Match of the Round
Weston Workers FC v Charlestown Azzurri
Rockwell Automation Park, Sunday 2:30pm
Weston Workers FC coach Kew Jaliens said this weekend’s game against Charlestown Azzurri is a must-win for his side.
The Bears will return home to Rockwell Automation Park on Sunday off the back of consecutive losses against the top two sides in the competition Lambton Jaffas and Broadmeadow Magic.
Weston has struggled to string a run of consistent results together this season and sits eighth on the table with 16 points.
But Cooks Hill also has 16 points one spot below them, which adds extra motivation to get the job done this weekend and edge ahead of the bottom teams on the table.
They are four points outside of the top six teams and will be desperate to secure three points on Sunday to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Weston coach said a win was crucial to help keep their season alive.
“It is a very important game for us,” Jaliens said.
“It is a must-win at home in front of our own crowd.
“We have been looking at the table and we need to win our games to be able to have a chance at finals.”
Jaliens stressed the importance of his side returning to form for the home run of the competition.
“We need to be more consistent, but we will keep learning from our mistakes and try to apply what we have learned the next time we play,” Jaliens said.
“Our main focus will be on getting three points at home.”
The last hit out in the competition for these two sides saw Weston return home with the three points after a 3-1 win.
The Bears will hope to use their home-ground advantage to help get them over the line once again on Sunday.
Azzurri will be desperate to settle the score with Weston but also bounce back from a small dip in form in recent weeks.
They enter the match off the back of a 2-2 draw to Maitland FC and a 4-1 loss to Cooks Hill United.
The Blues are third on the table with 28 points but have fallen 11 points behind Broadmeadow Magic.
The side will continue to be without key defender Taylor Regan as he serves a three-match suspension for serious foul play and violent conduct.
After the Blues missed their round 16 fixture after it was postponed due to wet weather, they will hope to have most of their inured players back in the squad and be well rested from the week off.
Coach James Pascoe will be looking for a response from his side to help secure their position as high up on the table before the finals series begins.
Adamstown Rosebud v Lake Macquarie City FC
Adamstown Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Lake Macquarie City FC coach Pete Preston is determined his side can get out of the automatic relegation zone starting with a win against Adamstown Rosebud on Saturday afternoon.
Adamstown Oval will see the second bottom-of-the-table clash between these two sides, with each club’s date in the competition on the line.
Their first encounter saw Rosebuds take out the first victory of their campaign and move off the bottom of the table with a 3-1 win.
Adamstown then secured back-to-back wins a shock 2-1 result over Newcastle Olympic to extend the gap between themselves and the Roosters to five points.
The Roosters sit at the bottom of the table on three points and are desperate to get their revenge this weekend and avoid automatic relegation at the end of the season.
Preston said the club are realistic about where they are at but remains positive that they can lift themselves out of the bottom spot.
“We are not hiding away from the fact of where we are and what is at stake,” Preston said.
“The club, staff and players all know where we are falling short, we just need to keep working hard and hopefully we can pick up some points.
“We know what we need to do to execute our skills and get a result. We know we are going to create chances but we just need to take them.
“We still have eight games to go so we will keep believing.”
But in a major blow for Rosebud, they will be without their captain and key striker Dino Fajkovic after he was given a six-match suspension for match official abuse in last weekend’s match against Maitland FC.
Preston said that Fajkovic would be a big loss for the Rosebud squad, but they will not be preparing any different in his absence.
“Adamstown didn’t win yesterday but they have a gap on us. We need to find a win,” Preston said.
“We will do our homework accordingly.
“Dino has been super for Adamstown. He scored a couple of goals on us last time.
“We will treat them the same as they have good strikers in reserve grade that will be getting their chance.”
“We won’t be taking it for granted that Dino will be missing.”
Adamstown is 11th on the table, three points behind New Lambton FC, which still gives them the opportunity to lift themselves out of the relegation zone altogether if they can continue to pick up points.
Edgeworth FC v Valentine FC
Jack McLaughlan Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Valentine FC will have a point to prove when they travel to Jack McLaughlan Oval to face Edgeworth FC this Saturday.
The Phoenix hit the headlines this week when it was announced that player-coach Adam Hughes would be taking over as Maitland FC’s head coach next season.
But despite the off-field dramas, Valentine will be focused on the season at hand and making sure to cement themselves in a finals spot.
They sit in fifth position on the table, with 23 points, equal points with Edgeworth who are fourth.
The last time these sides met in the competition in round six the Eagles were victorious with a 2-0 defeat over the Phoenix.
Hughes and his side will be determined to settle the score and fly above Edgeworth into fourth position.
The Eagles will enter the contest eager to bounce back from a 4-2 loss to Maitland after a fine run of form.
Peter McGuinness will hope that attacking duo Ryan Feutz and Seth Clark can continue to wreak havoc on Valentine’s defensive unit and secure their side a valuable win for their 2024 campaign.
The middle of the table has become congested, making every point crucial for both Valentine and Edgeworth to remain in the top six.
Lambton Jaffas v Maitland FC
Arthur Edden Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Lambton Jaffas will hope to extend their lead at the top of the table when they host Maitland FC at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The league leaders sit one point clear at the top of the competition with 40 points and have two games in hand.
With Broadmeadow Magic hot on their heels in second position, David Tanchevski's side will hope that they can continue their unbeaten run this season and give themselves some breathing space at the top.
The last hit out between these two teams in the competition in round six resulted in a dominant 5-0 victory for the Jaffas away from home.
The Magpies will not want to repeat their performance and will be hopeful that recent success will give them the momentum to put it to the top side on Saturday.
Maitland’s latest run of form with back-to-back wins has moved them into the top six with 21 points.
But with Newcastle Olympic one point behind, they will be desperate to secure three points and maintain their position.
Maitland announced this week that they have signed Valentine FC’s head coach Adam Hughes to replace Mick Bolch for the 2025 season.
A win for the Magpies could see them move up into fourth position if other results go their way, which will be an extra motivator for Bolch and his side to get the job done this weekend.
New Lambton FC v Cooks Hill United
Alder Park, Saturday 4:30pm
New Lambton FC will be desperate to distance themselves from the relegation zone when they host Cooks Hill United at Alder Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles sit 10th on the table, three points ahead of Adamstown Rosebud in the relegation zone in 11th position.
The last time these two teams met in the competition in their round six rescheduled match two weeks ago, an 85th-minute goal from Riley Taylor was the difference as New Lambton snatched a 2-1 win.
New Lambton will hope they can repeat their performance and extend the gap between themselves and the bottom two sides to reduce the risk of relegation.
Cooks Hill will be eager to settle the score and take their undefeated streak to three matches.
They sit one position above the Golden Eagles in ninth but have a five-point advantage and are five points outside the top six teams.
A win could see them leapfrog Weston Workers FC into eighth spot and keep their chances of finals alive.
Chris Zoricich’s side has picked up two wins and a draw in their last four games and will hope to carry that momentum into Saturday’s match.
Newcastle Olympic v Broadmeadow Magic
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 2:30pm
Newcastle Olympic will receive a massive boost with retired A-League star Jason Hoffman available to play in this weekend’s red and blue derby against Broadmeadow Magic.
Hoffman will step foot onto Darling Street Oval on Sunday afternoon in an Olympic kit for the first time since 2007 to battle with their Magic rivals.
Paul DeVitis and Neil Owens will hope Hoffman can help their side to bounce back after their recent shock loss to Adamstown.
They sit seventh on the table, one point outside the top six sides and finals contention.
The last time these two sides faced each other in the competition in round six, Magic were the victors with a 3-0 win away from home.
Olympic will be eager to settle the score and secure a vital three points to help them keep their finals hopes alive.
Broadmeadow enters the clash off the back of seven straight wins and will hope to make it eight from eight.
Magic’s men sit second on the table one point behind league leaders Lambton Jaffas.
Jim Cresnar will hope his side can repeat their round-six performance in front of a home crowd and potentially finish the weekend at the top of the table.