Match of the Round
New Lambton FC v Charlestown Azzurri
Alder Park, Sunday 4pm
New Lambton FC coach Aaron Stedman said his side will be full of confidence when they welcome Charlestown Azzurri to Alder Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles will enter the contest off the back of a big win over Maitland FC in their rescheduled round six match.
Azzurri secured the win the last time these two sides met in the competition in round seven, with a strong 4-1 win.
But Stedman believed the injection of A-League stars Cass Davis and Lauren Allan has been the boost his side has needed and will help ahead of this weekend’s clash against Azzurri.
“The win against Maitland was massive for us, everything went well from start to finish. We stayed switched on for 90 minutes,” Stedman said.
“It was a big confidence boost but I think that it also showed the girls that yes we had Cass and Lauren come into the team but as a whole team, we can compete if we believe.
“The girls lifted before the game and the attitude was different in a good way. We were focused and keen to play.
“It is massive to have two players like that who are able to come in and play for any team. The player's response and their body language have changed in a big way.
“Every player is starting to get the hang of their role.
“The girls have started to believe that they can do it and not just think that it is going to be a tough game.
The Blues have their own A-League threats, with striker Melina Ayres and defender Gema Simon joining the side.
Stedman knows the dangers Azzurri’s new recruits can create and said they will have a plan in place to help nullify the A-League stars.
“Cass and Lauren know her (Ayres) very well but I think everyone watching the A-League knows how dangerous she can be. She shoots from anywhere, is physical, is a smart footballer and is hard to deal with,” Stedman said.
“We will put out a bit of plan together in those sorts of areas of how to shut her down. But we are also looking at the whole picture and not just one player. We are more worried about our own football and our way of working on our weaknesses.”
New Lambton sit sixth on the table and are desperate to keep their finals hopes alive after they narrowly missed out last season.
“I did a lot of numbers and we know what we have to do. We know how many games we have to win to make it into the finals,” Stedman said.
“There are crucial games that we have to win but you also have to perform against the top four.
“I think at the moment we just need to keep doing what we are doing and focus on whoever we are playing on each week.”
Charlestown has had mixed results in recent matches but will also travel to Alder Park on a high after a 12-0 thrashing over Mid Coast in their round six catch-up match.
The Blues sit in fourth position on the table, four points behind Broadmeadow Magic in third and seven points clear of Adamstown Rosebud JFC in fifth.
Ayres wasted no time in putting her stamp on the competition, scoring six goals in her first hit out in blue and white against Mid Coast FC last weekend and will look to do the same again this Sunday.
Newcastle Jets and former Matildas defender Simon has not yet made her first appearance for the club but is eager to make her debut this season.
With the multiple attacking threats of Ayres, Ella Joyce, Jessie Gentle and Sienna Fraser-Kelly coach Heath Whyte will hope his side can continue hitting the back of the net and secure a vital three points away from home.
Maitland FC v Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Maitland FC coach Keelan Hamilton said his side are under no illusions about the task at hand this weekend when they host Adamstown Rosebud JFC at Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies suffered a 3-2 loss to New Lambton in their round six rescheduled fixture. But a dominant 14-0 win over Warners Bay has seen them fly up to the top of the table with 27 points with two matches in hand.
Newcastle Olympic are on equal points with Maitland and Broadmeadow Magic trail by one point but both sides have played one more game, which gives Hamilton and his side the chance to remain at the head of the table.
The last time these two sides met in round seven, the Magpies secured a 3-0 win which they will hope to repeat again with a home ground advantage.
But Hamilton knows this weekend’s match-up will be no easy task for his side after some mixed results.
"It was nice to be able to bounce back last Sunday against Warners Bay. Obviously, the New Lambton result is disappointing. I didn’t think that we were too bad on the night and were beaten by a good player. It was a pretty tight match-up,” Hamilton said.
“We are under no illusions about the task at hand, Adamstown has been in some decent form,” Hamilton said.
“Martin is doing a good job and they have been improving.”
The Magpies coach said he isn’t too focused on the table but is pleased with how their season is tracking.
“I think we are really happy with where our season is at the moment,’ Hamilton said.
“We are looking forward to the game and to play back-to-back matches.”
Adamstown enters the game off the back of a 3-0 loss to Newcastle Olympic which broke their back-to-back win streak. But they remain fifth on the table with 15 points and trail Azzurri in fifth by seven points.
New recruits Zoë Horgan and Leah O'Hagan have helped to boost the young Rosebud squad and will play a big role in getting the three points on Sunday.
A win for Martin Slade and his side will be crucial to help them narrow the gap between them and the top four as well as keep New Lambton off their heels.
Broadmeadow Magic v Mid Coast FC
Magic Park, Sunday 2pm
Broadmeadow Magic will look to reclaim the throne at the top of the table when they host Mid Coast FC at Magic Park on Sunday.
Magic have dropped off top spot in recent weeks after multiple catch-up games were played. Maitland FC now sit in first position, with Newcastle Olympic on equal points in second.
But Nima Nikfarjam and his side only sit one point behind with 26 points which will add extra motivation to get the job done.
Magic secured a 6-0 win in the last competition match between the two sides and will be eager to repeat the performance again on Sunday afternoon in their hunt for the top spot.
Mid Coast enters the contest off the back of four straight wins with their most recent defeat a 12-0 loss to Charlestown Azzurri in their round six rescheduled fixture.
One focus for Middies’ season has been to improve with every performance, which is something the young squad has been able to achieve so far.
Amanda Langlar’s side sits seventh on the table with three points and is ahead of Warners Bay on goal difference.
It will be important for Mid Coast to shut down Magic’s multiple threats in attack including Lily-Jane Babic, Ash Brodigan and Chelsea Lucas and reduce the deficit to maintain their position off the bottom of the table.
Warners Bay FC v Newcastle Olympic
John Street Oval, Sunday 4pm
Warners Bay FC will be desperate for points when they host Newcastle Olympic at John Street Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan Swinkels’ side have not secured a win since round one and have found themselves at the bottom of the table with three points after 13 matches.
The Panthers have conceded the most goals in the competition, letting 100 into the back of their own net.
But they will have an uphill battle ahead of them on Sunday as the last time these two sides met, they suffered a 10-0 loss.
They enter the contest off the back of a 14-0 thrashing against Maitland FC in their round 10 catch-up.
Warners Bay is on equal points with Mid Coast and could climb their way off the bottom of the table with an upset over Olympic.
Craig Atkins and his Olympic side have returned to form in recent weeks after four straight wins to take them to second on the table and are on equal points with league leaders Maitland FC.
They will hope that they can continue their momentum and secure another vital win and that other results go their way to move them back up to the top of the table.
