Match of the Round:
Maitland FC v Mid Coast FC
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 2:30pm
Mid Coast FC's Technical Director Larry Budgen said the young squad will focus more on self-improvement than results when they travel to Cooks Square Park to take on Maitland FC.
Brett Walker’s squad has had a difficult start to the season, with four heavy defeats as they sit at the bottom of the table on zero points.
On top of the poor run of results, they have lost multiple players to injury including Abbie Brown who will be out for the season after rupturing her ACL and Evie Gill who is not set to return for at least another week.
But Larry Budgen is proud of the resilience the young squad has shown so far.
“We have a very young squad with only one adult player in the mix, the rest are 17,” Budgen said.
“They are trying to keep improving and they are working hard
Budgen is realistic about where the side stands in the competition but credits the players and coaching staff’s hard work to overcome the challenges that have come their way.
“They will definitely continue to get better but this is still senior first-grade football where you get judged on results,” Budgen said.
“We know it’s going to be a long season but the girls are all still so positive.
“We have had issues with our training and match venues which has not helped us at all.
“The coaches are working overtime and putting so much extra work into the side and they continue to stay positive. They deserve credit as their commitment is unbelievable, it’s been fantastic to see.”
Mid Coast missed out on their round four fixture due to unsuitable ground conditions. The side will be eager to try and turn things around against the Magpies and lift themselves off the bottom of the table.
“The girls know that Maitland is a very strong outfit and a very professional club,” Budgen said.
“The side knows that this weekend won’t be easy but they will give it their best.”
Maitland will finally return to Cooks Square Park to play their first home game of the season on Sunday.
The Magpies come into this weekend’s fixture third on the table with nine points after three wins and one loss.
Keelan Hamilton believed his side were lucky to walk away with a win against Newcastle Olympic last week after an own goal secured all three points for the Magpies.
Maitland’s coach is happy with his side’s overall start to the season but wants to see more from them when they return home this weekend.
“We are happy to have three wins under our belt,” Hamilton said.
“We haven’t hit our straps yet. I am hoping to see improvement on Sunday.
“The pressing thing for me is to improve on our performances. Winning comes from good performances and we want to play as good as we win.
“I am really excited to get back to Cooks Square Park.”
The Magpies will be without several of their key starters as striker Georgia Amess is getting married overseas.
Amess, Alesha Clifford, Keely Gawthrop and Paige Kingston-Hogg will be among those who will be unavailable this Sunday but Hamilton is confident in the depth of his squad and their ability to fill the gaps.
“It’s really nice to know that we have a strong squad,” Hamilton said.
“Our reserve team have started really strongly and they are starting to put some real pressure on the players a head of them.
“We have a really young reserve grade group that we can help grow and the exciting thing is that these players are ready right now and the future of the club is in a good space.”
Three points could spring the Magpies up to the top of the table if results around them go their way, which makes a win crucial in their campaign for finals football in 2024.
Newcastle Olympic v Charlestown Azzurri
Darling Street Oval, Saturday 4pm
Charlestown Azzurri will be relying on a young squad to bring down a dominant Newcastle Olympic side on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues will travel to Darling Street Oval without a handful of their key players including Nikki Jones (injury), Sarah Halvosen (back injury) and Charlize Whyte (knee injury) with additional players away.
White said they will have to count on some of their younger reserve-grade players to step up against a dominant Olympic side.
“We will have to rely on a youthful midfield with so many away,”
“We will lack in that football maturity but make up for it with a fit-hungry side.
But the Blues coach is excited to give some of her less experienced players some minutes in first-grade football.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to give these younger players a crack and some decent minutes,” Whyte said.
“We’ve got depth this year and our vision is to build for the future.”
Azzurri have grown into the season, with a loss, a draw and two wins in their first four matches and sit fourth on the table with seven points.
Charlestown come into this week’s battle off the back of a dominant 10-2 defeat against Warners Bay and will look to continue their momentum again on Saturday.
Olympic will be desperate to bounce back after a late own goal stripped them of all three points in their first defeat of the season.
Craig Atkins’ side has shown that they can hit the back of the net, with 28 goals scored in four matches, but they were unable to capitalise on their chances against Maitland.
Olympic’s coach will be eager for his side to convert their chances and secure all three points this Saturday.
“We just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. If we put those chances in the back of the net, it could of been a different result,” Atkins said.
“We have come through the game unscathed and are ready to go again.”
Olympic is second on the table on nine points, one point behind league-leaders Broadmeadow Magic. A win would see Olympic spring to the top of the table or stay on Magic’s heels depending on other results.
Adamstown Rosebud JFC v New Lambton FC
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Saturday 7pm
Adamstown Rosebud looks to bounce back as they welcome New Lambton FC on Saturday evening.
Rosebud have had a mixed start to the season as they picked up one win and three heavy defeats in the first four rounds of the competition.
Martin Slade will hope that his side can respond from their 7-0 defeat against Broadmeadow Magic that saw their goalkeeper and captain forced from the sideline early in the first half after a heavy head knock.
Sneddon has been ruled out for the next two matches which will mean Janali Haynes will step up between the posts in her place.
Tori Johnson, Danielle McSeveney and Ella Donnelly will hope that they can hit the back of the net again this weekend past goalkeeper Ally Boertje, who has had a strong start to the season and has saved one penalty.
New Lambton will travel to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility rested after they had their round four fixture against Mid Coast postponed.
The Golden Eagles sit fifth on the table on three points but have one game in hand and will be desperate for all three points against Adamstown.
Tara Andrews has proved to be pivotal for her side as her experience and goal-scoring ability to help motivate the team. Young attacker Nyah Bradley has also shown that she can hit the back of the net and will hope to get her name on the scoresheet again on Saturday.
A win for either team would help to keep them on the coattails of the top four teams and give them a nice present ahead of a week off in the competition for Easter.
Warners Bay FC v Broadmeadow Magic
John Street Oval, Sunday 4pm
Warners Bay is desperate to turn things around when they go head-to-head with league-leaders Broadmeadow Magic on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers started the season strong with a win but have not picked up a point since then, suffering three heavy defeats.
But unlike last season Warners Bay has shown that they can hit the back of the net, as they have scored 12 goals in four matches.
Ryan Swinkels' side will hope their attackers Emily Diaz, Indianna Asimus and Callie Thomas are in form and able to break down Magic’s strong defensive unit.
The Panthers will be without defender Jada-Lee McBride as she serves a one match suspension as well as goalkeeper Mia Wallace who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Magic will travel to John Street Oval off the back of a confident 7-0 win over Adamstown Rosebud JFC in round four and sit at the top of the table on 10 points.
Star striker Adriana Konjarski will return to the lineup after she missed last week due to suspension. She and six of her teammates have proved that they can score and all will be eager to get on the scoresheet on Sunday.
Nima Nikfarjam will hope his team can return to Magic Park with all three points to continue their stay at the top of the table, one point ahead of Newcastle Olympic.
Three points for the Panthers would help keep them in touch with the top end of the league in their fight to get back into finals football in 2024.