wednesday night before they face Edgeworth FC on Saturday.
Maitland sits sixth on the table and will look to return to the winners’ circle when they face league leaders Lambton Jaffas on Tuesday night before Charlestown Azzurri.
Newcastle Olympic 2-1 New Lambton FC
Newcastle Olympic secured back-to-back wins after a 2-1 defeat over New Lambton FC on Sunday afternoon.
The two sides had chances in the first half and were neck and neck until the final minutes before the break when the Olympics were awarded a penalty.
Joseph Langlois converted from the penalty spot to put his side ahead before half-time.
Olympic doubled their lead in the 61st minute when Lachlan West received a crossed ball in and tapped it into the back of the net.
New Lambton clawed one back in the 74th minute through a scrappy but athletic goal from Joshua Piddington.
But the Golden Eagles were unable to find the equaliser, with all three points awarded to the home side.
Despite the loss, New Lambton remains in 10th on the table and will look to respond when they take on Cooks Hill United on Wednesday night in their round six catch-up match before they host league leaders Lambton Jaffas on Saturday.
Olympic sits fifth on the table after the win and will hope to make it three from three next weekend when they host Adamstown Rosebud.