Match of the Round
New Lambton FC 4-6 Charlestown Azzurri
New Lambton coach Aaron Stedman said it was moments that cost his side after a crushing 6-2 defeat against Charlestown Azzurri at Alder Park on Sunday afternoon.
Cass Davis opened the scoring for New Lambton, with a smooth turn on the ball before she struck it into the back of the net in the sixth minute.
But the Blues responded three minutes later when Ayres screamed onto the ball inside the penalty area to tap it past goalkeeper Ally Boertje.
Jessie Gentle extended Azzurri’s lead in the 14th minute when she was not pressured in front of the goal after the defender slipped over and struck the ball into the goal.
Ayres struck again after a cross from Jessie Gentle found its way to the striker’s feet and she sliced the ball through the defensive line and into the back of the net.
The Golden Eagles were not out of the fight as Tara Andrews ducked and weaved past Azzurri players to slot the ball past the reach of goalkeeper Malli Blanch and take the scoreline to 3-2 into the half time break.
Lauren Allan used her pace to go one-on-one with Blanch and slide the ball into the back of the goal in the 52nd minute to make the scoreline locked up at 3-3.
But two goals in three minutes allowed Charlestown to nudge ahead once again, with goals in the 54th and 57th minutes from incredible individual goals from Gentle and Ayres.
The Golden Eagles were able to stay alive as Davis snuck her way past the Azzurri defenders to tap the ball into the back of the net.
Ella Joyce was able to secure the three points for the Blues after she ran onto a ball from Ayres and on the turn placed it past Boertje to take the final score to 6-4.
Stedman was proud of his team’s performance but had mixed emotions about the final result.
“It was a great game for the neutral as both teams played really well,” Stedman said.
“It is obviously disappointing for the result to end up the way it did but it was still a good performance from our side.
“The only difference was small moments and the one per cent things that added up for us.
“We defended well and attacked well but moments in the game cost us such as letting a ball bounce or not getting first to the ball.
“I was proud that we kept working until the final whistle. It could have been very easy to give up near the end. But we kept going, which is something I was really proud of.
“I am stuck in two minds with how I feel. When you score four goals you expect to win but we also conceded six.”
Whyte praised the efforts of his side to stay in the fight and come out on top with a crucial three points.
“It was a great game. We knew that we would be against a tough New Lambton side with Cass, Tara and Lauren who all know each other so well. We put a strategy together to nullify them and I think our girls did a really good job at executing the strategy,” Whyte said.
“We took our chances and went into half time 3-2 up knowing we could step it up another gear.
“Across the pitch, the girls stood out yesterday. When you have a whole team play so well and play for each other it is hard to single out any individual performance.
“We concentrated on our structure and playing a short game which we got right.
“I really enjoyed the game. Both teams played really well in a hard-fought match which is a credit to the teams.”
The usual number-one goalkeeper was noticeably on the bench for the Blues with Malli Blanch between the posts, which Whyte said was a calculated choice by the coaching team.
“It was a strategic decision to start Malli. I thought although she had some nervous moments which was to be expected, she made some key saves to keep us in the fight,” Whyte said.
“Goalkeepers are not easy to replace if they get injured so for Malli to get some minutes in first grade is great.”
Azzurri continues to sit fourth on the table but has extended their lead ahead of the bottom four sides to 10 points.
The Blues trail Broadmeadow Magic by four points, which they will be eager to chase down when they return home to Lisle Carr Oval to host Maitland FC next Saturday.
New Lambton will be desperate to return to winning ways and keep their chances at finals alive as they sit sixth on the table, 12 points outside the top four.
They will look to bounce back when they go head-to-head next Saturday with Broadmeadow Magic.
Maitland FC 4-1 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Maitland FC maintains their winning streak after a 4-1 win over Adamstown Rosebud JFC at Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon.
The two sides were deadlocked at 0-0 until the 43rd minute when the Magpies were awarded a penalty kick after captain Sophie Stapleford was taken down inside the penalty area. Bronte Peel stepped up and converted from the spot to net her 22nd goal of the season.
The Magpies struck again in the 51st minute when Stapleford cut the ball across into the face of goal for Peel to tap in past goalkeeper Olivia Sneddon.
Peel secured a hat-trick 10 minutes later to take the scoreline to 3-0 with a well-placed header off a free kick.
Stapleford extended the Magpies lead out again in the 75th minute when she caught Adamstown on the break and sprinted towards goal before she smashed the ball into the back of the net.
Adamstown clawed one back in the 80th minute after Tanya Jones was taken down by defender Amy Parkinson inside the penalty area.
Jenna Doyle converted from the spot kick but it was a little too late for the away side, with the score at the final whistle 4-1.
Despite the win, Maitland has fallen to second on the table on equal points with league leaders Newcastle Olympic. The sides are separated by goal difference but the Magpies have one more game in hand which they will hope they can use to their advantage and rise back to the top.
Keelan Hamilton and his side will hope to keep their momentum alive when they travel to Lisle Carr Oval to face Charlestown Azzurri next Saturday.
Adamstown continues to sit fifth on the table but is now 10 points behind Charlestown Azzurri in fourth position.
Martin Slade and his side will be eager to snap their two-game losing streak when they host Olympic at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility next Saturday.
Broadmeadow Magic 9-0 Mid Coast FC
Magic Park, Sunday 2pm
Broadmeadow Magic return to back-to-back wins after a dominant 9-0 victory over Mid Coast FC at Magic Park on Sunday afternoon.
Magic put on a clinical performance to secure a vital win in their campaign, opening the scoring in the 13th minute with a header from Kobe Ferguson off a corner kick.
Ash Brodigan doubled Magic’s advantage in the 19th minute after she got in behind her defenders and powered towards goal before she sliced It into the back of the net.
Two goals in four minutes from Kiarra Lewis and Brodigan in the 40th and 44th minutes gave the home side a 4-0 lead at the half time break.
Back-to-back penalties awarded to Magic in the 56th and 63rd allowed the scoreline to blow out as Mercedes McNabb and Brodigan each converted calmly from the spot.
McNabb netted her second of the afternoon in the 76th minute before Emily Loader-Weston put the cherry on top and scored the ninth and final of the match in the 82nd minute.
The win keeps Magic in touch with the top two sides Newcastle Olympic and Maitland FC.
Nima Nikfarjam and his side will be eager to make it three from three when they travel to Alder Park to face New Lambton FC on Saturday.
Mid Coast remains seventh on the table with three points and they will be desperate to secure their second win of the season when they face the Bay in a bottom-of-the-table clash at Taree Zone Field next Sunday.
The club parted ways with their head coach Amanda Langlar last week and will be eager to keep the disruptions off the pitch and score a vital win.
Warners Bay FC 0-13 Newcastle Olympic
John Street Oval, Sunday 4pm
Newcastle Olympic claw their way back to the top of the table after a 13-0 thrashing over Warners Bay FC at John Street Oval on Sunday.
Craig Atkins’ side put the last-placed Panthers to the sword, as Jemma House netted eight to put her in the lead of the golden boot race.
Sophie McDonald got Olympic on the scoreboard in the second minute of the match with an angled shot that rolled into the back of the net.
House opened her account for the afternoon and secured a hat-trick, with goals in the 7th, 25th and 26th minutes.
Marion Dunbabin and Danielle Nicol each hit the back of the net before half time to take the scoreline to 6-0 at the break.
Two goals in one minute from House and Elodie Dagg in the 52nd and 53rd minutes continued the momentum for Olympic.
House struck four more times to put the nail in the coffin for the Panthers and secure the league leader title for her side once again this season.
The win saw Olympic move back to the top of the table on goal difference but equal points with Maitland FC who have an extra game in hand. Atkins and his side will hope to keep the good times rolling when they face Adamstown Rosebud JFC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday.
Warners Bay’s season continues to go from bad to worse as they sit at the bottom of the table. They will be desperate to turn things around when they face Mid Coast FC at Taree Zone Field in a bottom-of-the-table clash on Sunday.