Match of the Round
Maitland FC 1-1 Lake Macquarie City FC
Lake Macquarie City FC coach Gabrielle Blanch believes her side’s 1-1 draw with Maitland FC at Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon proved they can match it with the competition’s heavyweights after becoming the first team this season to take points from the league leaders.
Lake Macquarie entered the contest looking to build on their dominant second-half performance from round 10, and their intent was evident through a series of early attacking runs.
The opening 10 minutes saw the Roosters maintain possession well as they applied pressure to the Maitland defence more effectively than most sides have managed this season.
But as the half progressed, the Magpies began to build their usual momentum and looked to open the scoring in the 17th minute when Sophie Stapleford crossed the ball to Renee Pountney in front of goal, but her effort was sent wide.
The two teams continued to battle throughout the first half as they searched for a breakthrough, but strong defensive displays at both ends ensured neither side could find the opener.
Natalia O’Driscoll looked likely to score in the 39th minute when she broke into the box and tapped the ball around goalkeeper Morgan Ross, but Lakes’ defender Jorja Brown continued her strong start to deny her.
Lake Macquarie’s defensive pressure paid off moments before half-time after Brown launched a long ball downfield where Emily Loader-Weston used her pace to beat Maitland’s Tahlia Gossner to the ball.
Loader-Weston cut in from the sideline to the edge of the box before firing past goalkeeper Annabella Thornton and into the bottom-right corner to give her side a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
The Magpies entered the second half determined to find an equaliser and, while they controlled more possession, Lakes’ disciplined defence continued to frustrate their attacking efforts.
The breakthrough Maitland had been searching for finally came in the 80th minute when Ceanna Frost delivered a high cross into the box and Pountney rose highest to head the ball over Ross and into the net.
Neither side could find a winner in the closing stages as the match finished 1-1, marking the first time this season Maitland had dropped points.
“I am proud of this group. It's been tough and we've had to work through some results and performances that haven't gone our way,” Blanch said.
“I think it should give the girls confidence that when we stick to our plan and execute it at our best, we can match it with any of the competition heavyweights.
“We are resilient. We back and work for each other and I think today truly showed that.
“It was a hard-fought point, but one I felt we worked for and deserved.”
Blanch acknowledged her side’s strong defensive performance against Maitland, while also admitting there were still areas to improve.
“I thought we were defensively disciplined. We kept our heads and absorbed the pressure that we knew Maitland would bring today,” Blanch said.
“We knew what we needed to do to break down their strengths in attack and the execution was there for most of the game.
“There were some lapses that let us down at times but overall, it was not a bad performance.”
Maitland coach Ben Horgan admitted he was disappointed to see his side drop points but praised their persistence in fighting back late in the match.
“I’m a little disappointed. Obviously trying to win every game this season was an objective, although it was always an ambitious one,” Horgan said.
“So it was disappointing to drop points, but I’m pleased with the way we reacted after going behind.
“We weren't quite as sharp in the front third as we had been in other weeks, but we kept playing and created half chances without necessarily producing the clear-cut opportunities we needed.
“We kept working at it and got the equaliser. So, from that point of view, it was pleasing, but overall, a little disappointing.”
Maitland will now aim to return to winning ways when they host Newcastle Olympic on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Lake Macquarie City will look to build on their recent performances when they welcome Charlestown Azzurri to Macquarie Field on Sunday afternoon.
Broadmeadow Magic 5-0 Newcastle Olympic
Broadmeadow Magic assistant coach Dean Cook said his side needed to tighten up defensively, and they did just that when they downed Newcastle Olympic 5-0 at Magic Park on Friday night.
The two sides could not be separated for much of the first half as they went end-to-end, trading shots in a determined effort to open the scoring.
Magic’s consistent pressure eventually paid off in the 27th minute after Wimberley Wright forced Olympic’s Rosie Copus to lose control of the ball.
Jess Wallace picked up the loose ball, weaved her way past Olympic defender Jess Evans into the box, and slotted it into the bottom-right corner.
Copus searched for an equaliser in the 37th minute as she charged into the box unmarked, but goalkeeper Malli Blanch denied her before losing control of the ball following the collision.
Olympic attempted to capitalise on the loose ball, but Magic’s Megan Janikowski cleared it before any danger could develop.
Wallace doubled Magic’s lead in the 39th minute after Wright picked up the ball on the left side of the park and charged into the box. Goalkeeper Isabella Aquilina blocked Wright’s attempt, but the ball fell to Wallace, who tapped it in to send her side into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
Wright looked for a goal of her own in the 58th minute as she weaved through Olympic’s defence and launched a shot from the top of the box, but a superb save from Aquilina denied her.
Olympic’s tightened defence made life difficult for Magic throughout the second half as the hosts were repeatedly denied a third goal.
But the moment Wright had been waiting for came in the 72nd minute after Wallace crossed the ball into the box and Wright back-heeled it into the net off a volley.
Wallace completed her hat-trick in the 85th minute when she received the ball just in front of halfway, charged downfield, and unleashed a powerful shot past the advancing Aquilina and into an empty net.
A fifth and final goal put the result beyond doubt one minute into stoppage time after Janikowski whipped a free kick past the wall, through Aquilina’s hands, and into the net to seal the 5-0 victory.
“We are so pleased for the girls. That was a great team performance back at home,” Cook said.
“Every player put in a shift. We needed to improve defensively tonight, and I think we did that very well.
“We knew [Newcastle] Olympic would make it difficult for us. We spoke at half-time about being patient, and if we were, the goals would come.
“Winning builds confidence and it's important for us to keep picking up three points. So, we will enjoy the win and the girls will take confidence going into the next match.”
Magic will look to build on another dominant win when they travel to Alder Park to take on New Lambton on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Newcastle Olympic will make the tough trip to Cooks Square Park to face league leaders Maitland FC.
Charlestown Azzurri 2-2 Adamstown Rosebud
Charlestown Azzurri and Adamstown Rosebud shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday afternoon as both sides looked to create some breathing room from the bottom of the table.
Azzurri opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Jannali Hunter played the ball into the path of Isla Carstairs, who charged downfield and chipped Adamstown goalkeeper Olivia Sneddon, catching her high off the line.
Adamstown responded almost immediately, equalising in the 19th minute after their initial shot was deflected by Azzurri’s Taren King straight into the path of Sophia Laurie, who worked her way past King before firing the ball into the back of the net.
Charlestown appeared to regain the lead in the 23rd minute through Sara Piriz, but the goal was ruled offside.
The two sides continued to battle for the remainder of the half, but neither could find another breakthrough as they headed into half-time locked at 1-1.
Azzurri broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute after Riley Gardner tapped the ball over Sneddon, who had rushed to the top of her box attempting a diving save. Hunter chased the loose ball as it struck the side of the post.
Hunter then cut the ball back and slotted it into an empty net to give Charlestown a 2-1 lead.
But Adamstown was determined to take something from the contest, and Tanya Jones delivered the equaliser they had been searching for in the 71st minute with a strike from well outside the box that flew into the top-right corner.
Both teams pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but neither could find a decisive breakthrough as the match finished in a 2-2 draw.
Charlestown will look to go one better when they take on Lake Macquarie City FC at Macquarie Field on Sunday afternoon, while Adamstown will have the bye.
Bye - New Lambton FC