Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic 5-3 Edgeworth
Euphoric celebrations erupted at Magic Park after Broadmeadow staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a 2-0 halftime deficit to secure a thrilling 5-3 victory.
The intensity began between both teams from the first whistle. The Eagles were awarded a corner 20 minutes into the match, which saw Jacob Pepper rise above the defence, unleashing a towering header to give Edgeworth a 1-0 lead.
Edgeworth capitalised on their advantage, doubling their lead from another corner in the 32nd minute thanks to Kevin Dagnet.
Trailing by two goals, Broadmeadow coach John Bennis urged his players to dig deep and made tactical adjustments.
"We tweaked a couple of things early in the second half, but the boys deserve all the recognition for their second-half performance. I thought we were much better out of possession during that second 45 minutes," Bennis said.
Broadmeadow continued their high-paced and relentless approach in the second half, pressing the opposition. Their efforts were rewarded eight minutes into the half when Riley Smith seized possession, penetrated the backline, and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Just two minutes later, Bailey Wells orchestrated an impressive individual effort, dribbling past two players before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top left corner, leveling the contest for Magic.
In the 58th minute, Riley Smith dribbled into the penalty box, only to be brought down for a penalty. Smith confidently converted the spot-kick in the absence of the injured Jared Baker, giving Broadmeadow a 3-2 lead.
Broadmeadow continued to press, coming close on multiple occasions. On the 65th minute, Smith nutmegged his defender, dashed into the penalty area, and struck the post. Bailey Wells seized the rebound and had a promising attempt on goal.
In a relentless second half, Edgeworth managed to equalize once again from a corner in the 69th minute. Sascha Montefiore delivered a pinpoint cross to 18-year-old super-sub Mason King, who volleyed the ball into the net.
With just ten minutes remaining, Smith continued to display his playmaking abilities, picking out Jeremy Wilson's lung-busting run from midfield with a perfectly weighted pass over the defence. Wilson calmly slotted the ball through the goalkeeper's legs, putting Broadmeadow in the lead once again at 4-3.
Magic Park erupted in the 88th minute when Bailey Wells executed a delightful chip over the flat Edgeworth backline, perfectly meeting James Cresnar who beat the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation, securing a 5-3 victory and igniting wild celebrations among the crowd.
"Terrific effort in the second half, full credit to our players for their application and determination in overcoming a 2-0 deficit at halftime," Bennis said.
The three points earned from this hard-fought victory propelled Broadmeadow into third place on the table, level with Edgeworth and Newcastle Olympic on points, and only one point behind Weston Bears on 25 points.
"The competition is very close, so every point is valuable," Bennis said.
Maitland 4-1 New Lambton
Maitland delivered a powerful performance of football at Cooks Square on Saturday in a 4-1 triumph over New Lambton.
Braedyn Cowley was a standout for the Magpies, scoring a hat-trick. Crowley's clinical display not only secured the three points for his team but also took his personal goal tally to an impressive 19 as he continues to stake his claim for the Golden Boot.
Right from the opening whistle, Maitland exhibited an attacking intent that caught their opponents off guard. The breakthrough arrived just four minutes into the match when Crowley surged down the right wing, delivering a pinpoint cross to James Thompson, who was beat to the ball by New Lambton’s Dane Falcioni who knocked the back of his own net.
Crowley demonstrated his prowess only three minutes later when he unleashed a powerful strike into the bottom corner.
In the 23rd minute, Thompson's sprint down the left wing resulted in a scorching cross that proved too hot to handle for the New Lambton goalkeeper. Capitalising on the opportunity, Crowley found himself in the right place at the right time, fortuitously deflecting the ball into the net to extend Maitland's lead to 3-0.
Maitland capped off a strong half-hour of football with a brilliant team goal, that allowed Crowley to complete his hat-trick.
New Lambton managed to pull a goal back on 34 minutes through Kent Harrison, but the scoreline remained 4-1 going into halftime. Maitland coach Michael Bolch, in his halftime team talk, focused on keeping a clean sheet for the remainder of the match.
"At halftime, we spoke about not conceding again. The tempo went out of the game in the second half, and we made some substitutions," Bolch said.
Newcastle Olympic 5-2 Lake Macquarie City
Olympic’s strong start set the tone for their dominant 5-2 win over Lake Macquarie City at Darling Street Oval.
Olympic wasted no time in asserting their authority as they moved the ball seamlessly around the pitch. It was Nathan Toby's penetrating run on the right wing that resulted in a penalty for Olympic. Jarred Muller stepped up and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, putting Olympic in the lead at 1-0.
The relentless pressure from Olympic continued, and on the half-hour mark, Toby intercepted a loose pass and swiftly delivered a piercing through-ball to Lachlan Griffiths charging down the right flank. Despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the shot, the power behind Griffiths' strike proved too much, finding the back of the net and extending Olympic's advantage to 2-0.
Just before halftime, Muller showcased his individual brilliance. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, he executed a 180-degree spin, skilfully nutmegging the defender and striking on goal. Although the initial attempt was blocked, Muller remained composed and lobbed the ball over the diving goalkeeper, securing his second goal of the match.
Olympic maintained their aggressive press in the second half, with their efforts were rewarded in the 51st minute. Winning possession, Wil Southcombe delivered a well-placed cross, which Toby met with a confident header that found the back of the net.
Lake Macquarie City managed to pull a goal back in the 67th minute through a well-worked free kick, momentarily interrupting Olympic's dominance. However, Olympic wasted no time in responding, as just one minute later, Jackson Lane put Olympic further ahead at 5-1.
Lake Macquarie City showed resilience by notching another goal in the 70th minute, with Charlie Buffon finding the back of the net. However, their efforts were not enough to close the gap further, as the match concluded with a final scoreline of 5-2 in favour of Olympic.
Valentine v Charlestown Azzurri
Postponed
Adamstown Rosebud v Cooks Hill United
Postponed
Weston Bears 3-3 Lambton Jaffas
Arthur Eden Oval, Sunday 28 May 2:30pm
Josh Piddington's injury-time header salvaged a 3-3 draw for the Lambton Jaffas against the Weston Bears at Arthur Eden Oval.
Weston took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute after Konagaya dribbled through the defence and calmly placed the ball into the corner of the net.
Despite a high-intensity match with chances at both ends, the score remained 1-0 in favour of the Bears until halftime.
The Bears continued their strong performance in the second half, with Konagaya combining with Aaron Niyonkuru to fire a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
In the 66th minute, the Jaffas pulled a goal back to make it 2-1. A fumbled clearance from a free kick landed at the feet of Kale Bradbery, who clinically finished to bring his team back into the game.
Just two minutes later, the Bears extended their lead to 3-1 with a fantastic team goal. Cooper Buswell combined with Aaron Niyonkuru to find the back of the net.
A fast counterattack in the 76th minute saw Kale Bradbery athletically volley the ball into the net from close range, bringing the score to 3-2 and setting up a nail-biting finish.
As the match seemed destined for a Bears victory, in the third minute of injury time, 36-year-old Josh Piddington made an astonishing run the entire length of the pitch and nodded the ball home from the far post, securing an emphatic equaliser to make it 3-3.
