Match of the Round
Newcastle Olympic v New Lambton FC
Darling Street Oval, Saturday 2pm
Newcastle Olympic coach Jacob Jones is confident his side can get a positive result if they stick to their game plan when they welcome New Lambton FC to Darling Street Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Olympic enter the clash on the back of three consecutive losses, conceding 14 goals and scoring just twice during that stretch. Most recently, they suffered a 4-2 defeat to Adamstown Rosebud after leading 2-0 at half-time.
Despite their recent run of form, Jones believes if his side can begin putting together complete 90-minute performances, the results will follow.
“It’s a good chance for us to start trying to string together 90-minute performances,” Jones said.
“Against Maitland we put together 35, 40 minutes in each half and the last five or so minutes killed us in each half.
“Then last week [against Adamstown Rosebud] the second 45 minutes was such a contrast of the first half, so it's just about getting consistency in there, trying to keep their concentration and making sure we put the same performance out the entire game.
“New Lambton obviously presents different problems than Adamstown did but similar in the fact they both play with strong, powerful number nines.
“It'll be just about nullifying that threat up front and then we want to have control of the game anyway, similar to the first half against Adamstown.
“If we just play our game, keep possession and play to our strengths I'm confident we can get a result out of it.”
Olympic sit just one point outside the top four and Jones knows consistency will be key if his side is to return to finals football.
“The girls were disappointed after the game [against Adamstown], but I think they're starting to see some of the positives and the things that we are wanting to do are coming out in the game,” Jones said.
“At our best we would be strong and compact in defence.
“Protect central areas really, really well and with the ball holding possession, being patient and moving through the lines quickly when the opportunities present.”
Jones also confirmed his squad remains short of full strength, although they are edging closer to having more players available.
New Lambton enter the match following a 3-2 win against Broadmeadow Magic in their round 12 catch-up fixture on Wednesday night.
Now coach Craig Atkins turns his attention to an Olympic side he knows can never be underestimated.
“Olympic are always a tough opposition, we look at the first round and we scored, they scored, and we got two goals in front, and they fought back,” Atkins said.
“Olympic are a side you can never take lightly, and you've got to be matching them in the contest for the full 90 minutes, that's for sure.”
The last time the two sides met, New Lambton claimed a 3-2 victory in an entertaining contest.
All three of New Lambton’s goals came from set pieces and while Atkins is happy to take goals however they come, he would like to see his side continue creating chances from open play.
“You don't always want your goals coming from set pieces, obviously we've got some good strike power up there that can definitely capitalise on set pieces but against Lakes [Macquarie City FC] a lot of the goals come from general play, which is always nice,” Atkins said.
“It's good to have a combination instead of just from one particular area. In saying that goals are goals, and you take them as you get them so I'm not complaining.
“But hopefully there's a bit of a variation there as well.”
Along with variation in attack, Atkins admits he wants his side to continue matching the physicality of opposition teams as they prepare for another tough challenge.
“The girls have got a great attitude when they get on a pitch and I think we just need to keep working hard, stay nice and compact and connected with each other,” Atkins said.
“There's a lot of teams that are quite physical, so we need to match the physicality with them all.
“This time of year, it's anyone's game, so you've got to make sure you're turning up ready to go for a tough contest.”
Charlestown Azzurri v Broadmeadow Magic
Lisle Carr Oval, Saturday 5pm
Broadmeadow Magic assistant coach Dean Cook says his side can take confidence from previous results against Charlestown Azzurri but insists they will not underestimate the bottom-placed side when the two teams meet at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The last time the two sides met, Magic recorded their biggest win of the season with a dominant 6-0 victory over Azzurri at Magic Park.
But Cook says that result will count for little when they meet again, with Azzurri now enjoying home ground advantage and looking to respond strongly.
“We do take confidence from that result, but we don't want to get too complacent,” Cook said.
“We don't take any team lightly, so we expect a tough match against Azzurri like we always would.
“Whilst we're confident in our ability to win the game we’re not getting carried away with that previous game.”
Both sides come into the clash on a short turnaround after midweek catch-up fixtures on Wednesday.
Broadmeadow narrowly went down 3-2 after opening the scoring in the fifth minute, while Charlestown defeated Lake Macquarie City FC 2-0.
Magic were also in action last Wednesday in a midweek fixture, falling 6-2 to Maitland FC. Despite the defeat, there was a notable positive, with Magic becoming the only side this season to score more than once against the competition leaders.
Cook admitted his side was slow out of the blocks in that match and said a stronger start will be a key focus against Azzurri.
“The first half against Maitland unfortunately, we were a bit off the pace. We probably lacked a little bit of energy and therefore we were chasing in that first half,” he said.
“We made some changes at half-time, and I think it was 2-2 in the second half, so that's certainly a positive.
“But starting better will absolutely be the focus and making sure that we're not in the same situation.”
Magic sits fourth on the table, holding a narrow buffer over Newcastle Olympic in fifth, and will be aiming to strengthen their finals position this weekend.
The midweek victory for Charlestown Azzurri will have the side full of confidence after securing their first win since March.
It was Azzurri’s second win of the season, with both victories coming against Lake Macquarie City FC.
Despite sitting at the foot of the table, Azzurri remain within reach of the top four, sitting just two points adrift. A win on Saturday could see them climb into fourth place, pending other results, and keep their finals hopes alive.
The side will also be boosted by the inclusion of Newcastle Jets player Libby Copus-Brown, who made her return to the pitch in Wednesday’s fixture.
Maitland FC v Adamstown Rosebud
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 11am
Former colleagues Ben Horgan and Martin Slade will go head-to-head once again on Sunday morning when Maitland FC host Adamstown Rosebud at Cooks Square Park.
The clash carries a strong personal connection, with Horgan having joined Maitland after serving as Slade’s assistant coach at Adamstown Rosebud. The pair also worked closely together at the Newcastle Jets before taking on their current roles in the NPL Women’s competition.
Sunday will mark the second meeting between the coaches this season, with Horgan hoping his side can replicate the 2-0 victory Maitland secured when the teams met in round seven.
Maitland enters the contest in strong form after a 6-2 midweek win over Broadmeadow Magic last Wednesday. The result further showcased the Magpies’ attacking firepower, although they will be eager to tighten up defensively after Magic were able to slot two goals past them.
Adamstown, meanwhile, arrive with renewed confidence following a 4-2 victory over Newcastle Olympic in round 13, just their second win of the campaign. The Rosebuds have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks and will be looking to build further momentum against one of the competition’s frontrunners.
The visitors can also take positives from their previous meeting with Maitland. Despite the 2-0 result, one of the goals came via an own goal, providing evidence they were capable of matching periods of play with the Magpies.
A disciplined defensive performance will again be crucial if they are to claim a positive result on Sunday.
With plenty of familiarity between the two coaching boxes and both teams coming off victories, Sunday's meeting promises to be a competitive encounter at Cooks Square Park.
Bye - Lake Macquarie City FC