Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic FC 5-0 Lambton Jaffas FC
Lambton Jaffas head coach David Tanchevski labelled Broadmeadow as the team to beat in 2025 after his side were dominated from start to finish in a 5-0 performance by the reigning premiership-championship winners at Magic Park on Sunday afternoon.
Broadmeadow's decisive victory over Lambton was a statement of their championship pedigree as they overcame a tough start to the season and ruthlessly dismantled the Jaffas with a display of speed, precision, and clinical finishing.
There were five different scorers for the home side as James Cresnar (9’), Jarred Baker (32’), Jack Simmons (35’), Bailey Wells (48’) and Jayden Stewardson (77’) all found the back of the net to open their accounts.
The first three of those goals were scored from inside the six-yard box off the back of transition movements and excellent crosses as the Jaffas had no answer for Magic’s explosive attacking play.
Wells’ strike, which killed off the game two minutes into the second stanza, was a well-taken one-on-one after he pounced on a Lambton pass and intercepted it before charging into the box and finding the bottom-right corner.
Stewardson’s goal was similar to the first three as Magic moved the ball from their defensive third into the Jaffas’ box with pace, and a Simmons cross undid the Lambton defence for a second time on the day.
Tanchevski admitted his side was outplayed on the day, but also thought injuries took their toll as the Jaffas lined up without Nikolai Topor-Stanley and then lost fellow defenders Tom Waller and Jimmy Oates to injury during the first half.
“I thought we were probably too soft in defence and gave them too much respect,” Tanchevski said.
“At 2-0 down, they’d taken their first two chances and we didn’t deal with them well enough.
“We created a few half chances in the first half, a bit more from distance, but we didn’t make the best decisions in the front third. I think we shot where we should have passed a few times.
“I thought we played a lot better in the second half than in the first, even though we conceded a couple of goals. We ended up with two centre backs that didn’t start the game because of the changes we had to make, so it’s not as bad as the scoreline suggests.
“Magic is a very good team. You look at the team they had that won the comp last year, and then to add guys like Ezra Palombini, Jack Simmons and their Korean striker up front (Seo Ram Lee); they were already the best team in the comp, and then to add three quality players to their attack; they are the team to beat this year and they’re the benchmark of the comp.”
Magic was simply faster and sharper in all areas of the pitch, their ball movement was impressive and they were clinical in front of goal, all of which pleased their coach Jim Cresnar.
“We created chances and we converted those opportunities in this case, which was great to see,” Cresnar said.
“Our ball speed was a lot better than previous weeks, and a lot of the things we’ve been working on, especially in the past two weeks, they eventuated.
“It wasn’t just one or two individuals. I thought it was more of a team effort today.
“We contained their threats really well and stuck to our task, and we moved the ball well and got into really good areas. The speed of our transition was exceptional at times, and we kept the ball a lot better in crucial areas compared to last week.
“The surface was very good and that helped in terms of the way we play our football.
“It was a good day out and a great result for the supporters who came out for our first game at home.”
Magic and Jaffas will both go in search of their second wins of the season away from home in round three when Lambton travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval on Saturday afternoon to meet Edgeworth before Broadmeadow challenge New Lambton at Alder Park on Sunday evening.
Newcastle Olympic FC 2-2 Weston Bears FC
Newcastle Olympic coach Paul DeVitis highlighted his side’s character and heart after a dramatic 2-2 finish unfolded against Weston Bears at Darling Street Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts stunned the Bears with a late equaliser, scoring three minutes into injury time to snatch a point and continue their unbeaten start to the campaign.
The Bears led 2-0 at the break after finding the back of the net twice in quick succession late in the first half as Cooper Buswell opened the scoring in the 42nd minute and Blake Archbold doubled the lead in the third minute of injury time.
Olympic recruit Kale Bradbery scored his second goal in as many matches for his new club when he fired home from a tight angle in the 64th minute following a brilliant give-and-go with Adam Zervas.
Olympic pushed hard for an equaliser as they peppered the Weston goal late in the game.
Just when it seemed likely the visitors would hold onto their 2-1 lead, Olympic finally found the equalising goal when Jared Muller charged onto a Luke Rutledge long throw and cut the ball back into the box to an unmarked Jye Rodway, who blasted the ball into the bottom-right corner to make the final score 2-2.
“We’re very happy to get the point, considering we were down 2-0 at half-time,” DeVitis said.
“It was a really good feeling, scoring in the 93rd minute. It felt like a win for us, and no doubt for them it was very deflating.
“For us to show that heart and character was great. We talked about that at half-time; that it was a great opportunity to show some character. To the boys’ credit, they did.
“I have to give some credit to Marcus and Ruts (centre backs Marcus Duncan and Luke Rutledge), and Pearcy (goalkeeper Adam Pearce). We left two at the back to push for the equaliser and they were solid. Pearcy swept really well.
“To Jye’s credit, he’s scored a few big, important goals over the past two seasons.
“The crowd was great too. It felt like everyone was just pushing us to get that goal.”
Olympic are at home for a third week in a row this Sunday when they host Charlestown Azzurri in the match of the round and Weston will play their first game on home soil when they welcome Cooks Hill United to Rockwell Automation Park on Saturday evening.
Adamstown Rosebud FC 3-2 Valentine FC
Chris Moylan thought his Adamstown Rosebud side were rewarded for their discipline as they came from behind to beat Valentine FC 3-2.
It was locked up at 0-0 at half-time at Adamstown Oval and it remained that way until the 55th minute, when Valentine’s Carter Smith charged onto a Nicholas Martinelli cutback and drove a powerful strike into the back of the net.
Will De Vitis equalised in the 63rd minute when he stormed into the box onto a Taj Buck pass and rolled a one-on-one strike into the bottom-right corner.
Buck then found the bottom-left corner with a strike from outside the box four minutes later to make it 2-1.
Adamstown skipper Dino Fajkovic went 70 metres to score a brilliant solo effort in the 85th minute.
But there was another twist, as Valentine substitute Toby Jensen won and scored a penalty in the 88th minute.
The hosts were able to hold on to prevail 3-2 as they picked up their first points of the season, and their coach was thrilled with their efforts.
“We showed the discipline that I knew we had and we stayed in our structure and shape pretty well,” Moylan said.
“For most part of the game we controlled the game. Everyone in the team played really well.
“We’re off and running. It’s good to get a win at home. It was a good night for the club.”
Adamstown is at home again this Friday night when they welcome Maitland to Adamstown Oval.
Valentine will host Belmont Swansea United on Saturday night at Croudace Bay Complex.
Charlestown Azzurri FC 3-0 New Lambton FC
New Lambton head coach Shane Pryce was left frustrated at full-time at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday afternoon after they went down 3-0 to Charlestown Azzurri.
Azzurri produced a dominant display as they brought the home crowd to its feet with a goal after just 80 seconds.
Despite Esquilant’s impressive efforts, New Lambton had no answer to Azzurri's firepower as James Pascoe’s men finished the weekend as the only side to have earned six points across the opening two rounds.
Regan Lundy was on the spot at the back stick to tap in a Reece McManus cross in the second minute before Harrison Frendo headed home at the near stick after getting onto a Taylor Regan cross in the 36th.
Lundy turned a 2-0 half-time lead into a three-goal advantage when he doubled up with a powerful strike from just inside the box in the 54th minute and the score remained 3-0 when the full-time whistle sounded.
Pryce admitted his side could have easily lost by eight if not for a string of stunning saves made by goalkeeper Sam Esquilant.
“Without a great game from our goalkeeper, it could have been 8-0,” Pryce said.
“I was very disappointed. We just didn’t turn up.”
New Lambton will host their first home game in round three on Sunday evening when they welcome Broadmeadow Magic to Alder Park.
Charlestown will play away for the first time when they travel to Darling Street Oval to take on Newcastle Olympic in the Match of the Round that same afternoon.
Cooks Hill United FC 2-1 Maitland FC
Cooks Hill United may have registered their first win of the year when they defeated Maitland 2-1 at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday afternoon but their coach Chris Zoricich thought there was still a lot of room for improvement.
The hosts led 1-0 at half-time following a classy Josh Benson strike in the 27th minute.
But Maitland equalised four minutes into the second stanza when a Tyrell Paulson cross found Braedyn Crowley at the back stick and the skipper made no mistake with his volley.
Alex Hilton reacted quickest to a loose ball in the six-yard box on the hour mark and made the score 2-1 and the hosts were then good enough to secure the three points from there.
“Frustrating is a word that comes to mind,” Zoricich said after the match.
“Obviously delighted with the win and happy for the boys to get the three points on the board.
“But we just made it a lot more difficult than it needed to be. We had enough chances to score five or six goals.
“Delighted with the result but just frustrated we couldn’t make it cleaner than what it was.”
Maitland will go in search of their first win of the season on Friday night when they kick off the round away from home against Adamstown.
Cooks Hill will travel to Rockwell Automation Park to challenge Weston Bears on Saturday evening.
Belmont Swansea United FC 1-1 Edgeworth FC
Belmont Swansea United’s undefeated start to their inaugural NPL NNSW season continued on Saturday night when they held 2024 grand finalists Edgeworth FC to a 1-1 draw at Blacksmiths Oval.
The Eagles hit the lead in the 21st minute when Flynn Goodman headed home at the back stick after getting onto the end of a perfect Jackson Brady cross.
But the hosts equalised 25 seconds into injury time of the first-half when Joe Kable intercepted a pass in the middle of the park and beat two defenders before charging into the box and squaring the ball to Adam Woodbine for a tap-in.
That made the half-time score 1-1, which was the way it remained at full-time.
BelSwans’ coach Mick Stafford was delighted with the result, which he thought reflected the quality of the opposition.
“I thought it was a very exciting, close game, especially for the spectators,” Stafford said.
“Edgeworth is a stellar club. Everyone knows that and all respect to them. We celebrated like it was a win for us and I believe that’s what we should do against a team like that.
“We deserved the point.”
Edgeworth are at home in round three on Saturday afternoon when they host Lambton Jaffas at Jack McLaughlan Oval and Belmont Swansea will travel for their first away fixture of the season that night when they take on Valentine FC at Croudace Bay Complex.