Match of the Round
New Lambton FC v Broadmeadow Magic
Alder Park, Saturday 4.30pm
New Lambton FC coach Craig Atkins believes his side’s match against Broadmeadow Magic at Alder Park on Saturday is a must-win clash if they are to keep their premiership hopes alive.
The Golden Eagles will enter the match refreshed after serving the bye last round but will be eager to secure back-to-back wins following their 4-2 victory over Adamstown Rosebud in round 10.
The win came after an 8-0 thrashing by Maitland FC, something Atkins was pleased his side was able to put behind them as they remained second on the table.
But with Maitland dropping their first points of the season in round 11, New Lambton now sit six points behind the league leaders. Atkins knows his side needs all three points against Magic if they are to close the gap, but he is not underestimating the challenge ahead.
“It’s a must-win if we want to keep our premiership hopes alive, and finishing in the top two is definitely the goal,” Atkins said.
“If we can get the win, it will open up the places in the top four as well and create a little bit of a gap.
“But you can't look too much at that. We've just got to make sure we turn up and get the job done on Saturday, first and foremost.
“The three Americans [Megan Janikowski, Wimberley Wright and Jessica Wallace] are in a good run of form, so they're very dangerous and contributed to all the goals last weekend. I thought Magic played well and held possession well.
“So, we'll obviously start at training and work on a few things so we can try and overcome them, get in behind them and break them down.”
New Lambton have enjoyed a consistent season overall, recording six wins, one draw and two losses, but Atkins hopes his side can turn those results into consistent 90-minute performances.
“It’s about consistency. We've again shown that when we get it right defensively, we're very hard to break down,” Atkins said.
“We've had some really good results where we've kept teams to zero and then a couple of big blowout games. But we've been working on staying compact, connected and not having too much distance between our lines.
“It’s one of those things where you’ve just got to get back to what we used to do. Every team's getting better now, so you've got to lift your game each week to get the three points.”
Like New Lambton, Magic assistant coach Dean Cook is also eager to see his side produce back-to-back performances.
Broadmeadow will be full of confidence following a 5-0 win over Newcastle Olympic in round 11, but Cook understands how quickly results can change after their 5-1 loss to Lake Macquarie City FC in round 10.
“We had a good win last week, but we're not getting carried away with that result. We are just looking at putting back-to-back performances together this week,” Cook said.
“There was a particular focus on improving our defence. We conceded five goals against Lakes [Macquarie City FC] the week before, so we needed to improve in that area.
“We were confident we could score some goals, but obviously we needed to make sure we weren't conceding.
“We've said a couple of times that consistency is the key. We've shown we can put some very good performances together, but we've been a little bit up and down.
“If we can put a number of games together back-to-back, that's going to put us in a very good position on the table.”
Magic will also have the memory of their 5-1 loss to New Lambton in round five fresh in their minds, but Cook acknowledged it was far from his side’s best performance and said they know what they need to do this weekend.
“We'll be looking at nullifying all their [New Lambton’s] strengths right across the pitch. That's really what we'll be looking to do this week,” Cook said.
“Both teams are very capable of scoring goals, so the battle will probably come down to making sure we're not conceding. That's really what we're going to be focused on.
“I thought we were pretty poor that day [in round five]. If I remember correctly, we were in the game until half-time and probably let things slip in the second half.
“It’s one of those things that we're working on consistently in terms of producing that 90-minute performance, and this week will be no different.
“That’s really something we’re looking to do every week, not just against New Lambton.”
Lake Macquarie City FC v Charlestown Azzurri
Macquarie Field, Sunday 3pm
Charlestown Azzurri coach Alicia Ferguson understands her side will need to be at their best when they travel to Macquarie Field to take on Lake Macquarie City FC on Sunday afternoon.
Azzurri sit at the bottom of the table, level on points with Adamstown Rosebud, a position further cemented after the sides played out a 2-2 draw last round.
However, Charlestown will head into the match with the confidence of knowing their only win of the season came against Sunday’s opponents.
The last time the two sides met, Azzurri claimed a 3-0 victory, but since then they have recorded two draws and three losses. Ferguson is not underestimating the challenge Lakes will present.
“Lakes are always going to be a really competitive team. They've got quality with Alyssa [Togo-Paragalli], Jorja [Brown] and Emily [Loader-Weston],” Ferguson said.
“They've got pace in their wide areas, which they utilise really well, and have a really solid backline.
“They're a well-organised team and I feel like there have probably been a few results they'd be really frustrated with during this period, but they're a good team and we're going to have to be at our best to get a result.
“That last game against them, we really frustrated them. Our defensive line was organised and compact, and we scored transition goals despite not having a lot of possession.
“We've taken a step forward now, so we’re still confident, but we're a different team now and that actually provides different challenges for both of us.”
Charlestown have visibly improved as the season has progressed, and Ferguson hopes the growing connection within the squad will now translate into better results on the scoreboard.
“I genuinely think, as far as team cohesiveness and understanding how each of our players plays and what their strengths are, we're at that stage now,” Ferguson said.
“Everyone knows whether a certain player wants the ball played to their feet or into space. We have that kind of understanding of each other now.
“It's now just about turning some really solid defensive performances into scoring a few more goals, and that's probably the hardest thing.”
Ferguson also confirmed Libby Copus-Brown will be part of the game day squad on Sunday.
Lake Macquarie head into Sunday afternoon in high spirits after becoming the only side this season to take points off undefeated Maitland FC.
The 1-1 draw extended their unbeaten run to four matches, featuring two wins and two draws. During that stretch, they have scored nine goals and conceded four, cementing their position in third place on the table.
They now sit five points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle Olympic and remain firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish as they chase down New Lambton FC in second.
The squad will also receive a boost with Madi Gallegos joining the roster for the remainder of the NPL Women’s NNSW season.
Maitland FC v Newcastle Olympic
Cooks Square Park, Friday 8pm
Newcastle Olympic will look to take advantage of Maitland FC’s first slip-up of the season when the two sides go head-to-head at Cooks Square Park on Friday night.
Olympic will still be hurting after a 5-0 loss to Magic in the red and blue derby last round.
The defeat marked their fifth of the season and pushed them out of the top four following an inconsistent run of results.
Further impacting the lead up to the match is the news that head coach Neil Owens has stepped down from his position with the process to appoint a new head coach underway.
But Olympic will be determined to respond this weekend and keep their finals hopes alive, however they will need to remain defensively disciplined across the entire park.
They know firsthand how costly a lapse in concentration can be against Maitland, having suffered a 9-1 defeat to the Magpies in round five.
An equally disappointed Maitland side will take the field on Friday after dropping their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Lake Macquarie City FC.
The round 11 clash also marked the first time this season the Magpies had conceded first, with the league leaders forced to spend much of the second half chasing an equaliser.
But Maitland will be determined to bounce back and showcase their attacking firepower, proving the draw was only a minor setback in an otherwise dominant campaign.
Bye - Adamstown Rosebud