Match of the Round
Broadmeadow Magic 1-1 Charlestown Azzurri
Broadmeadow coach Nima Nikfarjam praised his side’s mentality as Magic scored a 97th minute penalty to earn a 1-1 draw with Charlestown Azzurri on Friday night, despite the send off of star striker Adriana Konjarski.
Azzurri had all but secured the three points at Magic Park before young Broadmeadow attacker Mercedes McNabb stepped up to convert a penalty in stoppage time.
Ella Joyce opened the scoring in the 30th minute to put Azzurri ahead. The Blues delivered a corner kick that was nodded away by Magic defender Kobie Ferguson. But the ball landed in the path of Joyce outside the penalty area, who struck the ball low and hard, deflecting off Kalista Hunter and past Imogene Tomasone.
All momentum appeared to be with Azzurri when Konjarski was sent from the field, receiving a second yellow card for dissent in the 53rd minute.
Things went from bad to worse for Magic when attacker Lilly-Jane Babic was forced from the field after tearing her calf.
But despite being a goal and a player down, Magic switched into gear and created multiple goal-scoring opportunities culminating in McNabb’s late equaliser from the spot.
Nikfarjam was thrilled with how his team responded to going down to 10 and come from behind.
“We played nearly 45 minutes with one player less and scored in the 97th minute, which shows a great winning mentality from the players,” Nikfarjam said.
“I think we started a bit slow and Azzurri came out with a high tempo. It took us a while to adapt to their tempo and then they scored off a deflection.
“Then we move onto the second half and we lose AJ [Konjarski] and then Babic due to injury but we changed tactics which worked and then created chance after chance.”
The Magic coach was happy to see his team build but insisted more improvement was needed.
“I think our shape is working. Our defence is working and a big positive is that we can create multiple chances,” Nikfajam said.
“But the one thing that we need to improve on is working on the conversions. You can’t score all of them but we need to improve our conversion rate.
“I look forward to seeing how we grow throughout the rest of the season.”
Azzurri head coach Heath Whyte was pleased with his side’s overall performance but admitted that having an extra player advantage in the second half hindered the team.
“I thought we were excellent,” Whyte said.
“We came out strong in the first half, we had a game plan which the girls were able to execute for the majority of the game pretty well. We had a lot of control in the first half.
“But we allowed momentum to swing the other way in the second half and when they went down to 10 players we went more direct. That’s a part of having a youthful squad and them gaining some experience in those situations.
“When they went down to 10 players and shortened the game up we didn’t respond to that.”
Whyte was impressed with how his side stood tall and lasted the full 90 minutes in their third match of the week and credited their preseason fitness work.
“Credit to the girls, that was a very dynamic performance and they did not slow from start to finish,” Whyte said.
“The lack of time to prepare for two big games wasn’t ideal but what we did do well and made the most of that time together.
“We’ve mixed it with two very strong teams this week and both performances were fantastic. For the third game in six days against Magic, the girls did so well and kept the intensity high.
“It was nice to see the fruits of the labor we put into strength and conditioning in the preseason.”
Azzurri will look to secure all three points when they return home to Lisle Carr Oval to host Warners Bay on Saturday. While Broadmeadow Magic go head-to-head with Adamstown Rosebud JFC on Friday night.
New Lambton FC 1-6 Newcastle Olympic
New Lambton were unable to continue their winning momentum, going down 6-1 to Newcastle Olympic on Sunday afternoon.
Despite a slow start to the match at Alder Park, Olympic once again showed their dominant style of play unleashing goal after goal in the second half.
New Lambton’s squad was struck with sickness over the weekend, which saw several reserve grade players step up and start first grade for the first time.
Tara Andrews opened the scoring for New Lambton in the 14th minute, with Olympic conceding their first goal of the season.
Andrews ran onto the end of a perfect through ball from Jessica Terry and struck the ball into the back of the net.
Olympic had the opportunity to equalise from the spot in the 31st minute after Hannah Bourke handled the ball inside the penalty area. But Elodie Dagg’s strike was cleared away, with a strong save by Ally Boertje.
But Craig Atkins' side was given a second chance to level the score after they were awarded another penalty in the 46th minute. This time Jemma House stepped up to the spot, calmly slotting the ball past Boertje.
Olympic came out in the second half looking like the side who were so dominant in the first two rounds, creating multiple chances.
Dagg finally got her name on the scoresheet in the 52nd minute, knocking in an indirect free kick from the penalty spot after Boertje picked up a back pass from her teammate.
House netted her second of the afternoon in the 60th minute, turning on her defender and slicing the ball across the goal and into the back of the net.
Olympic extended their lead again with two impressive strikes from Kiera Bainsfair in the 66th and 77th minute.
Things went from bad to worse for New Lambton when Bourke was shown her second yellow card of the afternoon for a late tackle from behind on House.
Substitute Brooke Summers was able to put the cherry on top for her Olympic side, slotting in the sixth and final goal of the afternoon in the 85th minute.
New Lambton coach Aaron Stedman was not happy with the final result but was impressed with the way his reserve grade players stepped up.
“It wasn’t the performance we were chasing but... I am really proud of the girls and how they adapted to having so many out,” Stedman said.
“I am really proud of the performance of those reserve grade players and we went out there to be competitive and it was a high-intensity first half.
“It’s very easy to just give up and start blaming people but every single player remained positive right until the end of the match.”
New Lambton will hope to bounce back when they travel north to face Mid Coast, while Olympic will return home to Darling Street Oval to host Maitland FC.
Adamstown Rosebud JFC 5-0 Mid Coast FC
Adamstown picked up their first points of the season after defeating Mid Coast 5-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Things got off to a horror start for Mid Coast, as they conceded an own goal after 15 minutes.
Adamstown’s Eva Donnelley charged down the sideline carrying the ball towards goal and crossed the ball into the penalty area. But Mid Coast’s Lulu McGrath stuck her leg out and knocked the ball into the back of her own net.
Martin Slade’s side doubled their lead in the final seconds of the first half, with an impressive long-range strike from Tori Johnson.
Donnelly was able to finally get her name on the scoresheet in the 66th minute, collecting a loose ball that spilled out from a corner kick, curving the ball into the back of the net.
Two minutes later Tanya Jones extended Adamstown’s lead again, converting a penalty after she was taken down inside the penalty area.
Danielle McSeveney put the icing on the cake in Rosebud’s first win, scoring the fifth and final goal of the afternoon in the 70th minute.
Rosebud will be hope to continue their winning momentum when they take on reigning premiers and champions Broadmeadow Magic on Friday night, while Mid Coast will be desperate to bounce back in their first home game of the season against New Lambton.
Warners Bay FC 0-9 Maitland FC
Maitland striker Bronte Peel was the star, scoring five goals as the Magpies thrashed Warners Bay 9-0 at John Street Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers held the visitors scoreless for the first third of the game before the floodgates opened for the Magpies.
The game was stopped for several minutes while Warners Bay’s goalkeeper Mia Wallace was forced from the field with a foot injury after awkwardly falling in the 10th minute.
Maitland opened the scoring in the 36th minute with Peel hitting the back of the net with a strong strike.
The Magpies put their foot on the gas, scoring three goals in three minutes just before half-time, with Alesha Clifford, Peel and Georgia Amess all hitting the back of the net.
The second half was no different for Maitland after Peel secured her hat-trick in the 54th minute before scoring again five minutes later to take the score to 6-0.
Magpies co-captain Sophie Stapleford made her debut for the season, coming onto the pitch in the 59th minute after returning from illness.
It did not take long for the co-captain to put her mark on the match, converting a penalty in the 79th minute before Peel scored her fifth goal of the afternoon in the 84th minute.
Stapleford put the icing on the cake for Maitland, scoring their ninth and final goal of the match in the 90th minute.
The Panthers will be desperate to turn things around on Saturday when they travel to Lisle Carr Oval to take on Charlestown Azzurri.
Maitland will hope to continue their winning form when they take on Newcastle Olympic at Darling Street Oval on Saturday.
