Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic 0-4 Maitland FC
Maitland FC coach Joe Wright says early goals set the tone for his side’s match against Broadmeadow Magic when they walked away with a 2-0 victory at Magic Park on Friday night.
It took Maitland 12 minutes to steal the lead after a Magic own goal.
Sophie Nenadovic launched a corner towards the goal and forced goalkeeper Ayano Kurosawa to jump and catch the ball. Kurosawa was unable to find her footing and fell backwards into the goal, giving the Magpies the 1-0 lead.
Magpies doubled their lead just a minute later when Willow Neal sliced the ball to Georgia Amess who forced Kurosawa to come to the top of her box.
Amess passed to Renee Pountney as she ran into the box and slotted the ball into the back of the net in the 13th minute.
Maitland’s Josie Morley looked to make it 3-0 when she struck the ball with power from outside of the box but instead hit the corner of the crossbar.
Despite persistent attempts Maitland was unable to extend their lead and went into the sheds leading 2-0.
Morley got her chance to score when the ball fell to her feet from a corner and she tapped it into the net in the 52nd minute.
Broadmeadow continued to try and get their name on the scoreboard but were denied continuously by the dominant Maitland defence.
Magic was able to prevent the Magpies from extending their lead for the next 30 minutes of the match, but a brain snap awarded Maitland a penalty in the 81st minute.
Maitland’s Ceanna Frost ran into the penalty area and onto the ball but was clipped by Broadmeadow’s Jemma Lawson. Nenadovic stood up and converted from that spot, with a powerful shot to the top right corner.
The Magpies were unable to put anymore past Magic in the remaining minutes, and the score remained 4-0 at the full-time whistle.
“It was a tough game. It’s always difficult to play on a Friday night at Magic,” Wright said.
“We just had to make sure that we turned up and I think we started with some really good intent, getting a couple of goals early help set the tone for the rest of the match.
“I was happy with the chances that we did convert. However, I think that we could have been a little bit more critical and a bit more clinical in a couple of moments there.
“But the goals that we did score from set pieces and penalties you need to be in those positions to create those opportunities.”
Wright credits the pressure Magic built but believed his side was able to handle it.
“We play our brand of football, and if we need to make adjustments and adapt, we do,” Wright said.
“To their [Broadmeadow’s] credit, they tried to apply pressure on us and maybe forced us into playing under more pressure but I think the girls handled it relatively well.
“If you can keep clean sheets and you can defend well and limit what the opposition can do, then it puts yourself with the best opportunity to capitalise at the other end.”
The Magpies remained at the top of the table five points ahead of Charlestown Azzurri in second.
Broadmeadow Magic coach Jason Konjarski said corners have been a weakness for his side after their 4-0 defeat.
“On paper the result doesn’t sound great, but we conceded off 2 corners once again and a penalty and only once in open play,” Konjarski said.
“Corners have been a very weak point for us this season so something to work on moving forward.”
Despite the four-nil defeat Konjarski said his side is feeling good as a group.
“We are feeling good as a group. We changed the formation and unfortunately due to the weather we weren't able to train it at all, and it was our first run with it,” Konjarski said.
“So, considering the goals we conceded I think the formation worked well and we could frustrate a fair bit.
“We didn’t get on the score sheet but going forward I still think we lack a bit, but we are hoping to fix that with some solid training and getting a good run at the state cup.
“We had to sort of work our way into the game due to the new formation, but you have to be worried about every player on the field when you play a team as good as Maitland.
“I see them going on with the season and winning the double in my eyes they are a complete squad, and Joe [Wright] is doing a great job”
Maitland will take part in the Women’s State Cup this weekend and will look to return to the final on Sunday afternoon after they narrowly missed out in 2024.
Broadmeadow sit at the bottom of the table, with just four points to their name.
They will look to secure more wins at the Women’s State Cup and earn a piece of silverware this weekend.
Charlestown Azzurri 1-0 Lake Macquarie City FC
Charlestown Azzurri coach Heath Whyte believes his side's fight secured them the 1-0 victory over Lake Macquarie City FC at Lisle Carr Oval on Saturday.
It was an end-to-end contest to open the match as both teams pushed to open the scoring.
But neither side could break free in the first half and the sides went into half-time locked 0-0.
Both teams came into the second half eager to break the deadlock but strong backlines from each side continued to prevent the final finish.
It appeared the sides would be sharing the points, but Charlestown Azzurri’s Sienna Fraser-Kelly stepped up for her side.
Fraser-Kelly whipped the ball from the bottom left corner of the field into the box, past Lake’s goalkeeper Morgan Ross and into the back of the net in the 88th minute.
The efforts by Fraser-Kelly proved to be the difference when the final whistle blew and her side walked away with a 1-0 victory.
“I think we responded quite well in the second half and got it together. Our first half was probably not our best half of football,” Whyte said.
“We were trying to execute the strategy, but it just wasn’t quite coming together for us. I was glad to get into the sheds at half-time, we re-grouped, and the girls responded.
“I want to see that we’ve got that fight in us to the end, if you are behind to really scrap and try and get a result out of it.
“I think that’s the biggest difference between this time last season, and now.
“The girls have really taken that aspect of their football to the next level and it’s a build, but I think we’re bringing it together at the right time of the season.
“You don’t want to peak too early; you don’t want to get everything more right than wrong too early. You want it to come together at the right end of the season, and we seem to be doing that.”
Charlestown are sat second on the table, five points away from league leaders Maitland FC who still have to serve their final bye of the season.
They will look to make their way back to the Women’s State Cup final this Sunday and walk away with their third piece of silverware of the season after they secured the Charity Shield in February and Women’s League Cup in May.
Lakes remained in sixth but are only two points away from Adamstown Rosebud JFC in fifth.
They will take part in the Women’s State Cup for the first time this weekend and will look to make their mark on the competition by making the final on Sunday afternoon.
Newcastle Olympic 2-0 Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Newcastle Olympic secured their first win at Darling Street Oval since April 12 when they downed Adamstown Rosebud JFC 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Since April 12 Olympic had two draws and one loss at home and were determined to end that streak.
It was an end-to-end contest to open the match as both sides searched to take the lead.
But neither team were able to convert their chances and went into half-time locked up 0-0.
The Buds came out firing as they dominated in their front third but continued to struggle to find the back of the net.
Olympic were finally able to break the deadlock and steal the lead in the 73rd minute.
Elodie Dagg sent a spectacular ball from half-way as Jemma House charged down the middle of the park, outran three defenders and half-volleyed the ball over goalkeeper Olivia Sneddon.
House secured her side the win in the 85th minute after she launched the ball from outside of the box and caught Sneddon off her line.
Sneddon was unable to get a hand to the ball before it smashed into the middle of the net.
The 2-0 victory moved Olympic to third on the table, one point ahead of New Lambton FC who served the bye in round 17.
They will look to go back-to-back at the Women’s State Cup this weekend before serving the bye in round 18.
Adamstown remained in fifth but are now 11 points outside of the top four.
The Buds will take part in the Women’s State Cup this weekend and will be eager to take part in the final on Sunday afternoon.
New Lambton FC - Bye
