Maitland FC v New Lambton FC
Cooks Square Park, Saturday 4pm
Round 13 Rescheduled Fixture
New Lambton FC coach Aaron Stedman has said that it is all or nothing for his side as they fight for their lives this Saturday when they face Maitland FC at Cooks Square Park.
There will be a lot on the line for each side with New Lambton desperate to snatch a top-four spot before finals and Maitland determined to edge closer to securing the premiership.
The Golden Eagles have gotten the better of the Magpies on both of their last hit-outs in the competition and will be eager to make it a clean sweep and keep their finals hopes alive.
The two sides went head-to-head last weekend where New Lambton upset Maitland for a second time at home with a 3-1 defeat.
Stedman said that it will be no easy feat to take the Magpies down for a third time with so much at stake for both sides.
“Last week’s win doesn’t mean anything if we can’t back it up,” Stedman said.
“It is all or nothing.
“The closer we get to finals, the more players are starting to think about the big picture.
“We have always wanted to make it to the semi-finals but have still been trying to take it one game at a time.
“The nerves are still there because Maitland is going for the premiership.
“Both teams have things to fight for.
“We know that we will have to earn it if we want to reach the top four.”
But the New Lambton coach was confident that his side could rise to the challenge against the league leaders once again on Saturday.
“I think we are feeling pretty good and confident,” Stedman said.
“The last two times we have played Maitland, we have done well at adjusting and making the right changes when needed.
“I think that the win last week has given us some confidence.
“I think Maitland are a very good team and deserve to be where they are on the table. They are very structural and have players that can punish you. We know about those threats and we know that we have to shut them down.
“I think the good thing about us so far this year is that we keep playing no matter what and we adapt really well to what other teams are doing.
“We just have to keep doing the simple things right. We have to reset to our game and our football and just do what we can do.
“There is belief in the team and everyone is really focused. We have put a lot of work in to get to where we are.
Maitland heads into the clash determined to bounce back from their loss against New Lambton and stay in the premiership fight.
The Magpies sit at the top of the table but are on equal points with Newcastle Olympic in second, which could see the premiership race go down to the final week.
Coach Keelan Hamilton said his side knew the importance of securing three points this weekend but was positive that they could get the job done and stay in the hunt for the premiership.
“We are feeling okay,” Hamilton said.
“Definitely it was disappointing in regards to the results last week.
“I was happy overall with the performance. We got punished for big defensive mistakes. But overall box to box we were good value; it just didn’t go our way.
“We are looking to bounce back.
“I don’t think there is any incentive to beat New Lambton because we haven’t yet but we just want to improve on what we did last week.
“We know the importance of winning. We want to bounce back from the loss and take the premiership race to the final week.
“The biggest prize we could win this season would be the premiership. Losing last week makes that a bit more difficult. Olympic now have the advantage.”
But the Magpies could be without two of their key starters with attacker Sophie Stapleford (ankle) and defender Alesha Clifford (head) unlikely to recover in time to take to the pitch this weekend.
Hamilton said that it will be unlikely that the duo will be fit and ready for Saturday but has full confidence in the depth of his squad to fill in the gaps if needed.
“We will give them [Stapleford and Clifford] right up until the last minute and it would be disappointing if they aren’t able to play but we are very comfortable with our players that can slot in,” Hamilton said.
“We know each player in our squad will come on and give their best.”
Maitland will wear special Brain Cancer Awareness jerseys in support of their captain Stapleford who overcame brain cancer in her early 20s.
“Our Brain Cancer Awareness round is an important round and is a good opportunity for Sophie and our club to raise awareness,” Hamilton said.
“We are hoping to put on a good performance and represent the round with the consideration that it is worth.”
Newcastle Olympic v Broadmeadow Magic
Darling Street Oval, Saturday 4pm
Round 13 Rescheduled Fixture
Newcastle Olympic coach Craig Atkins said that his side must win their round 13 rescheduled clash against Broadmeadow Magic on Saturday to stay in the hunt for the premiership.
The two sides went head-to-head last week when Olympic downed Magic 2-0 in an intense and gritty battle.
With the stakes high for both sides this weekend, another tough game is expected.
Olympic enter the contest at Darling Street Oval second on the table but are on equal points with league leaders Maitland FC.
Atkins was confident his side could secure another three points against Magic this weekend and stay in the premiership race.
“The win last week gives us a big lift,” Atkins said.
“The focus for this week’s game is to win.
“We also want to go into finals on the back of some good form.
“It is going to be an interesting couple of weeks to finish the season.
“It is great to see that we have some depth in the club. Players are able to step up and do the job.”
Olympic will continue to be without goalkeeper Isabella Whitton (hand) and defender Jorjia Hogg (knee) who have been sidelined with injury with the hope that the duo returns in time for finals.
Broadmeadow Magic final’s hopes are in their hands as they prepare to face Olympic for a second time in eight days.
Mid-way through the season they looked to defend their premiership title but a bumpy patch on and off the field has seen them slip down into fourth position, clinging onto a finals spot.
Magic must win to ensure they secure their spot in the finals before the last round of the competition, with New Lambton only one point behind them in fifth position.
They have had one win in their last five matches but the side is confident that if they can build on their last performance against Olympic, they can get the job done this time around and save themselves.
Charlestown Azzurri FC v Mid Coast FC
Lisle Carr Oval, Saturday 2pm
Round 13 Rescheduled Fixture
Charlestown Azzurri will look to keep the good times rolling as they host Mid Coast FC at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday.
The Blues bounced back from a disappointing run of results with two losses and one draw to thrash Mid Coast away from home 9-1 last weekend.
They will have another bite at the cherry this Saturday as the two sides face off again in their round 13 rescheduled fixture but this time with a home-ground advantage.
Azzurri have secured their ticket for finals as they sit third on the table, three points ahead of Broadmeadow Magic in fourth position and four points out from New Lambton FC in fifth.
A-League veterans Melina Ayres and Gema Simon have quickly made their mark on the competition, each netting multiple goals and showcasing their elite talents across the park.
Heath Whyte will hope that his side can repeat their performance from last week and blow Mid Coast out of the water for a second time in seven days.
Middies sit at the bottom of the table after a disappointing year which they will be eager to put behind them.
They will be determined to finish their 2024 campaign on a positive note in the final matches and reduce the deficit from last week’s result.
