Maitland FC 5-2 Charlestown Azzurri
Round Eight Rescheduled Match
Maitland FC coach Keelan Hamilton was pleased that his side have given themselves a buffer at the top of the table after a 5-2 win over Charlestown Azzurri at Cooks Square Park on Saturday.
The Magpies have extended their lead at the top out to three points and are now in the driver's seat to secure the premiership.
The Blues were given the opportunity to open the scoring after they were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the penalty area from Magpies defender Alesha Clifford.
Janya Fraser converted from the penalty spot with a hard and low strike that ran past goalkeeper Annabella Thornton.
But Maitland struck back just before half-time through top goal scorer Bronte Peel. Clifford was able to nod a ball off a corner kick into the sea of players inside the penalty area and onto the head of Peel, who made no mistake and put the ball in the back of the net.
The Magpies edged ahead in the 65th minute after Georgia Amess found herself one on one with goalkeeper Malli Blanch and fired the ball into the goal.
Peel netted her second of the afternoon to take the scoreline to 3-1 after she powered down the pitch with the ball and released it hard and low into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Sophie Stapleford put her name on the scoresheet in the 77th minute after she found herself unmarked inside the penalty area.
Maitland put the game to bed in the 85th when Amess’ shot went wide and landed in the path of Ella McDonald, who struck the ball into the back of the net.
Charlestown clawed one back through Sienna Fraser-Kelly two minutes later but it was all too late for the Blues as the final score remained in Maitland’s favour at 5-2.
Hamilton did not think it was his side’s best performance but was pleased with how they bounced back in the second half to grind out a result.
“I thought it was a really positive result and our performance was okay without being fantastic,” Hamilton said.
“I think the first half was pretty cagey. Both teams showed what was on the line and the game wasn’t too free-flowing.
“In the second half, we improved our execution a little bit and got right on top. In the end, we were really good value for the result.
“We were in control for most of the game.
“I said to the girls at half-time that we were okay but we were not pushing as hard as we needed to when we had possession. We limited Azzurri pretty well but I didn’t think we were a threat enough in attack.
“I challenged the girls to improve in the second half, and to their credit, we finished strongly.”
The win has extended Maitland’s lead at the top of the table out to three points ahead of Newcastle Olympic as the season comes down to crunch time.
“We are happy to have a little buffer at the top of the table,” Hamilton said.
“It’s good to have those points as we have two hard games coming up.”
They will hope to continue their momentum when they travel to Alfer Park to take on New Lambton FC.
Azzurri sits third on the table but is on equal 33 points with Broadmeadow Magic in fourth position. They will be eager to cement their spot in third when they travel to Taree Zone Field to take on Mid Coast next Sunday.
New Lambton FC 1-1 Newcastle Olympic
Round 17 Rescheduled Match
New Lambton FC and Newcastle Olympic were forced to share the points after a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Alder Park on Saturday afternoon.
With so much on the line for both teams, it was a tough battle from the first to the final whistle.
Elodie Dagg opened the scoring for Olympic with a wonder strike in the 25th minute.
The midfielder drove down the field with the ball, untouchable by New Lambton’s defense before she unleashed the ball from well outside the penalty area. The ball flew past goalkeeper Ally Boertje and into the back of the net.
New Lambton pushed for the equaliser while Olympic were desperate to extend their lead but the scoreline remained 1-0 as they went into the sheds at the break.
The Golden Eagles came out the hungrier of the two sides in the second half and were rewarded in the 85th minute.
Hannah Bourke got herself onto the end of a corner kick and through the sea of players knocked the ball past goalkeeper Tallon Convery to level the score.
The draw has seen Olympic drop back from the premiership race after league leaders Maitland FC had picked up a win.
They sit second on the table, three points behind the Magpies and eight points ahead of Azzurri.
Craig Atkins will hope his side can stay in the premiership battle and secure three points when they travel to Magic Park to take on Broadmeadow Magic on Friday night.
New Lambton remains in fifth position on the table but has edged closer to Magic in fourth, four points behind.
It is crucial for the Golden Eagles to continue to pick up as many points as possible in order to keep their finals dreams alive. But they will have another tough task ahead of them this weekend when they face Maitland on Saturday.
Mid Coast FC 0-9 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Round 10 Reschedules Match
Adamstown Rosebud JFC bounced back in a big way after a 9-0 win over Mid Coast FC at Taree Zone Field on Sunday afternoon.
Rosebuds opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Eve Donnelly struck the ball from outside the penalty area into the back of the net.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 18th minute after they were awarded a penalty kick for handball inside the area. Captain Jenna Doyle stepped up and converted from the spot.
Tanya Jones took the scoreline to 3-0 in the 24th minute with a spectacular long-range strike that flew past goalkeeper Akir Baird.
Adamstown added one more to their tally before the half-time break when Madalyn Campbell tapped the ball into the goal at the back post.
Tori Johnson made the score 5-0 in the 54th minute before Donnelly put her name on the scoresheet in the 61st minute.
Johnson struck again in the 65th minute before Ashleigh Vetter extended the scoreline again in the 84th minute.
Donnelly completed her hat-trick and put the nail in the coffin after she chipped Baird in the 89th minute.
Adamstown remains in sixth position, but the win edges them closer to New Lambton, who sit five points ahead.
Mid Coast continues to sit at the bottom of the table with three points and will be eager to get something out of their final matches of the season. They will remain at home next Sunday when they welcome Charlestown Azzurri.