Match of the Round
Newcastle Olympic 0-4 Maitland FC
Newcastle Olympic coach Craig Atkins was very disappointed with his side’s 4-0 loss to league leaders Maitland FC at Darling Street Oval on Friday night.
Maitland got off to a flying start with three goals in the first 16 minutes of the match.
They opened the scoring in the ninth minute after they were awarded a free kick at the edge of the penalty area.
Sophie Nenadovic whipped the ball into the penalty area where it bounced once and then hit the leg of Tahlia Gossner and went into the back of the net.
Three minutes later, the Magpies doubled their lead through another free kick.
Renee Pountney curled the ball from wide into the sea of players, was helped along by Sophie Stapleford and tapped in by Georgia Amess to make the score 2-0.
Maitland kept their foot on the gas and struck again in the 16th minute through a wonder-strike from their captain Stapleford.
Olympic were unable to clear the ball and it popped out to Stapleford at the edge of the penalty area, who rocketed it on the half-volley into the top right corner of the goal.
The home side was able to settle into the game to contain Maitland and keep the scoreline at 3-0 at the half-time break.
Olympic got themselves back in the fight in the second half but could not get on the scoreboard with misfired shots and brilliant goalkeeping by Maitland’s Annabella Thornton.
Stapleford killed the game off with her second and Maitland’s fourth of the match in the 84th minute.
Georgia Amess screamed down the pitch with pace with no Olympic defender able to keep up. She crossed the ball onto the run of Stapleford, who smashed the ball into the back of the net and put the cherry on top for her side.
“It was a very disappointing result. The girls felt the same way at the end of the game,” Atkins said.
“We started well and could have taken the lead early but we gave a couple of goals away. You can’t give goals away especially to a team of such quality like Maitland.
“I thought in the back end of the first half we lifted and had our chances. At half time our plan was to come out and keep playing the way we did at the end of the half and I thought we did that. We created opportunities, just couldn’t score.
“I thought if we could have scored one, it definitely would have lifted the girls.
“We just can’t get the ball in the back of the net. This is becoming something that we just need to keep working on.
“It was still a really tough contest for the full 90 minutes.
The loss has seen Olympic fall down to fourth on the table. But Atkins says that they are not at panic stations yet.
“If we weren’t creating chances I would be worried,” Atkins said.
“It just didn’t happen for us so we are back to the drawing board.
“We need to focus on being clinical. We know we can do it.
“We are just in a bit of a dry spell at the moment but all it will take is one game to get the confidence back.”
Maitland coach Joe Wright was thrilled with how his side got on the front foot early to secure all three points.
“Olympic are a good side and we knew that playing them at home on a Friday night was not the easiest task in the league,” Wright said.
“I was very happy with getting the three points and the way we went about it.
“Having a strong start really set the tone of the match. There were periods as well where we defended really well.
“We always want to start the match strongly and put our best foot forward.
“I think the girls came out with a point to prove. We wanted to do a good job and put on a show.”
Wright acknowledged the output from young shot stopper Thornton and her efforts to keep a clean sheet.
“AB [Thornton] was very important for us to keep the scoreline the way that it was,” Wright said.
“Internally, we value her very highly and with the performances she has had this season and last season for someone so young is impressive.
“She keeps on growing from strength to strength.”
Maitland have extended their lead at the top of the league and are now 10 points clear of second-placed Charlestown Azzurri and New Lambton in third.
The Magpies will have the weekend off as the competition breaks for the long weekend before they return on Sunday June 15 to in a top-of-the- table clash with Azzurri at Cooks Square Park.
Olympic will be desperate to bounce back when they face New Lambton after a week off on Sunday June 15 at Alder Park.
Charlestown Azzurri 0-0 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Adamstown Rosebud coach Martin Slade says that getting one point from Charlestown Azzurri away from home was a massive achievement for their side after a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday.
Neither side could be separated after 90 minutes after a hotly contested, physical battle that saw multiple players go down or be substituted off due to injury.
Adamstown captain Jenna Doyle was the first player to hit the deck after a collision that winded her with her own goalkeeper Olivia Sneddon and Azzurri attacker Melina Ayres.
Play was stopped again in the 19th minute when Sophia Laurie had a head clash with teammate Sophie Cook. But after assessment, the two players were able to continue.
Charlestown had a chance to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Ayres chipped the ball over Sneddon, who had come off her line. But the shot went wide and the score remained 0-0.
Ayres was the next player to go down after a heavy collision with Sneddon in the 34th minute. The attacker re-entered the field but was substituted off at half-time.
Neither side could make the most of their chances and went into the sheds scoreless.
The physicality of the match remained in the second half as Azzurri captain Jayna Fraser and Tanya Jones clashed heads in the first minute after play resumed.
The Blues were given a golden opportunity to edge ahead when they were awarded a penalty in the 57th minute after Morgan Witz was brought down inside the penalty area by Adamstown’s Leah O’Hagan.
But heroic goalkeeping by Sneddon denied penalty taker Fraser’s shot as well as a follow up strike from Chloe Martin.
Frustrations started to flare for each side, determined to walk away with all three points.
Play was stopped for a final time in stoppage time after a sickening clash of Evie Horgan’s head and teammate Jones’ knee.
Horgan was unable to continue, which left Adamstown down to 10 players for the final minutes of the match.
The score remained locked at 0-0 at the final whistle and the sides each took a point away, which Slade said was an important result.
“I thought it was a tough-fought game that we dug in and Charlestown threw everything at us,” Slade said.
“We managed to hold on to a certain degree.
“It was so physical but we knew that we had to go there and match their physicality.
“We have grown as a team. We are getting better each week.
“Overall Azzurri I am sure will be disappointed to not get the win.
“It was a different type of performance from us. Everyone was resilient to dig in, defend really well and hold our shape.
“The players will take a lot of confidence from that draw. To go to Lisle Carr and grab a point is a massive result.”
The draw has helped boost Adamstown's position in fifth on the table with nine points. They will have a weekend off as the competition breaks for the long weekend before they return home to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility to face Lake Macquarie City FC on Friday June 13.
Charlestown remains second on the table but are now on equal points with New Lambton FC in third position.
They will look to return to the winner’s circle when they take on Broadmeadow Magic in their rescheduled round 11 match on Saturday at Magic Park before they face Maitland FC in a top-of-the-table clash in round 14.
Broadmeadow Magic 0-5 New Lambton FC
New Lambton FC have kept the good times rolling after they secured a 5-0 win away from home against Broadmeadow Magic at Magic Park on Sunday evening.
The Golden Eagles broke the deadlock through none other than golden boot leader Tara Andrews, with a header off a corner in the 25th minute.
The visitors took the 1-0 lead into the half-time break before they put their foot down in the second 45 minutes.
Another corner kick saw Zahna Frankin tap the ball into the back of the net and double their lead in the 48th minute.
Andrews netted her second of the evening in the 74th minute when she received the ball unmarked and travelled towards goal and hit the ball with power past goalkeeper 12 Ayano Kurosawa and into the goal.
Six minutes later Davis took the scoreline to 4-0 with a strong strike into the bottom corner of the net.
In stoppage time Andrews put the cherry on top for her side and completed a hat-trick after she outmuscled her defender and slotted the ball into the goal.
The win has moved the Golden Eagles up into third position on the table with 19 points. They will get the weekend off with a break in the competition before they return in round 14 to take on Newcastle Olympic at Alder Park on Sunday 15 June.
Magic remains at the foot of the table and will be desperate to claw their way up off the bottom.
They face Charlestown Azzurri on Saturday in their rescheduled round 11 match before they serve the bye in round 14.
Lake Macquarie City FC – Bye
